City Guide: Marrakech
I am head over heels in love with Morocco. There is something so magical about the madness of this wonderful country. All your senses feel alive. The colours, architecture and design, the smells of rich spices and mint tea, the homemade textiles, the delicious food, and of course the sounds – from pure peace in the Riad to regular prayer time or perhaps the voices of men calling you Shakira in the market – all of it, no matter how bizarre...makes for a very exhilarating holiday. For the person who is looking for an adventure mixed with some rest and luxury – Marrakech has it all.
The Basics
Country: Morocco
Language: Arabic
Currency: Moroccan Dirhams (MAD)– You can only change Moroccan dirhams in Morocco. The same goes for changing it back. The airport has currency exchange but the rates are very high, and they charge you an even higher fee if you want to use a debit card. We recommend taking cash out at the airport from the ATM or in the city.
Internet: We recommend getting an E-Sim, you can do that HERE.
Getting there: From the airport, your riad/hotel will book you a taxi usually for a max of 15-20Euro. If you’re getting in a cab without a booking, be careful of negotiations. Confirm the price before you leave the airport and confirm that it’s for all the travelers – not per person.
Taxis: I recommend asking your hotel/riad to book one for you and confirm the price or apply the same information as above. You can also take the driver’s number and text him when you’d like to be picked up! The same price will usually apply depending on where you’re going and how many passengers.
Power: Type C – Europe.
Best time to visit: Peak seasons are March-May and September - November. We’ve travelled both in off-peak and in peak seasons. The summer is hot, but the heat is dry so we found it easy. In the winter it does get cold at night because of the desert landscape. It rarely rains but we have been caught in a downpour in the middle of the souks and it was fun - so don’t worry!
How to find your way around Marrakech: We recommended downloading an offline app called maps.me – this way you can track where you want to go before you leave wifi and find your way back. You might get lost in the medina at some point – this is normal and all part of the fun. Take note – do not accept help for directions unless you’re willing to pay - or if it’s someone in a restaurant or hotel. Try your best not to look lost. Be confident! You’ve got this.
What do you need to travel to Marrakech: I’ve had a few people ask me this so I thought I’d share a few things that you could pack for your trip without going into too much detail.
1. If you’re a woman, bring clothing that covers your knees and shoulders for the markets. It’s not essential but it will minimize the attention you’ll receive. It’s also respectful and easy to do.
2. Bring a duffle bag that fits in your check-in bag so you can bring more Moroccan products back. Add an extra bag to your flight booking for only the way home! You can also purchase £2 laundry bags in the market for your return check-in. Pack masking tape with you so you can secure them before you check them in for your flight. We’ll write about this soon.
3. We pack powdered charcoal for our uneasy stomachs which is also worth bringing.
Notes:
I believe it’s safe for women to travel alone in Morocco and I know there are lots of great blogs out there who are giving real, great and helpful advice to solo travellers but I from experience cannot recommend this and would advise you to think twice before traveling on your own if you are not an experienced traveler. For those experienced solo travellers – you know more than me! I’ll leave it to you.
Where to stay in Marrakech? Read our Le Riad Yasmine review here
Day trips? Read our 3-day Sahara itinerary here
A night in the stone desert? Check out our review of Inara Camp
Where to stay
If it’s your first time to Marrakech, stay in the medina. There are lots of beautiful hotels both inside and outside of the medina but if you are only in town for a few days, I suggest staying right amongst it all. I highly recommend staying in a riad.
Riad is an Arabic word for a traditional Moroccan home or palace with a small number of rooms and usually with an interior courtyard or garden (or fabulous pool!) Designed to keep both the heat and the noise out. They are magnificent.
Here are a few we recommend
1. Le Riad Yasmine – read our review of Le Riad Yasmine here
Our favourite place of all. Mainly because we love Alice a lot ;)
You can also stay in Le Petit Yasmine which is next door to Le Riad Yasmine. It’s a private riad so the entire place would be yours! YES PLEASE.
2. Riad L’Atelier
Just wonderful owners and beautifully designed rooms. The breakfast is delicious! Almond milk lattes – you got me.
3. Riad Chergui
A little cheaper than others, this was the first riad we ever stayed in and it was wonderful. Fabulous location and great staff.
Other riads we are confident in recommending – and we’d love to try!
Riad Helen
El Fenn
BE Marrakech
Riad Sakkan
Riad Jardin Secret
Riad 42
Riad Dar k
Riad Noir Divoire
Riad Up
La Maison Arabe
and so many more…
Where to Eat (and maybe what not to eat)
We’ve got an extensive list of wonderful restaurants, which are delicious, beautiful, and are all friendly to a tourist’s stomach. We want to encourage you to remember food safety and be thoughtful with your decisions. It’s very common to come to Morocco and get a little bit of a funny stomach and end up in the bathroom for a day but...who has time to do that when you’re wanting to explore? It’s not worth bothering. Here are just a couple of things to remember for those who are serious or have a sensitive stomach.
Do not drink or brush your teeth with the tap water. Most hotels should have a filtered water system but it depends where you’re staying.
Avoid salad (lettuce) and vegetables/fruit with the skin still on – even if they’re cooked it can sometimes be an issue.
Don’t buy sandwiches or food from corner stores or petrol stations. If you want to, be sure to check the expiration date and make sure it’s been refrigerated.
Avoid foods in the market that would’ve been handled without gloves. My stepdad tried some of the nuts once and it resulted in over a week of sickness and a hospital trip.
Honestly, we have sadly avoided market food but it is very normal for tourists to eat in the market. It’s just not something we can do due to our sensitive bodies ha – even though we want to.
Breakfast / Coffee
Usually, your riad will have amazing breakfast included but here are some potential alternatives
Dar El Bacha coffee
Hundreds of different coffees, beautiful interiors, and delicious croissants. It’s so good.
Kesh Cup
On the corner at the beginning of one of the entrances to the souks is this little gem. Spiced coffee for the win!
Bloom Coffee
Outside of the medina but for the serious coffee lovers out there - go!
Chichaoua Tearoom
In Rahba Lakidma square – the spice market, beautiful space, and tea!
Lunch / Dinner
Nowhere in the medina seems to serve alcohol unless mentioned. To replace the usual giant list of wines and beers, most restaurants have created delicious alcohol-free cocktails and there are lots of choices. Enjoy the detox.
Plus61
Owned and run by Australians - the food is so so good - so are the cocktails! Located in Gueliz. Book a table.
Shtatto
A gorgeous concept store and rooftop restaurant near the spice market. Great nachos!
L’Mida
One of our favourite lunches was here. Great vibes. Great food! Also near the spice market.
Le Jardin
YUM. These guys saved our lives one evening when we were incredibly lost. We were getting yelled at because we looked lost and were starting to get desperate for some real help because every turn was a dead end. We ended up in the back entrance of Le Jardin and they guided us back out towards our hotel. We had never been so it was amazing to stumble across it. We came back for lunch a few days later! The design and decoration are so beautiful you’ll never want to leave. Have the Zucchini and feta fritters.
Nomad
With a rooftop overlooking our favourite square in Marrakech. Have the Moroccan coffee with nutmeg and leave room for their homemade ice cream. Book a table on the rooftop!
Oranges with cinnamon at Shtatto
L’Mida Restaurant
Cafe Epices
A little more casual but also overlooking the same square as Nomad, easy meals and a great spot for a quick lunch or snack. Have a mocktail!
Le Terrasse Epices
Another amazing rooftop, delicious food and live music. Don’t forget to book!
Lunch at Riad Yasmine
If you couldn’t get a reservation to stay in the riad, they are taking reservations for lunch so you can enjoy the beautiful pool and wonderful staff.
Limoni
When you are tired of tagine, which is possible depending on how many you’ve had. This delicious Italian restaurant has such a beautiful atmosphere. Have the chicken pastilla to start with and the fresh oranges with cinnamon for dessert.
More to be added.
WHAT TO DO
There are so many things to do in this magnificent city and no matter how many times you go you’ll always be creating your own unique experiences in Marrakech.
Shopping
We’re in the process of creating a detailed guide for the souks and our favourite wholesalers in Marrakech. One of the things we’ve fallen in love with the most whilst traveling has been the textiles in Morocco. Homewares are created and designed by women all over the country and each piece is one of a kind, a work of art.
The souks are a huge part of why I love Marrakech. People everywhere, shouting, laughing, calling you names, and trying to make deals with you left, right, centre, above, and below! It is exhilarating, beautiful, and just throw yourself in. Don’t start the bargaining process unless you are interested.
More on this to come.
The Spice Market (Rahba Lakdima)
We always avoid the main square Jemaa el-fnaa which is contrary advice to what almost every other blog will say but we love the Spice square so much and the souks around there that the square just feels like a tourist trap. The lovely women trying to henna your hands…don’t let them touch you otherwise you’ll be charged. Don’t take photos of the monkeys or snakes – you’ll be charged and unless you want to buy an England football jersey – there’s no need to spend all your time in the main square. The spice market is full of beautiful Moroccan homewares, delicious spices, and carpets everywhere! This is my base point for the souks.
Spend the night in the Agafay Desert
If you have an extra day and are looking to spend a night in the Stone Desert – which is a short drive from Marrakech we recommend Inara Camp or Scarabeo Camp. If you have the time, don’t miss out on this experience! You’ll be able to have a camel ride and experience a unique looking desert.
Le Jardin Secret Marrakech
Beautiful gardens in the medina with a shop and cafe.
Majorelle Garden and YSL Museum
Majorelle gardens are a must-see if you have the time. A short taxi ride from the medina. You can buy tickets online to avoid the queues. The YSL museum is a short walk up the road (literally next door!) and is worth a quick walk through.
Experience a hammam (if you dare!)
The craziest spa experience we’ve ever had. We chose Le Bain Bleu for our hammam and it was hilarious. We recommend this lovely place but a hammam, in general, is far from relaxing. They throw water all over you, scrub you clean and repeat this 5 or 6 times until they throw you out into a small pool with other guests to catch your breath where you'll start asking each other ‘what just happened in there?’. Do it!
Quad Biking or Camel Riding
There are lots of companies that will pick you up from your riad, take you out to the palm grove for quad biking and then bring you back to Marrakech. It’s affordable and incredible fun! We used Quad biking in Marrakech who also offer camel rides, dune buggy rides and of course, quads!
El Badii Palace
Palace ruins from 1578. Beautiful, historical, and a must-see if you have the time.
If you have more time and are wanting to do a trip to the Sahara desert – you will need 3 days for this. Read our 3-day itinerary to the Sahara Desert from Marrakech here.
fancy things to do in Marrakech
Spend a day by a hotel pool – El Fenn, Amanjena, Beldi Country Club, or Royal Mansour.
Each hotel does a day rate which usually includes lunch and a drink. If you have the days, this would be a great way to relax.
Afternoon Tea at The Royal Mansour
We had the most delicious afternoon tea in The Royal Mansour! The staff showed us around the hotel and we felt like royalty.
Book a Spa treatment at The Royal Mansour
You know that crazy amazing white spa you’ve seen on Instagram. Here it is.
Check out our Sahara itinerary for Luxury recommendations for your Sahara desert camp
More to be added.
This won’t be the last thing you hear from us about this magnificent city and country.
If you’re looking for a great and reliable transfer in Marrakech - we recommend booking through our favourite partner HERE.
If you need an E-Sim whilst travelling (we recommend you get one!) then you can book through our partner HERE.
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