[Travel] Holidays in Morocco

[Binney on acid]

Not an up and coming local band, but a new holiday destination for my partner and I. We plan to fly to Fez mid April, stay a few days and get the train to Marrakech, spend a few days there, then a few days in Essaouira, before returning to Marrakech for the flight home. Any tips? Must see destinations, or tourist rip offs to avoid?

 

[Official Old Man]

I've been to Marrakech three times, mainly for a very cheap break.
Take no money or valuables to the Medina and take extra care there. Do not go in to the centre of the medina alone, pay for a guide from a trusted source. But most of all, go to the medina. There are cafes around the outside where you can go up on to the roof to look down, worth doing for the price of a beer.
Atlas mountains, a wow for the views. Again take a trusted tour (TUI or Thomas Cook).
Told Casablanca is a waste of time.
Do not hire a car. Most hotels out of town have free coaches in to the town.
Enjoy.

 

[Pavilionaire]

If you have time go to the Majorelle Gardens just outside Marrakesh - they're, artisitic botanical gardens, one of the highlights of my minibreak there a few years ago.

 

[McTavish]

If you have time go to the Majorelle Gardens just outside Marrakesh - they're, artisitic botanical gardens, one of the highlights of my minibreak there a few years ago.

100% agree - a really great place to visit and not really outside Marrakesh - they are between the old town and the newer areas. About a mile's walk from Jemaa el-Fna - the main square.

I've been to Marrakech three times, mainly for a very cheap break.
Take no money or valuables to the Medina and take extra care there. Do not go in to the centre of the medina alone, pay for a guide from a trusted source. But most of all, go to the medina.
Enjoy.

I wandered around the Medina quite happily for two days with my wife and 12 year old daughter - no guide at all. No hassle at all and felt perfectly safe. Not saying this is bad advice but don't get too paranoid...

 

[Prettyboyshaw]

Don't bother utter dump. How Marrakesh can be described and some sort of romantic colourful artistic oasis I don't know. It stinks, you get hassled and its like the dark ages with monkeys on chains, snakes with teeth removed and the lingering smell of piss!

 

[Bognor Bystander]

We stayed at the Riu Palace in Agadir a few years ago. As above Majorelle gardens were a must see and we did a 4x4 Atlas mountain trek which was both amazing views and not quite wide enough for me dirt tracks round mountains ! Marrakech market was spectacular for noise, smells and stalls. Watch out for goats on mopeds ! (usually on the riders shoulders) and also in trees at the roadside.

 

[BroadwayGull]

I wandered around the Medina quite happily for two days with my wife and 12 year old daughter - no guide at all. No hassle at all and felt perfectly safe. Not saying this is bad advice but don't get too paranoid...

I echo this. I went in September 2017 - no hassle and found all the locals fine. Yes, they might make the odd disasteful joke or remark, but all in good humour.

I worried about what my girlfriend was wearing and made her cover up. However there were plenty of westerners wandering around wearing short skirts/shorts and low-neck tops, so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

I'd recommend having a good wander around the Souks (markets). There are thousands of market stalls, all selling similar products. The deeper you go in, the cheaper it gets but everything looks the same so be careful not to get lost!

The main square (Jemaa el-Fna) has a great atmosphere at night. I'd recommend grabbing a drink at one of the surrounding rooftop bars and soaking all the atmosphere up! Make sure you are paying attention when you are walking around the square, because you might end up with a monkey or snake on your shoulder! And if that happens, the animal owners will request payment from you, so just smile nicely and say 'No thank you' or 'La Shukran' (Arabic).

 

[Hotchilidog]

Off to Marrakech in couple of weeks, will visit the city but will mostly be relaxing on the fringes, the gardens are definitely on our list to visit.

Went to Essaouria last year, market day was very busy indeed and a bit of culture shock for me. Once I got into the rhythm of it I really liked it. On a quiet day it's a fascinating place, and if you are a Game of Thrones fan you can see where Danearys got the Unsullied. A small but very nice historic town with decent bars and restaurants. We'd be going back there but you can only fly on Tuesdays and Saturdays and I'm not missing any football, so Marrakech it is this time.

 

[nicko31]

Marrakech is still good was there in early 2000's and more recently. Draa valley round Agdz is pretty nice. Don't be tempted to go to Merzouga, its ruined now

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Been there, great but check when Ramadam is coz they won't let you drink, it was really tedious for some one like me who likes a bevy.

 

[knocky1]

Drove round for a couple of months in our Mazda Bongo Camper. Brilliant trip. As said previously smile and laugh with the touts and they are usually no problem. Relax and enjoy it.
Tips. Take a compass for when lost in the souk and if a restaurant gets a calculator out they are probably befuddling you before bumping up the bill.
As a former French Colony enjoy excellent coffee and patisseries at a pittance.
Very different today from my first trip in 1978 when I had my bum pinched by a bloke, got spat on for getting angry and later we got held up by knife point and had to hand over a fiver when they were worth something. Still enjoyed that trip to be fair.....

 

[Official Old Man]

I mentioned not venturing into the centre of the medina as you will get lost. The locals then expect money to get you out.
Stick to going down the main entrance and doing a U-turn at the bottom. But do a guided tour to get the real taste of how it is in the centre and the different zones.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

If you get the chance take a train journey whilst you are there, (it sounds like you plan to anyway), the railway network, planned and built largely by the French, really is extensive and modern, to the extent, that for the first time outside the Far East, they are planning on introducing the Bullet Train on their flagship main line from Casablanca to Tangier later this year. An amazing feat for a seemingly third world country in Africa.

 

[Insel affe]

Don't bother utter dump. How Marrakesh can be described and some sort of romantic colourful artistic oasis I don't know. It stinks, you get hassled and its like the dark ages with monkeys on chains, snakes with teeth removed and the lingering smell of piss!

That is exactly how Judith Chalmers described Marrakesh, sounds amazing.....

 

[Billy the Fish]

I stayed at an airbnb place in the medina, it was absolutely fine. Didn't get lost once, didn't feel threatened at all even walking through little alleys at night. You get hassled to buy stuff in the souks but that's the same at any market in the world.

Interesting that people liked Majorelle gardens, I thought it was a total let down and hyped up because of Yves Saint Laurent. I'm partial to a botanical garden when I go away, so expect a bit more than a selection of cacti and a fountain.

Thought the new town was a bit of a dive, was really glad we stayed inside the medina. There's plenty of places to explore and the food is amazing. Did a trip out to the atlas mountains which was really good.

 

[maffew]

Been there, great but check when Ramadam is coz they won't let you drink, it was really tedious for some one like me who likes a bevy.

There's normally a way round if you try hard enough

When I landed in Mexico many moons ago on election day they werent alllowed to serve. A few Pesos later and some decantered dos equis/corona/tequila into their finest china tea cups and saucers put paid to that

 

[JC Footy Genius]

This was many years ago but I wouldn't recommend going to the (disputed) Western Sahara region. Flew to an airstrip in the middle of nowhere. Mig Fighters on the side of the runway, main building only occupied by Moroccan soldiers. Escorted in 4x4's to a local town with mind numbing poverty, it felt like we had landed on the moon. On the plus side I did get to write BHA on a vast sand dune in the Sahara desert! The camels were also very friendly

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbDPccKTkN0
regards
DR

 

[Binney on acid]

Thanks all of you for some fantastic responses. keep 'em coming!

 

[studio150]

Good thinking missing the trip to Selhurst and going to Morocco instead. Not sure which is more run down