The Gueliz district of Marrakech is the new area of the city. In fact, it is also known as Ville Nouvelle. Although it does not have the history or the monumentality of the medina, walking or driving through this area can be interesting to appreciate the contrast between the old and the new, and while you’re at it, indulge yourself in its shops. In this post we tell you everything you need to know about this neighborhood.
What is and what to see in Gueliz
The geographical limits of the Gueliz district of Marrakech correspond, roughly speaking, with the Boulevard Mohammed VI to the west, the streets of Ibn Aïcha and Yacoub al Mansour to the north, the avenue of Khalid Ibn El Oualid to the east and that of Moulay El Hassan to the south. At its heart is the central square, at the intersection of Mohammed V and Hassan II avenues.
Like so many other ville nouvelle, it was designed as a neighborhood to decongest the medina, with wider and longer streets and avenues, and spacious buildings that would provide a comfort more typical of the twentieth century, the century in which the project materialized.
In or around the area mentioned above there are interesting places to visit. At its northeastern end, the star plan is the Majorelle Garden and its corresponding house: home of the landscape painter Jacques Majorelle, it was bought by the designer Yves-Saint Laurent and later given to the city. The building is striking for its electric blue, in whose studio today is the Berber Museum, ideal for learning more about their culture. The garden is a veritable orchard of xerophilous and decorative plants, ideal for relaxing from the hustle and bustle of the medina. And right next to it is the Yves-Saint Laurent Museum, a must for fashion lovers.
A few hundred meters to the southwest are the Menara Gardens, very different from the previous one, but equally interesting: created in the late nineteenth century, the center is occupied by a large pond from which water is channeled to irrigate the thousands of olive trees in the vicinity. It is said that the pavilion located at the foot of the gardens was used for amorous encounters of the sultans.
Art lovers have many reasons to drop by the Gueliz in Marrakech. Among other reasons, for the MACMA (Museum of Art and Culture of Marrakech), which highlights the works of orientalist painters.
Things to do: shopping and gastronomy
The Gueliz of Marrakech is also a neighborhood to stroll around with no more pretensions than to indulge in some shopping, as we said in this post about the chic side of the city. Returning to the artistic sector, here are located the best art galleries in the city, among which are: David Bloch, Noir sur Blanc or Gallery 127.
As for fashion and accessories, we can mention the leather shoe stores, jewelry stores or homeware boutiques, many of them concentrated in the Rué de la Liberté. Special mention should also be made of the cosmetics and wellness shops, with products made from argan oil.
And to put the finishing touch to the walk through the neighborhood, there is nothing better than a good lunch or dinner. And although international chains abound here, some of them of fast food, there are also other places of author and local tradition. These are restaurants with the standards of cleanliness and quality of the big cities, but with a menu inspired by Moroccan cuisine in general and Marrakechí in particular.
Therefore, if the tour we organize for you foresees some free time in Marrakech, coming to the Gueliz can be a good option. To ask for advice or information, just tell the travel agent who will help you set up the program, or the accompanying guide who will be with you in this city.
