MARRAKESH

In my last Moroccan post I mentioned our stay in Marrakesh which was interesting and exciting.
We only spent one night in Marrakesh when we arrived as we had booked our rental car for the next 5 days but we stayed another 3 nights in Marrakesh in a different Riad (Moroccan accommodation/hotel) after our round trip.

So, the first night was an interesting one as we did not know what to expect. Having been to Egypt during Ramadan, I had a feeling of what might happen when the sun goes down but this definitely exceeded my expectations. Our plane landed around 6pm and by the time we got our luggage and a bus into town, the sun went down. In Morocco, the world stands (almost) still for about an hour.

When we arrived at the Moroccan House Hotel, we were asked to take a seat near the reception. We then figured out that the staff was having their dinner. Of course, they haven't eaten all day and once the sun goes down and they did their required prayers, they are allowed to eat as much as they want.

After a while we were taken to our room, a lovely decorated but simple room on the 3rd floor. I instantly liked it and thought it was good value for money. We only paid around £35 for the room for the night, including breakfast. Tired but excited, we decided to go into the old town centre to get something to eat ourselves. It was a short taxi ride to the Place Jemaa el-Fna, a square where everything is happening. You will find street performers, storytellers, juice and food stands and lots of restaurants and cafes. The Moroccans love their tea and it is tradition to offer sweet mint tea to customers or friends.

John and I did not have to go far - as soon as we entered the food square, we immediately found ourselves sitting on one of the many tables outside, holding a menu in our hands. The food was delicious and the olives were AMAZING!!!

Freshly squeezed orange juice was sold at stands near the food area and it was refreshing and cheap!

Beside the Place Jemaa el-Fna, you can find the souks with its large market. It's almost unbelievable how many languages the sellers speak! Their French and English is good enough to persuade you to buy something from them :-). Everything from food to shoes, jewellery, pottery, clothing and music can be found in the souks. But be aware of the hundreds of small streets - we got lost a few times - in only one night! Having a map does not do you any favour as the street signs are either in Arabic or they are no signs  at all.

If you don't know where you are going and if you look lost, it won't take seconds before young guys start to approach you, pretending to be helpful and showing you the way out or in, depending where you want to go. Beware of them as they are not just extremely friendly - they want money for their 'service' as they call it. Whether you ask for help or not, they'll tell you where to go, then follow you and demand money for their service. Be strict and say 'no thank you' in a clear manner and walk away.

Don't get too stressed out when they follow you - which I guarantee they will. Just ignore them and go your own way. If you are still not sure, stop and ask someone inside a shop as this person is unlikely to leave the shop to show you the way. Usually older men don't ask for money, we noticed.

As you might know, Ramadan is a special time for Muslims. During the day, no drinks or food are allowed so towns are usually quiet if there is not a market taking place. But once the sun goes down, it's a different world.  Everybody is eating and drinking and having a good time.

There's one thing you will struggle to find during Ramadan: alcohol! Large International hotels usually do serve alcohol during Ramadan but most of the Riads we stayed in wouldn't sell any alcohol at all.

A fantastic picture was to watch thousands of men and women run to the mosque's in Marrakesh. Everything would stand still for a while and even the cars would stop because of the mass of people crossing the road to get to their mosque.

I wish I had been able to take photographs of the happening but the majority of Moroccan's don't like their photos taken. I am not sure if this is only during Ramadan, but I noticed that women in particular never want their photo taken. They turn their back at you if you try to take a picture or they turn their heads away from the camera. Nevertheless, some people did not mind to have their photo taken but always ask for permission as you don't want to upset people.

The picture of a pink building with a beautiful door is the entrance to the Grand Mosque. Unfortunately we were not permitted to enter the mosque as non-Muslims but we tried to take a shy glance into the mosque just to get an idea of the interior, with little success. People were walking in and out all the time and we could not block the entrance as this would have annoyed them.


The photos of the terrace and the pool show our accommodation in Marrakesh in the old town, also called the medina, our last 3 days in Morocco. The Riad is called Riad Moullaoud and is a very beautiful Riad in the middle of the medina. Run by a French manager, this gay friendly place offers tranquillity, good food AND.... yes - they serve alcohol!!!

Staff is extremely friendly and I can highly recommend this place if you don't mind staying in the middle of the old town.


When you choose your accommodation, do your homework and find out where the Riad is located before you book. If you don't want to stay in the old town, there are plenty of alternatives outside the medina, in a more modern environment where hotels such as the Hilton, Ibis etc. are located.

You will  also find plenty of Riads outside the medina and it's usually a short trip by taxi into town or you can even walk, depends on where you are staying.



My recommendation:
Stay outside the Medina if you

a) have a rental car
b) don't want to be hassled by the locals for money for offering their 'services'
c) want peace
d) if you don't feel comfortable being surrounded by locals

The Moroccan House Hotel is situated in the new town of Marrakesh. It is a simple but beautiful Riad, located in a very quiet area. And I can also recommend Riad Moullaoud, if you want to stay in the old town. Both are nice Riads but very different. The first one is run by Moroccans, the second one by a French.


Also, check out the Jardin Majorelle, a luscious garden built by the late Yves Saint Laurent.

Personally, I believe that 3 or 4 days are enough time to explore Marrakesh. There are other lovely places outside Marrakesh, which I will tell you all about it in the following posts about Morocco.

--> More photos of Marrakesh