Hottboitravelz

Founded in in the 11th century by Abu Bakr ibn Umar, the second Emir of the Almoravid Empire, this city has been the capital of several empires, the site of many battles, and was occupied by France from 1912 until Morrocan independence in 1956. Acting as a confluence point of many cultures and an important trade hub, Marrakech is a living city whose lifeforce is in its throngs of people pressing their way through narrow alleys to inevitably reach a heart that beats to the rythm of drums.

I have very mixed feeling about Marrakech. On the one hand, there is a beautiful intensity that fills you with a sense of adventure when you walk down the innumerable passageways full of exotic sights and sounds. Being in the medina is honestly one of my favorite experiences, and Marrakech has the potential to be the favorite of all the cities I have visited.

On the other hand is the constant smell of gasoline from all the motorcycles that you can only escape by climbing a rooftop terrace and the constant bombardment from street sellers and scam artists.

I spent almost a month in Morocco, a week of which was in the Medina of Marrakech. My time there made me very wary of anyone who wishes to talk to you on the streets. There is always an ulterior motive. This isn't to say there aren't great people here. There are. They just are not the people who are going to approach you on the street.

My Airbnb host in Marrakech, Amin, went out of his way for me on several occasions. Coming to meet me when I arrived to show me the way to his place. Giving me gifts and a constant supply of mint tea. He was a very genuine person and his place is dope. If you find yourself in Marrakech, try to hit him up. He works two months on and one off, so you have to catch him at the right time. Also be warned, if you go on a tour expect people to try to sell you things every step of the way. Check it!

Marrakech will shellshock you, so take it easy when you arrive. Get to wherever you are staying and unwind a bit. Wherever you are staying will undoubtably have tea for you. After a short respite, you should check out the heart of the city: Jemaa el-Fnaa.

Jemaa el-Fnaa is a square bursting with energy and animal abuse, so sort of a mixed bag, but it needs to be seen. Initially meant to be the site of a massive Grand Mosque built under the direction of the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, the mosque originally named Jamaa al-hna (Mosque of Tranquility) was never completed. Eventually people started calling it Jamaa al-fana (Mosque of Annihilation), which morphed into Jemaa el-Fnaa.

Storytellers, musicians, chained Barbary Apes (a protected species),ladies trying to force possibly toxic henna tattoos on you, dancers, food, drinks (maybe do not drink the juices, they can be cut with Moroccan water, which you bastards can't have!), huge crowds of people, sketchy hash dealers, pickpockets, and snake charmers with their drugged/dehydrated/defanged snakes all come to greet you at Jemaa el-Fnaa.

After you are throughly overwhelmed and possibly crying, head over to the Koutubia Mosque. It's the big one you can see from the square. You can't go inside, but you can look around and learn some of the history off of the signboards posted. Still stressed? Then walk to the Cyber Park. This is a free garden that is just as good as any of the ones you would have to pay for. Plus it has free Wi-Fi.

Stick and move. When wandering the streets, unless you're looking to make a purchase, tell anyone that speaks to you “la shukran.” It is Arabic for "no thanks." Don’t stop when they talk to you. Say "la shukran" and keep moving. You can try “oho tanmeert,” which is the Amazigh/Berber "no thank you," if you are feeling real zazzy.

Check the souks out, they are fun to see! Be wary when taking photos though. Lots of sellers don't like it or will want money from you for the photo.

Hungry? If you're by the medina I would hit up Oscar's. It has good food at a good price. Another great spot is Cafe Clock. Food in Marrakech can be kind of tricky. Many places are priced for Western tourists, and many others will give Western tourists food poisoning. There is a sweet spot somewhere between the two, but I never got the best sense of it. If you are feeling brave, hit the stalls that pop up at Jemaa el-Fnaa square at night. If not, you might wanna search Googs for some recommendations.

Don’t go to the tanneries! You will get scammed. It is a long way down one road, no tourists are in this area, and you will be followed and harassed about fake tannery tours. Just give up the prospect of seeing them. I made it to the start of the tanneries, being hounded the whole way, and then followed my gut and got out of there.

If you only have time to visit one place while you are in Marrakech, then I would hit up the Ben Youssef Madrasa. It is an old Islamic school that has fantastic symmetry and geometric art. You can find my write-up on the Madrasa here.

Next best thing is the Saadian Tombs. Wildy beautiful, but there is going to be a line. Find my write-up here.Near to the Saadian Tombs you can find one of the many gates into the Medina, Bab Agnaou. This area is much more interesting than you might guess at first glance. The gate here used to act as the entrance to the great Kasbah of Marrakech.

Built in about 1190 by Yaqub al-Mansur, the third ruler of the Almohad Caliphate, the kasbah acted as its own self-contained city. It was the royal residence for less than 100 years before the Marinids overthrew them. Once the Almohad Empire collapsed, it fell into disrepair until the Saadian Dynasty came into power in the 16th century. They then made the Kasbah the royal residence again, expanding and building both the Badi Palace and the Saadian Tomb complex.

The Saadian Empire went kaput and the compound fell into ruin. Today, the current royal palace of Marrakech is on kasbah grounds occupying a space near the Badi Palace. You are not allowed inside the royal palace. Check out Badi or Bahia instead.

Check Bahia Palace for a mix of architecture and gardens, or Badi Palace if you are looking for ruins.

Do yourself a favor, though, and spend a couple of days at Ait Benhaddou on the other side of the Atlas Mountains. More on that here!

You can find me on Instagram and TikTok. Select photography is for sale on my Etsy page. Links below.