Dr. Bill's Travels: Graced by Beauty – Visiting Marrakech with Marisa Berenson

We had the supreme pleasure of spending six days in Marrakech last month. It was just enough time to take in the Red City's gardens, the famous Medina old town, and enough time to tumble through the city's souks and boutiques, while spending quality moments with the greatness of loved ones.

We chose Marrakech not only for its array of vibrant cultural and culinary experiences, but also to support our longtime friend, actress, model, and beauty entrepreneur Marisa Berenson, with the launch of her new jewelry line, Marisa Berenson Global Jewelry Collection.

We also had the grand opportunity to attend the signing of her latest book in Assouline's Travel Series, "Marrakech Flair," an exquisite coffee table book that celebrates the rich cultural history of this picturesque North African city.

Assouline's Travel Series "Marrakech Flair" is available now at https://www.assouline.com

Not familiar with Berenson? In today's hyperbolic world, every model is "super," and everyone is an "It Girl," but Berenson is the real deal.

Now 76, Marisa has collaborated on coffee table books about her own memories in front of the camera, as well as about the legacy of her maternal grandmother, the fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, and has now joyfully found mid-life joy pursuing a lifetime passion for jewelry design.

Marisa Berenson Global Jewelry Collection is created using vintage pieces curated on Marisa's travels through Morocco, India, and Nepal. Natural, uncut stones such as amethyst, onyx, cornaline, jade, lapis, and coral are densely, and generously, assembled in these one-of-a-kind pieces. The collection is a true embodiment of her global style, spanning some of the twentieth century's most sophisticated hot spots, and capturing the layers of her rich life.

Berenson has graced the covers of the world's foremost fashion, luxury, and lifestyle magazines, including Vogue, Time, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar.

She is also celebrated for her illustrious, ongoing film career, including award-winning features such as Luchino Visconti's "Death in Venice," Bob Fosse's "Cabaret," Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon," Luca Guadagnino's "I Am Love," and Clint Eastwood's "White Hunter, Black Heart," to just name a few.

Holiday Begins: Sojourn in Venice

We actually began our April getaway with three days in one of my favorite cities: Venice, Italy.

Although Venice is probably the most tourist-flocked destination in the world – 118 small islands separated by canals and linked together by over 400 bridges – its landscape is like no other place on Earth.

Visitors think they "know" Venice, but the truth is that no tourism bureau photograph, however digitally enhanced, can do the real city justice. But more about the floating city in a later post.

Destination Morocco

There were only two daily flights between Venice Marco Polo Airport, Italy and Marrakech Menara Airport, Morocco available – and, as neither time worked with our schedule, we chose to make the trek to Northern Africa via Casablanca.

Known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda or "white house," Casablanca was one of those cities I've always dreamed of visiting, ever since it was immortalized in the Warner Bro.'s 1942 classic "Casablanca" with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

Casablanca is a huge and busy city; needless to say, 24 hours in the city was not enough.

We discovered just after landing that our guided tour of Casablanca had been canceled because of Ramadan, which is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. In fact, all excursions had been canceled for the weekend.

Being seasoned travelers, we easily pivoted to a self-guided tour and were able to cover the essentials of the city on foot, including Hassan II Mosque, Old Medina Market, United Nations Square, Mohammed V Square, and Casablanca Cathedral.

We of course saved time for a fabulous dinner at the venerable French mainstay La Bavaroise in the city center.

Early the next morning we boarded the high-speed train and made the 154 mile trip between Casablanca and Marrakech, arriving in the city center before lunchtime.

Marrakech Holiday Begins

Marrakech is Morocco's fourth largest city and has the most diverse hotel scene, where accommodations range from riads inside the Medina walls to large resorts with breezy gardens outside the old town center.

We chose to begin our Marrakech adventure in a riad in the Medina old town.

The Medina in Marrakech's old city is a UNESCO World Heritage site that offers a kaleidoscope of sights, smells, and sounds. It's enclosed by 19 kilometers of pink walls built around 1122. Until just over 100 years ago, the whole city lived within these walls.

From above, the Marrakech Medina resembles a human honeycomb. But instead of hexagonal honey cells, the medina is packed with square riads, traditional houses with peaceful inner courtyards. These riads are home to about 200,000 people, a fifth of the city's population.

The Dar Rbaa Laroub (affectionately known as Riad Jean Noel) is one of the oldest guest houses in Marrakech. Owned by Jean Noel, a charming French gentleman with discerning taste, this beautifully appointed riad has seven rooms, ranging in size from a student room suitable for a lone traveler, to the Oriental suite which could easily accommodate five adults.

What was most appealing to me about Riad Jean Noel is that, beyond the authentically styled rooms and baths, and a gorgeous rooftop terrace and courtyard gardens, I felt like I was a guest in someone's private colonial-style home.

Jean Noel has owned the deliciously-appointed riad for over 25 years, and in that time has turned it into a magnet for local and international writers, artists, and knowledgeable travelers.

Media Luxury: El Fenn

Our next stop was Marrakech's most glamorous hotel, El Fenn.

More than twenty years ago, art curator-turned-hotelier Vanessa Branson, sister of Richard, and close friend Howell James, bought a dilapidated riad in the Marrakech Medina. Thinking they were purchasing a small holiday home, and not realizing that the sale came with a handful of equally run-down properties attached to it, they opened El Fenn in 2004 as a six-room guesthouse from that purchase!

Today, the El Fenn includes 42 rooms spread across 13 interconnected riads – plus a 1,300 square meter rooftop that, at the violet hour, serves an unforgettable lemon gin martini.

The hotel's drama and decorative abundance has earned it a reputation as one of Marrakech's most beautiful hotels, with Architectural Digest calling El Fenn "Instagram gold".

El Fenn expanded its 24-carat offerings in 2018, when its newest partner, painter-turned-designer Madeline Wein, joined the team, ushering in a new era for one of Marrakesh's most desired properties.

Rocking the Kasbah with Marisa

We helped Marisa as best we could as she prepared for her highly anticipated jewelry launch and book party – both conveniently hosted at El Fenn's beautifully curated shop, "Boutique at El Fenn."

We checked out of Medina and moved into Marisa's stunning Moroccan riad in Palmeraie. The Palmeraie, also known as "palm grove," is a palm oasis of hundreds of thousands of palm trees situated at the edge of the city's northern section of Marrakech.

There have been a litany of glamor tidbits that have accompanied Marisa and her glittering life, such as her christening portrait being published by Vogue; Gene Kelly teaching her dance; and Diana Vreeland jump-starting her modeling career.

But none is more deserving than Yves Saint Laurent dubbing her "the girl of the '70s."

Well, I can say that, now in her 70's, Marisa still has it. Her home in Marrakesh is breathtaking, something out of "The Arabian Nights."

Self-described as "eclectic," her palace is an exotic mix of print, patterns, and fringes. With cushions piled high, mosaics, Moroccan tiles, jostled rugs, personal mementos and photographs, Marisa's home is an authentic reflection of a life lived to its fullest.

As she shared, "It is full of everything I love. I know what I like, and that's to mix things together: antiques and new buys from the souk. I like to do the decorating on my own."

The jewelry launch and book party were a smashing success. El Fenn was kind enough to host an intimate post-event dinner party at the hotel. The fun-filled evening was infused with delicious food, drink, friends, and conversation – and made for the perfect ending to a memorable trip to Morocco.

To be sure, our April was spectacular, because each location, and each person, were paragons of experiential beauty and poignancy.

Indeed, we will be back soon.