An Imperial City

Three words to describe Morocco would be: welcoming, delicious, and historical. To give a layout of the trip, I traveled from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert and finished in Fes. Out of all the itineraries I researched and ways to travel around the country, this seemed to be the best plan of attack (with a driver of course!). Hot tip for arriving in Morocco in general: purchase the fast track to skip the customs lines because they can average 2-3 hours in a very hot room. The fast past saved us so much time. There are so many diverse languages the locals speak but the most common are English, French, and Arabic. Immediately when you land in the huge airport, everyone is so welcoming and thank you for visiting their country.

Did you know that Morocco is known to be a dry country? Make sure to purchase alcohol in the airport or anywhere you can find on the streets since it is not common to have alcohol at restaurants or hotels. Marrakech is known for crazy nightlife but outside of clubs, it can be challenging to find a casual drink. Our guide considered “Marrakech the Las Vegas of Africa”. The food in Marrakech is insane and nothing like I have experienced in life before. So many courses filled with tapas, spiced vegetables, meats, soups etc. I came wobbling home from all the bread and tajin I ate. Make a reservation at AZAR for an entertaining dinner with dancers, good cocktails, and delish dishes. A noteworthy lunch is El Jardin in the garden or the rooftop with traditional local food as well.

Things To Do...

It's challenging to summarize all the best activities to do in Marrakech because there are so many. Jemaa El-Fnaa is the main square where you can get lots of eating, marketing shopping, and sightseeing done. It can be an overwhelming amount of stimulation but it’s completely different day vs night. I would recommend doing a daytime market shop and a night food tour that’s guided because it’s so easy to get lost. My favorite activity was riding motorbikes outside the city for a sunset cruise. Within one day, I was able to travel to the Koutoubia Mosque, Ben Youssef area, and Palace Bahia. They all include fascinating architecture – see pics below. Even though Marrakech is a huge city, there are gorgeous gardens and sanctuaries in the Mellah. Another activity that might give you a run for your money is participating in a spice and oil class. I came home with lots of cooking spices and medicine oils. Marrakech is one of the biggest producers of argan oil in the world!

Marrakech is not the place to stay at the Four Seasons (I mean I would but…) because they are more known for staying in Riads. A Riad is a traditional Moroccan palace located in the old city “Medina” walls. They typically have enclosed high ceilings and mineral baths. If you decide to not stay the traditional way, there are so many incredible properties that I got the chance to tour that I would be more than happy to recommend.

Moroccan culture has become one of my favorites to learn about given their long history of traditions and experiences. The hammam bath was my favorite ritual which is a part of the Moroccan culture. It is a spa treatment where someone scrubs all the dead skin off you along with other mask treatments. After getting hosed down, the treatment is followed by a massage. The locals will spend on average one day a week practicing cleansing the body. I have seriously never felt so clean in my life. Definitely worth the experience. I hope you add Marrakech to your bucket list for the upcoming year to travel to because it is such a special place. Stay tuned for my recommendations on the other cities as well!

You deserve to be Gone, let me plan your next vacation!

Email me at gonewithgab@gmail.com