Tombs, Mountains, Souks: An Artist’s Guide to Traveling Marrakesh
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Tombs, Mountains, Souks: An Artist’s Guide to Traveling Marrakesh

Designer and gallery owner Yahya Rouach offers his go-to places to stay, dine and sightsee while in the bustling Moroccan metro.

By SHIVANI VORA
Fri, Mar 21, 2025 10:08amGrey Clock 3 min

Marrakesh offers a perfect mix of centuries-old history and a contemporary edge, said Yahya Rouach, a self-taught artist and designer who has lived in the Moroccan city for more than 20 years and only goes by his first name. Yahya has a gallery and showroom, Yahya Creation, in Marrakesh’s new town, Gueliz.

“Marrakesh is a melting pot of cultures, religions and people. It was the trade route from the north to the south and east to west,” Yahya said. “It’s anchored in its roots but open to the world, forward-looking, and able to reinvent itself to stay modern and fresh.”

Marrakesh is framed by the majestic Atlas Mountains, which he said, are “simply breathtaking.”

“The light, the beauty of the metalwork, and the city’s vibrant energy draw you in,” Yahya said

In his own words, he shres his top spots in Marrakesh that give visitors an authentic lens into the city’s present and past.

Stay

For an exceptional stay, I’d recommend the Royal Mansour. It is stunning, with lush gardens and an architectural elegance that feels like a masterpiece. For a taste of history, La Mamounia is a classic. Known as the grand dame, it was once frequented by Winston Churchill.

If you want something more intimate and immersive in the heart of the city’s Medina, a Unesco World Heritage Site, La Maison Arabe offers an authentic souk experience in a traditional setting. Also, Jnane Tamsna is a boutique hotel in a beautiful building with a garden. It feels like a private residence more than a hotel.

Eat

When it comes to dining, Marrakesh offers a feast for the senses.

The restaurants at Royal Mansour are exceptional. Sesamo is a fine-dining Italian spot, and the Moroccan restaurant Le Jardin offers an inventive, modern take on traditional dishes.

For something more casual yet extraordinary, Monas in Gueliz serves the most incredible Lebanese food I’ve ever had. It’s a small, unassuming spot, but the flavours are unforgettable. Another great option is Dai, a restaurant in the new town with fantastic food and ambience. The saffron risotto is a must.

For as traditional as it gets Moroccan cuisine like tagines and couscous, Dar Yacout is the place to go. It feels like you’re transported into “1001 Nights.” You get dropped off in the heart of the souk, and someone from the restaurant meets you and walks you through a labyrinth of alleyways. You won’t be able to find it otherwise. The restaurant is spread out over several floors and has been owned by the same family for decades. For coffee, you can’t beat Bacha Coffee in the former palace of Pasha Thami El Glaoui. It’s located in Dar El Bacha, a charming area filled with boutique shops, galleries, and a museum.

The options are endless, but two landmarks stand out. The Koutoubia Mosque, built over a thousand years ago, is the city’s iconic centrepiece. Its minaret can be seen from all over Marrakesh, thanks to the French planners who preserved its line of sight. Another fascinating spot is the Saadian Tombs. They date to the 16th century and were built by the Saadian ruler Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur to show off his wealth. You can see beautiful carvings as you walk through.

Day Trip

A visit to the Atlas Mountains is an unforgettable experience. My favorite spot is the Kasbah Bab Ourika, where you can enjoy lunch while enjoying gorgeous views. It’s an escape into tranquility, just a short trip from the bustling city. You can also go for a hike with a guide or take a donkey ride up the mountain and visit centuries-old villages that stand still in time.

Shop

Hire a guide and wander through the Medina or market. Khalid’s Art Gallery is unparalleled for antique treasures. For women’s fashion, particularly exquisite caftans, Fadila El Gadi in Gueliz is a genius designer and a favourite of the late designer Yves Saint Laurent. Her gallery is just across from mine in Passage Ghandouri, a creative hub that has evolved beautifully over the years.

This passage is also home to the Matisse Art Gallery and MACMA Museum, which blend modern and classical art. It’s a wonderful place to shop, explore, and soak up creativity.



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Development of the Week: AMALI brings full-floor beachfront living to Main Beach
By Staff Writer
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A collection of only 18 full-floor and two-storey residences has launched on one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held stretches of beachfront.

AMALI will rise 22 levels at 3535–3537 Main Beach Parade, occupying an 810sqm site with no road separating the building from the sand.

Prices begin at $10.2 million for the three-bedroom full-floor residences, while the development’s two-storey penthouses are being offered from $25 million. Completion is anticipated in early 2029.

The project has received development approval and is being delivered by Eastment Group of Companies, the developer behind the nearby AMANI Main Beach. Core Property Partners is overseeing project strategy, development and construction management.

Bayden Goddard’s BGD Architects has designed the tower, with interiors by multidisciplinary studio Tom Mark Henry and landscaping by Arcadia Landscape Architecture. Kollosche New Projects is handling sales and marketing.

Eighteen residences across 22 levels

Rather than maximising the number of apartments on the beachfront parcel, AMALI has been designed around privacy, space and a low resident population.

The tower will contain 16 full-floor residences and two two-level penthouses. Each home will have uninterrupted views over the Pacific Ocean and private lift access, giving residents an arrival experience more closely associated with a standalone house.

The standard full-floor residences will provide approximately 378sqm of space, with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and parking for two cars. Prices start at $10.2 million.

With only one residence occupying each typical level, the floor plans have been designed to capture natural light, ocean breezes and views in several directions. Generous living spaces will transition into outdoor areas overlooking the beach, creating a direct visual relationship with the coastline.

The two penthouses will extend across two levels and offer approximately 898sqm, with four bedrooms, five bathrooms and four parking spaces each.

Priced from $25 million, each penthouse will also have access to a private rooftop domain incorporating an entertaining lounge, bar, kitchen, terrace and swimming pool. From this elevated position, views will extend across both the ocean and the Gold Coast skyline.

Architecture informed by the coastline

AMALI’s architecture has been conceived as a restrained response to its beachfront setting.

The 22-storey form uses curved edges and layered horizontal elements to soften the tower’s profile, while extensive glazing opens the residences towards the ocean.

Inside, Tom Mark Henry has developed a palette based on the colours and textures of the coast. Natural stone and warm timber veneers will be combined with bronze and brushed-brass detailing, bespoke materials and sculptural lighting.

The approach is intended to create homes that are highly finished without feeling overly formal. Earthy tones and tactile materials will provide warmth, while expansive glazing and open living areas keep the ocean as the primary visual feature.

Private lift access, large floor plates and the absence of shared residential corridors on the typical levels reinforce the project’s emphasis on discretion.

Wellness on the beachfront

Residents will have access to a dedicated wellness precinct anchored by a heated infinity-edge pool overlooking the beach.

The facilities will also include a fully equipped gym, steam room and hot and cold plunge pools, combining exercise and recovery spaces within the building.

Direct beachfront access will allow residents to move from the development to the sand without crossing Main Beach Parade—one of the project’s defining points of difference.

The design positions these shared amenities as an extension of the beachfront lifestyle rather than a separate resort-style podium. With only 18 households using them, the spaces are also expected to offer a greater degree of privacy than facilities in larger apartment towers.

A tightly held Main Beach position

AMALI’s site is within walking distance of the Tedder Avenue dining and retail precinct and a short drive from Marina Mirage, Southport Yacht Club and the broader Main Beach marina district.

The location also places it near a growing cluster of luxury hotel, residential and lifestyle projects reshaping the northern end of the central Gold Coast.

Main Beach has become an increasingly important prestige-apartment market, supported by its relative scarcity of absolute beachfront development sites and proximity to both the ocean and Broadwater.

AMALI enters that market at its highest end. Its $10.2 million entry price positions even the standard residences firmly within the trophy-apartment category, while the two penthouses will compete with the most expensive new residences being offered on the Gold Coast.

The development follows AMANI, another boutique Main Beach project involving Eastment Group, BGD Architects and Core Property Partners. That continuity has allowed the team to carry a similar focus on large residences and limited apartment numbers into an absolute beachfront setting.

Sales are being led by Michael Kollosche and Harry Kakavas of Kollosche New Projects, with private presentations available through the project’s Broadbeach display suite.

With development approval secured and completion targeted for early 2029, AMALI’s launch adds just 18 buying opportunities to a beachfront market where scarcity is part of the proposition.

Its combination of full-floor living, private lift access and direct connection to the sand places the project somewhere between a luxury apartment tower and a collection of elevated beachfront houses—an increasingly sought-after model at the top of the Gold Coast market.

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