The city is divided into two highly contrasting districts: the medina, founded by the Almoravids nearly 1,000 years ago, and the Ville Nouvelle, a French colonial modernist project from the early 20th century. It is the medina, and its central square Djemaa el-Fna, that will undoubtedly spark the imagination.
Djemaa el-Fna is the heart and soul of Marrakchi life, and really comes alive with the setting of the sun, when a caravanasi of food vendors, selling all manner of Moroccan delicacies, descend onto the square. These are accompanied by snake charmers, wide-eyed story tellers, musicians and performers that lend a medieval scent to the night air. To the north of the square are the important religious buildings and the souks, while to the south are the Imperial quarters where the palaces and monuments of past rulers proudly stand.
The Ville Nouvelle, which in comparison to the medina is a decidedly more ordered and sedate affair, divides into the areas of Gueliz and Hivernage. Here you will find an array of civic buildings, international hotels, bars and restaurants typical of any modern European city.