MARRAKECH/ATLAS MOUNTAINS

OVERVIEW

• When: 27 November – 1 December, 2024
• Where (accommodations): Riad Kniza Marrakech
• Transportation: TAP airlines Boston (BOS) to Lisbon (LIS), then TAP from Lisbon (LIS) to Marrakech (RAK), Atlas Mountains & 5 Valleys tour through Viator (Morocco Inspiring Tours)
• Sights/attractions: Dar El Bacha Palace, Les Jardin Secret, Jardin Majorelle and Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech, Marrakshi Life, Medersa Ben Youssef, House of Photography (Maison de la Photographie), Place des Epices/Rahba Kedima, Souks (Cheratin, Haddadine, Semmarine, Smata, des Teinturiers), La Mamounia Hotel, Bahia Palace, Tinsmiths Square, Saadian Tombs, Badi Palace, Mosquée Koutubia, Jemaa el-Fnaa square
• Food/drinks: Bacha Coffee, Les Jardin Du Lotus, La Pergola, Le Bistro Arabe, El Fenn rooftop, Cafe des Epices, Barometre Cocktails, L’Ô à la Bouche Restaurant, La Table de Souk (La Sultana hotel), Comptoir Darna Restaurant

Country #67 for me, Morocco was a super quick, but very special trip. We booked it months ago and as always invited my sister Agne and her husband Cosimo to join. Up until 6 days before the trip, they were sure they were not going to make it. But then the magic happened! They found reasonable last minute flights from Frankfurt, AND were able to book the last available room in our riad. Our Thanksgiving and 7 year wedding anniversary mini getaway became THAT much more exciting!

We have never been to northern Africa, and normally would not plan 3.5 day/4 night trip so far away (and with a layover!). But the flights were overnight (we did not sleep unfortunately) and we really wanted to check out Marrakech – so we went for it. It was great. Luckily, our second flight was only an hour delayed and everything went smoothly. Agne and Cosimo arrived just an hour after us and their return flight was two hours later- it was really meant to be!

I expected the city to be super busy and overwhelming (it was a lot better than what I had envisioned), so to break up the time and get some nature I also booked a day trip to Atlas Mountains. Arriving Wednesday afternoon we had a half a day to explore, then we sightseed Marrakech full day Thursday. On Friday we went to the mountains and visited Berber villages. That left Saturday, last day in Marrakech which we spent mostly eating, shopping and enjoying spa (hammam) in our riad. And Sunday afternoon we all flew back to our countries. We all agreed it was a perfect balance of busy and relaxing, hustle and bustle of the city, and the quiet and peaceful nature.

RIAD KNIZA MARRAKECH

A riad is a traditional Moroccan house or guesthouse with the inner courtyard or garden. There are many hotels in Marrakech, but we specifically wanted to experience traditional house and absolutely loved it. We never met the owner, but heard that he has an amazing art gallery right across from the riad, so if you are there and he’s around, ask to check it out.

We arranged airport pick up ($15 USD one way) and were greeted with warm smiles and sweet mint tea and cookies. The room was large, bed was comfortable, and despite being located near the busy market, it was very quiet and peaceful.

The place also has a sauna (we enjoyed it a few times), massages- masseuse was amazing, and has a traditional hammam room – essentially a steam room with the body scrub services (which we did on the last evening). The pool was cold, but it felt good to jump in after a sauna session.

The place is gorgeous, breakfast can be served inside or on their rooftop terrace (that’s what we chose every morning right around sunrise) and the staff was extremely pleasant.

I’d 100% recommend this riad for a stay in Marrakech.

MEDINA AND BEYOND

Medina is Marrakech’s Old Town surrounded by the 19km wall. Originally it was a fortified citadel, now it’s a maze of cobble stone streets, markets (souks), squares, restaurants, and cafes. This is the most hustling and bustling part of the city, but also the heart of Marrakech, so it cannot be missed. What surprised me the most was the crazy motorbike drivers that were zooming through these narrow streets/within the markets. It seemed like it should be pedestrian only paths, but you always had to watch out for a bike that would fly by like they are in a race. Apart from that we did not experience anything annoying. I expected the vendors to be pushy (from other people’s experiences in other cities in Morocco), but on the contrary- nobody tried to persuade us to buy anything or chased after us. Another a bit surprising thing was that there was no bargaining. We were told to negotiate the price, start from a third of the asking one and go up. There was nothing of sorts. Every vendor said that their prices are ‘fixed’ and when we left without buying, nobody dropped the price or tried to make the sale. We always felt safe, even walking around at midnight. Granted, it was four of us and I am sure things happen, like in any city, but we had a great time and have very fond image of Morocco.

So what is there to see and do? Get your walking shoes ready, there is a lot of ground to cover!

PALACES, GARDENS AND MUSEUMS

Dar El Bacha Museum

This was the first place we visited as soon as we settled in the Riad Kniza. I wanted to check out Bacha Coffee (and we needed a pick-me-up after a sleepless flight), which is located inside the Dar El Bacha Museum. I heard that this place is so popular that there are hours of wait time, but we also had no other plans on the first afternoon, so figured- why not? Here is the process. You arrive and purchase tickets for the Dar El Bacha Museum first. Then you go inside and put your name down for the Bacha Coffee. We were told to come back in 1 hour to collect the buzzer. From the time of receiving the buzzer there will be one more hour to wait. Sounds pretty bad right? It would be, if you could not leave, but you can! We set the timer for one hour and went to have late lunch at the nearby restaurant Les Jardin du Lotus. I will talk about the restaurants and the food later, but that was the sequence of events.

After a great (albeit expensive) lunch an hour has passed and we returned to Bacha Coffee to collect the buzzer. Agne and Cosimo arrived and came to meet us there (yayyy!!) and we had an hour to explore Dar El Bacha Museum.

Maybe because it was our first Moroccan Palace experience, we were all in awe. Gorgeous patterns, carvings, tile work- it really is exquisite.

And hour went by fast and we were seated for the coffee experience, which I will talk about later.

Jardin Majorelle and The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech

This place is actually best visited as three in one. Majorelle Gardens (Jardin Majorelle), The Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts and The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech are right near each other and you can buy one combined ticket for all three here. The Musée Yves Saint Laurent is open every day except Wednesday, while the other two are open daily. We booked tickets in advance and for the earliest available slot- 9.30am.

First you visit the gardens and we absolutely loved them. It was a good idea to come in the morning, because there were less crowds and we could enjoy this oasis that was quiet and peaceful, yet right near the busy city streets. When we were leaving, the line to enter was long, and the day was heating up. For sure go first thing when they open.

Most of the photos are from the Jardin Majorelle, because inside the museums no photography is permitted.

We really enjoyed the exhibits, learned a lot about the famous Yves Saint Laurent. YSL and his partner Pierre Bergé first visited Marrakech in 1966 and fell in love with the city. The colors of this city inspired him and he considered Morocco his creative sanctuary. YSL and Pierre purchased the Vila Oasis- the house that was connected to Jardin Majorelle and renovated the grounds that now are beautiful museum.

There are only two museums in the world dedicated to the famous designer- one in Paris and one in Marrakech. We did not get to visit it in Paris, but were very happy to explore the one in Marrakech.

House of Photography of Marrakech

In the heart of the Medina this museum of Moroccan photography is worth a short visit. Spanning across two floors and a rooftop terrace it does not take long to see it all.

It was interesting to take in old photographs and see the different techniques. Overall, this is a well organized place close to other tourist attractions.

Medersa Ben Youssef Marrakech

Another gorgeous place to visit (ideally earlier in the day if you want less people).

Medersa Ben Youssef Marrakech was built in the 14th century by the Marinid Sultan Abu Inan Faris. It was originally built as a religious school for Islamic studies, but it also served as a mosque and a library. The madrasa was expanded in the 16th century by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, who added a large courtyard and a minaret.

You can walk around and explore the former student rooms (SUPER small), go on the second level and see the view from the balconies- despite it being busy we still really liked this place.

It’s a short walk from the House of Photography, so you should really visit both on the same day.

Les Jardin Secret

This hidden gem is tucked away off the busy Medina street, but to be 100% honest we were not super impressed. I think it’s because we saw a much bigger Jardin Majorelle in the morning and stopped by this one towards the end of the day. Had we seen it first, we probably would have liked it a lot more.

It is still very nice and peaceful, especially when you get tired of the sounds and busyness of the city. We were always amazed how you can be surrounded by the beeping noise of cars and motorbikes one minute, but feel like you are in an oasis as soon as you enter through a few doors and exit into the gardens.

Bahia Palace

The Bahia Palace is a mid to late 19th-century palace, and we visited it on our last day in Morocco- Saturday morning.

It was a bit similar to Dar El Bacha Palace, but this one was more crowded and maybe because of that we liked it a bit less. It is still beautiful and worth visiting although there were a lot of renovations being worked on.

Next on our itinerary was El Badi Palace, since it’s close by. Unfortunately we could not get in because it was closed for visitors due to the International Film Festival.

Saadian Tombs

This historic royal necropolis is located near the Kasbah Mosque and was definitely busy mid day on Saturday.

To see the most impressive part we had to wait in line. It moved fairly quickly and I’d say it was worth the wait.

SQUARES, SOUKS, AND MARKETS

Jemaa el-Fnaa square

Probably the most famous square in Marrakech, Jemaa el-Fnaa Square was also the busiest. We walked through it several times, a few times in the evening while heading to dinner.

Vendors here were a bit more aggressive – shouting and inviting to come try their food, there were multiple musicians playing and overall it was like a party, especially at night. Koutubia Mosque is right near the square, you won’t be able to miss it. But only Muslims can enter inside, so that’s as close as we got to it.

I can’t say I loved Jemaa el-Fnaa Square. There are horse carriages parked on one side of it (the side we had to walk by when going to the restaurant) and the smell of urine was unbearable. Horses also looked quite run down, which was sad to see. I’d say this square was one of my least favorite places in Marrakech.

Place des Epices/Rahba Kedima

The Spice Square on the contrary to the loud Jemaa el-Fnaa was lovely. We didn’t even explore it much, but mostly enjoyed from the Cafe des Epices rooftop.

It was full of vendors, but not overly busy or loud. Check it out for sure when in Marrakech!

La Place des Ferblantiers (The Tinsmiths Square)

Another square, located between Bahia Palace and El Badi Palace. Not as big nor overwhelming as Jemaa el-Fnaa, also surrounded by various vendors and of course cats! Cats and kittens were everywhere in Marrakech and I wanted to take them all!

There is a very nice Caftan Shop tucked away on the side of the square, but it was super expensive and price somehow changed to more than double after the sales girl asked which hotel we are staying at and had a call with her manager.

Souks (Cheratin, Haddadine, Semmarine, Smata, des Teinturiers)

Souks are the open markets and they are all over the city.

I could not tell you the name of which ones we have been, because it looked like we were in and out of various souks just simply going from one place to another.

Mostly they were fun to look at- so many colors, smells, textures. I really wanted to get those traditional slippers, but they all seemed to have been made from the same size mold. The sizes in length were different, but they were all too wide on the top of my foot.

Morocco is famous for its carpets and they can roll them up/ship them, but we don’t need a carpet at home, so this was also more for just seeing it. Hanging colored wool was also an interesting sight, same with the spices and the lamps.

As mentioned earlier, nobody tried to sell us anything, so we never felt pressured in any way. The only downside in the souks were the motorbikes driving by in the narrow alleys. Either way, visiting the souks should be 100% on your itinerary while in Marrakech. We got some Argan oil cosmetics, a few souvenirs, nothing big because we only brought carry on bags, but we had fun walking around and seeing different vendors.

If you want to avoid the motorbikes and have a quiet and more peaceful shopping, head to Artisan Craft Complex. Pretty much the same merchandise, no bikes zooming around, and barely any people.

There is a nice park across the street and it’s close to the mosque- it was a lovely walk on a Saturday afternoon.

Another place for shopping, and actually to see artisans work, is a bit out of the Medina, so we took a taxi there. The shop I wanted to visit was Marrakshi Life, and it had some nice clothes that were VERY pricey. We saw people working in the back room, but to actually see up close you need to book a tour.

Right next door we noticed the sign that said POTTERY, so we walked in. It was awesome- we witnessed artisans make vases and bowls out of clay, explored the huge warehouse, and got some nice recently made ceramics.

CAFES, RESTAURANTS, AND ROOFTOPS

Bacha Coffee

This was the very first place we went after settling in our riad, and I explained the process at the start of this post. Now our impressions. Yes, it’s definitely a beautiful place. They do have enormous selection of various coffee kinds and flavors. Even for Sean who only drinks decaf there were multiple options. If you get an iced coffee you can keep the glass straw as a souvenir (it is a nice glass straw with the name of the place on it).

My sister and I got ice coffees (mine was Magic Istanbul flavor), guys got hot ones, plus some pastries and ice cream. Even after the 2 hours from arrival to being seated the service was veeery slow. The coffee was OK, pastries my sister and Cosimo liked and ice cream was not bad.

But it was nothing out of this world, or anything that would warrant this long of a wait. I would say if you go there, go for the Dar El Bacha Palace and, if you have time to wait for the caffe, then fine. But do not spend 2+ hours of your day waiting for the coffee alone.

Cafe Des Epices

This is actually a restaurant and a rooftop bar, but we only went for coffee/tea on one of the afternoons after sightseeing. Overlooking the Place des Epices/Rahba Kedima square it was nice to enjoy the sweet Moroccan mint tea and their strong coffee.

It was a very chill vibe, we liked this place, and it was easy to just walk in with no prior reservations or wait.

El Fenn rooftop

Located on top of the luxury El Fenn hotel this rooftop bar and terrace is great for lunch and/or drinks. We did not know at what time exactly we’ll be going there, so just showed up and were told that without the reservations we can only get bar menu food.

It was lunch and the bar menu had plenty of options, so we did not complain. Drinks were great, food was delicious, it was a bit hot, so we switched seats a few times, but it was not crowded, so that was easy to do.

Les Jardin Du Lotus

This Mexican restaurant (that turns into a club at night) is very close to Dar El Bacha, so that’s where we went to have lunch while waiting to get the buzzer for Bacha Coffee. It does say reservations are required, but maybe that is more applicable for dinner. During the late lunch time the place was pretty much empty, and we were seated right away.

Service was quick, food delicious, however, expensive. Our first meal in Morocco cost more than what we’d typically would pay in Boston for lunch- $115 USD for two people.

It had South Beach, Miami vibes somehow. We liked everything about it (except for the price :)).

La Table de Souk (La Sultana hotel)

Another lunch place and also another rooftop! Seems like there is no lack of rooftops in Marrakech. We came with no reservations and security had to ‘check’ if there is availability. The rooftop (and the hotel) is absolutely gorgeous, so worth going for that alone.

The service was super polite, but slow. They confused the order, so we waited a while until our lunch arrived.

I think we liked the ambiance and the drinks, but food was not that great. Burger was way over done and the chicken was also dry, like it was cooked for too long. I would go here for a nice drink on the rooftop and to see the beautiful hotel, but not for food personally.

La Pergola

This was our first dinner in Morocco and I was convinced I booked at the Italian restaurant 🙂 . It was for sure not Italian, but the food was good and the rooftop (again) was nice. Also, at the restaurant below (where we had dinner the following night) live band was playing, so we had a very nice evening.

Le Bistro Arabe – Moroccan Jazz Restaurant in Marrakech

This was our second dinner in Marrakech and also Thanksgiving! Beautiful setting, live jazz, super friendly staff, and a delicious local food.

The best part- we are with a wonderful company! Lots to be grateful for!

Barometre Cocktails in Marrakech

This was one of the coolest bar/speak easies that we’ve come across while traveling. We went there on a Friday evening (make reservations) and when taxi dropped us off, we first could not figure out where is the entrance to the place. Then we saw THE DOOR. Just a door in the middle of the sidewalk :).

The drinks were creatively presented (and tasted great!). They also serve food, but we only got the cheese plate (or tower more like it!), because we had dinner reservations at the other restaurant later.

Their women’s bathroom is very funny- both decorations and music choice wise. For sure check this place out while in Marrakech!

L’Ô à la Bouche Restaurant

This is where we went right after the Barometre and it was by far the best meal that we had in Morocco. French restaurant that served absolutely incredible filet with foie gras and truffle mashed potatoes that I still dream about. Reservations are required and I booked it via Whatsaap.

Whatever you do, do not skip this restaurant!

Le Bar Majorelle at La Mamounia Hotel

One of the oldest and largest luxury hotels in Marrakech, La Mamounia deserves a visit even if you are not staying there (1k USD per night for a room, anyone?). Gorgeous, lush, and green 17 acres gardens (let me remind you we are in a desert), lovely smell, luxury in every step- no wonder so many famous politicians, actors, and other stars have stayed or visited this place.

We only came for a drink/ice cream/walk around the gardens on our last day in Morocco. Photos are allowed in some areas, while forbidden in others.

I loved their espresso martini and Sean could not get enough of their rosemary almonds and cheese roasted cashews.

Make sure check out their Hall of Fame with all the photos/messages from the famous visitors.

Comptoir Darna

Our last dinner in Morocco, so I wanted to make it a bit more interesting. This place offers Moroccan cuisine, exotic decor, and belly dancing shows several times per night- that sounds like a great way to end the trip!

When I initially made dinner reservations I booked it for 8.30pm. Since Agne and Cosimo joined last minute, there was nothing available for four people until 10.45pm. We actually got hungry and showed up around 10pm and got seated right away! One show just ended and the other started at 11.30pm- quite a late last night, but it was super fun!

Food was great, music was good, and the dancers with real candles burning on their heads for sure made this night memorable!

ATLAS MOUNTAINS AND BERBER VILLAGES

I was a bit hesitant to book this tour because the trip was already so short and I wasn’t sure if we’ll need more time in Marrakech. At the end, over 2000 five star reviews on Viator convinced me that we should do it. I am so glad we did! After a busy Wednesday afternoon and whole day Thursday in Marrakech it was nice to get away from the city. We spent the whole Friday day (8am-4pm) driving, hiking, talking to Berber villagers, and just enjoying beautiful Atlas Mountains. We knew we still have one day in the city, so this break was super nice.

I booked a private High Atlas Mountains & 5 Valleys tour without knowing who the driver or the tour operator will be. Our driver Abdul from Morocco Inspiring Tours came on time, we had a comfortable car (it was just 4 of us plus the driver) and we set off to the mountains right at sunrise.

The driver was very knowledgeable, answered all of our questions about Moroccan food, culture, politics, history, etc. About an hour into the drive we stopped for a light breakfast. Here we also watched Berber women make argan oil, argan butter, and were able to buy some locally made products. There was no pressure to buy anything at all.

Berbers or the Berber peoples are a diverse ethnic groups indigenous to North Africa. They have their own language and even in many museums we saw it written in three languages – French, Arabic, and Berber.

A short drive later we stopped by the river, and relaxed with some coffee. I am not sure of the purpose of this stop, besides maybe the river view, but it also had a beautiful friendly cat, so I am glad we stopped here.

Then we went all the way up into the mountains, and stoped along the way for photos of the Berber villages and garden terraces carved into the mountains and the canyon views.

Weather was perfect- a bit cooler in the morning than in the city, but we really enjoyed the scenery.

Finally we met up with a local guide (he’s studying to be a lawyer and wants to practice his English). We visited a local home, and started our hike across the valley.

It was not a strenuous hike, but on a narrow path. About an hour later we reunited with our driver and went to another local family for lunch.

Besides the delicious freshly made tagine, the best part was the incredible view of the snow capped mountains. We could see Mount Toubkal – the highest peak in North Africa- 4,167m tall.

The drive back was just was just as scenic- mountains, valleys, and little villages. It was a perfect amount of nature and movement, not too long of the time in the car and we did not return exhausted. We also got to see more of Morocco than just Marrakech.

CONCLUSION

Now that I have finished this post I cannot believe how MUCH we saw and did in a mere 3.5 days in Morocco! That is literally a long weekend, but it felt like we were there at least a week. Despite touring a lot of historical sights we also had time to relax, enjoy sauna, hammam and even get a massage. I know my trips are usually jam packed with activities, but I feel like this one had enough balance of active and relaxing. There was a lot of good food, delicious drinks, and most importantly, good conversations and laughs with our family. Agne and Cosimo unexpectedly joining this trip made it so much more fun and special. Looking forward to many more adventures together!

And finally, here are some cute cats and kittens of Morocco!