RIAD LES ORANGERS D'ALILIA - a peek behind the door

April and May are the months to bath in the scent of Orange blossom

As I recently moved into the Kasbah...Time for a stroll in the hoods. The Kasbah in Marrakech is a walk too far out for many and they are right! It takes about half an hour to walk from place Jemaa el Fna to Café Clock, one of the known spots.

However, if you like to discover a small village within the city, a place that reminds me of a Southern Mediterranean place on a siesta moment on a hot summer's day, then take that walk and wander off from the main street!

By 6 p.m. that main street turns into one big restaurant scene with local food stalls and fast food tourist places, combined with souvenir shops and hundreds of people, scooters, horse carriages and ....

Please try the local restaurants as they happen to have the best local food I've ever tasted in Morocco!

There's the guy from Fez, (you recognise him with his shiny copper pots) who has at least 5 different dishes. There's the small hole in the wall of Khadija who can't read or write but she and her mother serve the best fried sardines and lentil stew I ever had!

the best place to be on a hot day. The lush patio.

And among all this, there are some absolutely wonderful riads and hotels of which some of the best in Marrakech! Time to peek behind some doors...

My friends stayed in absolutely wonderful "riad Les Orangers d'Alilia" a lovely spot that is perfectly located in a quiet derb to discover the Kasbah. The orange trees of Alilia bland perfectly with the different shades and textures of white and rattan. A very welcoming and helpful host, a perfect breakfast and so many areas to come into "Kasbah mode" (think dolce far niente).

Evenings can be spent on the terrace or you can go to Café Clock, just around the corner. They have evenings with story telling, music and cultural activities.

Or you might feel some more upscale dinner place and consider Les Jardins de la Medina (I live just around the block) or La Sultana with a splendid view on the Saadian tombs.