The Palmeraie is a grove of roughly 100,000 date palms stretching across the northern edge of Marrakesh, irrigated since the founding of the city by a khettara system of underground channels that draws water from the Atlas snowmelt. The grove was already ancient when the Almoravid dynasty planted the city around it in the 11th century.
Walking or cycling through the grove — particularly in the early morning, when the light filters horizontally through the palms and the city traffic has not started — is one of the more contemplative experiences available near Marrakesh. The grove has been compromised by development in recent decades, with hotel compounds and private villas claiming large sections, but substantial areas of open grove remain accessible from the sandy tracks that cross it. The grove is best reached by bicycle from Gueliz (30 minutes) or taxi from the medina.