"Marrakech - Incredible but exhausting!" Top 5 Page for this destination Marrakesh by sue_stone

Marrakesh Travel Guide: 2,370 reviews and 5,323 photos

Spice up your life in Marrakech! - Marrakesh

Marrakech is a crazy city. Noisy, dusty, busy and smelly, it is an exhausting place to visit! I loved it. Well, most of it.

I spent 4 nights there with my sister Alison. She suggested that we stay somewhere a little up-market, and that turned out to be an excellent idea - our stylish Riad (Moroccan style boutique hotel) was a quiet haven from the outside world, a place to escape when we needed a break from the souqs (markets) and the over-friendly locals.

We spent our days haggling in the souqs, visiting tombs and exploring the narrow streets, discovering more and more intriguing treasures along the way. I drank as much of the country’s favourite drink – Mint Tea – as I could. We loved eating like the locals - who needs cutlery when you have a lump of bread and your hands to use instead!

Highlights included hanging out in the main square - Djemaa el-Fna – the heart of the city. By day it is filled with fresh orange juice vendors and snake charmers. By night it becomes an open-air food market, filled with smoke, music and beggars. I also enjoyed exploring the souqs, laughing at Alison’s haggling attempts (sorry Ali!) and amazing over some of the bizarre items for sale. We also indulged in a fabulous massage at a posh day spa.

Lowlights included the pressure to pay anyone that may have been in one of your photos taken in Djemaa el-Fna (leading to me having an argument with a snake charmer….perhaps not the best idea when only one of us was holding a cobra!), and the constant un-wanted gaze of the local men, and their calls of 'gazelle, gazelle' in our direction. Oh, and our visit to the putrid smelling tanneries wasn't much fun either.

If we had had a little more time I would have liked to get out of Marrakech for a day or two and visit the Atlas Mountains (whose snow-capped peaks we could see in the distance), and perhaps one of the nearby towns. Oh well, looks like I will have an excuse to return to Morocco one day, and perhaps drag Alex along too.

Pros and Cons

In a nutshell:A feast for the senses!

Last visit to Marrakesh: Jan 2007
Intro Updated Feb 15, 2007
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Reviews (52)

Qzadria Square - Place des Ferblantiers Things to Do (16)

The Qzadria Square is an attractive, rose coloured pedestrian square located in the Mellah district, just north of the... more travel advice

Kasbah Minaret (see the storks on top!) - Marrakesh

Kasbah Things to Do (16)

If you head south of Djemaa el-Fna you will come to the Kasbah district of the Medina. Located close to the old city... more travel advice

City Walls/Ramparts & Gates Things to Do (16)

The old Medina district of Marrakech is surrounded by city walls or ramparts. The two-metre thick walls date back to the... more travel advice

Synagogue Things to Do (16)

Hidden away in the heart of the Mellah is the oldest surviving synagogue in the city, dating back 500 years or so. It is... more travel advice

Shopping (3)
See All Sagha - Grand Bijouterie - Jewellery
Favorites (6)
See All Moroccan Food, Beer and Wine
Warnings Or Dangers (3)
See All Warning - stinky leather
Local Customs (6)
See All Paying to take photographs

Travelogues (5)

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Comments (41)

Flying.Scotsman Dec 11, 2009 at 3:43 AM Report Abuse

We've just booked 5 nights in Marrakech in January and your tips and photos are a big help, although maybe we'll give the tanneries a miss! I'll let you know when we add Marrakech to our pages.
Casale Nov 6, 2009 at 8:39 AM Report Abuse

You can now take in/out 1000 Dihrams. However, don't bother. The exchange rate for cash or card is far better in Marrakech. Change some money at the airport for a taxi. Everything else you can change at banks, hotels and authorised exchanges in Marrakech.
LadyRVG Oct 14, 2009 at 6:58 AM Report Abuse

Thanks for the pics and tips! I'm looking forward to visiting Marrakesh and seeing my friend Hicham.
giampiero6 Apr 23, 2009 at 7:41 PM Report Abuse

Just beautiful...I love that photo and I'm using this page in a presentation about VirtualTourist!!!! Great!
Jenniflower Mar 24, 2009 at 4:49 AM Report Abuse

Marrakesh is so bright and colourful - a mecca for photographs hey!? My sis went last year, and we are hoping to get here too sometime. Lovely page Sue :)
jumpingnorman Feb 19, 2009 at 6:49 AM Report Abuse

Hi Sue! Always wanted to visit Marrakesh, and hopefully will visit someday! I hope they fix that fountain in Medina...what thirsty animals drink from the unused fountains? Just curious...Norman :)
Robmj Jan 13, 2009 at 11:52 PM Report Abuse

Awesome page, going later in year, so will refer to your tips, good to see your also enjoy heineken judging by a pic on your home page, Cheers!
GibJoe Oct 31, 2008 at 10:57 AM Report Abuse

Excellent page !!! I have always wanted to visit Marrakesh.
Tijavi Sep 19, 2008 at 2:52 AM Report Abuse

Another oustanding page with lots of helpful tips and cool pics. I'll check out Stall 14 at the Djemaa if I do make it to Marrakech.
Toyin Aug 2, 2008 at 6:49 AM Report Abuse

I guess I enjoy those reptiles more in a good pepper soup. kneeling infront of them is no much fun though, I agree. Excellent page - Marrakesh.