TIPS:
- At the airport, exchange money AFTER the customs.
Or withdraw at some point.
- Book a cab in advance from the airport to your hotel. Prices are legally fixed by the government so you should always find around 100MAD (10euros).
OR if it’s during day time, there is a bus, for 40MAD (40cents!), just check on google map from the airport to your accommodation and it will show you the way. There is a direct line to place Jemaa El Fna (city center and where most of the riads are). You can also negotiate on spot with the cab driver. At daytime, tell them you will take the bus when they come to you, they will then go down to 80-90MAD, you can go to 40-50MAD. It works especially from the city center to the airport, less from airport to center because many other tourists do not know and will pay the 100MAD.
- Cab prices have legally fixed day and night fares. It is usually even written somewhere in the cab!
- The cabs WILL put the counter! They have to buy law. PLEASE do not trust them when they say a crazy price or that it is a special day in the calendar and the prices are higher today, they lie. At least have the counter for your recurrent routes so you know how much it really costs and then you can negotiate even if no counter. For example from my hotel to the one of my parents it was 6MAD with the counter. If I ask a driver he will say 40-50MAD. I tell him I know it is 6 and that I am ok for 10 (or 20 if I am lazy) if we stop negotiating. You will get an idea of the prices easily. If a driver says no, then say by and go to another one.
Start with “Salam” to be friendly and local.
- When you walk, do not believe the people who ask you where you are going and who tell you it is close. They lie so you follow them in their back up plan.
- I would recommend not to follow the people who tell you they will show you around for free.
- I was surprised but many tourists had bare legs and arms/shoulders. Up to you and how you feel, just be respectful. Personally, it was 42degrees so I had a short, but with a t-shirt covering my shoulders and nothing sexy.
- Usually you need to divide the price by 5 but by 4 is a “good deal”
- Keep your bag close to you and in the front, we saw pickpockets.
- Leave space in your suitcase when you come… you will want to buy so many things there!
- If you want to exchange money the best rate is at “Chez Ali” on the Jemaa El-Fna square
- You can buy double tickets for Jardin Majorelle and for the YSL museum. The queue to the museum is usually shorter and faster so cue there.
WHAT TO PACK?:
- Sun glasses
- Solar cream
- Safe bag to walk around
- Ear plugs
- Sleeping mask
- Something to cover your legs and shoulders
- Depending on the season a fan and a cap/hat
- Water bottle
- Towel
- Comfortable shoes
- Camera
- Swimsuit for hammam
- If you plan on buying many things an empty folded bag to fill in ^^
WHERE TO EAT/DRINK?:
- NOMAD: YES a touristic please but the location is great, next to the spices market, the decoration is beautiful and the food is good. I loved it.
- Terrasse des epices: the typical Parisian gathering in Marrakech but yes, it is beautiful, chill, greatly decorated and I have to say the food was delicious! I highly recommend the vegetarian tajine and the ice coffee.
- Max & Jan: My favorite rooftop maybe. Less “Parisian” and more hippie. I could spend my day chilling there.
- Juices on places Jemma El-fna: the place is fool of trucks selling fresh juices
- Trou au mur: really famous restaurant in Marrakech. I did not go but I got it recommend by several people.
- Café des épices: just in front of NOMAD, same style.
- Café francais: super cliché and touristic but what a view on Place Jemaa el-fan and the food is good.
- Kechmara: highly recommended on the internet and my parents loved it so I would follow their taste J
- The Moorish Cafe and drinks
WHERE TO STAY?:
- Equity: really nice hostel. The dorms are a bit old school but it is clean, safe, greatly located and the patio with the small pool is really nice.
- Rodamon: This hostel is amazing! Open 24h/7d, always secured, welcoming personal, super clean rooms, one bathroom per dorm, secured lockers per bed, the beds are like small cabins you can close with a curtain for intimacy, super location, a beautiful rooftop with you on the Koutoubia, a small pool in the patio. HIHLY recommended. They do not provide a towel though. The breakfast is not included (4euros). The water bottles are super expensive so buy outside.
- Bed square: I would NOT recommend it. The location is great but not super safe. It is not open all the time. The dorms give on the patio so it is noisy and during the night you are awake by the ring. No chill space, not the best rooftop, no small pool, shared bathroom for all the dorms. The beds are great though, there are individual lockers, they provide a locker and breakfast included.
- Radison Blue Gueliz: wayyyy more fancy that what I can afford but I was lucky tat my parents stayed there. Great rooms, chill terrace and pool, good food, amazing breakfast, super secured, adorable personnel.
WHAT TO SEE?:
- Well, to be honest google will give you all the main touristic spots to see and you should see them at least one. I list all the ones I preferred and remembered.
- Palais de la Bahia: the most beautiful palais in Marrakech, it is gorgeous
- Palais El Badi: great too. Way bigger and it is nice to walk around and to see the storks and ruins
- Jardin Majorel and YSL museum: The jardin is a MUST to see, gorgeous. The museum is nice but you feel like in Paris and it looks like the other YSL exhibitions you may have seen. There are 2 cues but you can buy a double ticket at both entrance so I would recommend to cue at the museum because usually faster and less people J
- Medina: just to walk around plunges you in another world, I love it.
- Menara: emblematic from Marrakech so nice to see but not a must
- Place Jemaa El Fna: where you know you are in Marrakech. What an energy! Go there at night especially.
- Koutoubia: emblematic too. Love the architecture and to walk in the gardens around.
- Saadien’s Tombs: one thing to see in Marrakech too, beautiful architecture.
- Souks: the one thing to do in Marrakech! Get lost, buy too much, negotiate a lot <3
- Maison de la photography: small museum but great exhibitions. Go to the rooftop for the panoramic view!
- Le jardin secret: adorable and peaceful, go for a coffee even! Just take your time there.
- Ben Youssef school: I could not go because it is into renovation but if it is open go!
THE TRIP:
Aaaaaaand, I am BACK!
Way earlier than I expected J
I have the wedding of my oldest friend in Marrakech, I cannot say no.
I am not a super fan of Marrakech BUT I am willing to give it another try.
Interesting fact: there are direct flights Nuremberg-Marrakech with Ryannair! Twice a week AND super cheap. I book from Wednesday to Wednesday, will spend 3 days in Marrakech for the wedding and then head again to Taghazout to surf with @dfrost (see updated blog post after my second visit!)
Now I am SO looking forward J
DAY 1:
I arrived the night before from Nuremberg. 4hours flight with Ryanair was a challenge for my back and neck back but I survived. The taxi drop me at the entrance of all the small street leading to my hostel. I was freaking out because I have a bad memory of Marrakech but all good, people are nice and helpful, it is a good surprise.
I woke up in my dorm at Rodamon. This hostel is THE BEST, I highly recommend it. I wanted to go running but I am so tired and it is 42 degrees… I chill a bit on the rooftoooooop and go to meet with my parents at their hotel in Gueliz.
To grab a cab I have to walk to Place Jemaa El-fna. Ah… walking in the Medina is for me the most iconic thing. This place is insane with all the colors, shops, smells, people. I love it, but I just want to be left alone and not to have all the vendors coming to me…
I arrive at the place, I exchange money at “Chez Ali”, and I grab a car to the Supratours bus station because I need to buy my tickets for my trip to Agadir 3 days after. The driver is super nice and directly puts the counter. I then walk in Gueliz from the bus station to the hotel. I did not know this district, nice to see but clearly rich and European style. I meet with my parents, sooooo happy to see them! We go to the YSL museum that opened not long ago. It is nice to see BUT you have the feeling you are in Paris (so many French people) and if you have seen already many YSL exhibitions like me it will not change your life. It is nice as a complement of Jardin Majorelle though.
Then we head back to the Medina to have lunch at NOMAD. We have to pass by the souks and the spices market, I love it. I love also the restaurant! YES super touristic and they know what we want but still, the location is perfect, view on the spices market, beautiful set up, delicious food.
Afterwards we head back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding. I will not give all the details but it was an amazing moment at Le Palais Paysan outside of Marrakech. I recommend for a party/seminar.
I come back at 5-6am to the hostel… ^^ Beautiful light in the super calm streets.
DAY 2:
Yes… the head is hurting and I am exhausted ^^ BUT so many things to do here, I cannot just sleep. First I head to Le Jardin Secret. It is adorable, peaceful, beautiful, a nice way to wake up.
Then I join my Parents at La Maison de la Photography. It’s a small building but the photos show you a good overview of what is going on outside of Marrakech and why photographers are passionate about Morocco. The building is beautiful too and the rooftop has a panoramic view.
Then we go for lunch at La Terrasse des épices. Big cliché of a rooftop restaurant owned by a foreigner that did everything he knows tourist love and I have to say… it’s a success ^^ It is adorable and the veggie tajine is one of the best I had. We have a great time with my parents <3
To digest we walk in the souk.
I bring them to Max&Jan, a concept store that I discovered in the morning. Same, Parisian style but adorable. We go to the bar/restaurant on the terrace and I LOVE it! It is so chill, almost hippie vibes.
The good thing with having already done all the touristic thing is that we have time to just chill so we stop again for a drink ^^ I am so tried. Then we head back to their hotel to enjoy the poooooool before Shabbat. All the wedding is celebrating together and it is my first Shabbat, I am so grateful I can join it.
I eat way too much and head back to my hostel to sleep at last ;)
DAY 3:
Last day in Marrakech and with my parents. I join them again at their hotel. Btw, it is the Radison blue and the terrace and pool are great so yes I spend a lot of time there ;) We decide to go to the Menara because it is one of my dad’s favorite place (he has been already 6-7 times to Marrakech!) and I have never been. Indeed it is nice to see and an iconic place but it is not my favorite place!
We go back to the hotel for pool and lunch and then it is time to say bye. I am always so emotional when I have to say bye! They head to the airport and I head to the bus station direction Agadir!
DAY 6 (4-5 I was in Taghazout, see article):
So I just arrived back from Taghazout, by bus. For sure the taxi drivers try to rip me off, especially since it’s night time, but I make my point and get the fair price.
Once at the Place Jema El-Fna it is CRAZY! It is the end of Ramadan so EVERYONE is in the streets! I cannot even go through the crowd to my hostel, especially with my suitcase.
A real experience and I embrace it. It takes me an hour to reach the hostel instead of 8min but what a lively moment. I buy a super super small tajine plate. I do not need it but I want a memory of that moment. I arrive at the hostel Bed Square and I go straight to bed because I want to do a lot tomorrow!
DAY 7:
Ok, I have no more excused, I HAVE TO go for a run. My running gear is packed in my suitcase since a week and I have been too lazy to go running until now but I am leaving in some hours so no choice. It is so so warm… I decide to run along the ramparts. I kind of get lost though haha. I start with Place Jemaa El-Fna, go to the Koutoubia and its gardens and then get lost in small streets. After some time I make it to the ramparts.
It is 40degrees, I am dying. I cut the run short because I am already at 10km and time flies. I pass by Palais de la Bahia and I cannot resist… I did not go yet while it’s one of the most famous thing to do. There is no cue so I enter all sweaty in my running gear. It is indeed gorgeous. I am lucky I avoid the tourist groups and I am sometimes alone!
What a nice way to say bye to Marrakech!
I head back to the hostel, get the light breakfast on the rooftop under the sun (ah, those fresh orange juices!), shower and head to the airport.
I wanted to take the bus (YES, there is a bus, see TIPS section) but a taxi driver stops me on the way. He tells me 100MDR (official price) but when I tell him I am not interested because I will take the bus for 3 MDR he drops the price to 40MDR so 4euros… In those moments I tell myself I need to stop calculating every euro ^^ So I say yes and end up taking a cab to the airport and arriving so early, its not even possible to check in haha. All good at the airport and here I am in the plane for NBG.
What a trip it has been.
I was reluctant to go back to Marrakech but what a trip I had! I felt in love with the city. You “just” need to take the time and chill, to just follow the vibes.
I will definitely be back!
