CdM Guide: Desert Adventures in Marrakech Morocco

Last February I took a trip to the amazing city of Marrakech in Morocco. I am so excited to share my travel guide with you guys finally after a crazy year of 2020 and hopefully you will be able to use these tips soon on your next trip! 

I spent 4 days in Marrakech which I felt like was the perfect amount of time to discover the city without feeling rushed. By my 4th day I was even navigating the winding streets of the Medina all by myself! An accomplishment I am pretty proud of considering on my first day of walking in circles I felt like I would never get the hang of it! 

Where to Stay: 

I stayed at the cutest Riad in the Medina or "old city" tucked away from the bustling souks and Jemma El Fna Square Riad Dar Kleta is the perfect place for travelers looking for a relaxing and authentic Marrakech experience. A Riad is like a Moroccan bed and breakfast and this one is known for it's delicious and authentic breakfast with fresh fruit, yogurt and more served every morning on the patio or in the dining room. The Riad Dar Kleta is also one of the better places to stay in the city because they also offer a homemade dinner option on your first night in town for only 18euros. This is definitely worth it in my opinion because finding a place to eat after a long day of traveling is always hard especially in a different country. They made me the most delicious chicken Tajine out of ingredients fresh from the market. It was a huge dinner and absolutely delicious. I also loved getting to taste the local cuisine without having to wonder if it was authentic. The owners of Riad Dar Kleta used their own family recipe so you know it was the best! 

The Riad was also perfect for photo shoots and I loved exploring all the different levels and patios they had. Each one had a slightly different theme! 

My favorite part of Riad Dar Kleta was that they also had a fashion boutique in the souks marketplace and we definitely bonded over a love of fashion! I even got to visit their store one day while doing some souvenir shopping in the souks. 

What to Do: 

Jardins Majorelles and the "New Village" or French city

The Jardins Majorelles is the thing that brought me to Marrakech. Yves Saint Laurent's Marrakech hideaway is an artists dream. The garden is filled with exotic desert plants and flowers and you can also visit the YSL museum on the grounds as well. The museum houses vintage YSL pieces as well as describes the history of the brand and Yves Saint Laurent's Moroccan inspiration. The designer came to Marrakech often in the 1970s and used the garden and surrounding scenery as inspiration in many of his collections. I loved getting to see this piece of fashion history! I would recommend stopping for a cup of famous Moroccan mint tea in the café after your visit as well. Then you can head out into the French city which is also known as the new village. It was founded by French settlers after the original Median was already built and so it lays outside the city walls allowing for the wide French style boulevards and European architecture. It is so interesting to see the comparison of the ancient walled city next to the European style designs. 

Palm Grove Sunset Camel Ride

One of my favorite experiences while in Morocco was getting to ride a camel into the desert sunset in the beautiful palm groves. I found this through Airbnb experiences and it turned out great! It was not too expensive and even came with a car transfer which picked me up in the Medina and took me to where the camels were and then dropped me back near my hotel after the ride was over. This was an important benefit for me since I didn't want to be trying to find my way back alone after dark. I also loved this one in the Palm Groves specifically because it was far enough out of the city to get some great views of the desert but was only a 20 minute car ride away. A lot of the experiences I looked at were over an hour away so this one was super convenient and perfect for my schedule! 

Place Jema El Fna

The Jema El Fna Square is definitely a must see while you are in Marrakech. It is the main town center and always busy with street vendors, music, and restaurants. My favorite place to go for a great view was one of the many upstairs restaurants located along the edge of the square. The rooftop patios offer great views to look down on all the lights of the square at night and you can enjoy your meal away from the crowds on the street. 

Jardins Secrets 

The secret gardens are another must see spot in Marrakech. While the jardins majorelles are beautiful and exotic this spot is just as pretty in its own way. It truly is a secret garden tucked away inside the medina. The calm atmosphere washes over you as soon as you step into the walled garden from off the busy streets. My favorite part was all the colorful and intricate details on the walls and doors in this beautiful garden. It is also a great spot to grab lunch in the afternoon as the restaurant offers lots of great options if you are looking for some non Moroccan cuisine like fries and paninis. I loved sitting on the patio and just enjoying the weather while eating my food. 

Bliss Riad and Spa 

Right across the street from the secret gardens is Bliss Riad and Spa. It is the perfect stop to top off your relaxing afternoon. The beautiful Riad offers an oasis once you step inside. The all white decorations and palm trees growing up through the center of the spa create a luxurious atmosphere. I booked a massage and then sipped on mint tea upstairs on the rooftop patio while waiting for my appointment. The traditional Moroccan massage was perfect for relieving the stress and knots from all my travels. I would definitely recommend this as a clean and professional place to go for a spa experience in Marrakech. 

Souks Marketplace shopping: 

The Souks are another great place to get an authentic Marrakech experience. You can honestly get lost in the maze of a marketplace that covers half the city thought so I'd recommend bringing a map! The souks are an ancient marketplace that has been around for centuries and they have people selling  everything you could imagine and more. The souks are separated into sections based on the type of product so you will find a metal/jewelry section, the tannery section for leather goods, a pottery section for traditional hand painted Moroccan pottery, and of course a section for rugs as well as many more things! I found a cute little silver camel charm and even bargained on the price for it in true Moroccan fashion. I would recommend reading a couple blogs or guides on how the souks work if you plan to do much shopping there so you don't get taken advantage of but all in all I really enjoyed the experience. 

Here are a few links I found helpful

You can also check out the DK travel guide to Morocco which has a great section on shopping in the Souks. 

Bahia Palace: 

The Bahia Palace was on the far side of town from my Riad so I saved this for my last day. It was a pretty far walk in the sun but definitely worth the trip! This ancient palace is another great place for spotting traditional Moroccan architecture especially the beautiful carved doors. It also has some colorful tile work and amazing history. 

What to Eat: 

I brought some granola bars and water bottles with me on my trip so I would have a few things to eat that I liked but it wasn't that hard to find good food during my stay. Staying at Riad Dar Kleta really helped as I had a delicious fresh breakfast every morning and the Tajine for dinner on my first night. 

I also found a few restaurants in some tourist locations like the Secret Garden that served different kinds of food. My favorite dish from Moroccan cuisine was the chicken Tajine which you can find at almost any restaurant. 

I hope this travel guide helped you and you found some helpful tips for your next adventure! Thanks for reading! You can also check out my photo guide to Marrakech here for more info on where to take the best photos!