Find out the best things to do in Marrakech from a sophisticated, slow travel point of view. When to go, what to see, where to stay in Marrakech
Unlike India, you may find that it is more expensive than you imagined. If you are expecting standard western amenities and service, prices for luxury hotels and restaurants are on par with Paris. If you decide to stay in an inexpensive Riad in the medina, you may find that things don’t work as smoothly as they do back home and that getting all upset about the spotty wifi not make the repair man come any faster. Or at all. But this is where the adventure begins!
Jem el Fna in full swing
What to see in marrakech:
Definitely visit the medina. Definitely get a guide. You must use a certified guide which should be available through your hotel or rental. The medina is a crazy jumble of shops, food stalls and workshops. Some areas are designated to specific trades. Otherwise, carpets, tassels, ceramics, natural beauty products, spices, leather and lamps all compete to catch your eye. It can be a bit overwhelming if you’ve never visited a developing country. When it’s time for a quiet time out, have stroll through the Jardin Secret located in the middle of the medina. The Jardin Secret is a 400 year old private garden with stylish palms and tinkling water features that you can visit for a 60 Dirhams (about 6.50 US$).
Marrakech has remarkable examples of Almoravid architecture and classical Moroccan design. The Merdersa Ben Youssef is an exquisite testament to the highly developed arts and learning that this city has fostered. You might also explore the cryptic Saadian Tombs for authentic Moroccan design. Perhaps the most famous place to see is the Majorelle gardens and the house of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berger in the 1970’s. Accented by bright shots of color like Klein blue and canary yellow these gardens are a tapestry of water features and desert landscapes. Because of the understandable international fame brought on by Instagram, these gardens can be crowded. Best to go early in the morning for the best light and to avoid the heat and lines.
Berber carpets in the wild
Where to stay in marrakech:
I can generally group accommodation options into three categories: Riad in the medina, contemporary hotel or a resort in the Palmeraie. A Riad is a traditional dwelling with two to five stories, a central courtyard open to the sky, a rooftop terrace and is usually located in the medina. This is where you want to stay if you want the most authentic experience that verges on time travel. However, there is a drawback to staying in the medina. Most of the medina is pedestrian only and requires a guide to not get lost – google maps are not always reliable. Your Riad will probably not be accessible by car and a hand cart will be sent to fetch your belongings upon arrival. Also, the “streets”, if you want to call them that, are tiny, busy and congested. Visitors with limited travel experience may find this overwhelming. Once you are inside the walls of the Riad, it is surprisingly quiet, but getting there might be chaotic.
WE GOT THIS:
Morocco is not the kind of place you just want to wing it and see what happens when you get there. Even the experienced traveler will benefit from professional planning whether it is a detailed daily itinerary with hotel, transfers, tours, desert excursions and even restaurant reservations or a loose outline around hotel and transportation bookings. Travellur has a network of trusted local service providers where it really does make a difference. Rest assured that you are going to the right place and that accommodations are vetted and secure. The best thing about using our custom travel planning services is that you will enjoy the best prices on hotels and activities.
“Marrakech is a destination everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. From the idyllic villas, shopping in the medina, homemade scrumptious authentic moroccan food, relaxing at the spa and experiencing a hammam, painting by the pool and exploring the atlas mountains via a camel ride, its certainly an experience I will never forget.”
Exotic Marrakech
Bring your boho-chic inspiration board to life in legendary Marrakech where heritage arts flourish alongside modern treasures and the fragrance of spices fills the air.
As exotic as India, but only seven hours from New York by plane, Morocco is a north African country with coasts on the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The medieval city of Marrakech sits serenely at the base of the Atlas Mountains facing the Sahara Desert which unfurls like a carpet to the horizon. Founded in the 12th century, it was the luxurious capital of a powerful Islamic trading empire which once encompassed the Sahara, most of north Africa and even Spain. Today it is a bustling city groomed for tourism with a sleek new international airport, modern shopping centers, luxury hotels and even a golf course.
Koutoubia Mosque
The old soul of Marrakech is the medina, or old town, where narrow alleyways collide in an indecipherable tangle. The heart of the medina is the Jem-el-Fna, the oldest square in Africa, and the meeting point of travelers, seekers and artists for over 900 years. Here you will find the snake charmer, the acrobat, the apothecary and the dentist. Here you will hear stories of faraway lands, told by nomads from across the great desert and beyond. Here you will touch history because all is how it has been every night since 1170. Smoke billows from the dozens of food stalls which spring up every evening in the middle of the square. Performers, storytellers, pickpockets and hawkers ply their trades simultaneously in a crazy cacophony of medieval mayhem.
shopping in the medina
Merdersa Ben Youssef
What to do in marrakech:
You will absolutely want to spend one evening at the Jem-el-Fna being transported by soothsayers and monkey grinders to the 13th century. Go an hour before dusk. That’s when the day cools down and the action heats up. Find a rooftop bar to watch the sunset and then descend into madness to get a closer look. Get all up in the mix and don’t be shy to taste the local specialties. I’ve never had a problem eating at the food stalls if I keep to items that are cooked over fire. At the very least have a drink from the vendors selling fresh orange juice from what looks like a gypsy caravan.
Besides being a colorful whirl of distractions, Marrakech is the jumping off point for a number of enticing day or several day trips into the desert or mountains. You can do a desert day trip into the Agafay rock desert about one hour away or do a week-long trip to the sherbet colored dunes of the deep desert. Or you can climb up to the heights of the Altas mountains; visiting Berber villages festooned with carpets, or hike to abundant waterfalls that nourish verdant green valleys. Camel rides are available in either case.
Tea drinking is a thing in Morocco. I invite you to take slow travel pause over a refreshing hot mint tea served sweetened (which is very sweet) or unsweetened in every café, restaurant or food shop. Find a seat on shaded roof top terrace or accept a delicately gilded cup from the carpet seller. Inhale the minty steam and enjoy the place you’ve come so far to see.
In the modern parts of town Gueliz or Hivernage there are many western style hotels such as the perennial standard Sofitel Marrakech which cater to a discerning international clientele. Here you will find a large pool, rooms with terrace and views. My favorite boutique hotel in is the Hotel Dar Rhizlane due to its jasmine covered bohemian vibes, the distinctive rooms and the sexy pool tiled in teal and turquoise.
Lastly, and this is where I usually stay, is a resort in the Palmeraie or beyond. The Palmeraie is a palm forest on the outskirts of town where many of the luxury hotels such as AmanJena have space to spread out in peace and quiet. One of my favorite hotels in the world is located here, the Palais Rhoul, which is indescribably elegant with high-brow historic and literary references, an unforgettable pool and palatial spa.
