This time last year I had my very first taste of life outside Europe when I visited Marrakech, Morocco. It was such a short flight from Spain, so it would have been stupid not to take advantage of the opportunity- if we’d have been further south, my friend Emily and I could have taken a boat across, that’s how close the two countries are!
Anyway, we arrived in Marrakech not knowing what to expect and were welcomed by our friendly taxi driver who took us from the airport to our riad (traditional Moroccan accommodation) for a very reasonable price- so far so good! We stayed in the Riad Kalinka Lotus in the Medina area (centre of the Old Town) and I cannot recommend this place enough! Our host Abdul and his wife were incredibily helpful and hospitable, providing us with everything we needed and more, including a cheap private car tour for just my friend and me through the beautiful Atlas mountains just outside of the city. On top of that, breakfast was great- not to mention the authentic Moroccan mint tea- and the riad itself was beautiful with an indoor pool, traditional Moroccan decor and an open roof in the centre which let the moonlight flood in, along with some cute birds. It was like being in an exotic fairytale!
As for the city itself… I consider myself an open-minded, adventurous traveller, but to say that Marrakech was not a huge culture shock for me would be a lie. It was very different from anywhere I’d ever been to before: there is a whole different culture, namely in regards to attitudes towards women. We were constantly catcalled and stared at for being different, especially Emily who’s about as pale and blonde as you can get (no offence, Emily)! At one point, we foolishly let a man take us on a ‘free’ tour around the Old Town- well, when I say ‘let’, in reality, he started walking with us and just wouldn’t leave us alone! In the end, he led us to a woman who grabbed us and put henna on our hands without our permission, then demanded we paid an extortionate price for it! Not knowing any better, we did. Later that day, the henna ink already starting to fade, some kids tried to lead us back to our riad but demanded money for the favour… I broke down and told them the truth- we had no money left after the henna incident! They told us to go to the Tourist police, which we did, not expecting them to do anything really. When we arrived the men spoke only Arabic or French, so I had to put my French skills to good use to explain the situation… and they got us ALL the money back just 2 days later! They were amazingly helpful.
On a more positive note, the food is amazing in Marrakech. Do not leave without trying tagine- there’s even vegetarian ones which taste equally incredible. We ate ours on a rooftop restaurant in the Medina of the Old Town, which offered us a gorgeous view of the buzzling market place.
Other top tips:
- Check out the busy market square Jemaa el Fna and traditional souks– don’t forget to BARTER!
- Don’t let strangers (especially men and children) show you around the city- pretty obvious, but they can be very persistent!
- Take a trip to the amazing Atlas mountains
- Stay in a traditional riad
- Be very cautious about scams, especially in the market place- everything is cheap in Marrakech, including henna, so don’t be fooled by the smiling women who try to reach for your hand…
- If you can, brush up on your French (unless you speak Arabic), as its the second most widely spoken language in Morocco and a little knowledge can go a long way
- Do not miss a trip to the New Town even if it’s just to visit the Majorelle Garden, home of the ashes of French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent
All in all, my experience in Marrakech was bittersweet, but I have no regrets about going and discovering a way of life which was previously completely unknown to me. Apart from a few mishaps, I had the chance to experience amazing local hospitality in my riad, great food, and the natural beauty of the Atlas mountains!
Lastly, please don’t be put off visiting Marrakech because of what I previously said; like anywhere, if you go with a smart attitude and an open mind, you will have a (hopefully mostly) positive trip you’ll never forget!
