A First Walk Through the Marrakech Medina

The Marrakech medina rewards wandering, but a little orientation goes a long way.

Start at Jemaa el-Fnaa in the late afternoon, when the square shifts from market to open-air theatre, then let the souks pull you in. Keep the Koutoubia minaret in your peripheral vision; it is the tallest thing around and an easy compass.

Accept that you will get lost, and that this is the point. Tea will be offered, a workshop will appear around a corner, and the city will feel less like a map and more like a story. Your guide handles the logistics so you can simply look up.