Marrakech is certainly one of those places that is an assault on the senses. The hot African sun beating down, crowds of people, brightly coloured stalls filled with handmade Moroccan wares, the smell of traditional spices. The Red City is like no other place that I’ve visited. Everything feels so alive, and at times it can be overwhelming.

Overwhelming but enchanting, definitely somewhere that should be on your bucket list. I will admit that Marrakech wasn’t one of my favourite cities by the time I left but there is something really special about it.

I’d recommend visiting for a long weekend, after all the flight from the UK is actually a lot shorter than you’d expect! Here’s everything you need to know about spending a weekend in the Red City.

Getting there

There are regular flights from the UK, especially from London airports, in to Marrakech Menara airport. Flight time is usually between three and four hours.

Arriving at the airport

Couple of top tips for arriving at Marrakech Menara: take a pen to fill out your landing card, and when putting down your occupation, write your job title in the simplest form. My boyfriend’s job title is a bit obscure and it meant that he spent 10 minutes being questioned at the border. For example, instead of putting down my title of “National Account Manager”, I simply put “Sales Manager”, which raised no questions.

Getting from the airport to the city

You can quite easily grab a taxi from outside the airport terminal and it shouldn’t cost much at all; a trip in to the city doesn’t take long. Be sure to haggle and agree a price before you get in to the taxi.

I pre-arranged a taxi with our riad, definitely the easiest option. Although more expensive by a long way (though still cheap by Western standards), it is much more straightforward if you’re staying in the medina. Taxis can’t enter most of the medina, and as such, it’s unlikely that you’ll be dropped off at your accommodation. Booking transport through your riad or hotel means that they will take you right to the door of where you’re staying, no matter how far in to the medina it might be.

How to dress

Marrakech is a predominantly Muslim country, and as such, you should respect local customs and dress appropriately. As a female, cover your knees, shoulders and chest as much as possible. I found that long culottes and midi skirts worked well. Take a light scarf as an extra cover up.

It’s a little more relaxed for males, although I’d still keep your shoulders covered. Plenty of male tourists were walking around in shorts and who can blame them in such a hot country.

Where to stay

I’d highly recommend staying at a riad (a traditional Moroccan house with interior garden or courtyard) within the medina. It’s an unforgettable experience, read more here. I stayed at Riad Spa Sindibad and Riad Dar More, both of which I’d definitely stay at again.

What to see and do

Medina

It’s likely your accommodation will be within the medina, especially if you opt for a riad. Just wandering the medina is an experience in itself, the narrow streets are bustling with people, scooters and horses.

Souks

Morocco is famous for it souks (marketplace or bazaars). Wander through these and get lost amongst all manner of stalls, selling everything from Moroccan spices to rugs to trainers to fresh olives. Be sure to keep on your poker face when trying to buy something, and haggle, it’s expected. Vendors can start at up to three times the price they actually want for an item. Yes haggling feels uncomfortable, especially when it’s over a small amount, but it’s completely normal in Morocco.

Koutoubia Mosque

The largest mosque in Marrakech, Koutoubia is stunning and not to be missed. Although non-Muslims are not permitted to enter, it’s well worth visiting to see from outside.

Le Jardin Majorelle

These gardens, lovingly created by French painter Jacques Majorelle over a forty year period, are one of the most visited attractions in all of Marrakech. Yes you’ll likely have to queue for a while to get in, yes it will be crowded, but trust me it’s worth it.

The gardens are filled with beautiful trees, plants and cacti. The buildings are painted in beautiful Majorelle blue and yellow. Definitely not to be missed.

Entry to the gardens costs 70dh (around £5.50) and its an extra 30dh to enter to Yves Saint Laurent museum.

Kasbah Mosque

Another beautiful mosque worth checking out.

Bahia Palace

My favourite of the palaces in Marrakech, Bahia is absolutely stunning. It was built in the 19th century and took 14 years to complete. Think intricate architecture, beautiful tiles and the most gorgeous colours.

We paid 10dh for admission but a lot of people just skipped this and entered for free; the ticket office is literally a little cabin by the entrance that can be walked by easily.

El Badi Palace

El Badi Palace was completed around 1593 after 15 years.

Be sure to head up the stairs just left of the entrance, there’s a view point with great views over the palace.

Jemaa el-Fna Square

The main square in the medina, Jemaa el-Fna is filled with stalls and orange juice stands by day. At night, vendors set up street food stalls. There’s also a number of street entertainers, snake charmers and people with monkeys on chains.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t like Jemaa el-Fna at all. If you visit, please don’t take photos with the snakes or monkeys, as you’ll only encourage these cruel practices to carry on.

It’s worth noting that locals will expect payment if you’re taking photos of them or their stalls. Also, be aware of the ladies offering henna. One came up to me and started brushing henna onto my arm without permission. Say no, be firm and walk away.

Maison de la Photographie

This photography museum takes you on a journey back time, with exhibitions documenting the history of Marrakech.

I didn’t love the exhibitions that we saw but I think I was unfairly comparing them to the ones I saw at Fotograsfika in Stockholm earlier this year, which were incredible.

The museum is well worth a visit just for the beautiful internal architecture and the gorgeous rooftop café, which has great views over the city.

Enjoy the view from a rooftop

There are plenty of rooftop cafes, restaurants and bars in Marrakech. In my opinion, spending time at these is the best way to soak up the city. If you visit during spring, you’ll be able to see the Atlas mountains in the distance; they make an amazing backdrop.

Food and drink

Moroccan specialities

Whilst in Marrakech, there are a few local and regional specialities you must try:

• Fresh orange juice
• Olives
• Mint tea (with sugar!)
• Tagine
• Cous cous
• Harira soup
• Pastilla

Zwin Zwin

This was my favourite rooftop spot in Marrakech. It’s lesser known than some of the other places in the city and this makes it a more relaxing, less crowded place to grab some lunch.

The wraps and salads are fresh and tasty. They also serve alcohol, something that isn’t true of many places in Morocco.

Nomad

Nomad is a trendy spot, perfect for grabbing lunch, a fresh juice and doing a bit of people watching. It gets busy and you may have to wait for a table.

The food is expensive by Moroccan standards but it’s tasty and there’s quite a few vegetarian dishes on the menu.

Al Fassia

There are two Al Fassia restaurants, serving delicious traditional Moroccan food.

Beats Burger

Sick of tagine and cous cous? You don’t exactly expect to find a great burger restaurant in Marrakech, but Beats Burger is just that.

The food is delicious and the restaurant itself is really cool, complete with a rooftop of course.

Kosybar 

As I already mentioned, not many places in Morocco serve alcohol outside of tourist hotels.

Kosybar is situated in the medina and has a lovely rooftop where you can enjoy a drink. The wine and beer is good but avoid the cocktails- the Espresso Martini I ordered was pretty awful.

Have you been to Marrakech? Do you have any other recommendations? 

When most people visit Morocco, their likely destination of choice is usually Marrakech, Fez, Casablanca or even Agadir if they’re looking for an all-inclusive package.

Although definitely on the tourist trail, Essaouira is certainly not one of the busier destinations in Morocco. It’s escaped the curse of overdevelopment and big chain hotels by the wind that constantly batters the city. Whilst undoubtedly beautiful and charming, Essaouira is not a relaxing beach destination by any stretch of the imagination.

Still, I’d highly recommend this coastal town if you’re visiting Morocco. It’s got a bustling medina, beautiful architecture (and door ways!), amazing shopping, a laid-back vibe and some great restaurants.

I spent four days in Essaouira and wanted to share some of my experience, tips and recommendations.

Getting there

There is a small airport with flights from the UK via Easyjet. You can also get there pretty easily from Marrakech via a private transfer/taxi or using a bus company. Supratours are recommended, we travelled with them Marrakech to Essaouira return and had a good experience. The journey takes around 3 hours with a 20 minute rest stop at a place with clean toilets, a shop and restaurant. Be sure to book tickets ahead as the buses do get full; your hotel or riad should be able to organise this for you.

Things to do

Get lost in the medina

Like a lot of Morrocan cities, Essaouria has a medina, which is the heart of the place. Less bustling and overwhelming than Marrakech medina, wander and let yourself get lost within it.

Put your haggling skills to the test

The shops and stalls within Essaouira medina have so many beautiful things that you can buy; including rugs, crockery, artwork and scarves, amongst others. Where there is no price indicated, you are expected to barter over the price. Bear in mind that vendors are likely to ask for 3 or 4 times more than what they’re looking for initially. Yes it’s uncomfortable but get haggling and be a bit cheeky, it’s how it’s done in Morocco. Be sure to keep a poker face, don’t show how much you love what you’re trying to buy!

Visit the Kasbah Gallery

We stumbled upon this place and were so glad we did. Full of beautiful art pieces and furniture, it’s a great place to escape from the afternoon sun. There’s also a cool roof terrace at the top, which has some pretty good views over Essaouira.

Scale the port

You’ll no doubt have seen photos of the historic port and iconic blue fishing boats on any official Essaouira literature or if you’ve done any research in to the city. Head down there and see it for yourself. For Game of Thrones fans, check out Skala Du Port, which was used in the filming of the series.

Relax by a pool

If you’re planning on staying in the medina, chances are you won’t have a swimming pool. Lucky for you, you can pay a fee to use the gardens and pool of some hotels in the area if you’re looking to relax for a day.

Les Jardins Villa Maroc offers a BBQ lunch and use of their pool for around 25 euros per person.

A cheaper option is to book a day pass for Essaouira Lodge, the hotel that I stayed at (full review coming soon). I think it costs around £12 per person and includes full of use of the pool, a delicious lunch and transfers to/from Essaouira centre. The hotel is around a 15 minute drive inland and the wind is no where near as bad as by the coast, which makes for a lovely environment if you want to relax for the day by a pool.

Watch the world go by over a mint tea

Mint tea is a staple in Morocco. It’s usually served with sugar and is absolutely delicious. You can beat finding a comfy seat outside a restaurant/café in the median, ordering a pot and just watching life happen.

Other activities

Although we didn’t do so, you can easily book activities such as horse-riding, windsurfing and quad biking whilst you’re there.

Places to eat and drink

Tara’s Café

Located in the heart of the medina in a cute square, Tara’s a great place to grab a fresh juice and light lunch. The goat’s cheese salad is tasty and filling.

La Tolerance

 Don’t let La Tolerance’s tiny size put you off, it’s a cosy restaurant serving delicious local food at cheap prices. The lemon, olive and chicken tagine is lovely, as is the traditional mint tea.

Mega Loft

 Not your typical Moroccan restaurant but great none the less. The vibe is laid back, the interior is cool and they have some great live music on during the evening. Food is a mix of Moroccan and Western, with some veggie options. You seem to be able to sneak in wine to have with your dinner, just be discreet when handing it over. They’ll whisk it off behind the counter and decant it in to a teapot. Or they did for a couple of young ladies whilst we were there.

Gusto

Had your fill of tagine and couscous? Head to Gusto, an upmarket Italian restaurant situated away from the main part of the city. The restaurant itself is lovely, the food is pretty tasty and they make a good Aperol Spritz.

 Adwak

 Leaving the best until last. Be sure to get to Adwak as soon as it opens around 7pm, we arrived 5 minutes after and the restaurant was filled within 15 minutes. Testament to how good this place is. You can choose from different set menus that cost around £7-£11 for three courses. The Moroccan style soup and chocolate cake are particularly good. Probably the best place we ate in Morocco in terms based upon food, ambience and value for money. Staff are rushed off their but friendly.

Safety

Essaouira feels very safe and doesn’t attract much trouble. Watch out for the locals hanging around by the port offering drugs and generally hassling you after sundown.

If you’re female, I’d definitely recommend dressing conservatively whilst in Morocco. Although the catcalling and stares weren’t as bad as in Marrakech, there was still a fair amount. Cover your knees, chest and shoulders as much as possible. A light scarf or pashmina is ideal too.

 Other things to consider

• OK so it is called the “Windy City” and this may be seem very obvious but it is extremely windy in Essaouira. I’d recommend taking a bobble or head scarf if you have long hair, it gets very annoying when you’re trying to sightsee and take photos but you’re hair’s blowing it to your face.

• There are a lot of beggars within and just outside the medina. Quite a lot of these are children. Although it’s really sad to see, the official advice is not to give money, especially to children, as this can bring shame on their families.

• With regards to tipping, there isn’t really an expected amount. I’d definitely encourage you to leave a generous tip if you received good service; a little goes a long way for most locals in countries like Morocco.

Happy travels!