Marrakesh Magic

Welcome to the land of plentiful mint teas, delectable tangines, heavenly hammams, and the most juicy (literally speaking) orange juice of your life all day everyday. Enter Morocco. Get that kaftan ready and prepare to surround yourself with impeccable service.

Think of Morocco as a territory that accomplishes the perfect travel bucket list– natural beauty, fantastic food, charming locals, incredible culture, elements of time travel, mystery, and a hell of an adventure. Whether it be a romantic getaway, a luxurious getaway, a girls escapade, (I personally did the latter), this is one of those places which truly enriches your travel experience like no other country. It’s a melting pot of traditions, culture, and religions; Here’s how to enjoy it to the fullest:

Touchdown: Marrakesh Marrakech in French, مراكش in Arabic

Virtually unchanged since the era of the reign of Sultans from the Middle Ages, the architecture of the markets, resorts, palaces, and mosques are heavily decorated with Moroccan-esque traditional décor and elements from the moment you arrive: brightly colored mosaic tiles and tapestries embellish the facade the where you’ll hear locals speaking French and Arabic. 10 Moroccan Dirhams equals approx. $1USD; It’s one of those gorgeous global destinations where your dollar goes far.

Carry a bottle water with you- dump out the water, and fill it with fresh orange juice at the nearest stand (there are plenty and costs about 5 dirhams- less than the bottle itself). With 320 days of sunshine a year, you will want to satisfy your thirst when exploring the Medina square and Souk. Blood oranges are one of the sweetest and tastiest oranges you will ever taste.

Hire a day guide. Your hotel will have a list of plentiful day trips and excursions within an hour or two from Marrakesh. You won’t be able to decide; Calm down, have a glass of mint tea, and choose to hike the Atlas mountains. Dunes and desert exploration get old fast, but at the mountains, you will discover mini cultures, inhabitants, trails, outdoor kitchens, and much more.

Stay: Palais Namascar or Palais Rhoul: Luxurious, Intimate, impeccable. Enough said. A little outside the bustling city center perfect for business, pleasure, and a taste of the exotic.

Foodies rejoice as there is an overabundance of food tours and local delights such as Saffron Lemon Chicken and Lamb Tangines, Moutabal Caviar, Olive spiced Couscous, Harira Soup, Mint Tabbouleh with Labneh, Pistachio Cake and the sweetest fruit melons your tastebuds would ever want. Have your tangine on one of the many rooftop terraces that most restaurants in Marrakesh offer.

Sunsets and Souks

Don’t ever take a picture with an animal here- ever. The seller is more aggressive than the pet monkey and snake combined, prepare to be pestered if you do.

Leave your Louboutins, Monolos, and Berlutis behind. The best way to discover Marrekesh is by foot. When at the souk- haggling and walking away is the way of life. Bargain at least 40% off the asking price, Bring that extra suitcase if you like shopping. Your man doesn’t like shopping? Not here, it’s fun even for him. Traditional market goodies include Moroccan lamps, rugs, glassware, tapestries, tea sets, and jewelry. After all that haggling, unwind at the Medina (the old city) and catch the sunset.

Hammams

Time to rejuvenate at the famous Hammams around the city. I would step outside your hotel and discover the mini ones around the Medina, they are just as luxurious and attentive. I probably went for a hamman treatment every evening before dinner. Body treatments, scrubs, massages, you name it, they’ll do it. Have a scent adventure and discover perfumes and fragrances at the spas and souks.

Jardin Majorelle

Take a day trip to the Majorelle Gardens, designed by French artist Jacques Majorelle over a 40 year period. Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent saved the land from becoming a hotel in 1980, and began to reside here himself. The gardens house exotic foliage from around the world, including giant cacti, bamboo and banana trees. Time to paint my house yellow and blue.