Welcome to Morocco! Welcome to Marrakech! Nicknamed the "Red City" (for its 1000-year-old red sandstone city walls and buildings), Marrakech is a major economic center and home to a thriving medina (old Arab quarter). Begin your day exploring the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque and take respite from the heat in its gardens amid fountains, pools, and palms. Indulge your senses and explore the spice market, Souk el-Attarin, or Souk Smata for your choice of slippers, rugs, and leather goods. Visit Souk des Teinturiers to see first-hand how leather hides and cloth are dyed. Next, visit the Islamic school, Ben Youssef Madrasa, for a taste of 16th-century architecture and marvel at the exquisite details: arabesques, Islamic calligraphy, and colourful geometric tile work. As you walk Marrakech's alleys, notice the Fondouks or Caravanserai—medieval traveler inns along ancient trade routes that provided travelers and traders with shelter and supplies.