Morocco is a place of endless exploration and beauty, rich of culture, hidden gems and lovely people. It’s one of those places that no matter how many times you’ve been in, you will always feel like you’ve missed something, leaving the perfect reason to come back to visit again.
Marrakesh is a city that will confuse you, captivate you, and excite you. It’s a city of ups and downs, you’ll pass through hundreds of different emotions, and I think 3 days in Marrakesh is the perfect timing to discover the city.
While Marrakesh is safe, it can be really overwhelming but traveling here requires being « awake » every single seconds, and keep attention on everything. When stepping inside the city, our first impression about Marrakesh was positive, with a chaotic and loud rhythm, a bit feeling like on a movie set.
We are going to help you to prepare your stay with the best things to do, and the things to avoid.
WHAT TO DO
Marrakesh is a city that never sleeps! Here are our top things to do while visiting the city :
YVES SAINT LAURENT MUSEUM
Open since a bit more than 1 year, this museum is devoted to the famous couturier Yves Saint Laurent.
Inside you’ll discover a large number of clothes and accessories haute couture, drawing, and sketches realized by Yves Saint Laurent:
Opening time: every day from 10am to 6pm except, Wednesday
Entrance fee: 100 Dirham
EL BADI PALACE
It was built in the 16th century to commemorate the victory of Sultan Ahmed al-Mansour over the Portuguese in the Battle of the Three Kings. The palace remains a cultural and religious reference point in Marrakesh for prayers.
Opening time: everyday from 9am to 5pm
Entrance fee: : 20 Dirham
BAHIA PALACE
Bahia means “brilliance.” The palace is a major historical monument built in the 19th century, and the most visited in Morocco, with 600,000 visitors per year. Built on 2 hectares, plus 6 hectares of vegetable garden, it is a masterpiece of Moroccan architectural.
Opening time: everyday from 9am to 5pm
Entrance fee: : 10 Dirham
ENJOY A MOROCCAN TEA
Morning, afternoon, evening you’ll never see a Moroccan without a cup of tea in his hand. And if you try it…you’ll understand why! The tea is delicious, especially if it’s paired with some homemade biscuits.
BEN YOUSSEF MADRASA
It’s the most impressive medieval Koranic school in Morocco.
Opening time: everyday from 9am to 5pm
Entrance fee: 65 Dirham (close for renovation until 2020)
DISCOVER AND ENJOY THEIR RIADS
What is a riad ? A riad is a traditional house converted into a small hotel, usually located in the Medina, built around a central courtyard with a central fountain or swimming pool.
Marrakesh is home to hundreds of riads, and it’s hard to choose only one ! All of them are adorable, and each of them have their own typical appearance; they are all different. So if you are planning to spend more than one night in Marrakesh, we suggest you to book your nights in different ones!
SAADIAN TOMBS
Made of marble and ceramics, they shelter the tombs of the Saadian Sultan, and 60 of his descendants and family.
Opening time: everyday from 8:45am to 5:45pm
Entrance fee: : 10 Dirham
JEMAA EL-FNA SQUARE
The square is always crowded with medicine men, magicians, storytellers, musicians and acrobats. It’s a beautiful place to walk around the markets, enjoy the Moroccan vibes and buy souvenirs. However, if you have the chance to go to Fes, buy your souvenirs over there: they are much cheaper!
TIP: Be aware of pickpockets, always close your bag and pockets and don’t walk around with your phone or camera in the hand. If you have a backpack, we advice you to keep it in front of you: everyone’s doing this. Pickpockets are sneaky and many.
WHAT TO AVOID
While Marrakesh is safe, the most important thing to do is avoiding to get scam. It’s a very touristic destinations, which makes a place where many try to get advantage of tourists.
SCAM IN THE SOUK
Whether you are shopping for clothes, food, hand-made products, shoes, tea… you’ll find an alley with everything you need.
Sellers will be friendly and polite, then will be chasing you in the street until you accept to step inside their shops to try on some products, but don’t accept just to make them leave you alone. They will start by offering you a tea, and then make you try products and or samples; don’t accept unless you are willing to buy it! If you don’t buy it, they might make you pay for the cup of tea, or for the sample of whatever they made you try.
Another scam is when you are looking at the stand of a seller, and this one comes to you to tell you to “come inside to see more”. When you go inside, that’s when the scam happens; another guy will come inside with you and the seller, and they are going to avoid you to get out until you buy something. Once again, don’t step inside a sellers shop unless you are tempting to buy something.
TANNERY SCAM
Marrakesh is home to few tanneries that have existed for over 1000 years, but keep in mind that the most famous one is Bab Debbagh quarter in the north end of the Medina.
Finding your way to the tannery can be difficult, so you can either take a taxi to Place Moukef or Bab Debbagh, then follow the sign walking until there, or you can go by your own.
The “tannery scam” in Marrakesh is the most common scam and this is how it works. Men will tell you “no you can’t go down here, there is nothing” and that’s when you don’t have to listen to them.
If you do, they will kindly show you the way for “free”… then they’ll say to you that they have something more interesting to show you first, so you are really excited!
You arrive at the… “tannery”. Not your destination. So you start to tell them you didn’t want to come here, but the only way to get out is to buy a wallet or a bag, the best deal that you won’t find anywhere else.
You understand they won’t leave you until you do, so you buy, you leave, expecting your guide to bring you to the tannery…and your guide will salute you, and will ask for a payment for having “guided” you around the tannery.
PICKPOCKETS
In addition on keeping attention of scams, you have to keep an eye on your personal belongings. Markets, souks, streets, alleys, everything is crowded which makes Marrakesh the perfect place for pickpockets.
If you wanna look at a map or your phone, find a place where you can have you back on a wall, or a place with no one around you.
If you are paying for something with your wallet in your hands, don’t let yourself get distracted by people around you.
If you look for something into your bag, it’s the same, be quick, don’t get distracted and try to do it where there isn’t much people.
If you walk in the crowded souks, close your pockets otherwise you might have a chance that someone’s hand found the way inside. To make it safer, keep everything in a closed bag, and leave your pockets empty.
DON’T FOLLOW ANYONE TO GET “UNLOST”
If you hear this:
◦ the road is closed
◦ there is nothing down there
◦ I can show you the way for free
◦ that’s not the way
◦ you can’t go there
◦ this place is closed
…
There is 100% of chance you will get scam if you listen to them. So just ignore them, don’t be afraid to say no forcefully, and if they don’t leave you, threatens them to call the police. (police: 19, tourist police: 05 24 38 46 01 or 05 24 88 86 80). There are undercover policeman around the Medina as well.
Same goes for children, don’t follow or listen to them. A cutie one might distract your attention by showing you a beautiful drawing he did, while another one will sneak into your backpack.
OUR FAVORITE RIADS
◦ Dar Saad : The pool, the dinning room, the cosy chambers with chimney, the rooms… in this riad we felt like home in a cosy and chilling atmosphere. The staff is welcoming, helpful, and so kind. There is also a spa, and you can get a massage any time of the day.
◦ La Mamounia : it’s a 5 stars spa and palace hotel open for visitors. The entry is free and you can visit it everyday except Sunday, from 11am to 6pm. However, the pool is only accessible for customers.
◦ Yamina : That’s the cutest riad we’ve been in ! The rooms and the staff are lovely.
◦ Palacios de las especias : So far our favorite riad !
◦ Goloboy : The most original riad we’ve stepped in.
Marrakesh has a reputation for overwhelming first-time visitor, but you can get over it! Once there, the city will excite and surprise you, so enjoy the stay. And if you have time, find your way to the Sahara desert…
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Author
Thank you very much! Hope it helped 🙂