Marrakesh

Printable View

22nd August 2019, 09:37
Chris_in_the_UK

Marrakesh

Heading there for a break in October.

Starting to put a list of things/places etc.

Any experiences?
22nd August 2019, 09:42
BillyCasper

'Marrakesh travel recommendations?' Gareth.hayes, September 2018.

Sweet mint tea.
22nd August 2019, 11:35
hilly10

Been about four times and loved it every time loads to do

Visit the main square at night so much going on and the street food is brilliant

Do the carriage ride round the old town negotiate price

When walking in the square just say a firm NO and keep walking they get the message, stop and you have had it

Do the Atlas Mountains 4x4 Safari

Visit The Gardens, they really are beautiful
22nd August 2019, 12:02
lughugger

Quote:

Originally Posted by hilly10

Been about four times and loved it every time loads to do

Visit the main square at night so much going on and the street food is brilliant

Do the carriage ride round the old town negotiate price

When walking in the square just say a firm NO and keep walking they get the message, stop and you have had it

Do the Atlas Mountains 4x4 Safari

Visit The Gardens, they really are beautiful

This covers the essentials. Plus the souk, of course.

We hired a car for a day and drove over the mountains to Ourzazate stopping at one of the sites used as a location in the Gladiator movie and hiking one of the gorges.

Marrakech and the Atlas are in my top 3 favourite locations. Amazing people, food and culture.
22nd August 2019, 12:26
inthered

We caught the coach to Essaouira, long day but worth the visit and to be by the sea for a day, and the Majorelle gardens are stunning.
https://www.gardenvisit.com/gardens/majorelle_garden
22nd August 2019, 13:14
steptoe

I used to help a motorcycle tour company do trips to Morrocco and have run four tours of my own .

Must have been to Marrakesh a dozen times.

Do the Jemaa el-Fnaa square at night, eat a Pastilla, avoid the sheeps heads, and the fish is incredibly boney.

The square is also a pleasnt place during the day to sit and have a coffee, try and get an upstairs seat at one of the many coffee shops.
Visit the Yves St Laurent museum and gardens.
Don't just stick to the street food, there are some fantastic upmarket restaurants serving top quality food at very very reasonable prices.

Try and get out of the centre of town at night and watch the shooting stars constantly criss-crossing the night sky.

Hire a car and drive over the awesome Tizi n'Tichka pass, stopping at the small cafe on top and having a Berbar Omelette, then onto Benhaddou, the town they used in the film Gladiator and also in a Star wars film, then onto Ouarzazate for lunch. Total mileage approx 110.

Once you reach the top of the Tizi n'Tichka pass and start to head down on the other side you'll notice the landscape change and the temperature rise as you head towards the desert.

Shame you haven't got time to visit Zagora (100 miles further on from Ouarzazate), all the vibe of a frontier town with expedition 4x4 vehicles heading in and out into the desert and where the famous "Timbuktoo this way" sign, and the Dades and Todra gorges (approx 80 miles from Ouarzazate) .
22nd August 2019, 15:38
hansblix2001

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK

Heading there for a break in October.

Starting to put a list of things/places etc.

Any experiences?

I'd definitely go to the Atlas Mountains, dinner or a drink at La Mamounia (Churchill's favourite place to stay) and visiting Jemaa el-Fna. The Majorelle Garden is worth a visit too and shouldn't be too hot.

Be aware as possible of your money/surroundings and I'd avoid taking anything too expensive. Also, haggle for everything you buy in/near Jemaa el-Fna (it's expected there and you'll get ripped off if not) and don't drink the orange juice. Taxi fares are also very much up for negotiation.
22nd August 2019, 16:18
Wyvern971

Went there a few years ago, some of the guys trying to get people to eat at their stall on the market was interesting....."100% guarantee, no diarrhea".

I was told when haggling, aim to pay around 25% how true that was I don't know as we didn't buy much

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using TZ-UK mobile app
22nd August 2019, 16:34
markrlondon

Quote:

Originally Posted by hansblix2001

and don't drink the orange juice.

Dare I ask, why specifically the orange juice?

I am reminded of The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents: "Don't eat the green wobbly bit". ;-)
22nd August 2019, 16:47
Passenger

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyvern971

Went there a few years ago, some of the guys trying to get people to eat at their stall on the market was interesting....."100% guarantee, no diarrhea".

I was told when haggling, aim to pay around 25% how true that was I don't know as we didn't buy much

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using TZ-UK mobile app

It was watching the food stall guys in the El fnar, fnar square 'wash' the plates by dipping them in a murky bucket, quick wipe with whatever came to hand before serving up the next portion of snails/whatever to the next customer that really sold the experience. :smiley:
22nd August 2019, 16:52
lughugger

Quote:

Originally Posted by steptoe

I used to help a motorcycle tour company do trips to Morrocco and have run four tours of my own .

Must have been to Marrakesh a dozen times.

Do the Jemaa el-Fnaa square at night, eat a Pastilla, avoid the sheeps heads, and the fish is incredibly boney.

The square is also a pleasnt place during the day to sit and have a coffee, try and get an upstairs seat at one of the many coffee shops.
Visit the Yves St Laurent museum and gardens.
Don't just stick to the street food, there are some fantastic upmarket restaurants serving top quality food at very very reasonable prices.

Try and get out of the centre of town at night and watch the shooting stars constantly criss-crossing the night sky.

Hire a car and drive over the awesome Tizi n'Tichka pass, stopping at the small cafe on top and having a Berbar Omelette, then onto Benhaddou, the town they used in the film Gladiator and also in a Star wars film, then onto Ouarzazate for lunch. Total mileage approx 110.

Once you reach the top of the Tizi n'Tichka pass and start to head down on the other side you'll notice the landscape change and the temperature rise as you head towards the desert.

Shame you haven't got time to visit Zagora (100 miles further on from Ouarzazate), all the vibe of a frontier town with expedition 4x4 vehicles heading in and out into the desert and where the famous "Timbuktoo this way" sign, and the Dades and Todra gorges (approx 80 miles from Ouarzazate) .

Great advice. I have a framed picture of me and my sister at the Timbuktu sign on our office wall.

Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
22nd August 2019, 17:06
VDG

Quote:

Originally Posted by markrlondon

Dare I ask, why specifically the orange juice?

I am reminded of The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents: "Don't eat the green wobbly bit". ;-)

Since it's freshly squeezed and handled by God knows whom I leave the rest for your imagination :smug:
22nd August 2019, 17:16
markrlondon

Quote:

Originally Posted by VDG

Since it's freshly squeezed and handled by God knows whom I leave the rest for your imagination :smug:

Ah, I see, thanks. I'll try not to imagine it, actually. ;-)
22nd August 2019, 17:27
VDG

Quote:

Originally Posted by markrlondon

Ah, I see, thanks. I'll try not to imagine it, actually. ;-)

Yep, because it's impossible to imagine what happens next without using words 'both ends' and 'projectile' :grief: :icon_biggrin:
22nd August 2019, 17:48
markrlondon

Quote:

Originally Posted by VDG

Yep, because it's impossible to imagine what happens next without using words 'both ends' and 'projectile' :grief: :icon_biggrin:

LOL :puke:
22nd August 2019, 18:23
SimonK

Well I thought the fresh orange juice was yummy and drank several glasses; no squits, fortunately.

Eating in the square is great and I'd say there's little risk of food poisoning as everything is fresh and cooked at a million degrees.

I'd agree with what has already been said - a visit to the Jardin de Majorelle and a drink in the garden of the Mamounia hotel - I drank a local beer (brewed in Casablanca, I think) and smoked a cigar under the lemon trees and the stars, which was a simple but perfect pleasure.

The problem with the 'self-appointed' guides who will try to latch on to you is you never know whether you've got a good'un or not. I was lucky, an extremely friendly bloke took me to a mosque, which I probably wouldn't have entered alone, and then took my the Berber souk, which I also wouldn't have found. In an emporium in this souk the shopkeeper made me a cup of mint tea and it was all really soft sell. I was going to buy a knick-knack justto be polite and ended up buying a carpet!

A little later another one of these dragomen tried to attach himself to me and wouldn't be shaken off. As we passed a street cigarette seller he said 'just a minute, I need to buy some ciggies', and on receiving same said to me 'pay him then'. He didn't take kindly to being told to eff off.

Anyway, here're a couple of piccies, not good quality as I took them with an Olympus XA and scanned the prints

https://66.media.tumblr.com/72b93e0a...n3o2o3_540.jpg

https://66.media.tumblr.com/59d9813f...n3o2o4_540.jpg
22nd August 2019, 18:34
markrlondon

^^^ Very atmospheric shots!
22nd August 2019, 22:16
jonyd

Quote:

Originally Posted by SimonK

Well I thought the fresh orange juice was yummy and drank several glasses; no squits, fortunately.

Eating in the square is great and I'd say there's little risk of food poisoning as everything is fresh and cooked at a million degrees.

I'd agree with what has already been said - a visit to the Jardin de Majorelle and a drink in the garden of the Mamounia hotel - I drank a local beer (brewed in Casablanca, I think) and smoked a cigar under the lemon trees and the stars, which was a simple but perfect pleasure.

The problem with the 'self-appointed' guides who will try to latch on to you is you never know whether you've got a good'un or not. I was lucky, an extremely friendly bloke took me to a mosque, which I probably wouldn't have entered alone, and then took my the Berber souk, which I also wouldn't have found. In an emporium in this souk the shopkeeper made me a cup of mint tea and it was all really soft sell. I was going to buy a knick-knack justto be polite and ended up buying a carpet!

A little later another one of these dragomen tried to attach himself to me and wouldn't be shaken off. As we passed a street cigarette seller he said 'just a minute, I need to buy some ciggies', and on receiving same said to me 'pay him then'. He didn't take kindly to being told to eff off.

Anyway, here're a couple of piccies, not good quality as I took them with an Olympus XA and scanned the prints

https://66.media.tumblr.com/72b93e0a...n3o2o3_540.jpg

https://66.media.tumblr.com/59d9813f...n3o2o4_540.jpg

These are great

Sent from my GM1913 using Tapatalk
23rd August 2019, 09:05
hansblix2001

Quote:

Originally Posted by markrlondon

Dare I ask, why specifically the orange juice?

I am reminded of The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents: "Don't eat the green wobbly bit". ;-)

Exactly! Some of the sellers in the main market sell 'fresh' orange juice but it's often squeezed and left sitting for a while and we had some very bad experiences after trying it...
23rd August 2019, 10:01
markrlondon

Quote:

Originally Posted by hansblix2001

Exactly! Some of the sellers in the main market sell 'fresh' orange juice but it's often squeezed and left sitting for a while and we had some very bad experiences after trying it...

Ick.

Thanks for the warning.