The Marrakesh Guide
This summer, I traveled with a friend to a wedding in Marrakesh for my first trip ever to Morocco. I had been wanting to go to Marrakesh for years ever since first seeing photos of the hauntingly, beautiful Talitha Getty on the rooftop of her riad in all of her Marrakesh 60’s boho glamour. The vibrant colors of the city and the beautiful designs of the riads and palaces call to you as soon as you enter the city. Riad life is magical and the courtyard pool is such a treat after exploring the city all day. The delectable food is full of flavor with lots of tagine and couscous coming in. There is so much to do and experience everywhere in the city and outside the city as well. From camel rides in the desert to hiking in the mountains to visiting dozens of museums to shopping labyrinthine souks to simply having a relaxing hammam experience. A week didn’t feel like nearly enough time to see it all. Which just means I’ll be back for even more time in this beautiful city. In the meantime, I’ve listed out all my absolute favorite places and experiences to help guide you on your journey through Marrakesh.
STAY
A charming and tranquil hideaway located conveniently in the heart of the old medina of Marrakesh. Each suite has a specific theme inspired by Morocco and other Middle Orient countries. The rooms all offer a magnificent view of the pool and inner courtyard lined with palm and orange trees. The property has been owned and operated by three generations of French women since 2008 who all work to ensure your entire stay is just as magical as their property.
This palatial-sized property will make you feel like you’ve just arrived at the regal estate of an Arabian kingdom. In fact, it was a royal residence before being turned into a hotel in the 1920s. Since then, this magnificent estate has seen each decade’s crème de la crème roam its halls. Given a magnificent facelift in 2009, the aesthetic is as bold and jaw-dropping as its rates. If not checking in for a stay, be sure to drop into one of its four restaurants or five bars to experience the property’s beauty, luxury, and timelessness if only for a night.
A hidden gem set in the heart of the Medina, this boutique hotel boasts 41 individually styled rooms and suites, three swimming pools, a roof terrace, a spa, two cocktail bars, two restaurants, and a shop. Also included is a family of resident tortoises to accompany you during your stay. Richard Branson’s sister, Vanessa, first discovered the debilitated riad while searching for her own holiday property in Marrakesh after quickly falling in love with the city. The original riad and several surrounding riads have been restored to their former glory and to Instagram gold with an array of dazzling colors, fabrics, and décor.
EAT
Located in a quieter part of the busy Medina, the dining room is set up in the elegant courtyard of an extraordinary 17th-century riad. You’ll be served up delicious, authentic Moroccan cuisine like lamb couscous and beef tagine while a musician plays alluring, traditional Moroccan music on a bass lute.
In the area of Gueliz, Azar is the perfect place for a special night out on the town. The Lebanese food is scrumptious and the ambiance is luxurious with tons of velvets, candles, and music. The nightly live entertainment featuring belly dancers and drummers will get you in a good time mood. Make sure to book in advance as the restaurant books quickly.
This magical garden oasis within a beautifully renovated 16th Century building is the perfect spot for a respite from shopping excursions in the souks. A lovely place for lunch or dinner with a menu that offers a choice of traditional Moroccan and European cuisine. The fare is light and fresh while the interior is full of lush greenery making you feel like you’ve been transported to a secret garden.
SEE
Dedicated to the work of the legendary French fashion designer, the Musée Yves Saint Laurent opened its doors in 2017. Falling in love with the city in the 1960s, Yves Saint Laurent began spending time in Marrakesh regularly after purchasing a home with his partner, Pierre Bergé. The construction of the museum was intended to be Saint Laurent's final homage to Morocco and especially Marrakech, where he was deeply inspired by the residents, colors, and light. It houses an important selection of Yves Saint Laurent’s impressive collection of close to 5,000 items of clothing, 15,000 haute couture accessories, tens of thousands of sketches, and additional assorted objects.
You can’t miss a stroll in the iconic gardens located alongside the Musee Yves Saint Laurent. The garden and adjoining cubist villa was created by the French Orientalist artist Jacques Majorelle in the early 1920s. The garden became his life work and over the next forty years, Majorelle cultivated an exquisite oasis made up of plants from five continents. In 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and his partner learned that the Jardin Majorelle, which they often visited, was threatened to be demolished due to a real estate development project. They moved to rescue the garden and villa rejuvenating it into the property it is today. Upon his death in 2008, Yves Saint Laurent’s ashes were scattered in the garden. Be sure to purchase your tickets before visiting as tickets are only available online for specific time entries.
Built to a truly lavish scale in 1910 as the official residence of the pasha (governor) of Marrakesh who, as the most powerful political figure of South Morocco, entertained many illustrious guests at this spellbinding estate. The palace was renovated and officially converted into a museum in 2017. There is mesmerizing Moroccan architecture with fountains and orange trees in the central courtyard, traditional seating areas, and a hammam. The rooms are decorated with carved and painted cedar wood ceilings, black and white checkered marble flooring, and beautiful mosaics. If there’s one historic site to see during your visit I would suggest making it this spellbinding palace.
EXPERIENCE
Explore Morocco's Atlas Mountains and Agafay Desert
We booked our day trip via Viator and there are dozens of different options to explore on the site. Our excursion involved several stops to view the green Atlas valleys, hike to a waterfall, lunch at a local Berber village, visit a women’s cooperative to observe argan oil being made, and lastly a camel ride through the desert. The tour comes with a private ride and an English-speaking guide to translate and share history throughout the day. A perfect excursion for anyone trying to fit the most activities into one day. The price is ridiculously cheap for all that’s included.
Cooking Class at La Maison Arabe
In this three-hour cooking class, you’ll learn to prepare a Moroccan salad, a harissa eggplant appetizer, a lemony chicken tagine, and a decadent milk bastille for dessert. Every individual cooking station is equipped with a closed-circuit screen to ensure you don’t miss a thing. You’ll then dine together as a group in the hotel dining area to sample all the fruits of your labor. It's a fantastic and fun way to acquaint yourself with the spices and customs of Moroccan cuisine in a beautiful setting with skilled local experts leading the way.
You can’t leave Morocco without experiencing this centuries-old bathing ritual that uses hot steam to encourage a deep and invigorating cleanse. Before there was plumbing in most homes, hammams were popular gathering places for purification before prayer and for catching up on the latest gossip. Upon entering a beautiful steam room-like mosaic enclosure, an attendant will go to work on you by first, deeply exfoliating your skin with keffa (coarse scrubbing glove) to remove the dead skin. Then you’re gently washed with warm water and traditional Moroccan black soap. I highly suggest a massage to follow and you’ll walk out literally glowing. I received the loveliest treatment at my hotel spa but there are beautiful hammams scattered all through the city.
SHOP
A beautifully curated high-end boutique housed in a riad on a street running alongside the museum, hence the name. Inside you’ll find multiple floors of exquisite products in fashion, leather, home goods, ceramics, jewelry, and cosmetics. You’ll find you can spend hours inside exploring all the uniquely gorgeous items that also come with some of the higher price tags in Marrakesh.
A Marrakech-based luxury women’s fashion brand, designer Meriem Nour Rawlings’s boutique is the epitome of old-meets-new fashion. She designs two collections per year that include everything from glam silk kaftans to hand-embroidered dresses to silk jumpsuits. You’ll be mesmerized by the silhouettes and the beautiful variety of patterns. There is also a tailor on-hand nearby to alter your purchases in just a few hours.
The iconic images you see of street stalls selling vibrant and colorful wares from spices and fruits to carpets and lamps are likely what most people envision when they think of Marrakesh. This traditional Moroccan marketplace will have you feeling like you’ve entered a labyrinth of never-ending shops with dozens of vendors vying for your attention (and sales) as you navigate your way through. The sensory overload can be overwhelming but the key is to take your time exploring and orient yourself to the area. There are so many lovely sights and wares once you become more settled. Also, make sure to bring your haggling skills as the rule of thumb is to never pay more than a third of the offered price.
