Marrakech is without a doubt the most chaotic place I have been. Chaotic in a good way though… I’m sure as you venture to other places in North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia this is similar throughout many of the cities. Tight streets with people racing down them on their mopeds, dust and exhaust everywhere, locals coming at you from every which direction, and the constant thought of whether or not you still have your wallet with you. The fast paced way of life I experienced in Marrakech showed me how some people will do anything to get just a single small purchase from a foreigner in order to have a successful day’s work. As disorganized as it may seem on the outside, the sense of community and culture was strong here in Marrakech. I had visited Tunisia when I was very young, but Morocco was my first really memorable trip to Africa. Here are several things to keep in mind before you head off to Marrakech!

Marrakech thrives on tourism. With this in mind, the city is quite safe and you will always see several police officers around to ensure all is in order when it comes to tourists. Because of the high amounts of visitors Marrakech sees, you’ll see many westerners around. Yes you may feel like you stand out most of the time or are constantly being pestered to buy something from a shopkeeper, but you need to understand that that is just the way of life here. These shopkeepers may sell a few hundred dirham worth of wallets or keychains a day (or several euros in equivalence) which covers the entirety of their income. Tourists are pretty much the only customers they will get, therefore they make a point to try and pull everyone they can into their shop. So as much as it may be exhausting trying to constantly avoid eye contact or decline an offer to look at their handmade bracelets, this is completely normal and the local people are just trying to make a living on what Marrakesh does best: tourism.

Stay in a traditional riad when you visit. Instead of your typical Best Western or Hilton, staying in courtyard-centric riad is a must have experience while in Morocco. Whether you’re on a budget, or looking for a luxury stay, you’ll find a riad that suits your needs. Your stay in Marrakech will likely be tiring as you go deep into the Medina each day, so it is heavenly to be able to go back to your own little oasis each day to relax and unwind. Especially during the heat of the day during the warmer months, a quick jump in your riad’s pool is the perfect way to get recharged. Yummy moroccan breakfasts, great rooftop views, and friendly hosts are only some of the wonderful perks of staying in a riad.

You will undoubtedly get lost. As much as you may think you have a great sense of direction, it is nearly impossible to be able to tell which direction you are going and how to get back to where you started when you are in the old town medina. For that reason, just embrace the fact that you will get lost and that it is all part of the experience. However, if you are trying to get to a specific place or navigate your way out of the medina, download the Maps.me app for the most reliable way to help navigate you. It has all of the tiny little alleyways and streets on it that Google Maps does not, making it very accurate and up to date. Plus you can use it offline, making it perfect for travelers who do not have internet service.

Be careful what you take a picture of! Just make sure you are always being conscious of what you are snapping a photo of, and that you are not being disrespectful or invasive to a local or cultural practice. Along with that, note that if you take a picture of someone’s shop or product, don’t be surprised if they ask you to pay afterwards. Even if you are encouraged by someone to take a photo, they might still ask for money afterwards.

Have cash with you. Unless you are at a nicer restaurant or upscale store, the vast majority of places (especially all the shops in the souks or marketplaces) only take cash. As of right now (July 2022), the current exchange rate of dirham to euros is approximately 10:1. Even popular tourist attractions such as Bahia Palace only take cash when you buy tickets, so be prepared to have some cash with you at any given time.

Stay alert in Jemaa el-Fnaa Square. The iconic and chaotic heart of Marrakech can feel a bit overwhelming (especially at night) the first time you visit. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for… Unless you’re prepared to spend a good 100 dirham, don’t look interested in the monkeys or the handlers will bombard you and set the monkeys on you before you have the time to say no, and then still ask you for money. This goes for the snake charmers as well (remember what I said earlier about taking pictures as that is really applicable here.) For any girl out there, you’ll likely get flagged down by the women doing henna tattoos in the square. I would not have suspected the women to be as pushy as the men but one lady came out of nowhere and grabbed my hand and stuck me with her henna pen before I even knew what was happening. As a result for several days I had a random orange line on my hand that looked very out of place. In any scenario like this, just be firm with these people and walk away with a purpose.

If you’re looking for a good henna tattoo place head to the Henna Art Cafe for some beautiful designs!

Head to the Ensemble Artisanal. Before you buy something in the souks, walk over to this covered market where all prices are listed on everything. This will give you a good idea of how much something like a leather wallet or piece of jewelry should cost so that when you go into the souks you know what is and isn’t a reasonable price to bargain for. The Ensemble Artisanal is also very quiet in comparison to the craziness of the souks, so it is a nice place to take a break and buy some quality souvenirs while you’re at it.

Fall in love with Moroccan cuisine. Let’s just say it though, not all tagine is created equal. The iconic pot (the tagine itself) in which this dish is cooked may be the same everywhere, but the contents will differ from place to place. Tagine typically consists of either slow cooked vegetables, chicken, lamb, or beef in traditional Moroccan spices topped with anything from nuts to seeds to hard-boiled eggs. You will find this on quite literally every single menu you look at in the city as it is a North African specialty. All of the tagine I had was tasty, but the beef tagine with prunes we had at our riad was exceptional and stood out above all the rest. So, if you are staying in a traditional riad, I highly recommend eating a meal or two there if offered, as you will experience some of the finest cooking around. Aside from tagine, salads and couscous based dishes are also very common. Of course at any restaurant you will always be started off with some fresh Moroccan bread. And if you get a chance to have Sfa (I spelled that right trust me), you will be amazed! This was more rare, but if it’s on the menu this vermicelli noddle dish is a must try! One more thing I’ll pass on that our riad host told us, beware of stands in the souks that are serving food with an open grill and are preparing fresh meat. Many of these places will place the same food they give to you on surfaces that raw meat has been cut and prepared on. So just have a careful look before you decide on a place like this to avoid any unwanted issues.

Take a day trip out of Marrakech. You’ll pass plenty of tourism offices throughout the city offering excursions to the Atlas Mountains, Sahara Desert, Casablanca, Fez and more! You can also book day trips online, where you can conveniently get picked up from your riad or wherever you are staying. If you have the time, an excursion will really add to your overall Morocco experience 🙂 We decided to take a day trip to the Atlas Mountains and Agafay Desert! It was a very memorable experience!

Marrakech is such a vibrant city you are sure to have an incredible time! From the people to the food to the craziness of the souks, the flavor of Marrakech will be hard to forget!