Holiday in Marrakesh

N1i9a9l3l

Hi all.

I would like to here of your experiences about visiting Marrakesh. I'm planning on going next year hopefully and would like to here your recommendations.

I have also heard that locals dont like tourist taking pictures or videos and demand money for pictures. Is this true?

Thanks all.

kevthegaff

Was there 12 years ago, eye opener but interesting. Palaces and market places are nice.new went up the atlas mountains for a few days which was beautiful and scary with the roads. Some of the local youths hassle a bit for money. There is still some french spoken which is a help. We stayed in old city which was like a maize trying to get back to. A lot of tourists stay on the outskirts.

I took the boat from Spain to Tangier once for a day trip.
The hawkers are such a pain in the hole,so aggressive.
As soon as we got back onto the bus to go to the port they (15/20 men) started giving us the finger.
Some were spitting at the windows .
As soon as they knew they wouldn't be getting anymore money they showed their true colours.
avoid

dancingqueen

I spent 4 days in Marrakesh about 10 years ago. I loved it.

It's tough on the senses, noise, things to see, smells etc but it's really worth a visit. Make sure you know where you are when you go places in the old town - I didn't and needed to ring my mother in Ireland to get the name of the Riad (B&B) and street to get help finding my way back. It is a maze and everything looks the same. If you get taxis, agree prices in advance, or you'll get stung. Re: photos - unless you want a poor monkey who has an awful life on your shoulder then you should be fine. It is not as aggressive as I was told it was.

The markets are great, and bartering is good fun if you're into it.

I went on a day trip to the Atlas Mountains, we saw a Berber house, went to an Argan Oil production place and to a waterfall in the mountains, it was a lovely day.

I didn't experience any nastiness on my trip. There is a lot of poverty and that's sad to see. Once you have your wits about you, you'll be fine and spot anyone who might try to lure you to a shop etc.

Yamanoto

Depends on your gender OP.

The city itself is relatively small & not that interesting. Found Fez a more appealing place overall.

Ferris_Bueller

Sorry to hijack the thread but was going to start a similar one, heading to Morocco later this week, spending 3 nights in Marrakech, 3 in Essaouira and 2 in Agadir, if anyone has any tips on things to do, places to eat or general travel advice it would be appreciated! Just myself and the girlfriend going. Have a day trip to the Atlas mountaints booked for one of the days!

Patrick2010

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Sorry to hijack the thread but was going to start a similar one, heading to Morocco later this week, spending 3 nights in Marrakech, 3 in Essaouira and 2 in Agadir, if anyone has any tips on things to do, places to eat or general travel advice it would be appreciated! Just myself and the girlfriend going. Have a day trip to the Atlas mountaints booked for one of the days!

You're a braver man than me!


https://news.sky.com/story/is-supporters-admit-beheading-scandinavian-backpackers-on-morocco-camping-trip-11732214

An Islamic State supporter has admitted beheading one of two Scandinavian backpackers found murdered in their tent in Morocco's Atlas Mountains.

One of the men involved also admitted recording a video of the killing, which was shared online with other sympathisers of the terror group.

The bodies of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway were found in December in the popular hiking area south of Marrakesh.

harpstilidie

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Sorry to hijack the thread but was going to start a similar one, heading to Morocco later this week, spending 3 nights in Marrakech, 3 in Essaouira and 2 in Agadir, if anyone has any tips on things to do, places to eat or general travel advice it would be appreciated! Just myself and the girlfriend going. Have a day trip to the Atlas mountaints booked for one of the days!

Very similar to a trip I done back in February with my wife and 1.5 year old. As we were flying in and out of Agadir we spent our first and last night there, then 2 nights in Essaouira and 3 nights in Marrakech.

Absolutely loved Essaouira and Marrakech. We used CTM buses to get from place to place and they were great. Essaouira is very laid back and the old city ramparts are class (they were used in GoT filming). We stayed in a riad on the walls overlooking the sea and it wasn't expensive at all!

Marrakech is mental but in a good way. Honestly if you ignore the hawkers/sellers they'll ignore you. Once you show interest in something that's when they get you. We didn't buy anything in the markets so we were fine. We also went on a day trip to the Atlas mountains, very interesting and nice break from the city.

Food is great too. Tagines are lovely. If you want a change go to the Corner Cafe in Marrakech. The kebabs are lovely!

Would have no hesitation going back and felt very safe.

Muahahaha

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Sorry to hijack the thread but was going to start a similar one, heading to Morocco later this week, spending 3 nights in Marrakech, 3 in Essaouira and 2 in Agadir, if anyone has any tips on things to do, places to eat or general travel advice it would be appreciated! Just myself and the girlfriend going. Have a day trip to the Atlas mountaints booked for one of the days!

Not sure how solid your itinerary is but if it is flexible Id highly recommend a trip down to Merzouga to see part of the Sahara desert. For me it was the highlight of Morocco.

ExoPolitic

Just a word of warning, if there are any young females on this trip, you WILL get your backsides pinched in the markets in the old town area. Happened multiple times to the girls in my group that went

Ferris_Bueller

Just back from ten days in Morocco and said I would give some feedback for Marrakech specifically to the OP if they are still thinking about going next year, I would highly recommend it. We did 3 nights in Marrakech, 4 in Essaouira and 2 in Agadir. Probably should have done an extra night in Marrakech which was my favourite of the 3, and Agadir I did not think was worth going to (felt like any resort holiday in Spain).

- Souks: Loved wandering around the souks. Not a shopper in the slightest but so many beautiful things and the haggling is a bit of fun if not taken too seriously. Didn't find the shop keepers anywhere near as aggressive as I expected and a firm no and they moved onto the next person.
- Jemaa El Fna square: Bit of a sensory overload at times, very busy place with snake charmers, monkeys, tatoo artists, lucky lucky men etc. Very cool to see at both night and during the day but does feel quite hectic at times. Made sure to avoid the snake charmers but never felt unsafe here.
- Medina: I didn't even go to the new part of the city (Gueliz) as it feels like the Medina is the real Marrakech with plenty to keep you occupied. It does get confusing in parts so would make sure to find your barings and a couple of landmarks to avoid getting lost. We stayed just south of the Jemaa and it was easy to find your way back, the north of it seems more confusing though. Definitely would recommend staying in a Riad as opposed to a hotel.
- Food: great food on offer at cheap prices and was a fan of the tagines, over the ten days though it did get a bit repetitive and in Essaouira we did go to an Italian for a change up! Didn't get food poisoning or an upset stomach too badly but the toilet did get a bad going over once or twice :pac:
- We went on a tour to the Atlas Mountains which was the highlight of our trip, took a full day but got to see a lot and it was not too expensive (€35 each roughly). Got a night tour of the medina one night and also went to Palais Bahia too which were worth doing.

I was worried about feeling on edge all the time over there but I didn't at all in the end. Most people very nice and friendly, anyone who approaches you generally fecks off if you give them a strong no and don't show interest. Busy city and different to anywhere I've been before, you will be wrecked at the end of each day but really enjoyed it and delighted I went.

P.S - one thing that caught me off guard was the amount of people on mopeds/scooters going through the narrow streets of the media. Fecking hell they were everywhere, probably not a safety hazard but you do need to keep an eye (or ear!) out for them coming around narrow bends and corners.

dancingqueen

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

P.S - one thing that caught me off guard was the amount of people on mopeds/scooters going through the narrow streets of the media. Fecking hell they were everywhere, probably not a safety hazard but you do need to keep an eye (or ear!) out for them coming around narrow bends and corners.

Forgot about this!

"Monsieur"

"Attention"

:pac:

bri007

Hi all,

Myself and my girlfriend are considering a different holiday this year.

We were considering marrakech.

We are a bit worried about here as we read some bad reviews online about holidaying here but we would love to try it out for the history and experience something different.

What I was hoping to find out was people’s experience of going here as an unmarried couple and what is the dress code like especially for women etc?

Ferris_Bueller

I went to Morocco for the first time in September with my girlfriend, spent 3 nights in Marrakech before moving on elsewhere, we both absolutely loved it. One of the most memorable holidays we have gone on for sure. I wouldn't worry about being an unmarried couple or dress code at all, I suppose I would advise for your girlfriend not to wear anything low cut or too revealing that would draw unwanted attention, but no need to wear headscarfs or anything like that if that is what you are worried about. Tourism is a huge thing there, before I went I had my worries too, but when you get there you realise you are one of millions of tourists they get a year and they are so used to dealing with westerners that you won't draw any more attention than anyone else there.

There are two parts to Marrakech, the Medina and the new town (Gueliz I think?), didn't spend any time in the new town at all as the Medina is the reason anyone would go to Marrakech I assume. No cars can get into the medina apart from the main square Djema El Fna (biggest square in Africa), so the entire medina is pedestrianized but beware of the amount of mopeds flying down the narrow streets, definitely caught me by surprise!

It is a completely different culture over there but as I said, probably more touristy than I expected before I went. The souks in the medina are amazing to walk around and if you or your partner like shopping it is a great way to spend a few hours, I'm not a big shopper but loved looking and wandering around. The sales people in the souks are very persuasive and will all be competing for your attention but I just put out my hand and shook my head and they never bothered me anymore, they are just looking to make a sale at the end of the day (haggling is part of the experience if you do buy anything).

It is a sensory overload at times walking around the medina as the noises, smells, foods, people, etc can be almost overwhelming at times but all part of the experience. Plenty of great day trips you can do to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city too. I always felt safe, didn't get bothered or approached as much as I thought we would, had some great food and stayed in a really great Riad too. This was my experience and not to say people can't have bad experiences, but I would highly recommend going. If you have any questions feel free to ask or send me a PM if you want!

bri007

Thanks a mill for that informative and helpful reply I really appreciate it.

I am a bit more at ease now after reading your review!

I might take pm you with more questions if that’s ok

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

I went to Morocco for the first time in September with my girlfriend, spent 3 nights in Marrakech before moving on elsewhere, we both absolutely loved it. One of the most memorable holidays we have gone on for sure. I wouldn't worry about being an unmarried couple or dress code at all, I suppose I would advise for your girlfriend not to wear anything low cut or too revealing that would draw unwanted attention, but no need to wear headscarfs or anything like that if that is what you are worried about. Tourism is a huge thing there, before I went I had my worries too, but when you get there you realise you are one of millions of tourists they get a year and they are so used to dealing with westerners that you won't draw any more attention than anyone else there.

There are two parts to Marrakech, the Medina and the new town (Gueliz I think?), didn't spend any time in the new town at all as the Medina is the reason anyone would go to Marrakech I assume. No cars can get into the medina apart from the main square Djema El Fna (biggest square in Africa), so the entire medina is pedestrianized but beware of the amount of mopeds flying down the narrow streets, definitely caught me by surprise!

It is a completely different culture over there but as I said, probably more touristy than I expected before I went. The souks in the medina are amazing to walk around and if you or your partner like shopping it is a great way to spend a few hours, I'm not a big shopper but loved looking and wandering around. The sales people in the souks are very persuasive and will all be competing for your attention but I just put out my hand and shook my head and they never bothered me anymore, they are just looking to make a sale at the end of the day (haggling is part of the experience if you do buy anything).

It is a sensory overload at times walking around the medina as the noises, smells, foods, people, etc can be almost overwhelming at times but all part of the experience. Plenty of great day trips you can do to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city too. I always felt safe, didn't get bothered or approached as much as I thought we would, had some great food and stayed in a really great Riad too. This was my experience and not to say people can't have bad experiences, but I would highly recommend going. If you have any questions feel free to ask or send me a PM if you want!

hunter164

bri007 wrote: »

Hi all,

Myself and my girlfriend are considering a different holiday this year.

We were considering marrakech.

We are a bit worried about here as we read some bad reviews online about holidaying here but we would love to try it out for the history and experience something different.

What I was hoping to find out was people’s experience of going here as an unmarried couple and what is the dress code like especially for women etc?

I went last March with the missus and it’s a great spot.

Great place to walk around and see new sights and definitely have your nose attached with new smells! The people in the souks and the square can be a bit pushy but no more than you’d have in Spain.

We stayed in the medina and it’s great for getting around but one thing for yourself to know is if you like a drink it’s hard to get inside the medina.

Great trip and cheap if you plan it right.

grimm2005

I was there two years ago for a week with the gf and we had a brilliant time. Very different to the normal trips with little to no alcohol and more about throwing ourselves into a totally different culture. I'd highly recommend staying in a riad in the medina (you'll likely be spending most of your time here) as they're like an oasis of calm from the madness outside. I was a little apprehensive myself going but decided to go for it after hearing a great report from a friend and I wasn't disappointed. I never felt unsafe or threatened, mostly people trying to lead you to their shop or sell you stuff.

Depending on how long you are there, I would definitely recommend a two night trip to the Sahara desert. Provided you're not looking for complete luxury, you can get excellent deals if you book while you're over there and it's an incredible experience, definitely one of my favourite trips I've ever done. If you can't fit that in, there are other day excursions you can do too.

Marrakech can be exhausting with people constantly vying for your attention and mopeds zipping around all over the place but the experience is well worth it (for a few days anyway!).

Happy to answer any questions or send on recommendations if you're looking for any!

monty_python

What kind of daily budget would one need in Morocco?

whomenonotme

bri007 wrote: »

Hi all,

Myself and my girlfriend are considering a different holiday this year.

We were considering marrakech.

We are a bit worried about here as we read some bad reviews online about holidaying here but we would love to try it out for the history and experience something different.

What I was hoping to find out was people’s experience of going here as an unmarried couple and what is the dress code like especially for women etc?

Went a good few years ago and really enjoyed it. Try to keep lots of small bills of money for tips - we got thoroughly lost in the souks and as it was Eid festival a lot of the places were closed, we got two young fellas to bring us back to the riad and they were really well tipped as we had nothing else (I can't remember how much though!)



We took a guided tour of the souks when they were open and it was worth it.


I said "la shukraan" (no thank you) a lot on that trip Supposedly saying it firmly but politely with right hand over your heart gets the message through quickly enough. Seemed to work for me.

Officer999

Hi guys, great info in this thread.

I’m looking at the possibility of going for a week in April and just wondering what the weather would be like then?

Me and my wife are looking for a sun holiday with a bit of culture and Marrakech fits the bill but just wondering will it be hot enough then?

The Nal

Anyone been post pandemic? Going in Feb for a few days.

ax530

Went last Feb had a great time, weather quiet warm when sun out cooler in the evening useful to have cardi it rained one night.

Really enjoyed it recommend walking tour our accommodation booked it. Everyone very helpful felt they respected/ appreciated tourist.