By Federico F · Jan 10, 2017
I’ve been to Morocco 5 times in the past 3 years and Marrakesh is always my base. Usually I just stay there, but sometimes I also visit the Atlas Mountains or the desert or Essaouira on the Atlantic coast (7-9 hour drive) from Marrakesh. Most recently I went this past September. You can visit Marrakesh any time of year, but summer gets extremely hot. My preferred time of year to go is September through May, which also works out perfectly as a destination to escape the winter in Italy.
I fly from Rome to Marrakesh with Ryan Air because it’s the only airline operating a direct flight for this route. Given options I would never choose to fly with Ryan Air.
Historic sites, culture, dining, shopping, spas
A very authentic accommodation which also generally represents really good value for money is staying in a riad. Riads are traditional Moroccan houses or palaces usually with a very similar configuration - they have an interior courtyard, usually with a pool, and often have an accessible rooftop area. Some rooftops have a pool. My budget for a riad is generally 50 to 60 Euros / night, which is enough for an incredible room.
Riads are like boutique hotels but even more intimate, with anywhere from 5-12 rooms, all with private bathrooms. Most offer massage services and include complimentary breakfast. The breakfasts are fine, but you can eat much better outside! They have receptionists and concierge services as you might expect, so there are people who can organise tours for you, make recommendations and bookings. They’re really cozy and a great place to stay. You have to pick the right one, but I’ve only had good and great experiences.
The best riads are in Kasbah, in the Medina – they are the most authentic. Some people might feel like it’s not really safe, because it’s an old part of the city with very narrow streets and no cars, but in fact it is very safe.
Riad Les Jardin D’Henia on booking.com has many riads all for the same price and same look. This is usually where I make my reservation.
If you prefer a more catered or luxury experience, two standout hotels incude:
La Sultana Hotel – an incredible hotel with one of the best spas and a phenomenal restaurant
La Mamounia Hotel – the hotel has the most amazing botanical garden, swimming pool, spa and range of bars. The design and fell take you back in time to the colonial days. A room costs around 1000 euros per night. This is great place to hang out even if you’re not staying there.
Once your accommodation is sorted, you’ll want things to do. If you’re just staying in Marrakesh and don’t have time for a longer holiday, 4 days is enough time to explore the city and see the sights. The best way to see the city is on foot (everything feels like it’s a 15 minute walk), walking into any open door that appeals and even the ones that don’t! The contrast between the dusty streets and the stunning interior design is amazing.
Activities I recommend:
Comptoir offers a similar experience with music by Berber musicians (an ethnic group scattered throughout Northern Africa), but I prefer the food and ambiance at Jad Mahal.
La Sultana – beautiful view, much more expensive but the experience is worth it.
Bo-zin: A long trip by car, but the restaurant offers free pickup from your accommodation. It’s in a very stylish villa with a beautiful garden. The food is excellent and as the night continues, the scene becomes more of a party atmosphere with people dancing on tables and loud music. It’s the type of place I would want to check if it’s still trendy before going back.
La Maison Arabe – Also a hotel, I really enjoy the food here.
Café Epices – A busy little cafe in the souk that has beautiful views of the entire market as well as the Atlas Mountains - you can even see their snow caps! The menu is western salads and sandwiches. Don’t eat inside, wait for a spot on the terrace.
Petit Dejeuner de Marrakesh – A small, quaint restaurant with a terrace overlooking the city. Good food.
For cocktails you must go to La Mamounia. They have several bars - go to The Churchill. It is opulently but tastefully decorated in red velvet and has multiple room choices, one of which is the terrace. They also play live jazz. The cocktails are delicious and the entire experience is definitely worth spending the 20 euros for a single drink.
The lighter you pack the more you can buy! But having said that, you’ll definitely want to bring versatile options. During the day, easy walking shoes and shorts and a t-shirt are your best option. It’s hot and very dusty so things will get dirty. At night time you definitely want to dress up and stand out in a stylish way. There isn’t really a dress code anywhere, but people like to dress fashionably. Women typically wear heels (platforms and raised sandals) but not stilettos.
It didn’t rain on our trip and I never felt cold, but it’s nice to have an extra layer, especially if you decide to do an excursion. For the evening when it cools down slightly, I wear a light dress jacket. Many French and Spanish fashion designers used to vacation and own homes in Marrakesh, which is partly why the city became so fashionable.
It might be a good idea to bring an empty suitcase depending on what you plan to buy when you go shopping.
Pack your camera - I use a G7 Lumix which is very light and shoots 4K videos.
Gender & Age Range
Male, 36 - 40
I’m from
Rome, Italy
Occupation
Film Producer
My favourite trip as of late
Iceland
Travelling Style
Plan everything in advance.
It’s a dealbreaker when
Having too many tourists around or traveling abroad just to arrive to my destination and find it full of people from my own country.
Continent I know the best
Europe and North America
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I’m from Perth, Western Australia
My favourite trip as of late is New Zealand, solo travel in lots of nature for a soul-refresher.
My travelling style is to Book the first night, then wing it from there!
It’s a dealbreaker when I’m stuck around large groups of package tourists.
Continent I know best is Asia.
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