My trip to Morocco was planned around my 30th birthday and it was an extremely special adventure. I went with my best friend from high school and I honestly can’t remember what prompted Morocco as our destination but I had seen many people traveling there and it just felt like the right time to check it off the list.
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WHERE TO STAY
I highly recommend staying in one of the traditional Riads if you’re staying within the Medina. It makes for a really special, traditional experience because they’re smaller with maybe 8-12 guest rooms, breakfast is typically included and personally I like to try to immerse myself in the culture as much as possible and this is a great way to do it.
The staff at this Riad was great and it was simple, beautiful and clean. My only “complaint” is that it’s located in the southwest part of the Medina which meant we had to trek through the souks every time we ventured for food. Not a huge deal but after a few days of doing this it was a bit exhausting. I also would not have realized this had I not experienced the city first hand. The rates were extremely reasonable and it was a nice reprieve but given most restaurants we wanted to eat at were across the souks, it wasn’t the most conveniently located.
Our friend Abbie stayed at Riad Adriana and highly recommended it. At the bottom of this post I’ve detailed my long bucketlist of hotels/riads I want to stay at so check them out!
WHERE TO EAT
Admittedly, I had NO idea what to expect when it came to food in Morocco. It made it a little more fun because I went in with such an open mind but then we started our trek to the desert and I quickly learned what we were in for as far as cuisine went. By the time we returned from our desert trip, I was so tired of tajine and kebabs that all I wanted were chicken fingers. So we went to KFC. And then a few days later, after getting back on the traditional Moroccan cuisine train, I ended up getting a burger at one of the restaurants. Not to say Moroccan food was bad but we definitely ate a few places where it was either bland or unappetizing which made it challenging. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing to explore their cuisine when I go back on my next trip. Below are the places we ate that were truly great!
A truly delicious, modern Moroccan restaurant with amazing vibes and beautiful decor. I highly recommend making a reservation and sitting on the roof to catch the sunset and watch the souks change from day to night.
I ordered: bone marrow to start, braised lamb shank for my main and I think we also ordered the flourless cardamom ginger orange cake for dessert (there’s also a chance we got the ultra rich chocolate cake – I didn’t write it down but it was delicious either way!).
EL FENN ROOF TERRACE // @ELFENNMARRAKECH
We went for lunch and had their prix fixe menu and the food was great – really fresh Moroccan dishes and salads. It’d also be a great place for an early dinner to see the sunset. Make sure you give yourself time to wander the property afterward because it’s beautiful!
TERRASSE DES ESPICES // @TERRASSEDESESPICES
So good, we went TWICE. Once for lunch and for our last dinner – they have an “international” menu in case you need a burger like I did (at one point I was ready for something other than tajine haha). We also had the same server each time and he was hysterical. In general the vibes are great and it’s also a great reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the souks.
PEPE NERO // #PEPENEROMARRAKECH
This restaurant had super cute courtyard seating. We went for my birthday dinner and they also had an “international” menu to order from. I wouldn’t rush back here but it was definitely a great option aside from a random cafe that may not be good.
Try to get a reservation for the rooftop if you can! I think that would have really elevated our meal. They had a great wine selection and the food was also pretty good.
WHAT TO DO
- Shopping in the souks: this is a must and no, you don’t need a guide but it might streamline things if you’re pressed for time. We had multiple days to just walk around and observe/scout things out and then when we knew what we wanted to buy, we set out and got down to business. You need to be comfortable negotiating, knowing how much you want to pay for something, and being able to walk away if they won’t meet your price. There will likely be another vendor with the same pottery, textiles or knick knacks. Some of my absolute favorite places we bought things at: Hanout (apparently the Princess of Morocco shops at this boutique! I purchased a beautiful handmade wool jacket that’s become one of my staple fall/winter pieces), Mustapha Blaoui (where I purchased my insane fruit bowl – they had the most beautiful pottery!), and all the shops below Terrasse des épices (where I bought a blanket and all my pottery and drinking glasses). I went a little crazy but I had just moved into my apartment and was very excited to buy decor for it! There’s also a great book I wish I had resourced before we went called Shopping in Marrakech. I also found this great guide on TheTelegraph with a list of shops that I wish I’d found before our trip.
- Trek to the Sahara Desert. If you can swing it I highly, HIGHLY recommend making it out to the Sahara Desert. Consider building this into your trip when you plan all of your time in the country because it is truly an amazing experience. We started our whole trip with a three day guided tour with one overnight in the desert but if I did it again I’d plan to hire a private driver and stay at a more boutique-y camp. Not that ours was bad but it was a very authentic berber experience. We booked our trip with Viator and I was not expecting the 13 hour car ride back from the desert (we took our time getting there and coming back was just an insane amount of time in the car). With a private driver you’d be able to make your own schedule and add more stops if you want. I’d definitely want to spend a little more time in the Atlas Mountains! If you don’t want to trek all the way out to the Sahara desert, there are a ton of other desert camping options closer to Marrakech where you can still feel like you’ve escaped the city a bit (Scarebo Camp and Terre Des Etoiles)
- Get a treatment at a Moroccan Hammam. The day after we got back from the desert we went to Le Bain Bleu for a nice scrub down and massage (“traditional duo” for $60). And by scrub down I mean Margot and I were completely naked being lathered up with black soap, getting exfoliated and rinsed by a pair of women and literally had no idea what we’d gotten ourselves into. I highly recommend wearing a bathing suit bottom (rather than use the paper underwear they provide). We then went to get a massage with Moroccan oil and ended with some mint tea in a lounge chair. It was incredible for many reasons: we timed it perfectly after the desert and literally felt like we’d shed a layer or two of skin so felt as squeaky clean as possible, and it was also a totally unexpected experience but I liked it so much I will 100% return as soon as I’m back in Morocco. We had our riad call them so we could make a reservation. I also think this article is pretty spot on (we just weren’t escorted to showers, instead we were lying down getting rinsed off between each part of the treatment which was the weirdest part!).
- Le Jardin Majorelle and the YSL Museum. Le Jardin Majorelle is a huge botanical garden in Marrakech and the YSL Museum is next door and highlights many accomplishments of the late Yves Saint Laurent. I highly recommend getting to Le Jardin Majorelle early if you want the least amount of people in your instagram photos! Or if you get there late I think you can buy a pass for both at the Museum and do the YSL Museum before Le Jardin Majorelle (to avoid the crazy long lines at Le Jardin).
- Sunrise hot air balloon ride. This was honestly one of the most special experiences I’ve had to date. Maybe it was because it was on the morning of my 30th birthday, maybe because the sunrise was unreal or maybe it was the champagne after, but it was great. We booked with Ciel d’Afrique and did the VIP tour which was a 1 hour flight in our own section of the basket (nice to not be squeezed in with other people = better able to get good photos) with breakfast and champagne after. A little pricey but honestly worth it. I’d allot about a half day because you leave around 4:45 AM and get back around 10:30/11 AM and we definitely needed a nap after!
- We also did afternoon tea at La Mamounia (which I could honestly take it or leave it. It wasn’t what I expected but a fun way to get in and see the grounds within our schedule. Next time I’ll either do a day pass to the pool/a spa treatment or get a drink in the Churchill Bar. Or actually eat dinner there!).
TIPS
- If you are traveling solo, especially as a female traveler, I highly recommend you do not stay right in the midst of the souks. One of our friends we met on our trip to the Sahara stayed in the souks on her last night and we definitely made sure to walk her to her riad after dinner because we weren’t comfortable letting her do it alone. I don’t think anything would have happened other than maybe her being followed or harassed a little, but still there are strength in numbers.
- What to wear: after a bunch of research I opted to wear a lot of long dresses/skirts/pants, loose fitting tops that came down to at least my elbows and overall went the conservative route. I’ve seen so many women post outfits on Instagram that seem fairly inappropriate (in my opinion) but I think it comes down to overall comfort level. I am very fair skinned, blonde, and clearly American so knew I’d feel most comfortable respecting the culture and being conservative. It’s also kinda fun to dress extra boho and given how hot it can get there, the flowier and looser the clothes, the better. This also mostly pertained to when we were exploring the city and out in the desert. Lounging around the riad, you can definitely be less conservative. I have a full post with outfits coming soon!
- If you’re factoring a trip to the desert into your itinerary, I highly recommend doing it before you explore Marrakech. It was really nice to get the long drive out of the way so when we were back in Marrakech we were able to relax, dress up for dinner and also get clean at the hammam. On the way back from the desert, Margot and I both agreed we would have been miserable if we had ended our trip with a 13 hour drive from the Sahara! I’ll also have a detail of our itinerary in an upcoming post.
- If you don’t want to stay in the Medina there are a lot of hotel options outside the “old city” walls and if you do that you can just take a cab into the main part of the city if it’s not walkable from your hotel. Just make sure to negotiate the rate before you get in – hotel staff can general help with this. And they can also help arrange for guides.
BUCKETLIST
I will 1000% go back to Morocco in the near future. While overwhelming and somewhat over stimulating at the time, in hindsight it was such a beautiful experience and there’s so much more to the country I want to explore (the coastal towns, Fez, , Rabat, etc.).
- Places I want to stay: #1 on my list if I stay in the Medina is El Fenn because it’s just beyond cool. Other riads/hotels: The Source Marrakech, La Sultana Signature Hotels, Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech, Dar El Sadaka (considering getting married in Marrakech just to be able to stay at this place because it’s private rental only haha), a Riad Yasmine, Riad Jardin Secret, Royal Mansour Marrakech, La Maison, Riad Helen, Peacock Pavillions Hotel and Es Saadi Marrakech Resort.
- Desert camps near Marrakech: Terre Des Etoiles and Scarabeo Camp
- Desert camps in the Sahara: Desert Luxury Camps and Gold Sand Camp
- Restaurants in Marrakech: Le Jardin, La Trattoria Marrakech, La Salama Marrachech, Atay Cafe and Comptoir Darna
- Sightseeing in Marrakech: Villa Oasis, explore Bahia Palace and El Badi Palace, Menara Gardens, Le Jardin Secret, Ben Youssef Mosque
- Stay at Kashbah Tamadot in the Atlas Mountains
- Other cities I want to visit: Agadir, Essaouira, Fes, Tangier, Rabat, Chefchaouen
[clearly my list goes on and on!]
I also really loved Grace Atwood’s recap posts (part 1 // part 2) if you need more inspiration!