My desert trip was pretty much the last major adventure I took in Marrakech before traveling to Spain. Yet there were a whole lot of other things I saw, learned and experienced in between the desert and much of the sightseeing I did that I have yet to mention here! So many things, in fact, that it would take too long to give each one their own post. Instead I will leave you with some tips that I think will be helpful should you ever decide to take a trip to Morocco. My first tip, BTW, is that you should most definitely travel to Morroco.
DO be careful when you’re wandering the narrow streets. Sorry to get all mother hen up in here, but it needs to be said. Not only are the streets in Marrakech incredibly narrow, but they are incredibly busy with market stalls, merchandise, people walking around and doing their thing during the day, donkeys pulling carts, and people sitting around in the middle of the street taking up space for what appears to be no reason at all. Add to that the many bikes and mopeds that race around in what little space is left for you to walk in. Especially where there are signs that say no bikes or mopeds. So if you don’t want to get bumped, run over, trip over someone, or accidentally step in donkey poop, keep your wits about you while you wander.
DON’T go shopping right away. I know it’s tempting because the markets are RIGHT THERE, but take at least one afternoon to just chill and wander around the Medina to get your bearings before you really dive into the souks or the main square (Jemaa el Fnaa) for souveniers. You’ll notice that you will literally find the same things everywhere, and usually at the same price. It’s also fun to simply observe other travelers while they’re bartering so you can see what works (and what doesn’t). That way you’ll have a plan of action for when you’re really ready to go and get your barter on.
DO travel with your phone. You probably won’t be making many phone calls, but trust me, you’ll need it to navigate your way through the labyrinth of streets that are all doors and few signs back to your riad after a long day (or night) of sightseeing. If you don’t, or worse, you look lost, you’ll find yourself being led around by a Moroccan youth who may try to take you to his parent’s home to buy something from them, or lead you in the wrong direction demanding dihram before actually taking you where you need to go. (Thankfully this never happened to me, but I’d heard some stories from other travelers. Whew.).
DON’T forget to make use of the facilities at your riad. The food may not have been the best at the riad I stayed at in Marrakech (and I may have found a big spider hiding in the couch in the atrium), but they did have a sweet rooftop with a small pool and an area for sunbathing that was virtually empty the entire time we were there.
DO head for the roof. Almost all of the restaurants, riads and cafes in and around the old city will have a rooftop terrace in addition to seating on multiple floors inside. Definitely go for the terrace to get away from the hustle and bustle in the streets below, even if it’s a really hot day. Yes, heat rises but it is usually quite breezy up there and it’s the best way to get a nice bird’s eye view of everything around you. Which is aso helpful when you’re trying to locate the way out of the medina.
DO embrace the salad. Speaking of rooftop restaurants, most places will offer what is aptly called a “Moroccan salad” — typically lettuce topped with chopped tomatoes with onions, oil, olives, and spices. But sometimes it’s just tomatoes and spices. And sometimes it’s only advertised suspiciously as “salad” on the menu. If you like salads and tomatoes, this is the thing to try. Unfortunately for the rest of us, those sometimes you will get a rude awakening when a plate full of tomatoes is placed in front of you. I would always eat at least some of it anyway because I like to offset the delicious, unhealthy things I want to eat on vacation with quasi healthy things like salads (even if they’re full of tomatoes which I actually loathe) so I don’t feel too bad when I indulge. And, you know, “when in Rome…”
DO take a photo break. If you’ve already seen the Jardin Majorelle, Bahia Palace and most of the other major sights and you’re looking for something to do on an off day while you recharge your camera’s batteries, visit the photography museum. The Marrakech Photography Museum is literally a hidden gem in the Medina. If it wasn’t for Google Maps we may never have found it (or anything else in the maze of streets for that matter). You can kill an hour or two in there admiring the prints on the walls and then have a coffee or a snack on the rooftop terrace afterwards.
DON’T skip the Hammam. Especially if you’ve never tried it before. I can safely say that it will change your life. They will offer this service at most riad spas, but if you can afford to spend a little extra, I can’t recommend the one at Maison d’Arabe enough. They give you a thorough mud scrub, shower you off and then follow it with a massage in a steam room. My skin smelled amazing and felt like butter afterwards. It’s the perfect remedy for getting rid of all the sweat and pollution from all the motor bikes and other things in the medina you may have accumulated on your skin and in your pores. I went after returning from my desert trip and left Marrakech feeling squeaky clean and super relaxed.
DO brush up on your languages. Even if it’s not your best, try to speak some French or Arabic with the locals — especially when at restaurants or when bartering in the souks! You will often get better service (and usually a better price) and they will be more friendly towards you in general. People like it when you at least attempt to learn the local language when you travel.
(Sadly, no matter how well you can speak French, it WILL feel weird the first few times you try to use a French keyboard…).
DON’T confuse your loonies for the $5 dihram! This tip is for all my fellow Canadians out there. Not going to lie, it may have happened to me once or twice when I would reach into my purse for those gold and silver coins . (Bonus tip: it’s probably a good idea to keep your home country’s currency separate from the local one). This also leads me to my next tip:
DO spend all your money. Seriously. Try not to exchange more than you may need to spend in Morroco because you can’t exchange it (or spend it, obviously) anywhere else.
Most importantly (and most cliched-ly), you’re traveling so no matter what you should have a good time. I know I did.
Next stop, Spain!
-C
