Zellige Trails: Riads, Workshops, and Desert Palettes — Marrakech (3 days)
A tactile, sun-warmed three-day route for design enthusiasts through Marrakech: layered riads, contemporary galleries, artisan ateliers and hands‑on zellige. Focused on makers, materiality and architecture at a relaxed November pace.
Highlights
- Musée Yves Saint Laurent & Jardin Majorelle: colour, textiles and provenance
- MACAAL: contemporary African design and large-scale installation reading
- Hands-on zellige workshop with local artisans at Dar Bellarj
- ANIMA Garden: sculptural plant palettes and outdoor installations
- Galerie 127 and Maison de la Photographie: contemporary visual practice in Marrakech
- Ensemble Artisanal & Souk Cherifa: studio visits and material sourcing
Itinerary
Day 1
Medina pulse — intimate riad gardens, specialist galleries and artisan complexes. Start in the tucked-away historic lanes, finish with a rooftop view over the medina.
Le Jardin Secret — restored riad garden and architectural study
Begin with a close-reading of courtyard geometry, restored zellij and original riad volumes. Great for sketching composition and material samples in cool morning light.
Local tips:
- Arrive early for softer side-light on the zellij and carved stucco—ideal for material sketches and colour notes.
- Ask staff about original restoration fragments; they can often point out different zellij patterns and historical repairs.
- Accessibility note: several stepped sections—carry a small portable stool if you want to sit for detailed sketches.
Galerie 127 — contemporary Moroccan gallery visit
A focused stop at one of Marrakech's leading contemporary galleries; observe artist approaches to material and colour across painting, photography and installation.
Local tips:
- Talk to the gallery staff about local artists who work in ceramics and textile collage—ask for any studio recommendations.
- Make time to photograph works from angles that show texture; gallery lighting is often directional and reveals surface detail.
- If you need to ship small pieces, ask the gallery about trusted local packers to avoid costly mistakes.
Lunch at Le Jardin — courtyard restaurant (design-forward setting)
A relaxed mid-day lunch in a repurposed riad garden; a good time to compare the morning notes and discuss colour palettes over tagines.
Local tips:
- Request a shaded table to study the layered colours of tile, wood and plaster while you eat.
- Look out for small details — carved screens and painted beams — which often inspire local furniture designers.
- Vegetarian options highlight traditional spice combinations—note these for future sensory-driven palette ideas.
Ensemble Artisanal Marrakech — artisan complex and studio visits
A local government-run artisan complex where woodworkers, metalworkers and leather craftsmen produce on-site. Observe techniques, compare patinas and source small objects.
Local tips:
- Go beyond the front shops: ask politely to see the back workshops where makers hand-tool and finish pieces.
- Bring small coin amounts and small notes for quick purchases of samples or to tip a maker after a short demo.
- Note finishes and joins closely—this is a good place to learn about traditional joinery and surface treatments.
Riad BE — restorative riad break and tactile material review
Return to your riad for tea, to sort texture samples and photograph your palette swatches in soft afternoon light.
Local tips:
- Ask the riad host for a quiet corner where natural light is steady for photographing tiles and fabric samples.
- Compare natural daylight vs shaded courtyard light to understand how pigments shift—a key lesson in Marrakech's light.
- If you collected small samples, lay them on the riad's wooden table to photograph a coherent mood board.
Souk des Teinturiers — dye-street walk and textile observation
A tactile stroll through the dyers' alleys to study natural dyes, indigo vats and hand-dyeing processes in situ.
Local tips:
- Bring a small notebook and smell samples; dye workshops often let you smell mordants and natural dye sources—great for palette notes.
- Watch the vats from a distance and ask a dyer where they source local pigments; many will demonstrate a simple dip.
- Wear clothes you don't mind getting a faint dye fleck on when leaning in for close study.
Dinner at Nomad — rooftop meal with modern Moroccan design
End the day on a rooftop terrace with modern takes on Moroccan dining; discuss design sketches and evening reflections.
Local tips:
- Book a sunset-facing table for sedimented warm light—perfect for photographing textiles and sketches with golden hour contrast.
- Scan the menu for spice combinations you noticed at the dyers and artisans; chefs often translate these into modern plates.
- Late evening: neighborhood walking lighting exposes signage and metalwork—good for studying urban lighting design.
Day 2
Modern and archival design: Majorelle and YSL for colour provenance, then MACAAL for contemporary African design languages and an essential palace visit for historic ornament.
Jardin Majorelle — colour garden and design provenance
Explore Yves Saint Laurent's signature blue and the villa's saturated plant palettes—core visual research for designers.
Local tips:
- Arrive at opening to catch saturated blue with low visitor density—perfect for capturing pigment notes.
- Look closely at the painted surfaces and how sunlight changes the 'Majorelle blue' across the day.
- Note the botanical selection and grouping patterns to translate living palettes into interior schemes.
Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech — fashion, textiles and archives
A concentrated study of YSL's relationship with Moroccan colour, cut and textiles. Useful for pattern and textile references.
Local tips:
- Check exhibition notes for references to local crafts—curators often point to Moroccan atelier collaborations.
- Focus on construction details in garments that reference local embroidery and weave techniques.
- A small gift shop often stocks well-reproduced prints—buy a printed panel for reference rather than carrying a heavy book.
Lunch and architecture viewing at La Mamounia — historic hotel interiors
A design-minded lunch in a legendary hotel to study layered interiors, carpentry and garden-to-room transitions.
Local tips:
- Request a window or garden-facing table to see how interior fabrics respond to external light and garden colours.
- Inspect joinery and inlay work in public areas—hotel restoration teams often use local master carpenters.
- If time allows, ask the concierge briefly about the hotel's historic restoration notes; they often keep before/after photographs.
Transfer: La Mamounia to MACAAL (Al Maaden)
Drive south to the Al Maaden contemporary arts district where MACAAL sits (allow extra time for traffic).
Local tips:
- Use this transfer to review morning colour notes and plan which MACAAL installations you want to study closely.
- Ask your driver to take the ring road to avoid narrow medina traffic at peak times.
- Carry a small foldable tote for any catalogues or small acquisitions from the museum shop.
MACAAL — Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden
Two hours in a purpose-built contemporary space: installations, material experiments and regional design dialogues.
Local tips:
- Focus on installation techniques and how artists repurpose vernacular materials—note textures and joints.
- Talk to the front desk about any ongoing workshops or artist talks during your visit.
- Bring a small sketchbook; gallery spaces here are generous for quick compositional studies.
Palais de la Bahia — late-afternoon architecture and ornament
Return to the medina for a measured visit to Bahia Palace to study historic plasterwork, carved ceilings and formal courtyards.
Local tips:
- Late afternoon light accentuates carved plaster depth—good for photographing shadow-filled ornament.
- Observe the progression of pattern scales between courtyard and private rooms for ideas on hierarchical patterning.
- Be mindful of modesty/entry rules; plan photography angles that respect visitors and restoration works.
Dinner at La Maison Arabe — classic culinary craft in a design-rich setting
Dinner in a revered riad to wind down — a chance to catalog the day's colour studies and material notes over candlelight.
Local tips:
- Dine on a ground-floor table to study carved screens and painted woodwork under low, warm light.
- Use the dinner break to select three motifs from the day to elaborate in sketchbook studies after the meal.
- Ask for mint tea served traditionally—observe glassware and tray design for potential product ideas.
Day 3
Outdoor palettes, photographic archives, and a hands-on zellige workshop with artisans. Finish with a contemporary souk for designer-led objects.
ANIMA Garden — sculptural planting and outdoor installations
A designed garden by André Heller featuring contemporary sculpture and color-focused planting—excellent for outdoor palette studies.
Local tips:
- Morning light reveals subtler plant textures—bring a magnifier or macro-capable camera for leaf surface study.
- Walk slowly through each room of the garden to note combinations of hardscape materials and living palettes.
- Look for artist plaques explaining materials used in sculptures—useful when translating concepts into workshop projects.
Transfer: ANIMA to Maison de la Photographie
Drive back to the medina: a short transfer to reach the photographic archives and rooftop viewing point.
Local tips:
- Use the ride to sort morning sketches and pick 3 photographs you want to compare to today's plant and tile samples.
- Ask the driver to take scenic routes if time allows—you’ll spot later examples of modern vernacular façades.
- Prepare questions for the Maison de la Photographie about photo provenance and dates to understand visual change over time.
Maison de la Photographie — archival photography and rooftop views
Architectural and social photographic archives that reveal past material palettes and street patterns—plus a rooftop panorama good for final colour checks.
Local tips:
- Study archives for historic textile patterns and street scenes; bring a notebook to transcribe recurring motifs.
- Rooftop light is softer midday—use it to photograph tile colours against skyline backdrops.
- Ask staff about negative dating and printing processes to better understand historical colour fidelity.
Hands-on zellige workshop at Dar Bellarj Foundation — mosaic making with local artisans
A practical, artisan-led workshop to cut and set zellige tiles. Learn traditional geometry, glazing effects and finishing techniques.
Local tips:
- Wear clothes you don't mind getting dusty; tile cutting can create fine ceramic dust even in open-air workshops.
- Ask the artisan to explain the glaze firing steps—seeing fired vs. raw glazes will sharpen your colour expectations.
- Request a small tile to take home as a tactile sample; many artisans will kiln-fire and finish a tiny test piece for you.
Souk Cherifa — Gueliz design souk and contemporary craft market
Late afternoon visit to Souk Cherifa in Gueliz to see designer-led stalls, small studios and a market rethinking Moroccan craft toward contemporary objects.
Local tips:
- Focus on stalls showing contemporary adaptations of traditional techniques—ask designers about their material sourcing.
- Compare signage and product displays—many designers here are experimenting with new presentation strategies.
- If buying samples, request small unwrapped pieces to more easily bring them home in hand luggage.
Closing dinner at Le Foundouk — celebratory meal and rooftop reflection
A final group meal on a sculpted rooftop terrace to compile the trip's material studies, share contacts and plan next design experiments.
Local tips:
- Use the rooftop's dramatic light at sunset to photograph final mood boards and compare them with morning notes.
- Ask the staff for their favourite local designer shops to follow up with—often they have insider recommendations.
- Take time to exchange contact details with artisans you met, and make a concrete next-step plan (commission, sample request, or collaboration).