Discover Marrakech: 6 experiences you must not miss

Marrakech hits you straight away. You step out of the cooler alleys of the medina, and suddenly there is the scent of spices, the sound of a distant drumbeat and colours you didn't know existed. The city has been a hub for trade, craft and culture for almost a thousand years, and you can feel it in every corner.

Here we stay right in the middle of it all, in a riad behind the medina's old walls. The courtyard offers calm while the city hums outside, and from the roof terrace you can watch the sun go down behind the minarets while a cup of hot mint tea steams in your hand. It is this alternation between life and calm that makes Marrakech so special.

You need neither be used to travelling nor know a word of Arabic to take part. Take the city in at your own pace, be curious, and let yourself be surprised. Here are six experiences I think you should give yourself time for.

1. Feel the evening life on Jemaa el-Fnaa

Jemaa el-Fnaa is the medina's great open square and the city's beating heart. During the day it is relatively calm, with juice pressers and street life, but when the sun goes down, the square transforms. Stalls with steaming food appear, storytellers gather small circles around them, and musicians fill the evening with rhythms.

Find a seat on one of the surrounding roof terraces, order a mint tea, and watch it all unfold from above. The square is inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage, and it is not hard to understand why. Take a walk down into the throng afterwards, but keep a firm hold on your things and take it easy.

2. Lose yourself in the souks

The souks are the labyrinthine bazaar streets that spread out north of Jemaa el-Fnaa. Here there are streets for each kind of craft: leather, colourful carpets, lamps in punched metal, spices in great heaps and soft scarves in every shade. It is easy to get lost, and that is really the point.

Don't hurry. Look into the small workshops where the craftsmen work as they have done for generations. If you want to buy something, haggling is part of it in a friendly and pleasant way, and a cup of tea is often offered as part of the deal. You will find your way back to the square again, don't worry.

3. Find calm in the Ben Youssef madrasa

The Ben Youssef madrasa was once one of North Africa's largest Quranic schools. Today it stands as one of the city's most beautiful examples of Moroccan craftsmanship, and a breathing space away from the bustle of the souks. The courtyard with its still pool of water almost makes you lower your voice of your own accord.

Look at the details. The walls are covered in fine mosaics, carved stucco and cedar wood cut into dizzying patterns. The small study cells give a glimpse of how the students lived centuries ago. Take your time, sit down in the shade, and let the calm sink in.

4. Take a walk in the Majorelle garden

The Majorelle garden lies a little outside the medina and is an entirely different breath of air. The garden was laid out by the French artist Jacques Majorelle and later rescued and cared for by the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. It is known for its intense cobalt-blue colour, called Majorelle blue, which glows against green bamboo groves and cacti.

It is a garden for slow walking. Follow the winding paths, sit down by one of the ponds, and feel how the noise disappears. On the site you will also find a small museum about Berber culture, if you want to delve deeper into Morocco's indigenous people.

5. Taste Moroccan food and tagine

Moroccan food is an experience in itself, and you should give yourself over to it. Tagine, the slow-simmered dish named after the cone-shaped clay pot it is prepared in, comes in countless varieties with lamb, chicken, vegetables, olives and preserved lemon. Alongside it, couscous, fresh salads and bread to gather it all up with.

Round off the meal with sweet mint tea, poured from a height so that a froth forms. If you want to go further into the kitchen, there are cooking classes where you learn to season and build a tagine from scratch yourself. It is a lovely way to take a small part of Morocco home with you.

6. Relax in a hammam

A hammam is the traditional steam bath and a firm part of life in Morocco. It is both a cleansing and a social ritual, where you scrub the skin clean with black olive soap and a coarse glove. You come out with soft skin and completely relaxed.

There are both local neighbourhood baths and calmer places aimed at visitors. Either way, it is a fine way to take a break from the city's pace and experience a tradition that has lived for centuries. Feel free to ask your hosts for advice about a place that suits you.

Practical tips

• Dress a little modestly, with covered shoulders and knees, especially at mosques and religious sites. A shawl or a light scarf is nice to have with you.
• In the souk, haggling is part of it, but do it with a smile and plenty of time, never with harshness.
• A friendly salam on the street opens many doors, and a 'no thank you' said calmly is also respected.
• Keep a little cash in small change, drink plenty of water, and wear good shoes — the cobblestones in the medina are uneven.

The beautiful thing about Marrakech is that you don't need to get to it all. The city gives most to the one who sits down, looks around and lets a moment last a little longer. Set off with an open mind, and the experiences will find you all by themselves. Have a good trip.