Yoga retreats and yoga holidays - improve your yoga practice in Egypt & Morocco

About Morocco
What is a Riad?

Riads are traditional courtyard houses found in Moroccan medinas, or old towns. Probably Andalusian in origin there are between 1200 and 2000 in Marrakech today.

'Riad' means 'garden' in Arabic and most riads comprise of a central courtyard decorated with fountains or gardens. Built as private residences, many riads were abandoned in the 18th and 19th centuries as Marrakech declined in importance and owners drifted away to the more important centres of Casablanca and Rabat.

In the 1970s people began to take a new interest and today many of these faded gems are being restored. Riads have been converted to private residences, restaurants, or guest houses; all decked out with marble, carved plaster, citrus trees and fountains, mosaic floors, columns, sculpted arches, painted ceiling beams, roof terraces and sometimes even swimming pools or hammams.

Riads look very modest from the outside: Islam frowns on ostentation and displaying wealth was historically a route to having it confiscated. A riads privacy also keeps women from strangers eyes. Neighbourhood women use their roof terraces to communicate with neighbours. One English traveller comments on being shot at when visiting a roof terrace: they were traditionally the exclusive domain of women.

Many are finished with a traditional coating called 'tadelakt' - a bright, waterproof lime plaster polished with a stone then treated with soap. It looks soft and is water-tight – thus making it ideal for bathrooms.
Zelij is also widely used: terra cotta squares covered with enamel and then set into plaster. Geometrical mosaics used to decorate walls, floors, fountains, pools, tables. Zelij require great attention to detail - the process of creating zellige has continued unchanged for hundreds of years.

For more information on our On Hendrix's Trail Morocco holiday, click here