Marrakesh – the vibrant and bustling desert city where an architectural and culinary surprise awaits behind every corner. Here, we round up our favourite Instagram accounts to follow now
Marrakesh, the land of sunshine, souks and serene hotels. A beautiful assault on the senses with spices piled high, tanneries and tajines. Aesthetically, it is a marvel – from Yves Saint Laurent’s deep blue party palace to the exquisite Jardin Majorelle (named after the Orientalist painter) and even Africa’s largest cactus farm (yes, really), it’s no wonder Instagram can’t get enough. Here are the most beautiful accounts to fill your feed with colour and life.
British photographer Alan Keohane has lived in Marrakesh since 1993 and takes truly unforgettable portrait shots. Known for his beautiful and iconic black and white prints of Morocco’s people and landscape he has also contributed to the endlessly chic Assouline book on La Mamounia (one of Winston Churchill’s favourite hotels).
Is there a better pairing than an abundance of cacti plants and an Instagram filter? Potentially not… Enter Cactus Thiemann, Africa’s largest cactus farm, which sits on the outskirts of Marrakesh. It was founded in the 1960s by a German engineer, Hans Thiemann, and is family-run. As the Instagram shows, it is bizarre, but not to be missed and sure to fill your feed with an exotic injection of all things spiky.
Known to many as ‘Morocco’s Andy Warhol’, Hassan Hajjaj is based between London and his Marrakesh studio-cum-museum, Riad Yima. Through his Instagram account, he pays homage to the country of his birth in highly stylized shots of men and women dressed in technicolor reworkings of traditional Moroccan dress (fans include Madonna). These are interspersed with intriguing snapshots of life in and around his Marrakech studio, which frequently plays host to immersive and always colourful art installations. Not to be missed.
Marrakesh Patrimony’s compilation of photographs are bright, bold and fresh. From images of camels and seas of sand to the city’s evocative old buildings and colourful displays of spices, everything is made exuberant and powerful, not a dull moment in the Moroccan metropolis in sight. We particularly like the details that might go unmissed in a busy city like Marrakesh, where there are an abundance of details to be enjoyed every square metre. This account embodies the perfect lesson of “look up” every day: take in all the wonderful things around you to be enjoyed.
Riad Jardin Secret is not only an Instagram account that is doing a stellar job of demonstrating the beauty of Marrakech (as if we needed any more convincing!) but is also a guest house. Tell me more, you say? Well, what better excuse is there to visit Morocco when now you know exactly where you can go to stay along your travels. With features of guests and photographs of their near surroundings it’s easy to be ensnared by Morocco’s blue skies and charming interiors.
Images courtesy of @alan.keohane, @cactusthiemann, @hassanhajjaj_larache, @marrakesh_patrimony and @riadjardinsecret
