Maybe you have been thinking about going to new, interesting, exotic places. Well, if that is what you are looking for, Marrakech is the perfect location for you.
Also known as the red city, it is the fourth largest city in Morocco, in the north of Africa, blending different cultures and traditions, creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Marrakech is a modern city, but it also preserves its ancient heritage.
It is a city that you must experience with all your senses. You can always enjoy a night out on a terrace with a wonderful sight of a sky full of stars; an afternoon in a market with the smell of spices; the sound of crowded places, and its traditional music; the sensation of touching leather, pottery, and other handmade items; besides tasting the delights of the traditional Moroccan gastronomy.
Delicious Exotic Dishes
Moroccan food is influenced by many others, such as the Mediterranean and Andalusian, with little influence of European and sub-Saharan cuisine; but that doesn’t mean its flavors aren’t unique. The most famous dishes are couscous, a dish made from wheat pasta; Shakshuka, which is an egg cooked in tomato sauce with other vegetables and condiments, and Zaalouk, a dip based mainly on eggplant, other vegetables, and spices.
This city is filled with palaces, gardens, the famous “souks” markets, mosques, amazing imperial architecture, beautiful sights full of color, and rich gastronomy. It is also a great place to visit on a budget, as it has many things to offer for free or just a little money.
8 Must-Visit Places in Morocco
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And without further ado, let’s see the best 8 places to visit in Morocco.
Majorelle Garden: Yves Saint Laurent Mansion
A botanical garden with one hectare of beautiful cacti and a variety of plants for you to observe and be mesmerized by. Its vibrant colors, pond, and turtles will make it worth the wait; as you will most likely have to be in a line, but the ticket is cheap as well, for only 5,50 €. Inside the garden, you will also find a café and a museum. It was bought by the world famous French designer in 1980.
Yves Saint Laurent Museum
Not far from the garden you may also find a museum. As the designer loved to spend that much time in Morocco, a museum was built to honor his legacy. In this large building, you can find the history of over 40 years through the exhibition of hundreds of different clothing and accessories.
Jemaa el-Fna
A very famous public square, known for its cobra charmers, street entertainers, and henna . It will definitely give you some stories to tell friends and family.
Souks
Markets huge enough to compare with a maze. Here, you will find anything you may think of. There are several souks in the city, Souk Semmarine is the biggest of them all, and Place des Épices is the one you want to go to when looking for spices, one of the many things Marrakech is known for. Prices may vary, but you can expect to bargain a lot, a skill you will probably master in Morocco. Of course, you cannot leave a souk without trying and tasting all the amazing traditional dishes available for you to pick from.
Souk Cuisine
Speaking of food, in this city they will not only sell you food, but they offer workshops where they will take you to a group of native women that will teach you how to cook as Moroccans do at home, so you can experience an even homier experience during your visit. Some of the dishes you will learn to prepare are Salad with oranges and olives, Zaahlouk of courgettes, Couscous with onions and raisins, Tagine with ‘boulettes de sardines’, and others.
Saadian Tombs
It is a place full of history. In this very luxurious tomb complex are the remains of the Saadian dynasty, its royalty, and its most loyal servers.
El-Badi Palace
The “Palace of Wonder”, as it is often translated, this place used to be home to sultan Ahmed Al-Mansur. It was later destroyed, but it keeps its structure and walls well enough to imagine how immense this palace was in its time. It is said it had more than 300 rooms.
Hammam Spa and Massage Places
There is also no other experience as Moroccan as going to a Hammam, a public bathing house, where locals often go to spend time connecting with themselves, their friends, family, and share stories. You can find one of these in every community of the city.
Lastly, you can have a night out as Marrakech offers a great deal of clubs and places to party, by doing so you can discover an even more lively part of this city.
