Travel Diary: Marrakech

Finally, I found time to sit down and talk about my recent trip to Morocco. I went to Marrakech and Essaouira for a week and had a great experience. 

In the following, I'll share my personal favorites, recommendations and tips and tricks!

WHERE TO STAY IN MARRAKECH

My boyfriend and I stayed at the 2CIELS BOUTIQUE SPA & HOTEL in Gueliz, Marrakech. 

It is a lovely hotel that combines traditional moroccan and modern interior. The rooms were great, the restaurants serve nice food and the rooftop pool is a perfect place to relax before, in-between or after exploring the busy city. 

The area around the hotel was nice, a mall, supermarket and different restaurants are close by. If you want to go to the Medina, you can easily walk (around 2km) or take a taxi (never pay more than 30 dirhams, so many taxi drivers ask tourists for 100+). 

Breakfast View: Calm & relaxing.

Best of both worlds: Modern & traditional interior is mixed at the 2Ciels.

ESCAPING BUSY MARRAKECH, VISITING ESSAOUIRA 

During our one week stay in Morocco, we escaped busy Marrakech and took the bus to Essaouira. First, I was a little concerned if taking the bus was too complicated but surprisingly the three-hour bus ride with SUPRATOURS from Gare Du Marrakech to and from Essaouira went stress-free and was very comfortable. 

In Essaouira, we stayed at RIAD BALADIN, which is a very cosy and lovely place to stay. It is located in the heart of the peaceful Medina of Essaouira. The welcome was sincere and we enjoyed the comfy room, the amazing rooftop view and the sweet homemade breakfast in the morning. Sadly, we were only staying for a night and had to deal with a feverish flu during the days in Essaouira, so we didn't see everything.

Walking through the calm streets of Essaouira, relaxing at the windy beach or on a rooftop terasse and shopping a few nice things is highly recommended. 

TIP: One of the best restaurant we went to in Morocco was TRISKALA in Essaouira. The dinner menu changes daily and the food was simply incredible! Super delicious modern moroccan dishes were served in a very unique atmosphere. 

View from our bed: beautiful palm trees & white buildings.

Shopping in Essaouira: It is so much nicer to shop the "traditional" goods such as spices, plates, fabrics etc. in Essaouira since the shops have better prices and you are not treated as a "walking wallet" as in Marrakech. 

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WHAT TO DO IN MARRAKECH 

Back to Marrakech. 

Since we had 5 days in Marrakech, we were able to see quite enough around the city.

Getting lost in the Medina, going through the crowded Souks of Marrakech is definitely a MUST-SEE. Make sure to not only walk through the "touristy" alleyways that over souvenirs and fake-items.  TIP: Ask locals for the "real" souks. (not the people who try to sell tourist-stuff to you, but taxi drivers or people chatting in the souks) where you will find inspiring art, interior, bags, clothing, household goods and more and more. 

In the souks of Marrakech

A super nice place to visit is the SECRET GARDEN (Jardin Secret Medina) in the centre of the souks. It is a real oasis, well kept and just a nice place to be (and take photos at of course, haha). 

Botanic Garden: Spotting so many different plants 

Many cute spots to sit down & enjoy the calm atmosphere

Another, and probably the most famous garden in Marrakech is the JARDIN MAJORELLE. The botanical garden was a lot more crowded than the Secret Garden but worth a visit! Yves Saint Laurent's inspirations came from this place - and I understand why! The colorful house in the middle of the garden is definitely the attention seeker. I would recommend to go there early since it will be a lot less crowded. 

TIP: Bring your student ID, you will get discount on the tickets! 

PALAIS DE BAHIA is also worth a visit. The old palace is also located in the Medina of Marrakech. We went there around noon and not too many others were with us. 

WHERE TO EAT 

One very famous first spot we went to was NOMAD. The restaurant is located next to the Spice Market of Marrakech and has the best rooftop terrace. Not only is the modern moroccan restaurant famous for its straw hats but also the amazing food. I had the best couscous and we shared incredibly good desserts! 

View over the Spice Market

Hot'n'Cold Drinks

Coolest sun protector: NOMAD straw hats 

Another great modern restaurant is LE JARDIN where we went right after visiting the Secret Garden. They serve the traditional dishes like Tajine which was very delicious. The calm atmosphere in mid of the busy souks is very unique and lovely for a lunch or dinner. 

date cake heaven!

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