The Beginner’s Guide to Marrakech

Photo credit @Erin Deborah Waks

By Erin Deborah Waks

Marrakech is certainly high on the list of popular travel destinations. With sun, culture, and RyanAir flights starting from £20, many Brits flock to the Moroccan city to spend their holidays. In keeping with my usual approach, I explored the city one beautiful coffee shop at a time - with a couple of landmarks and shopping sessions thrown in for fun. For those of you wanting to jump on the bandwagon, I’ve got you covered - an itinerary for a classy, foodie, aesthetic four days in the Red City…

Day 1

Morning: Try to book a flight that lands early, to make the most of your day. Also, grab an iced beverage at the airport - I was so scared of tap water in Morocco making me sick I hardly touched ice (read: iced lattes) for months.

Where to lunch: Start off strong with lunch at Naranj, known for its delicious Middle Eastern food and beautiful terrace. I personally recommend the falafel wrap!

Afternoon: Then spend the afternoon exploring Jama’a el Fna, the main square, and other streets in the souk. It can get very overwhelming, so take breaks, but you can spend hours here shopping to your heart’s content! Some highlights for me include the pottery and the carpets, but there’s plenty of other things you can find - fake designer handbags, anyone?

If you need a quick coffee stop, take a break at Kech Cup to sit and people watch for a few peaceful moments.

Dinner: I ate at Nomad on my first night here, yet another beautiful restaurant with a fabulous terrace. Try their vegetarian couscous if you want to be truly blown away: Moroccan fusion cuisine at its best.

Day 2

Morning: The brunch at Mandala Society is unparalleled. Their breakfast burger and chia puddings are to die for, and the decor is exquisite. I think I must have gone at least 10 times whilst living in Morocco…

Then spend the morning at the Jardin Majorelle and YSL Museum. The earlier the better, as it can get quite busy. There’s lots of tourists here, but it’s for a good reason.

Where to lunch: I stopped for lunch at La Palma, a local Italian place right by the jardin. I was the only tourist in the place, which was a welcome treat! Have the vegetarian pizza or the spaghetti napolitan, followed by an ice cream. Not the most Moroccan of options, but hey, we all need pasta sometimes…

Afternoon: Head back to the medina in a taxi - and don’t forget to negotiate the price! You should pay 20-30 dirhams for the ride. Take a trip to Dar Bacha and explore the museum, before stopping in the famous coffee shop for an expensive (but well worth it) coffee. You won’t regret it, even just for the Instagram content!

Dinner: For dinner on night two, the well-known rooftop establishment DarDar canceled all reservations due to electrical problems. But, like any good traveller, I had a backup plan, which turned out to be one of the best meals I’ve had in Morocco yet. Le Jardin, nestled in a quiet corner of the medina, was truly something else. As a group of vegetarians, some fellow travellers and I shared a few of the mezze options - hummus, brouiates, Moroccan salads, and teas. Truly exceptional food and ambiance, not to be missed.

Day 3

Morning: Set off early to the Bahia Palace, and grab breakfast from a local bakery on the way - buy msemen bread, almond briouates, and then ask the staff to recommend their most popular patisseries. This is how I discovered the best ones! Spend the rest of the morning exploring the Mellah, the Jewish Quarter. I went to the Synagogue, Cemetery and spice market. 

Where to lunch: Mazel is a vibey, happening falafel joint near the Jewish Quarter. An absolute gem!

Afternoon: By this point we were too hot, so took refuge in our hotel pool - but there’s lots of other things to do in the area, like more shopping or exploring the Badi Palace right nearby.

Dinner: You can’t miss La Famille if you’re staying in Marrakech. A small vegetarian restaurant with only 3 options per night, it was a true delight. I had an orange infused tomato and pesto pasta, and I will never again be content with the pesto pasta I make at home…

I finished the night with drinks at Le Salama, a real buzzy place which even had belly dancers!

Day 4

Morning: Grab breakfast at a local cafe followed by a trip to Le Jardin Secret. Then visit the Koutoubia Mosque and the Madrasa Ben Youssef. For the former, you’ll need to be dressed modestly.

Where to lunch: Atay Cafe has delicious tagines, couscous and Moroccan Salads. Be sure to try their Spiced Coffee, too!

Afternoon: Then spend the afternoon doing any last-minute shopping, before grabbing a taxi back to the airport. Try to book the latest flight possible, to make the most of your day. I guess it just depends how much shopping - I mean, soaking up the culture - you have left to do…