When I dreamed of visiting Morocco, I unknowingly envisioned Marrakech. Of wandering through the colorful souks that feel like a welcome attack on your senses in every way, from the colorful textiles to the vibrant lamps and aromatic spices. A trip to Morocco doesn’t feel complete without at least a few days in Marrakech. Overall, I think Fez still retains more of it’s authenticity, but I really love Marrakech and will definitely go back.
I’d try to spend at least 3 nights in Marrakech, there’s SO much to do!
I rented a car through DiscoverCars for just under $30 a day to get around Morocco for 2 weeks! But if you’re just visiting 1 city you should be fine without a car.
QUICK MOROCCO INFO:
PASSPORT/VISA
US and EU passports need to be valid for 6 months after you enter Morocco, no visa required for stays less than 90 days.
CURRENCY
Currency is Moroccan Dirham (MAD), 1 USD is roughly 10 MAD
LANGUAGE
Dominant language is Arabic, but Moroccans are generally multi-lingual and most people you encounter will speak a mix of Arabic, Berber, English, French, and Spanish.
AIRPORTS
The easiest and cheapest airports to fly into will be Casablanca (CMN) and Marrakech (RAK).
GETTING AROUND
You can hire drivers to take you around, or rent a car. We road tripped in Morocco for 2 weeks and the roads were great, although we did get 2 speeding tickets! Only ~$30 though.
CULTURE NOTES
Morocco is a predominantly Islamic country. You can wear what you want but I’d recommend clothing past your knees and covering your shoulders.
Where to Stay
I stayed in 2 different areas of Marrakech, both close to/within the Medina and it’s definitely where I’d recommend! You want to be within walking distance of most of what you’ll want to do. There are TONS of accommodation options in basically every price range, since a lot of the places to stay are small Riads with only a few rooms, so don’t be alarmed if a lot of places look sold out!
PS: you can click on the hotel names and it will take you to the Booking.com page for that hotel – I make a small commission on any hotels booked though my links at no cost to you so I truly truly appreciate anytime you use my links!
Riad Kasbah – stayed here & loved!
Riad L’Atelier – stayed here – stunning
Tried & True Rules for finding hotels on Booking.com:
- filter on 8+ review scores
- filter on Free Cancellation
- filter on Air Conditioning
- BONUS: filter on Free Parking if you have a rental car
What To-Do
Marrakech is a large city, but you’ll likely want to spend most of your time in/around the Medina (the older walled part of the city). The Medina is a very walkable part of the city, and walking and getting a bit lost is probably the best thing to do in Marrakech! The markets in the Medina are also some of my favorite places to shop, maybe in the world. I brought an empty duffle bag and filled it with stuff to take home! Everything from decor to lamps haha.
PS: click on the tour names to go directly to the Get Your Guide page for the tour – I make a small commission on any tours booked though my links at no cost to you so I truly appreciate anytime you use my links!
Walk around the Medina
Djemma el-Fna Square
El Badii Palace
Koutoubia Mosque
Place des Ferblantiers (market for metal works!)
I hope you have the best time!!
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