Marrakech
Discover Marrakech
Marrakech (Arabic: مراكش, Berber: ⴰⵎⵓⵔⴰⴽⵓⵛ), also spelt Marrakesh, is one of the imperial cities of Morocco. Marrakech is the main tourist destination in Morocco. The city is divided into two parts: the Medina, the historical city, and the new European modern district called Gueliz or Ville Nouvelle. The Medina is full of intertwining narrow passageways and local shops full of character; it also contains the large square Djemaa El-Fna, where many hotels are located and tourists, locals and vendors congregate. In contrast, Gueliz plays host to modern restaurants, fast food chains and big brand stores. The name Marrakech originates from the Amazigh (Berber) words mur (n) wakush, which means "Land of God". It is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat, and lies near the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains and a few hours away from the foot of the Sahara Desert. Its location and contrasting landscape have made it an enviable destination in Morocco.
Taste of Marrakech...
Each night in the Djemaa El-Fna rows of street stalls are set up under giant white tents. The huts targeting tourists serve similar fare and have menus printed in French, Arabic and usually English. Everyone has tajine, couscous, brochette and some variety of soups. Some have specialities like offal, egg sandwiches or special tajines. Be aware that most restaurants employ rather insistent "greeters," who are very aggressive in trying to customers for their stall. The line 'we already ate' seems to work well to get them to stop. As of 2018, the "greeters" mentioned above have changed strategies to one of harassment and insults. They try to separate couples and corner women while hurling insults. If you want to eat well in Marrakech, do what the locals do and eat at the food stalls in the square. It is a common misconception that these stalls are only here for the tourists. Actually, they have been in existence long before Marrakech became a tourist destination. All of the stalls can be regarded as perfectly safe to eat at. They are strictly licensed and controlled by the government, especially now as it is a popular destination for tourists. The locals eat at the cheaper stalls that don't employ greeters and serve the more interesting food: snails, sheep head, lentils and beans. For more upscale eateries (and especially for non-Moroccan cuisine) you generally must go outside the Medina to Ville Nouvelle.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThere are flights from many European cities, including flights operated by a number of low cost carriers. Connections via Casablanca (45-min flight) are also possible. 31.60113-8.02671 Marrakech-Menara Airport (RAK ), ☏ +212 4444 7910. Marrakech-Menara Airport has two terminals housed in one complex. Both terminals have money exchange offices, and there is an ATM in the arrivals hall of Terminal 2. On ATMs, check for the Maestro, Cirrus or Plus logos to be sure that the machine accepts foreign credit cards. Some ATMs work only in French. If your card is taken at the ATM, tell airport security and they can help you get it back. There are no potable water dispensers after the security check and the small shops only see overpriced 0.5-L water bottles. However the tap water from the WC only tastes slightly of chlorine and is drinkable for tourists....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Once in the medina, everything can be seen on foot, though you'll be doing a lot of walking. Many tourist destinations are signposted by brown, red or green signs affixed to posts or to buildings. Bear in mind that many of these signs don't take the direct route, and some seem to deliberately send tourists via various markets or other places money may be spent. For exploring more of the city, buses and petits taxis are plentiful. Alsa run the city buses and have maps, fares and a frequency guide on their web page. Almost all buses stop at Djemaa El-Fna (the bus stop for Djemaa El-Fna is called Terminus Arset El Bilk, and it is marked on Google Maps) and Place Youssef Ben Tachfine and fares range from 2–5 dirham depending on the distance. Important municipal bus lines are: Bus No 19 leaves Djemaa el-Fna every half an hour, from 05:15 to 21:15. The trip to the airport takes about 25 minutes.
Where to Stay
Marrakech has an amazing choice of places to stay ranging from tented camps outside Marrakech to cheap hostels and hotels that can be charming or seedy to luxurious kasbahs in luxurious gardens or the traditional riad (garden courtyard) hotels. Wherever you choose (or can afford) to stay it really is a must to visit one of the riad hotels to see this amazing style of architecture. Most riad managers will be happy to show you around provided that they are not too busy and in some riads you can even book a lunch or dinner without being a resident provided that the riad is not privately rented. For example, see Riad Cinnamon, Riad Laksiba and Riad Papillon. There are three main zones to sleep: Medina, Guéliz (also known as Ville Nouvelle), and the surroundings of the city.
Money & Budget
Along with the major souk (Arabic for 'market') adjacent to the Djemaa El-Fna, there are a plethora of smaller souks throughout the city, where any number of products can be had. In any of them, you generally need to bargain. Keep an eye out for a wide array of hand-crafted candle-holding lanterns, as well as spectacular displays of local spices. Most shops sell the same handful of items. But if you wander a little off from El-Fna, you can find small workshops with real craftsmen making handmade goods. You then get to talk to craftsmen of the item you bought. If you buy shoes or clothes, they can also make alterations for you, and there are a few places that make unique products. Argan oil, produced only in Morocco, is used in Moroccan cooking and beauty treatments.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Marrakech is a generally safe city, with police presence. However, staying alert about your surroundings and taking general safety precautions is always a good idea like everywhere. Here are some tips: Don’t expect a good quality of tap water In Marrakech. While locals drink it with no problems, visitors often find it hard to digest and swallow. To be safe, opt for bottled mineral water, available at the numerous marketplace kiosks and food stalls. Make sure that the cap seal has not been broken, since vendors have been known to save money by refilling plastic bottles from the tap. At restaurants, ask for your drinks without ice, which are usually made with tap water. Also, remember that many of the juice sellers on the street water down their offerings with tap water, and thus are not a safe alternative source of hydration.