What To Do In Marrakech, A Guide /
Were it up to me, The Caliph’s House by Tahir Shah would be required reading for anyone traveling to Morocco. Without reading this candidly funny novel, I would’ve been confused, baffled, and bewildered during our visit to Marrakech.
After spontaneously moving his family to Morocco from the UK, Shah buys a home—the Caliph’s House —and begins the arduous task of renovating it. At the same time, he’s attempting to rebuild his family’s lives in a foreign country. They learn all too quickly that nothing in Morocco goes exactly as planned and never in a time frame that makes outward sense.
Rational and irrational thinking collide in a whimsical and often unbelievable manner. I laughed out loud throughout the book, loving the effervescent and colorful prose.
Magical Arrivals
Shah’s story lingers in my mind as we exit the doors of Marrakech Airport, a piece of jaw-dropping architecture worth a visit in its own right. Our task? To locate our hotel sign among the several hundred Moroccan taxi and limo drivers. I think the logo, an iconic fan, should be pretty easy to spot.
My husband and I take several loops of the crowd together. Then, we split up and took a few solo loops. No sign. No driver. Eventually, we stand at the center of the crowd, which forms a circle around us—a five-minute lapse. Then a strange thing appears on my left—a very large sign on a very tall stick with a very black fan logo. Our driver has materialized, seemingly out of thin air.
I ask him where he’s been all this time. With absolute surprise and genuine sincerity, he replies, ‘Madame! But I have been standing right here the whole time!” My husband and I look at each other in disbelief. Then I remembered Shah’s story and relaxed. There’s no point in arguing with him. He’s been here the whole time, of course. We must have overlooked him. So begins our journey in Marrakech.
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What To Do In Marrakech: Get Lost In The Souks
I have a list of adjectives that illustrate Marrakech—vibrant, eclectic, bustling, electric. However, the buzzy current of the Berber Empire is much more than what is seen on the surface. So what do we do during our week ahead in this energized city?
First up is the Medina—the old walled medieval part of town. The Medina is a dense maze of Moroccan capitalism with a photo op at every turn. I learned that the souks (markets) are not solely for souvenir shopping. As I wander the narrow passageways, I see layers of activity.
I stumble upon an entire alley of shoemakers. Each stall was about as wide as the shoemaker himself. In a series of memorized movements, he hammers, cuts, and then casually tosses the leather soles into a pile of identical soles. Another alley has lantern makers. The artisans punch through thin copper to create delicate pieces as they’ve likely been doing for a century. While it looks like a performance for tourists, it’s simply everyday life.
What To Do In Marrakech: Hire A Guide
We hire a private guide, knowing he will take us to his brother’s uncle’s best friend’s rug shop. His predictability makes me smile. Yet, how would we see market life in full swing without him? The haggling and negotiating. The rug seller’s touristy ceremonial show, with steaming hot mint tea. We’re told to go back the next day without a guide if we find something we’d like to buy. We will likely get a better price since no commissions will need to be paid—an insider tip.
Our guide steers us towards beautiful architectural gems, including the ornate Bahia Palace. He secures a reservation at a lively rooftop restaurant and gives us enough sense of local history that we aren’t walking nose-deep in our guidebook.
We buy local argan oil from sellers promising eternal youth and an end to age spots and smell colorful spices waft through the air. Snake charmers fleece us after draping cobras around our necks, refusing to remove them until a suitable price is paid. We love every minute of the chaos (even the snakes) and give props to his entrepreneurial skills.
What To Do In Marrakech: Eat Above The Markets
Restaurant Nomad’s entrance is in the Medina’s dark, narrow corridor. We climb an equally dark, narrow staircase, wondering if this is really where we want to have lunch. We reach a door and then immediately shield our eyes. The sun is high in the sky above us on Nomad’s exposed rooftop patio overlooking the Medina.
We are handed straw hats to deter the sun and settle into our seats as if on cue. We observe the markets from above and feel fortunate to have secured such a prime spot to eat. The food was classic Moroccan, with mezze platters and yogurts, house-marinated olives, tagines, and traditional briouat (savory puff pastry filled with meat, cheese, lemon, and pepper). A long, leisurely lunch ensues.
Terrasse des Epices
And while we love Nomad, we enjoy the next day’s rooftop lunch even more. Terrasse des Epices is a hot lunch ticket, with crowds from morning until night. Terrasse des Epices has sheltered alcoves to sit and absorb the convivial scene. The clientele is a mix of families and hipster tourists. A Moroccan DJ from Essaouira is set up in the middle of it all, dancing and having the time of his life.
Our DJ doesn’t miss a beat and plays new remixes of old classics that inspire even the 40-somethings on the terrace. No one looks like they have any desire to leave. This may be partially because Terrasse des Epices is one of the only restaurants within the Medina walls to serve alcohol. We order a bottle of rosé and stay put for a while.
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What To Do In Marrakech: Stay At The Mandarin Oriental
When traveling a city, we typically spend the morning wandering and sightseeing, have lunch, and then head back to our hotel to lounge for the afternoon. We chose the Mandarin Oriental, 10 minutes from the city center. It’s an enormous and tropical property, and we feel far from the hustle of town. The hotel has 54 stand-alone private villas, most with private pools in walled courtyards.
The entire property is alive, with rose bushes in full bloom. 100,000 fragrant roses are spread over 20 hectares, and we admire them one afternoon via the hotel’s complimentary bikes. Bougainvillea, golden barrel cacti, climbing vines, and mature olive trees dot the landscape.—an explosion of flora.
The hotel design is modern Moroccan decor: bold, graphic lines, black and white marble, tall, narrow archways, and shallow inner courtyard pools.
What To Do In Marrakech: Don’t Leave The Room
Our room feels like a home—but not my home, mind you. It has a living area with a daybed and a bar. A platform bed in the master suite looks squarely onto a long rectangular pool. The oversized bathroom has a personal hammam-style shower and a deep stand-alone tub.
The outside space also boasts a daybed, an outdoor kitchen, and a beautiful fireplace the staff will light upon request. It’s a challenge to pull ourselves away for dinner.
What To Do In Marrakech: Dine at Al Fassia
Another Caliph’s House moment presents itself at dinner. I’d made a few early reservations, and Al Fassia, an all-women-run restaurant, was high on my list. I know there are two locations, so I’m sure to be clear about the location we would like to go. Fifteen minutes later, we are dropped off at Al Fassia.
It’s a tranquil oasis—lush, romantic gardens and outdoor nooks. We walk in and give our name only to discover, you guessed it, we are at the wrong Al Fassia. And no, this location has no available tables this evening.
We call another taxi and head to the other Al Fassia. The food is good, but the first Al Fassia would have been a better choice, as it was in a less urban environment—another exercise in patience in the frenetic world of Marrakech.
What To Do In Marrakech: Shop and Haggle
The following day, we shop. We aimlessly wander the ancient passageways, picking up souvenirs for our families at home. While waiting for my friend to pay at a nearby stall, I stand against a wall to take in the whirlwind of market life. Perhaps, only because I’m not moving do I notice an interesting shop set further back from the others.
I walk into a treasure trove of beautifully curated art pieces, ceramics, textiles, furniture, and rugs. Old and new, Moroccan and Persian—it’s a visual explosion. Hakim is the owner, and his warm and friendly manner entertains us as we shop. Hakim prepares tea for us. It has thick bundles of mint leaves overflowing from colorful rattan-wrapped glasses. It’s a welcome respite from the bustle of the souks.
Click here for a self-guided tour of the souks! The best way to uncover the Medina’s secrets!
A Story of Two Paintings Bought Six Years Apart
Hakim’s hidden shop is called La Porte d’Or. His clientele includes interior designers, politicians, and celebrities who seek him out from across the globe.
My husband and I immediately zero in on a piece of art—a mixed-media piece with old, sepia-tinged pages floating amidst calligraphic Arabic typography. As is expected, we haggle and get to a price we can all live with. Then, I notice another piece by the same artist—the perfect companion to the one we are about to buy. I ask Hakim for the price, and he says it’s not for sale. I smirk. He’s kidding, of course; isn’t everything for sale here?
But Hakim holds firm, and we walk out with just one piece of art. For years after, Daniel and I have always wondered about that piece and why he wouldn’t sell it to us.
Scrolling Instagram six years later, I notice a friend from New York is in Marrakech on vacation. I DM him a shortlist of must-see spots, including Le Porte D’Or. I joke that if he sees Hakim, to tell him I’ve never forgotten about the artwork he refused to sell.
Within the hour, my friend is not only in the shop but has found our long-lost piece of art. After some haggling, a WhatsApp exchange, and a wire transfer, the art we’d fallen in love with in 2018 is bound for DC. I’m again reminded of the whimsy and serendipity of The Caliph’s House. The magic of Marrakech can’t be underestimated.
What To Do In Marrakech: ‘Enjoy’ A Hammam Experience
We’re told not to miss a hammam treatment (a traditional Moroccan cleansing and bathing ritual). A friend had recommended traveling to the spa at The Royal Mansour, although most hotel spas offer the hammam treatment.
If Marrakech is a city of high-density, magnetic, and outrageous color, then the spa at the Royal Mansour is quite positively the total absence of it.
I step through a dark, thick, wooden doorway and enter a world of double-height glass cathedral ceilings and white roses—set within a room of white wrought-iron latticework. It’s a stark contrast to the vibrancy of life outside. Then, I’m led to a lounge with cushy daybeds where I await my therapist.
The Royal Treatment
The treatment itself leaves my skin feeling like a newborn baby. First, I lay on a hot slab of marble where the therapist scrubs off layers of unwanted skin with an abrasive Kessa mitt. Next, warm water is poured (actually thrown) all over me.
A massage with various therapeutic oils is next, followed by an eye-popping cold water plunge that brings me back to reality. I’ll admit, it’s an unusual way to get pampered. Yet, I felt shockingly invigorated. The treatment awakens senses I didn’t even know I had.
The Magic of Marrakech
Marrakech is a city of layers, each revealing something unique and mesmerizing. I realize I’ve only just begun to scratch the surface. In hindsight, I wish I’d stopped more often to absorb it. Marrakech was constantly in motion, and I was too often caught in the wave.
Tahir Shah and his family had a year in Morocco to discover the culture, explore the country, and immerse themselves in the local traditions. We have two weeks. But I thank Shah for preparing us for the time we did have there through humor, candor, and wit. For allowing me to laugh things off that would have otherwise frustrated me.
Marrakech is a city to unwrap, like a treasure. Perhaps one day, I will have another chance to explore it.
Book It:
The Caliph’s House charts a year’s journey of Tahir Shah and his family. They uproot their lives by leaving dreary London for Casablanca’s colorful, captivating world. Funny, candid, and insightful, I couldn’t have enjoyed my trip to Morocco nearly as much if I hadn’t read this memoir first.
Bonus: Take On The Countryside
The scenic Atlas Mountains are only an hour outside of Marrakech. What better way to combine a little countryside with our busy city experience? Our next stop? The decadent and low-key Kasbah Bab Ourika. Follow me there.
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