Secrets of the Arab Café

Cafés and thickly brewed Arabic coffee have often been at the heart of literary, artistic and political change in the Arab world practically from the beginning.

Arab cafés are meeting places, watering holes, smoking dens, board game venues, hubs of conversation, political chatrooms – or simply somewhere to pass the time.

Some attract business people, others attract journalists, traders, actors or artists – but each has its own character and feel.

This programme visits iconic cafés in four major Arab cities – Marrakesh, Cairo, Algiers and Hebron – and listens to the stories of the wide array of customers that frequent them.