Exotic meets luxury at this fast-growing tourist destination! Stars, travellers and chic women are flocking to this glamorous city for weekend escapes. Treat yourself to a once-in-a-lifetime getaway to Morocco’s hottest city, and follow these easy tips to make it your most memorable vacation yet!
Pick an Arabian palace to sleep in
With so many options for accommodation in Marrakech, it can be a little overwhelming to decide. I’ve visited a number of hotels in the area and my absolute favourite is Riad Viva. This small hotel is best described as a traditionally Moroccan boutique hotel. A courtyard fountain, a rooftop plunge pool, beautiful tile work… this hotel is an Arabian dream and transports you to another world!
Visit Yves Saint Laurent’s garden for a beautiful photo opt
For a touch of fashionable history visit Jardin Majorella! This hidden garden in the middle of the city was previously owned by the late designer Yves Saint Laurent. The terracotta tiles, greenery and pops of cobalt blue make this the perfect place for pictures! What I loved about Jardin Majorelle is that it shows a different side of Morocco – and it makes it easy to see why models and fashion designers like to call this city home.
Bonus tip: I visited the garden around 2pm. A lot of the garden is covered in shade and the break from the sun was a welcoming relief at this time of day.
Indulge in the best juice of your life
One thing I’ll never forget about Marrakech is the sweet taste of the orange juice. Forget Florida oranges, this is the freshest, most flavorful juice you’ll ever have! During the day, Jemaa el-Fnaa is filled with dozens of carts selling juice by the glass. Don’t feel intimidated by the men trying to get you to buy from their cart, and don’t stress about choosing which one is best. I promise you they all taste equally amazing! My rule? Buy from the owner with the biggest smile!
Enjoy shopping heaven in the Souks
As a self-proclaimed shopaholic, I can give you shopping tips for any destination… but Marrakech always wins for my best shopping experience! The Souks in the Medina are an overdose to the senses. The colours, the silk fabrics, the smell of spices and the sounds of French words being spoken with an Arabic accent are my memories. I purchased a lot of stuff here – including jewelry, home decor and shoes. My only regret was that I didn’t buy more!
Bonus tip: You should counteract their price with one that’s 1/5th of theirs, and you should end up paying 1/4th. Bartering the price is all part of the experience!
Head outside of the city to visit Palmeraie
My most memorable evening in Marrakech was the night we drove to Palmeraie. Palmeraie is literally a forest of palm tree out in the desert with plenty of luxury resorts. We visited Palmeraie Golf Palace & Resort for the night and enjoyed some cocktails with friends in their beautiful bar. The best part of this night was actually the drive. We stopped on the side of the road for an impromptu photo shoot with camels! Dressed in a beautiful black dress I climbed on top of a dirty camel in the middle of the desert for an epic photo.
Kick back and sip drinks at Nikki Beach
One cool feature about Marrakech is that among the exotic culture there’s some very luxurious hot spots to cater for the rich and famous crowd that love to visit. So where do they go to party? No other than Nikki Beach. This pool club is best known for it’s Miami location, but the Marrakech version is just as good! Throw on your hottest bikini and order one of their signature mojitos to your pool-side cabana.
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