Traveling through Morocco is an incredible experience that pushes you out of your comfort zone. You will be constantly exposed to cultural differences and language barriers. Experiencing another culture is the main reason to travel to Morocco, along with the beautiful landscapes, the unique towns, the character of the chaotic medinas, the architecture and charm of the buildings. When you go to Morocco you feel like you are actually traveling through hundreds of years. It seems that time never passed and things never changed: the ancient streets, same manners and customs, ways of dressing, ways of thinking and acting. Morocco for me was a 9 out of 10. It could have been a 10 without scammers looking for victims on the streets, though. Here is my Morocco Travel Guide...
Old Medina, Marrakech.
How to travel through Morocco to visit different cities/towns: trains, buses, private shuttles.
To go to Fes, Chefchaouen, and Casablanca, you will use trains and buses.
Official train website: https://www.oncf-voyages.ma
Official bus website: https://ctm.ma
Both websites are only in French and Arabic, not that hard to figure out in French.
Do not use railninja.com, that website offers you higher prices because they get their cut, and tickets are not very legit, they usually overbook, or cancel you at last minute. It has very bad reviews as well.
Buses can be booked only a month or three weeks in advance, get your ticket in advance, it is not easy to find a spot if you purchase it the same week, same with the train tickets. For safety, purchase first class when it comes to the train, is not that much more expensive and you will travel more comfortably since it takes many hours to go from one city to the other one.
In terms of distance: Casablanca is 2 hours away from Marrakech by train. Fes is 4 hours away from Marrakech by train. Chefchaouen aka The Blue City is farther away, and in order to get there you can either take a 4 hour bus from Fes, or a combination of train either from Marrakech or Casablanca that leaves you in Tangier Rail Station (2 hours and 30 min from Casablanca and 4 hours and 30 min from Marrakech) and then a bus that departs from near the rail station that takes around 4 hours, to Chefchaouen. There is one bus that connects Casablanca and Chefchaouen that takes almost 9 hours.
The prices for the bus are extremely cheap, and same for the train. There is no bus that goes straight from Marrakech to Chefchaouen unless you pay for a private ride which is expensive. Flights are also cheap but there is not airport in Chefchaouen, the closest airport is in Tangier, so you will end up having to take a bus or a private taxi from your hotel in Chefchaouen (which is 70 dollars each way for a two hours ride...not bad) Plus.... you have to go through airport security, waste two hours waiting for your flights at the airport while you could just be on the move. There is also a private tour that takes you from Fes to The Blue City arriving at midday for lunch, and to have a few hours to walk around and then takes you back to Fes.
Is it safe for a solo traveler?
I did see men traveling by themselves. I know of women who have traveled by themselves, I didn't see any foreigner woman walking by herself in the Medina or anywhere else. I think is possible to travel solo as a female as long as you follow the common sense: just don't get into the Old Medina dark-narrow streets during the night. Be careful with the scammers at all times, don't let a stranger take you somewhere else to his shop, or anything. Also be careful when you are trying to negotiate price in the market, some of them get really aggressive especially when you are not accompanied.
Some things to think about before your visit: They really dislike pictures, so if you are walking through the market and want to take pictures or record videos make sure no one is on the background because they will get really mad, same with their animals. In Chefchaouen they disliked when I took pictures of the goats, and please do not take pictures of the women, not even if they are in the background by accident. Some shops don't allow you to take pictures of their products or paintings. Some of them have signs asking not to take pictures.
$$: Depending on the location, hotels are relatively very affordable, food is affordable too, except in some trendy restaurants, and buying products like spices and pillow covers, decoration, souvenirs, is a matter of bargain. You can even ask for half or less than the amount they originally ask for. The cheapest place to buy things is the Blue City, then Casablanca, and at last Marrakech.
How long do I need to see the most?
Ten days is the minimum and fifteen days to do the trip properly and not miss anything.
Marrakech
Where to stay in Marrakech?
The best neighborhood to stay is the Old Medina because you can walk everywhere, and everything you want to see is there. It is a little bit chaotic as you go deeper, especially where the daily markets are. There are a lot of motorcycles since cars don't fit in narrow streets. Be very aware of your surroundings. The Fna Square is well known for pickpocketing, don't put your belongings in your back pockets, always have them in front of you.
Best hotels in Marrakech:
$$ Palais Sebban: https://palaissebban.com
$$ Riad NayaNour: https://www.riadnayanour.com
$$$$ Les Jardins de la Koutoubia: http://www.lesjardinsdelakoutoubia.com/en/5-star-hotel-marrakech
From Airport to Marrakech Medina:
Taxi is around 25 dollars (250 MADS) to the Old Medina. Public transportation is not a thing here. Cars are too wide to fit in some streets so they might drop you off close to your hotel. Have the name and address written down and be careful to who you ask for directions, they usually either take you to their shop instead or ask you for money in exchange for the directions. The best thing is to download maps me, download the map of the Medina before getting off line. Sometimes is better to pre-arrange a shuttle form your hotel.
People speak Arabic and French, but impressively they also manage themselves to speak Spanish, English, some Italian and some Portuguese.
Best restaurants in Marrakech:
KABANA ROOFTOP (they have alcohol)
Dardar rooftop
Nomad (they don't have alcohol)
Le Salama Marrakech
It has a nice rooftop, they serve alcohol, they hay shows like belly dancers and more.
Note: If you visit Morocco or any Arabic/Muslim country during Ramadan, the alcohol gets banned, and many places don't serve it until Ramadan is done a month later. Some places like The Blue City don't serve alcohol anyways, so if you like to drink, bring your own from another city because it will be very hard to find some there. There was a bar that used to be open in the Blue City but is not functioning anymore.
Things to do in Marrakech:
Les Jardin Secret
tickets can be purchased at the door, they accept credit cards
Daar el Bacha Palace 6usd tickets only at the door
Madrassa Ben Youssef also called Ibn Youssef school $4 tickets at door they don't accept credit cards, only cash.
Jardin Majorelle Ives Saint Laurent
The designer brand has its own gardens in Marrakech, located 25 min by walking from the Old Medina
Access is limited, you need tickets purchased at least two days in advance.
The Koutobia Mosque
The entrance is only for muslims, worth to see from outside.
Kasbah Mosque: Saadian Tombs is $6, tickets are gotten at the front door.
Bahia Palace
Another gem part of the rich architecture in Marrakech. The entrance cost is $7 dollars at the door.
Go to the Markets, there are so many markets areas in Marrakech, all worth visiting:
El Fna square market
This is the most popular one because here you can see closely the life of the locals. Especially during the night.
Places De Epices: As the name in French says, this plaza sells spices. If you are wondering if you can travel with spices the answer is yes. Depending on the amount you are buying. If it's for household use and it is not an incredible large purchase, just think that everyone coming from Morocco goes through security check with spices. I would recommend to put it in the check in bag, although I did put them away in my carry on. I purchased them in little hard-plastic containers properly sealed.
Souk Semmarine, it also works during the night, they sell everything. They have spices, hats, pillow cases, rugs, bedding, mirrors, art, cigars, even chameleons.
To plan your day better have into consideration that most of the attractions open at 10 am and close at 6 pm
The best is to go back to your riad and enjoy of the amenities, and go back out for dinner at sunset to enjoy the view from a rooftop restaurant. Also, not all the places accept credit card at all times, always have cash, Marrakech markets only work with cash, for instance.
Tour to the Sahara
There are several companies that organize this tour, there are so many options and styles, like very luxury glamping, ATV's, etc. Also, different lengths are offered. There is a day tour, two days, three days or more. I used getyourguide.com, and chose the two days tour. Please read the reviews and the details of the tour and make sure to research every place listed on the tour.
This tour involves a lot of driving. You will be stuck in a van for many hours. They will pick you up from your hotel in Marrakech at 7:30 or so. They drive everyone to another spot where you divide into groups according to the length of your tour. You drive for almost two hours, stop at a place to grab some breakfast, use restrooms, stretch legs. The drive continues until a Panoramic view, after that there is another hour and then The first big stop to visit:
Ait Ben Haddou
This place was used to film a lot of movies and tv shows: Game of Thrones, Gladiator (they are currently filming Gladiator 2, and you can see how they are building a replica of the Roman Coliseum), Indiana Jones, The prince of Persia and more. They will repeat this information so many times during the tour, it is impossible to forget. There are markets in this village as well, cheaper than Marrakech.
After the visit to Ait Benhaddou, they will take you to a scarf store because supposedly you need one for your camel ride later, the truth is that it looks good for the picture but is not that necessary unless is windy and you don't want sand on your hair. You can bring your own scarf from home or buy it before the tour.
Then, there is a stop at a restaurant to eat lunch all together, they have from Tajin (typical food from Morocco) to pizza. Once lunch is done you go back to the van for another few hours. At last there is a camel ride to the camp. The camel ride is for over an hour, and even though its fun, it does hurt. The sandy surface is very bumpy and you will feel it on top of your camel. My personal opinion: I don't regret.
Once you arrive to the campsite it will be dark. They will welcome you with some mint tea and local pastries, you can leave your belongings in your designated tent. As it gets darker the stars really stand out and the view from the desert is amazing.
After dinner, there is a music show around a fire pit, and then you go to sleep about 10:30 pm. Next day the invite you to wake up at 6:15 am to walk up the dune and watch the sunrise and then have breakfast at 6:30.
After breakfast, there is a camel ride back to the van, to visit a next destination and have lunch before heading back to Marrakech. This is the view of the camp from the dunes where the sunrise can be watched.
You leave the camp and drive towards the first stop that second day: Ouarzazate where the Kasbah is waiting for you
The Kasbah, also filming location of Game of Thrones, Gladiator, Prince of Persia, Indiana jones, and more. Only a limited number of families live here. Kasbah in Arabic means castle. Once again, careful with taking pictures, especially when the locals are around, they don't like it.
After this visit you will head to a beautiful Restaurant in Ouarzazate, In front of the Kasbah, with the best view.
They never rush you and give you enough time to eat, go to the bathroom and strech your legs. The last stop will be the studios used to film some indoor scenes of famous movies. Finally a drive back to Marrakech.
CHEFCHAOUEN
Where to stay in Chefchaouen?
Chefchaouen is very small, and I would say that these two hotels that are up in the hill, although staircases are long, are very worth it since these are the most beautiful options. These have the best views and are only 15 min away from the main plaza. Chefchaouen has a lot of up and down hills, and endless steps, definitely not for people with reduced mobility.
$$$$Dar Jasmine: https://www.darjasmine.com/en/homepage/
We absolutely loved the people at this hotel, they were so kind and nice at all times, so wonderful, they are in every detail, impossible not to give a 10/10. They have a pool, a restaurant (The food is amazing), the panoramic view of the city.
$$$ Dar Echchaouen: Doesn't have official website can be found on booking.com they have a pool, a restaurant, and surprisingly we found that a lot of people was staying here. I personally liked Dar Jasmine better, but this is another good option too.
What to do in Chefchaouen?
It is so relaxing to walk through The Blue City, it is very small and charming, and the best part is to get lost in the beautiful streets. Some of the things you can do:
Cooking class, some restaurants offer a cooking classes like Beldi Bab Ssour and Lalla Messaouda (lalamesouda@gmail.com) They don't have a website but as soon as you arrive you can show up at the restaurants which are a few minutes by walking from the main plaza, and ask for the class.
Visit the Kasbah : KASBAH in Arabic means "Castle", this ancient fort has the best panoramic view of the blue city, and is located in the heart of it. Tickets only sold at the door, they only accept cash.
Spanish Mosque Hike:
Also offers an incredible view, the hike is not that easy since the hill is very steep and long.
Do some shopping: This is is the cheapest touristy location to buy beautiful things.
Have a smoothie at this place:
Located half a block away from Riad Zaitouna
Enjoy of your hotel pool and the amenities. Chefchaouen is one of the most relaxing location of this trip, and is perfect to recharge batteries after Marrakech, which is so chaotic that will drain a lot of your energy.
Best restaurants in Chefchaouen
Reservations to eat in Chefchaouen are not needed, although I made them because I love to plan ahead. None of these restaurants serve alcohol.
Al Kasbah hotel-restaurant for lunch, is all blue and colorful!! Ask for the Chicken Pastilla and skewers.
Vancii Hotel The rooftop is ideal at sunset time for cocktails and smoothies (they don't serve alcohol).
Beldi Bab Ssour: It has a few levels to enjoy your meal (main floor, first floor, rooftop), it is perfect for authentic food. It's a little bit tricky to find, but everyone knows this place.
Lalla Messaouda: Also another good option for authentic food. Contact info: lalamesouda@gmail.com
Bar Oum Rabi was the only bar open that sold alcohol, but it is not open anymore. And as I said before, tourists bring their own alcohol from another city since The Blue City doesn't have a drop of it. They do offer you Hashish and weed while you walk, but better not to get anything weird in a foreigner country.
CASABLANCA
Where to stay in Casablanca?
By the beach is the best location, in the area called Corniche, Once you stay in other towns and villages in Morocco, and see the charm of the hotels, roads and buildings, it is hard to stay at a hotel in Casablanca because everything is modern. Every hotel is just like any other hotel you have stayed in Europe or the US. No cute courtyards, no welcome tea, not the same service anymore. This city is really modern and it has a very open minded life style.
$$$ Four Seasons: I think Casablanca has one of the most affordable Four Seasons, starting at $200 the night depending on availability. Book in advance to get the most affordable rooms.
$$ Villa Blanca: Is almost by the beach, separated from the shore by a road. It has a bar and a spa.
$$ Casa Pestana: Rooms are big, plenty of natural light, is right on the beach, they have a pool but open only during summer. Breakfast buffet is included and is good.
In Casablanca there is public transportation but it doesn't work by the Corniche, which is basically the coastline, so it gets hard to navigate. I don't recommend to stay more than two nights because the taxi can get expensive, specially during the night when the rate is double. Casablanca is well known for having an airport with affordable flights to go back home so usually is the last stop.
Casa Voyageurs is the train station. Train tickets depending on distance cost around 36 USD for two people in first class.
From airport: the AirPort is 50 min away from the city, and the cost for the taxi is about 40 dollars (400 MADS). Taxis that go to the airport are diferent from taxis that work in the city. Taxis to the airport are white, and taxis that work in the city are red, and they simply don't go to the airport because is too far for them. To navigate the city by taxi you shouldn't pay more than 50 MADS per ride during the day, if they ask you for more, negotiate, and before getting in make sure they agree with the price.
Best restaurants in Casablanca:
Dar Dada
Also make reservations in advance, it gets book very quickly.
Rick's Cafe
Famous for being a replica of the Rick's Café in the movie Casablanca, this restaurant is perfect for dinner because during the night there is a piano show, a beautiful band plays jazz for a few hours. Make reservations at least a month in advance, is hard to get in for dinner otherwise.
Zayna:
This is a very authentic cuisine restaurant, located two blocks away from the Habous Market. They only speak French and Arabic, so you might want to use your phone to look for the dishes on the menu.
Villa Blanca:
It has a beautiful terrace with a bar that faces the ocean, it's perfect for drinks and to watch the sunset. (more like a trendy-chic vibe)
What to do in Casablanca:
Il Hasan Mosque closes at 4 pm. Tickets are 10 dollars each only at the door, they accept credit cards.
Old Medina Market
Almost all the cities and towns in Morocco have their own medinas, where the markets are located, and is very interesting to see how different are depending on where you are. The most chaotic one is in Marrakech, whereas in the other cities and villages are a little bit more organized.
Mahkama of Pacha This is a beautiful palace 20 min away from the Corniche. It's closed on Saturdays. Tickets only at the door.
Habous Market (10 min away from the Corniche)
This market is super safe, and clean, and is bigger than it looks from the entrance. They have a street where they sell typical clothing, and as you keep walking towards adjacent alleys, there are patisseries, and rug shops, pillow cases, art, etc. It's only open until 5 pm.
Go to the beach
The sunset can be seen from the beach and is very pretty, this beach gets very foggy. People gather to play volleyball, run, and to have picnics.
Additional information:
In muslim countries you will constantly hear the pryers. There are four prayers a day: At sunrise, midday, afternoon and evening. You will hear the chant of the prayer no matter where you are.
Typical meals in Morocco include tajin and pastilla. Marrakech itself would take a week, including the tour to the desert that takes two entire days, to visit Marrakech you need time! Everything smells nice: hotels usually smell like jasmine and roses, and the soap also smells like jasmine.
Usual scams:
The first scam (amongst so many) happen at the entrance of Madrassa Ben Youssef. The entrance is in an alley and there is a guy right around the corner who claims to work there and assures you that this place is closed "You have to come back tomorrow, but today you can come to see how products made of wool and leather are made" He literally grabs you and tries to drag you to this market which existence is questionable. I checked the open hours on my phone because I was sure this place was actually open since I research absolutely everything. He aggressively wanted to see what I was doing with my phone and for me that was it, I ignored him and walked towards the Madrassa... of course it was open. With this they try to either make you buy their products or in worse cases I've heard they drag you very far... get you in their houses, tell you a silly story and don't let you go until you pay because they told you a "great" story: So no, do not listen to them and only asks questions about locations to the people who work in your hotel
Another common scam:
A little kid follows you to your hotel and asks you to pay him for guiding you even though you knew exactly where your hotel was. He bangs at the door until someone opens and he claims for the money. Don't pay him because he will keep thinking that that's a good way of making money: This kids are very hard to avoid. They are also very aggressive
More scams: this one happens when you visit Ait Ben Haddou. The entrance to this place is free and included on the total price you pay for this excursion to the desert that takes 2 days. There is a guide that after the visit while you are having lunch with the rest of the tour group will collect"his fee" and even ask for tips on top of a that. I would say either pay the fee or leave tip but not both. Also, you can opt to go to a different restaurant (which prices are all made up at the moment by the way) but it is nice to eat with the group you are going to travel for two days. They will also advice you to get in a scarf market and buy one... they have a deal with the people who work at the market to bring people in. You can get your own scarf anywhere else before the tour. To ride the camels you don't need a scarf unless is extremely windy.
If you visit with enough time and are aware of the scams, this trip will be an unforgettable experience.
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