Jemaa el-Fna and Jardin Majorelle are likely the first two things that come to mind when you think about Marrakesh Morroco travel. Both are unique in their own way offering travelers a slice of this unique North African country. When visiting Morocco, we paired the trip with a visit to Lisbon Portugal. Both were an adventure. However, Morroco and Portugal couldn’t be more different. Let me explain.
Marrakesh Morroco travel is something every traveler should experience. It takes you completely out of your element. But, in a good way. The city felt safe during our time there and the people were friendly. On the flip side, Marrakesh Morroco travel was not relaxing. It was more of an exploration trip. Not that that’s a bad thing. Ashlee and I decided that we’ll pair exploration-style cities together in the future instead of mixing exploration and relaxation type vacation cities into a single trip.
For more Points With Q articles delivered to your inbox, sign up for my travel newsletter.
Best Credit Cards to Use in Marrakech
Amex, Chase, and Citi are some of my favorite credit card programs to use. As a result, the Amex Gold Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Citi Premier Card are cards we love to use. Each card helps us to earn valuable transferable points that can then be transferred to airline and hotel partners within each program.
You earn 4x points at restaurants and US grocery stores with the Amex Gold Card. The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3x points on dining and travel. 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel, and hotels are what you earn with the Citi Premier Card.
When is the best time to visit Marrakesh Morrocco?
March to May and September to November are the best times of year to visit. The highs average 73-91 degrees and the lows average 50-66 degrees. You also get the added benefit of a low chance of rain. Not that it rains much in Marrakesh Morocco throughout the year.
Our Marrakesh Morroco travel was in October and the weather was great. Think warmer temps during the days followed by cool desert nights. The cooler nights were even more pronounced during our time in the Saraha desert. That’s when you could truly experience lower temps at night.
How to Fly to Marrakech Morocco
The main airport in Marrakesh is Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK). It’s about 15 minutes from downtown Marrakesh. Many of the European and Middle Eastern carriers fly here if you’re looking to connect from the US. We flew the 1.5-hour flight on TAP Portugal from Lisbon, where we started our 2-week trip.
Marrakesh doesn’t have Lyft or Uber, and public transportation was limited. Instead, we used the local cab service that at times was stressful. Once you’re settled in the city and using the cabs during the day, it’s fine. Using cabs from the airport and at night is a different story.
When we arrived in the airport cab pick-up area, one guy was clearly the ringleader. After getting into our cab, he forced us to pay before and not after our ride. The language barrier made it challenging so make sure your destination is pulled up on your phone so there’s less confusion. Also, agree to the price before you leave the airport.
Another potential cab issue you may face is at night. We left the Medina after dark and hopped into a cab. The ringleader in this area starting getting into it with our driver making the first part of our ride interesting, to say the least. Our driver couldn’t speak English so I used my phone to confirm our destination and get us back to our hotel.
Where to Stay in Marrakech Morocco
The Le Méridien N’Fis is A Marriott property where we stayed using 17,500 Marriott points per night. It’s a nice hotel in a safe area that’s close to everything you’ll want to see in the city. Another Marriott property is the AnaYela Marrakesh. If you have IHG points, check out Mr & Mrs Smith Le Farnatchi, Mr & Mrs Smith Riad Siwan, and Mr & Mrs Smith Riad Due. Hyatt has a property called Ksar Char-Bagh that looks up my alley.
One important thing to point out at the Le Méridien is the security. When we arrived at the front gate, the security guard walked around our car with a mirror to search under the car. This is going on while his german shepherd is chained to the security gate.
Once you clear that security, you’ll then walk through a metal detector to enter the hotel. We never felt unsafe during our Marrakesh Morocco travel. However, the mirror search and metal detector put us on edge. Marrakesh is a city where you need to mindful of your surroundings at all times.
Best Things to Do when Visiting Marrakech Morocco
Day 1 Marrakesh Morroco Travel
Start your first day at the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. This museum pays homage to the famous fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. I was skeptical that I’d actually like this but found it extremely interesting. Walk from the museum to Jardin Majorelle, a beautiful garden by artist Jacques Majorelle.
Pro tip: Buy your Jardin Majorelle ticket when you buy your Yves Saint Laurent museum ticket. There’s a combo ticket that you can buy at the museum ticket counter. Do this because so that you can skip the massive line at Jardin Majorelle. Combo tickets allow you to use a different line at the garden entrance.
After grabbing lunch, head back to your hotel to spend the afternoon by the pool. The Le Méridien pool was a relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle that is when visiting Marrakech. It was nice to get away from the action and catch up on work and read for a couple of hours.
Day 2 Marrakesh Morocco Travel
The 19th century Bahia Palace is where to start your second day. From the palace, walk to the Souks that flank the Medina. It’s inside these traditional Arab markets where you’ll feel completely lost at times. Keep walking through this maze of shops and you’ll eventually find your way out!
After grabbing lunch, post up at the Le Grand Balcon du café glacier. This casual restaurant offers views overlooking Medina. When the sun starts to set, head over to Jama El f’na aka the Medina. You’ll find shops, restaurants, and street performers in action.
Where to Eat & Drink in Marrakesh Morocco
Coffee & Breakfast in Marrakech
The coffee scene isn’t too strong in Marrakech. Instead, you’ll find more places that serve tea. We opted for breakfast at the Le Merédien every day because my Marriott elite status offers free breakfast. In addition to a traditional American breakfast, the Le Lerédien has an array of local Moroccan breakfast dishes to try.
Lunch in Marrakech
With the way our schedule worked out, we ate lunch at the Le Merédien one day and the Grand Café de la Poste the next day. The Gran Café de la Poste is a well-designed French restaurant that would also be a great place to grab dinner.
Dinner in Marrakech
Naranj and Nomad are 2 restaurants to check out. Naranj is delicious Lebanese food with an outdoor patio overlooking parts of the Médina. We got there around 6:30 PM and didn’t have to wait. If you want to sit outside, you’ll want to make a reservation.
Nomad is a Moroccan restaurant with good vibes and tasty food. We arrived around 6:30 PM and were seated immediately. The restaurant filled up quickly so you’ll want to make a reservation for larger groups.
Drinks in Marrakech
Morocco has a large Muslim population. As a result, alcohol is hard to find. In fact, many restaurants don’t serve alcohol. Of the handful of places that have alcohol, it’s more than likely beer and wine. Liquor was almost non-existent.
Marrakesh Morroco Travel FAQs
Is it safe to travel in Morocco?
The state department listed Morroco as Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. We never felt unsafe during our Morroco travel. That includes walking the Medina at night. Keep your wits about you, don’t stay out late, and you’ll be ok.
Is Morocco open for travel?
At the time of this writing, Morocco travel requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test required before departure. Updated information can be found on Visit Morocco.
Can US citizens travel to Morocco?
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Morocco shows the latest entry requirements for Morocco travel.
How expensive is Morocco for travel?
Morroco travel is cheap. As of the time of this writing, the exchange rate is 8.9 Moroccan Dirhams to 1 USD.
Conclusion on Marrakesh Morroco Travel
Marrakech was a city that lined up with what we expected. It was a fun place to explore but by no means did it feel like a relaxing vacation. I would recommend that you visit because of how unique the city is. As is hopefully clear in this Morocco Marrakesh travel guide, the main caution is that you’ll need to be alert when walking around the city.
Have you been to Marrakesh? What would you include on your Morroco Marrakesh travel itinerary? Please let me know in the comments or by sending me an email on my contact page.
Disclaimer: If you click and/or sign up for a credit card through certain links on this site or any of my related social media platforms, I may make a commission from that click-through. The editorial content on this page and the user comments are not provided by any of the companies mentioned and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.
