10 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO MARRAKECH

Send

This guide for travel to Marrakech, will help you prepare a trip to one of the most chaotic and magical cities in the world.
The old part of the city or Medina, surrounded by walls, is the most interesting in Marrakech as many souks, palaces and mosques are concentrated, which we are sure, will leave you speechless. If you also stay in a riad and enjoy one of the best gastronomies in the world, with dishes such as tajine or couscous always accompanied by a mint tea, the experience will be complete.

Based on the experience of the time we spent in the city during our trip to Marrakech and Essaouira in 5 days, we have created this list of 10 essential tips for traveling to Marrakech.We start!

1. What is the best time?

The best time to travel to Marrakech is in spring and autumn, at which time you will avoid high temperatures, which can exceed 40 degrees in summer. Winter is also a good time to have less tourism, accommodation prices are cheaper and it is not too cold, if you do not do any excursion in the Atlas area.
The worst time may be the month of Ramadan, a period in which Muslims do not eat from dawn to dusk and many businesses remain closed during the day. To check the dates, keep in mind that the Ramadan calendar is governed by the mole and changes every year, although it is usually about 11 days before the previous year. Taking into account that in 2019 it will be held during most of the month of May, you can anticipate when it will be next. If you have already visited the city on another occasion, it may be interesting to coincide with this period for a few days and learn firsthand what Ramadan means to a Muslim.

2. Entry requirements and travel insurance

The Spaniards to travel to Marrakech, do not need a visa, you just have to carry the passport with a minimum validity of 6 months and fill out an immigration brochure that they will give you on the plane or at the airport of Marrakech. If you are from another country, check all the entry requirements on the official website of your Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In addition to meeting the entry requirements, we recommend that you carry one or several copies of the paper passport and one in the cloud.

Another requirement that we consider almost mandatory is to have the best travel insurance for Morocco to avoid a large outlay if you have to treat yourself in a good private clinic or city hospital.
We always travel insured with Mondo, with whom we carry a totally adequate insurance to the needs that we will have on the trip. Hiring your insurance here with Mondo, just for being a Street Travelers reader, you have a 5% discount.

3. Safety when traveling to Marrakech

Marrakech and Morocco in general, is one of the countries that allocate more resources to the safety of tourists in Africa, being a great source of money for the country. These resources accompanied by high penalties for any crime, make the tourist cities of Morocco and especially Marrakech, safe.
In spite of all the measures, you should always use common sense and do not go into the neighborhoods away from the Medina at night and pay attention to small scams. These situations occur especially with taxi drivers who do not want to put the meter or set a fixed price, sellers who ask for a much higher price than the real one or the false guides that you find in the Medina and who work on commission for restaurants and shops .

Marrakech souk

4. Money exchange

To get dirhams, one euro equals about 11 dirhams, it is advisable to get money at ATMs, rather than taking money changed from your country's bank or going to an exchange office.
To avoid paying commissions and always having the current change, we recommend using the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.

If you do not have these cards, it is preferable to get money at ATMs in the city, rather than at airports where the commission is higher.
One of the best tips for traveling to Marrakech and to travel to Morocco, it is always to carry a good amount of cash in coins and bills of little value for tips in restaurants and hotels.

Dirham

If you want to have internet in Morocco, in addition to being able to buy a SIM card at the airport, you can buy a Holafly SIM card being in Spain, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, saving you all the time of the negotiations and making the whole process to have internet in Japan much more comfortable, fast and easy.
In this case, with the Holafly SIM you will have several Gb to surf the Internet (depending on the option you choose), they will send it to you for free at home, you will keep your WhatsApp number and you will have assistance service in Spanish. You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader
More information on the Holafly post, the best prepaid SIM card for travel

5. How to get from Marrakech airport to downtown?

The Menara International Airport of Marrakech, located about 6 kilometers from the center, is the main one and where you usually land to visit this city.
To get to the center or your hotel from the airport you have these three options:

Bus: Number 19, which operates at 6 and 9:30 pm, will take you to Jemaa Square in 20 minutes for 3 euros. The local bus 11 has a price of half a euro, although it makes more stops, has little space for luggage and is 10 minutes walk from the terminal. You can buy tickets directly on the bus and it is advisable to tell the driver at which stop you plan to get off to let you know.
Private transport: It is the easiest and most comfortable way to get to the center, avoiding waiting on the bus and haggling and getting angry with taxis. When booking this service here, a driver will wait for you inside the airport with a sign with your name, and will take you directly to your Marrakech hotel.
Cab: It is advisable to know the offers of taxis or drivers that will make you at the departures terminal and go directly to the official stop where a panel with prices is located. Using this price as a reference you can negotiate a fixed price, since they surely will not want to put on the meter.

Keep in mind that many streets in the center of Medina are not open to traffic and if your hotel or riad is in this area you will have to do a piece on foot. Sometimes it is difficult to find accommodation if it is located in an alley in the Medina, in this case we recommend you ask for help from a place that will accompany you for a small tip.

In this post you can find extended information on how to go from the Marrakech airport to the center.

Marrakech Medina

6. Accommodation

If you are going to travel to Marrakech in high season, we recommend you book a good riad inside the Medina in advance, rather than a hotel. These sought after accommodations, former Arab palaces that have been transformed into hotels, have a beautiful interior courtyard where you can relax while listening to the sound of the fountain's water.
Many of them such as Riad Assalam, where we had an incredible stay, have a perfect terrace to watch the sunset over the city while having a mint tea. One of the characteristics that this riad also meets in addition to a magnificent location is the friendliness of the owners and a delicious Moroccan breakfast, which you can enjoy on the terrace.

Sleep in a riad, one of the best tips for traveling to Marrakech

7. Points of interest

The Medina concentrates many of the most important markets, palaces, madrasas and mosques in Marrakech, starting with the busiest place in the city, the Jamaa el Fna Square.
To this square full of life and activity, it is worth spending a few hours during the day and others at night, having two totally different environments, depending on the time of day. Also do not forget to climb the terrace of Café Glacier at sunset, to enjoy the best views of the square.
A good way to have a good first contact with the Medina and Jamaa el Fna Square is to book this free tour of Marrakech Free! or a private tour in which you choose the itinerary, both with a guide in Spanish.
From this square you can stroll through the medina until you find places like the fabulous Medersa Ben Youssef or some souvenir like the famous babuchas or chilabas in their endless souks.
Other interesting buildings and complexes in the Medina are the Koutoubia Mosque, the Bahia Palace and the Badi Palace, and the magnificent Saadian Tombs, one of our favorite places in the city.
It is also interesting during the route through the old part, to approach the 10-meter-high clay wall that surrounds the Medina, to see some of its most famous access doors such as the Bab Agnaou of the twelfth century.
If you want to get away from tourism a little, inside the Medina you have the Mellah neighborhood, the old Jewish neighborhood that still preserves the essence and traditions of the city.
Outside the walls we recommend you visit the Majorelle Gardens, a beautiful oasis of tranquility within the chaotic and noisy Marrakech.

Another of the best tips for traveling to Marrakech It is to complete this list of the best things to do in Marrakech and this one of the places to visit in Marrakech essential, to enjoy the city to the fullest.

8. Routes through Marrakech

The days needed to travel to Marrakech and know the main points of interest of the Medina we believe are between 2 or 3 days.
Most interesting places are within the walls of the Medina and can be reached perfectly on foot, if you trace the itineraries well to make the most of the time. In addition, it must be taken into account that a large part of the Medina is pedestrian, so this is the best way to get to know the city.
To reach the points of interest that are outside the wall such as the Majorelle Gardens or the Palm Grove you can take a taxi, setting the price or a guided tour in Spanish.
The locals will offer you to reach these remote areas or to tour the city, buggy rides in which the cars are pulled by horses. It is a means of transport that we do not recommend because we are not responsible for animals.

Based on our experience we have made these three guides that will help you optimize your routes through Marrakech if you have 1, 2, or 3 days.

Marrakech

9. Where and what to eat?

One of the best reasons to travel to Marrakech is to try their delicious food, always accompanied by the typical mint tea. Some of the most typical dishes are:

Tajín: chicken or lamb stew that is served in a deep clay dish. One of our favorite dishes in the world is the lamb tagine with prunes.
Couscous: wheat semolina that is eaten accompanied by meat and various vegetables.
Sweets: they usually carry a large amount of sugar and are spiced with nuts.
Pill: layers of puff pastry stuffed with meat and almonds, baked and seasoned with cinnamon and icing sugar.
Salad: Tomato salad is very typical.

To try these delicious dishes of Moroccan cuisine you can be guided by this list of the best restaurants to eat in Marrakech cheap.

Couscous

10. The best tours and excursions

If you are going to travel to Marrakech with an extra day, you can complete the trip with a visit to one of the most essential places to see in Morocco.
In a day from Marrakech you can go to Essaouira by bus from Rue Aboubaker Seddi with the CTM company and from Avenue Hassan II with Supratours. After about three hours by bus you will reach this town, called the pearl of the Moroccan Atlantic.
Another option is about 3 hours from the city, where you will find the Ouzoud Waterfalls, the most spectacular in North Africa.
If you have more days we recommend you visit the Sahara desert, spending a night in a jaima watching the stars. To access the desert you can choose two areas: Zagora located about 7 hours by car or Merzouga about 9 hours. For us, if you have time, the best area is Merzouga, having more spectacular dunes.
On the way to the desert do not miss the kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a spectacular adobe and clay village frozen in time.
The best way to get to these wonders is by rental car, before using public transport, especially for the desert area, since it is not the means of transport habitual and you will not have much frequency or route options.

A comfortable and safe alternative is to book some of the best excursions in Marrakech with a Spanish guide like these:

Book a 3-day excursion to the desert of Merzouga
Book a 4-day excursion to the desert of Merzouga
Book 2-day excursion to the Zagora desert
Book excursion to the Ouzoud Waterfalls
Book excursion to Essaouira
More tours and excursions here

For more information on the tour you can consult this specific post about the desert excursion from Marrakech

Essaouira

Do you want to organize this trip to Marrakech?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Marrakech here
The best hotels at the best prices in Marrakech here
Book the best tours and excursions in / from Marrakech in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Marrakech transfer here
The best free tours in Marrakech for free
10 essential tips for traveling to Morocco
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Rent your car in Morocco at the best price here