Life in a riad

Happy holidaymakers, with no alarm clock to awaken you each morning! The first question of the day to ponder is, “Where shall we have breakfast?”
Why not in your room, as you can anywhere else in the world? Or in the patio, beside the fountain? Or on the terrace, if the weather permits (which luckily enough it nearly always does), watching the storks fly by or contemplating the snow-capped (at least in winter and spring) peaks of the Atlas Mountains in the distance and the rooftops of the medina?
And then again, what are you going to be served? Moroccan breakfast specialities are legion, and your expectations are always exceeded. In some riads, a cook prepares Moroccan crepes upon request (and requests for seconds!) in the patio, served along with fresh fruit juices, homemade jams, and more besides...

Breakfast at Riad Massiba : fruit juices, crepes, Berber bread, pastries, and more ...

A good start to the day, on the Riad Karmela terrace. Blue skies de rigueur !

After a long day exploring the medina and its many treasures – back to the riad. And you suddenly realise how much you appreciate the serene calm that reigns there. When it gets really hot, and if the riad has such amenities on offer, nothing could be better than a quick dip in the pool or jacuzzi, than lying back in a deckchair on the terrace, or than sipping a glass of mint tea in the shade of a tent or in the lounge (beside the open fire in winter!). Evening falls and the bustle of the medina fades away.
A drink before dinner? The time has come to decide where you want to dine. Many riads provide excellent service in this respect.

The Moroccan cuisine served at Riad Monceau is of such quality that it brings in non-resident clientele.

Dinner "beneath the stars" at Riad Adika.

with real “cordon bleu cooks” : who delight in acquainting you with their family recipes, handed down from mother to daughter and often more original and tasty than those served in the finest restaurants. Perhaps you would care to enjoy a dinner “beneath the stars” – on the terrace or by candlelight in the patio – or perhaps by a blazing open fire. It all depends on the time of year, of course.
And you’ll come to understand how very lucky you are!

Daniel Smith