Marrakech

Don’t let the train or bus to get to Marrakech give you the idea that it’s not worth the trip. Don’t get me wrong; to get here, the train from Fez is a long one – 6.5 hours of winding around the Atlas Mountains to get to the vibrant city of Marrakech, but the views are outstanding. If you’re strapped for time, there is a big airport to fly into within the city, so getting to Marrakech can be as easy as you would like to make it. 

Immediately after stepping off of the train, Marrakech had a different feel from the last cities I had been. The city itself has a mainly red hue from the concrete used to construct the buildings here, giving it the nickname of the ‘red’ city. The hustle and bustle of the city was apparent right from the get go. Its also been nicknamed the Las Vegas of Morocco, so if you’re looking for nightlife, Marrakech is a hot spot full of nightclubs, casinos, belly dancing shows, high end restaurants, you name it. 

After checking into the beautiful hostel I was staying at (Rodamon Riad Marrakech, named the best hostel in Morocco in 2019, for good reason) it was time to start wandering around the city. I was fortunate to have a ‘local’ touring me around, which was incredibly handy to have someone there who could not only navigate the old medina like it was imprinted on the back of his hand, but he also spoke the language and could fend off the hounding of the many shopkeepers as we strolled through the souks. The souks in Marrakech are enchanting, and are sure to captivate your nose buds with all the smells wafting through. To keep your taste buds from getting jealous, be sure to try some of the fresh orange juice or prickly pear from one of the many street vendors – not only is it cheap, its juicy and delicious! At night, the Jemaa el-Fnaa square beams with locals and tourists, and you can get some great local food from one of the stalls here. If you can, find the guy who sells a spicy tea and sellou (a cake made with toasted nuts, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, honey & more), his cart is always busy, and we went back every day to get his delicious cake before it was gone. 

Over the next few days, I got to see a great deal of the enthralling city. Everything from the Bahia and Badia palaces, the Menara and Majorelle (YSL) gardens, a leather tannery, a belly dance show, and even simple things such as strolling through the cities many squares were nothing short of remarkable. A lot of people I have met along the way were skipping Marrakech altogether because of how crazy it can get, but in my opinion, a trip to Morocco without visiting this city is missing a vital piece of the country and what it has to offer. Do you need to spend a ton of time here? No, but a few days here will go by very quickly so be prepared to move fast if you only have a few days and want to get a proper feel for the city! 

Bahia & Badi Palaces

The Badi Palace –- Meaning ‘Palace of Wonder’ in Arabic, is a ruined palace near the Medina in Marrakech. A sultan in the Saadian dynasty authorized the Palace construction in 1578, and a significant portion of the funding came from a ransom paid by the Portuguese following the Battle of the 3 kings. Construction was completed in 1593, nearly 15 years later, with some of the most expensive materials at the time – gold, onyx, and marble. The Badi palace has a very ‘Indiana Jones’ feel to it because of the old red walls (much like the rest of the city of Marrakech), so spend an hour or two if its not too hot, and enjoy the history of the palace and everything that it has to offer.

The Bahia Palace –- Meaning ‘Brilliance’ in Arabic, is both a Palace and gardens in Marrakech. The Palace was built in the late 1800’s, and was meant to be the most pristine palace of its time, capturing both Islamic and Moroccan culture in its architectural style. Si Moussa Ba Ahmed set up the Palace and named it after his love, strictly for his personal use as a home for his 4 wives, and 24 mistresses, as well as a school for his children. You can easily spend an hour or two here wandering through the many rooms and central courtyard, admiring the architecture, tile, and carvings within every area of the extravagant Palace.

Majorelle & Menara Gardens

The Majorelle Gardens (& Yves Saint Laurent Museum) are one of the most visited tourist attractions in Marrakech. The gardens took Jacques Majorelle – the designer – 40 years to fully create this enthralling space, and his creativity shines throughout the many aspects of the gardens. Here, you will walk through small shady paths between over 300 different species of exotic trees and plants, past pools and streams filled with floating water lilies and lotus flowers, listen to the birds chirp, and admire many buildings, pots, and pools with Moorish flair in striking hues of bold primary colors (so for you IG’s out there, dress appropriately). Majorelle got much of his inspo for the shades of the buildings from the Atlas Mountains, especially what would come to be known as ‘Majorelle blue’, a striking cobalt blue that he believed ‘evoked Africa’, and has been showcased throughout the gardens to accentuate the greenery in the flowers and leaves. Stepping into the Majorelle Gardens will take you away from the hustle and bustle of the city around you, and into an enchanting and calming garden oasis. 

The Gardens opened to the public in 1947, but soon after, was in disrepair and put up for sale when Jacques passed away. The property was bought and was supposed to be turned into a hotel, before Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé stepped in. Laurent and Bergé purchased the gardens in 1980 and began restoring the gardens to their former glory. Majorelle’s painting studio was converted into a museum, highlighting the Berber collections of Laurent and Bergé, and is open to the public to check out. 

Admission into the Gardens cost 70 Dirhams (~$10 CAD) and if you want to visit the museum as well, entrance is 100 Dirhams for both (~$14). As this is a very popular tourist attraction, the earlier you go, the better to avoid the big crowds and long lineup to get tickets. Insider tip: If you plan on going to both the gardens and the museum, go to the museum first, purchase both museum and garden entrance tickets, and then you can head right to the front of the main entrance for the gardens afterwards! You’ll get to walk past all of the tourists who don’t know this and may wait in line for an hour or more before getting in.

The Menara gardens are botanical gardens in Marrakech, which were initially established in the 1100’s. A pavilion was added in the 16th century, which incorporated the Menara (meaning lighthouse, though the building itself is not a lighthouse), as well as an artificial lake that is surrounded by olive trees and orchards. The water that fills the basin is from the Atlas Mountains some 30 km away, and is used to irrigate the trees surrounding, using an underground channel system called a qanat. The gardens are open from 8AM-7PM daily, and there is no entrance fee to go in, so pack a picnic, find some shade under a tree in the orchard and enjoy a day soaking in some nature in Marrakech!