In January, I visited Marrakech with my boyfriend, spending four days discovering the city’s vibrant culture. A place which is renowned for its ability to draw in travellers from across the world. While it provided us with a memorable and beautiful first holiday together, certain expectations need to be followed to ensure a safe and secure passage during your stay. Here are a few tips to consider while travelling to Marrakech.
- Embrace the culture
Moroccan food is amazing and full of flavour. Going out of your comfort zone and trying traditional dishes such as tagine and mint teas is something you will not regret.
- Haggle
Haggling is a traditional practice in Marrakech souks and markets. However, many market sellers will try and take advantage of you, by calling for high prices. Do not feel ashamed in haggling down the prices, do not feel bad saying no!
- Get lost in the Markets
While exploring the markets, try not to worry about your end destination. We had the most fun just wandering through them.
- Download offline maps
While getting lost in the city can be fun, it is also a good idea to have a map. If you are not willing to buy a sim card for data (we found that we did not need one as most places had WIFI), downloading an app where you can pre-download a map is terrific in helping you navigate without service. We used Maps.me.
- Food safety
While the food is wonderful and deserves a try just be mindful that many restaurants and stalls do not have the best food hygiene practices, which can result in food poisoning.
- Dress appropriately
While the city greets guests from across the world, it is still quite a conservative place and it is important to remember to dress modestly while visiting certain areas and mosques.
- Do not accept any help from men
As soon as we arrived, our Riad host warned us about accepting help from people on the street. He told us men would come up to us, in a friendly manner, offering advice. Don’t accept help from them! Many tourists have been robbed that way. The host advised us to only accept help from: ‘policemen, shopkeepers and women’.
By following these tips, you will be provided a safe and informative guide to exploring the vibrant city of Marrakech!