Located fewer than 10 miles from the coast of Spain, Morocco is a unique blend of Berber, European and North African influencers. The best time to stay is between September and April as the city can get very hot during summer months (May- August). I found super cheap, direct tickets from London to Marrakech (£50 pp) and just like that, a couple of weeks later I sitting on the plane with the banana smile on my face. Nothing makes me happier than traveling!

I will never forget how hot it was when I got off the plane at the airport in Marrakesh. Beginning of March, and 30 degrees already. I thought to myself – PERFECT!

Accommodations

I stayed in Riads which is located in the heart of Medina. It was called, Riad les Jardins Mandaline, 5 nights stay with traditional breakfast served every morning on a beautiful rooftop terrace cost us about £75 each. The place was absolutely stunning, very cozy with a little patio, elegant relaxing area and a pool in the middle.

Be prepared for many choices! So many that it will make choosing one very difficult. I remember it took me very long to decided on the place I liked the most. Every single one was absolutely stunning! What is important though is the location. So, before booking your trip, do a Google maps research. Whether you fall in love with the Riad or a hostel also centrally located – It would be ideal to be somewhere close to the main square – Jemaa el Fna.

What to see in Marrakech

Jemaa el fna

Referred by the locals as  ‘the big square’, it’s a buzzing square full of souks, restaurants and bars. You’ll get to see snake-charmers, musicians, wandering minstrels, magicians and dancing cobras.

To me, the biggest attraction was a large sized food hall that was open in the evenings right in the middle of the square. This is where I had a chance to try the local cuisine. Tagine, grilled sardines, cuscus, seafood, snakes, snails, and moroccan mint tea- which I simply love! However, the most amazing treat I discovered was orange slices with cinnamon- yummies! It’s not a fancy place to eat, but dining at the stall was actually an enormous amount of fun and we didn’t feel ripped off. The food was delicious and super cheap (we had around 8 sharing dishes and everything all together was not more than 100 dirhams- so around 9€). We sat alongside a Moroccan family that was extremely friendly and told us a lot about their culture and even offered us a taste of the dishes they had!

Tanneries

The place where animal hides are turned into Morocco’s famous leather. On arrival, we were greeted by a local man who handed as a bunch of mint leaves- to avoid the horrible smell and walked us pass the works area.

This place offers a glimpse of the real, un-sanitized Morocco. Away from the tourists, souks and attractions.  The unpleasant reality can be a fascinating eye-opener, but I must say the area is pretty dangerous so it is a personal decision whether to visit or not. We actually got there ‘by accident’ on our first day, again, leaded by ‘friendly locals’ literally a minute after we left our Riad and despite feeling uncomfortable we went along with them as it was apparently ‘ the last day to see it’. I believed them as they looked pretty normal and said they were not guides, but they were ‘going that way anyway’. At the end it was one big scam. There was few people involved, felt like one big mafia, each person was passing us to another and we completely lost control of where we were! Also, everyone was demanding money for ‘guiding’. Craziness! We left them all empty- handed and we were super angry, but I honestly felt like we’re risking our lives… What or actually who saved us, were these two girls passing by. They looked like they knew the area and I beg them to take us out from this insane place! However, do not get discouraged, it is still an interesting and unusual place to visit. What I would suggest though, is if you’re planning to head to Marrakech, make sure you go there with a professional guide and agree on the price before hand!

Souks of Marrakech

The largest in Morocco and famed throughout the world as one of the most exotic places to shop. There is nothing that isn’t sold there- from perfume, shoes, clothes and bags to spices, carpets, baskets and shawls. At first glance, this place looked pretty wild to me, but after couple of days, I began to adapt and started to enjoy getting lost in the labyrinth of souks. Do not forget to haggle on the first price given! It’s an important part of their culture.

 El Badi Palace

The area is stunning! Now in ruins, but you can really imagine the palace and the four gardens for the four wives! Climbing up to the top, the views from every angle are just incredible. Back across the city, the rooftops covered in stork nests reach far across to the snow topped mountains. Simply breathtaking! Lovely spot for reflection. The entrance costs only 10 dirhams ( around €1) and I am sure you’ll discover the magic of this place, just I did.

The palace itself completely stole my heart. Beautiful architecture, stunning tiles and patterns. Sumptuous and rich in every detail. Not without the reason- the name, El Badi, means ‘brilliance’! The entrance was 20 dirhams ( around 2€) Lovely spot for taking pictures and just enjoying the scenery!

Palmeraie Camel Ride

It was a must-do on my bucket list! I’ve booked it at our Riad. The whole trip took around 2 hours- morning pick up from our Riad, 45 minutes camel ride around peaceful Palmerie and drop off to the hotel. The total cost for 2 of us was 600 dirhams, but you can probably organize it a bit cheaper (especially, if you do not need transfers). Also, the guide took plenty of photos for us, but surprise! He charged us extra at the end…Well, at least we’ve got a souvenir …

Jardin Majorelle Yves Saint Laurent

One of the most visited sites in Morocco. As I found out inside, it took French painter Jacques Majorelle nearly forty years to create this dreamy garden which was then bought by Yves Saint Laurent. Beautiful nature, history and a sparkle of fashion. The perfect place to find some much needed shade to just soak in the beauty and admire the elegance around you. Also, you do not need a guide to get there, it’s an easy walk from the Medina (around 30mins). The entrance cost 70 dirhams per person. Little tip here: try to go there in the morning otherwise it’s too hot and busy.

La Sultana Hotel

A luxury hotel hidden behind a wall of an old city. Perfectly restored, old Arabian style palace, in a perfect proximity to major historical site. It’s a true heaven from all the hustle outside. I absolutely loved everything about this hotel and could easily just move in, haha! We went there only for a drink, but the host took me around the whole venue and let me take some pictures after I told him I am a travel blogger. Every floor, ceiling and wall is done to perfection! The host also got us a cute spot on a rooftop! We took a little break from sightseeing and enjoyed some traditional Moroccan mint tea. Quite pricey place, but it’s worth every penny! No photographs or words would do it justice!

Restaurant ‘I Limoni’

One of the spotlights of our stay in Marrakesh. This restaurant has a combination of Italian and moroccan food. It does not look very inviting from outside, but once inside it’s a real heaven. We were been chilling under lemon trees, drinking rosé and enjoying delicious Italian cuisine. This place is a secret oasis in the middle of the dusty and rush. Went there 3 times during our stay as the food and service was brilliant! We also got to know the super friendly, Italian owner who is also an architect and designed the whole place himself! What an eye for detail! 

Palais Jad Mahal

A highly colorful, festive place inclusive of a restaurant, bar and a stage for shows. The decor wavers between India and Morocco. Dress code is required and the place is a little bit on the pricey side, but you can either go there for a proper dinner or just to have a drink and admire the talent of the superb oriental dancers. This magical place moved us a mile away to a different world with its exhilarating music. There we saw the most amazing belly dancers in my life! I think it’s a perfect place for a first evening in Marrakech to get into the Moroccan culture. How to get there? The easiest way to would be a cab. We took it from the taxi point just off Jemaa el fna square and it cost 50 dirhams (driver wanted 100, but I learned how to negotiate the price after couple of days! )

Nearby Tours

Since we only stayed in Morocco for 5 days, we didn’t have time to see all we wanted to, but we were waking up early every morning to make the most of our stay.  After 2 long days of sightseeing, I started to feel a bit tired because of heat and noise so I booked a trip to Ouzoud Waterfalls with the front desk at our Riad. I must say that it was the best thing I could have done. Let start from the beginning.

OUZOUD WATERFALLS, ATLAS MOUNTAINS

What’s included – transportation by mini bus, hotel pick up and drop off, driver

What’s not included – guide to explore waterfalls in full, food and drinks

Where is it – about 150 kilometers northeast to the Berber Village of Tanaghmeilt in the Atlas Mountains, the home of Ouzoud Waterfalls- the highest falls in North Africa. The name comes from ‘Ouzoud’ – which means ‘olive tree’ in the Berber language- as the plateau above the falls and is enwrapped with hundred of olive trees.

Cost – 300 dirhams per person (around 30€ each)

It was 4 couples (including us) on the bus and this time I was prepared (BRAVO ME!) I told the others that surely there will be another ‘guide’ waiting for us on arrival. Demanding a crazy high price, so before getting off the bus we all decided on a price together – a reasonable 30 dirhams per person ( around 3€ each) and we paid him straight away. The guide was actually pretty happy! Make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes because it’s a long walk off the beaten track. You may even catch a glimpse of a macaque monkey. But, BE CAREFUL! They only look cute and innocent. One of them has actually jumped from the tree on my boyfriend’s back. It was pretty scary while it was happening, but then I took some fun photos!

There is an optional boat ride up to the waterfall at 20 dirhams per person, great experience and I must admit, it was one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen in my life! We also spotted a gorgeous rainbow over the falls- magical! Make sure you’re protecting your camera while taking pics as it may get pretty wet. Actually, we were all wet, but we didn’t really mind. It was so refreshing after the exhausting hike in African heat. Then after, our guide took us to a local restaurant in the little valley. There was no menu : it was kind of fixed 3 course dinner and the same for everyone ( you choose to have either meat or the vegetarian option) – side salad, tagine and fresh fruits for dessert. All served in a very simple way with plastic cutlery and plates, but I have actually loved it! Real African experience and spectacular views.

If you’re staying in Morocco longer than 5 days, do not hesitate and book a Sahara Desert tour. There are plenty of them (you can easily book them at your Riad) and the cost depends on the duration of the trip. It’s the absolutely best way to experience the real Morocco. Sleep at desert camp, have a traditional moroccan picnic-style breakfast at sunrise, watch the African sunsets. Ride across the dunes on the camel, reach your desert camp before the nightfall and enjoy the authentic Moroccan dinner under the stars. I wish we could have done that!

TRAVEL TIPS IN MARRAKECH

• DRESS UP PROPERLY- remember that Morocco is a Muslim country and respect the culture around you by dressing conservatively. No one asks you to wear a scarf over your head, but if you do dress like you’re going to the beach you will definitely stick out and attract lots if attention!
• LOOK AROUND YOU ! Especially, in the main square – if you are not paying attention you can end up with a monkey on your shoulder, snake wrapped around your neck, unwanted henna tattoo or without your wallet!
• Learn to say NO – Moroccan vendors and guides can be annoyingly persuasive. But, try not to be rude as they do get aggressive!
• Download an offline Marrakech map through TripAdvisor or use maps.me . This will save you lots of time and prevent you from getting lost so can avoid the ‘local guides’ and extra costs!
• PHOTOS – Be careful when you take photos. Generally, it is fine to take photos of the sights, but if you are quite into photography and want to take more artistic photos of the local shops and streets just make sure that the owners are okay with that and you aren’t accidentally capturing local women in them, as some people can get offended.
• Taxi fares – agree on the price with the driver before the journey begins
• Water – drink only bottled water whilst you’re there to avoid any unwanted contamination
• Take some basic medicines with you! For the first 2 days, I was feeling very sick to my stomach (it could be due to strong moroccan spices)
• Do not accept directions from strangers! It means only loosing time, nerves and money! (Believe me, I know what I am talking about!)
• Watch out on the road! – Not only for the cars, but the bicycles, motorcycles, horses, donkeys with trailers, horses with carriages too – one big CHAOS!
• SPEND ALL YOUR DIRHAMS before you leave as it’s a closed currency, which means you won’t be able to change it back on your way out.

There’s no denying that Marrakech is another world. Rainbow of colors, spice markets smells, an urban orchestra of sounds. It can all be overwhelming at first, but very fascinating and inspiring too. It’s also a place of an extreme contrast between the rich and poor. Beggars and really poor people beyond the walls of the luxury hotels, sparkle boutiques and gold Ferraris. You may think that my experience wasn’t positive enough. However, I swear that despite feeling like a walking pound note and being fleeced so many times, the flavor of Marrakech is the one I delighted in and I would love to taste it again one