Marrakech

Marrakech made me feel like I was on the set of the Aladdin movie. There is something about the place that makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a different era. The older parts of Marrakech are for more interesting and cultural than the city centre in my opinion.

The first tip I would give is to stay in a riad rather than a hotel. A riad is a traditional Moroccan palace/ home with an interior garden. Our riad was on this random street, which had us worried at first, but the moment we entered it we were pleasantly surprised. The interior is so stunning across all riads and they usually have a swimming pool, fountain or a garden in the middle of the courtyard, which is such a unique feature. This is a great way to experience some of the culture and an intimate way to stay. At the riad, you get a tailored and superior standard of service, quite different from what you would get at a normal hotel.

This was an impulsive 2 night trip. Now I know what you’re thinking, how are 2 nights enough? Well, it isn’t but 2 nights and 3 days were enough for us to experience a fair bit of Marrakech. We didn’t get to go out and do excursions which was disappointing but we still had a great time.

Some popular spots we visited:

Souks – an excellent place to purchase so many different things
Koutoubia Mosque – stunning pink mosque surrounded by palm trees
Le Jardin Secret – beautiful botanical garden worth visiting
Le Jardin Majorelle – a 2.5-acre botanical garden that hosts the YSL Garden
Bahia Palace – a 19th-century palace
Musee De Marrakech – art museum in old Marrakech
Jama El f’na – famous market place

We saw a few other places in between but sadly we didn’t get to visit the Atlas Mountains, Ozoud waterfalls or the deserts where you can ride a camel, quad bike and take in the sights.

We visited in December and in terms of weather, it was cooler in temperature but there was constant sunshine, so we were warm enough.

Finally, make sure to head to Jama El f’na at night, it’s a completely different vibe but be vigilant the sales guys can get a bit aggressive in their technique!