Marrakesh

Marrakesh is busy, warm, loud and red. The city takes energy, but you get a lot back if you know where to go. The first hours in the medina overwhelm almost everyone: mopeds in alleys a meter and a half wide, vendors calling out to you, the smell of leather, spices and exhaust all mixed together. After half a day it starts to make sense. Then you see the patterns, the calm behind the doors of the riads, and the women who simply do their shopping here.

Soukayna is based in Marrakesh, so most trips start and end here.

What you'll want to see

Jemaa el-Fna is the square where everything comes together. By day it is a parking lot with orange juice stalls. From around five it turns into an open-air restaurant with musicians and storytellers. See it from above first, from a rooftop terrace with a mint tea, and then walk through it. You can safely ignore the snake charmers and the monkeys on chains.

The souks lie north of the square. They are covered lanes organized by craft: leather, lamps, carpets, spices, woodwork. Getting lost is part of it, and Google Maps will always get you out again. With Soukayna along you also see the workshops behind the shops, where the goods are made. That is what the souks and crafts tour is about.

The Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Madrasa are the two buildings you shouldn't skip. They have cedar ceilings, zellige tiles and courtyards where it suddenly goes quiet. Go early, around opening time, and you'll have those courtyards almost to yourself. The Saadian Tombs are around the corner from the Bahia Palace and worth a stop if you're in the area anyway.

Jardin Majorelle is outside the medina, in the new district of Guéliz. You know the cobalt blue of the villa from photos; the cactus garden and the Berber museum are better than you expect. Book a time slot online, or you'll stand in line for an hour. The Yves Saint Laurent Museum next door is small and good.

As a non-Muslim you can't go inside the Koutoubia. The minaret is beautiful enough from the square and from the gardens around it.

What you can skip

The Menara Gardens are an olive grove with a pond. It is a nice spot for the locals who picnic there, less so if you're short on time. Jardin Majorelle in the early afternoon is also better avoided, because three tour buses arrive at once. And you don't need to try the expensive restaurants with belly dancers on the square. The food is better in a family home, and that is where you eat during the cooking workshop.

Walking the medina as a woman

In the medina you stand out as a visitor, not as a woman. People will talk to you, usually someone who wants to sell you something or "show you the way" to a cousin's shop. A friendly "la, shukran" (no, thank you) and walking on does the job. Unwanted touching is rare. The city is full of women, alone and in groups, and it is normal to walk around here as a woman.

You don't have to cover anything you wouldn't cover at home on a warm day, but with your shoulders and knees covered you get less attention. A long, airy dress or wide pants are the most comfortable. The guide on what to wear in Morocco goes into more detail.

In the evening the square stays busy and lively until late. The alleys to your riad are usually empty and dark after about ten. That feels worse than it is, but it is nice to have someone walk you to the door. Many riads arrange that. The other safety tips are collected in safety for women in Morocco.

Travel time, season and where to sleep

Marrakesh Menara Airport is about 3.5 hours by air from Amsterdam, and most of Western Europe is similar. The taxi to the medina takes 15 to 30 minutes; agree on a fixed price or have someone pick you up. For the city itself you need two full days, and three or four if you want to add a day trip.

March through May and late September through November are the best months. In July and August it reaches 40°C or more. Then you do things in the morning and evening and find a pool during the day. In winter the days are pleasant and the nights are chilly. How that plays out month by month is in the best time to visit Morocco.

Stay in a riad in the medina if you want atmosphere, or in a hotel in Guéliz if you want quiet and an elevator. Ask us for a few addresses that suit you. There are ATMs all over Guéliz and in a few spots in the medina; in the souks you pay cash.

Around the city with Soukayna

Soukayna is from Marrakesh and knows the city the way you know your own neighborhood. On the one-day city tour she picks you up at your riad and combines the palaces with the souks and the new town, at the pace you set. If you'd rather shop without the stress of haggling, there is the souks and crafts tour. If you want to unwind instead, there are the yoga and wellness days around the city.

From Marrakesh the other destinations are easy to reach too. Agafay is a 45-minute drive, the Atlas Mountains an hour and a half, and Essaouira two and a half hours.