Marrakech
Beautiful Marrakech. So much has already been written about this insane place, but just in case you are interested in the places I visited I thought it helpful to document our favourite bits. I found it utterly bizarre to be on a flight for just under 3 hours and be exported into a place which culturally felt so different. I have visited Africa and Asia on a few occasions, but nothing quite prepares you for the intensity of a place like Marrakech. You cannot help but be inspired by the colour combinations, materials, textiles and food you will experience on your trip. Here is a taste of a little of what we got up to.
Royal Mansour. Possibly the most expensive hotel I have had the pleasure in visiting (let's be clear I didn't stay there). A little tip is to visit and have a cocktail in the garden (or you can book a meal). When the security guard at the top of the long driveway asks if he can help you, this is the point that you need to own it, so that he isn't suspicious that you in fact just want one drink so that you can spend a few hours enjoying the grounds literally on your own (when only a few hours previously I had to queue for the Yves Saint Laurent garden and pay a silly amount to be in everyones way as they all tried to get the best shot for insta. And yes it was the best Mojito I have had in quite since time. It was made with lemon sorbet.
El fenn
Is another place that I spent the evening (but not the night). If you have scrolled Instagram at any point in 2022, you will have undoubtedly scrolled through some pics of this beauty. It is a big hit with travel influencers which I would say is a reason to avoid going, however it is in fact worth the hype and we had a gorgeous meal here. But you must book a few weeks before your stay as it gets booked up very quickly.
Riad Adika.
If like me you don't want to spend a fortune on the Riad you stay in I can highly recommend Riad Adika which had a great location and the most beautiful of breakfasts. It is owned by a lovely French couple who couldn't have been more helpful.
Le Jardin Secret garden.
https://www.lejardinsecretmarrakech.com/en/
One of my favourite things we did during our short stay. Be sure to get there at the opening and it will feel much calmer and less crowded for at least an hour. There is a lovely cafe there which you can have a drink. I spent a good few hours here pondering my life choices...In fact as I upload these images, I realise I had a salad with every meal.
Restaurants. We certainly did a few of those. Now we were told to avoid salads but as it really is one of my absolute favourite things to eat so I ignored that advice, although for full transparency I did suffer a little bit on my return and that could well have been it. On the plus side, my jeans feel looser.
Favourite Restaurants
Drinks at El Fenn, Kabana, Cafe Arabe
Jemaa El Fna Square.
Nomad
Cafe des epices
Coffee Break at Bacha Coffee inside Museum of Confluences.
In Hivernage (just on the outskirts of Medina).
Tea/drinks at La Mamounia
Dinner/Drinks. 1. Le Comptoir. 2. L epicurien. 3. Jad Mahal
New Town. Jardin Majorell & museum of YSL.
Restaurants. Le petit Cornichon & +61
For the shoppers among you, there is no better place to shop, however you do need to have your wits about you as the locals technique for selling is basically the opposite to mine at Wattle & Daub, they absolutely do not want to take No as an answer. I felt safe the whole time I was there, although I would say you want to try and not look lost (even if you are), there are certain locals that will take full advantage of this and try to lead you in a different direction by telling you that it is the correct way and then leading you into somewhere you don't want to be which from the stories I have been told is likely to lead to something of value being stolen.
We spent 4 days there but didn't get the time to go outside of the main hub of the Medina, however next time I will be sure to some day tours, Essaouira and Agafay desert for under the stars.
Hope you enjoyed my very quick recommendations.....
