I´ve been to Marrakech on several occasions and absolutely LOVE this red, dusty and energetic Moroccan city! Marrakech can be intense when you get there for the first time so here is my version of the ultimate guide to Marrakech.
Jeema El Fna square
Where to stay?
Marrakech is SWARMED with old charming Riads (roughly translates into “Garden” in Arabic) and they don´t need to be ridiculously expensive or overinstagrammed. Many of them are nestled in the Medina. Sure, you can choose to stay at the fancy schmancy Four Seasons – but to capture the authentic charm of Morocco, I would definitely recommend staying at a Riad.
The most amazing and extravagant Riad I have ever stayed in is Riad Palais Sebban. The 200-year-old Riad is located 5 minutes’ walk from the central Jeema El Fna square and the Koutoubia Mosque and combines old-style Morcoccan charm and beauty with a high level of service, super friendly staff, a heated pool, delicious food and a romantic, calm and serene atmosphere. You can relax with a cup of mynthe tea in their lounge chairs on the roof terrace or enjoy a good book on one of their patios surrounded by beautiful antiques. In the rare occasion it´s raining, the Riad also has a bar equipped with a cozy fire place.
Other noteworthy Riads are Riad Houdou and Riad Zinoun.
Riad Houdou is located in a more local neighborhood closer to the souks and about 10-minute walk from Jeema El Fna square. Eric, Didier and the rest of the staff are all really kind and helpful and the Riad is beautifully restored and decorated. I stayed at a Superior Junior Suite with a private patio with a heated pool and a small private lounge area – all within a reasonable price range. Furthermore, the Riad is situated close to le Foundouk, an AMAZING restaurant with a relaxed and trendy atmosphere and some of the best food I have ever had during my visits to Marrakech.
Riad Zinoun is also located very centrally directly in the souk and a good bargain considering the beauty of the Riad, the price level and the room size.
And then of course there is the legendary 5-star La Mamounia for those with no travel budget constraints😉
Where and what to shop?
I admit it. I´m a super shopper! And when ever I go to Morocco, I always feel like Morocco´s GDP must have gone up at least 1% when I leave. My home looks like a high-end Moroccan brothel (I imagine – not that I´ve ever been) complete with leather poufs, dark red curtains, and all kinds of Moroccan nick-nacks.
Whether you are into antiques, leather poufs, shoes and slippers, exotic spices, French nougat, brass lamps, tea pots, fake designer bags or silk garments, Marrakech has it ALL.
If not, you can always go for more high-end shopping at the Menara Mall where you will find international brands like MaxMara as well as Arabic brands.
But I would recommend taking a stroll in the souks and get lost in the narrow alley ways and just enjoy the bustling energy of loud merchants, fellow travelers, packed donkeys, and busy motor bikes. To find your way around, you can use apps like Maps.me which work offline and has a detailed map of the souk.
However, I try getting lost on purpose. I always manage to find the most unique little boutique shops when I turn a corner and venture into the unknown. I have listed some of my favorite shops here.
Parfume, argan oil and soaps – go to Jad. It´s located right between the Jeema El Fna square and Place du Mellah (the Jewish quarter) at 134 riad zitoune kedim 40040. They have everything from little cute soaps made from musk to argan oil body lotion and ambre-scented perfumes and candles. All nicely gift wrapped.
Silk dresses and kimonos – go to Khmissa (insta: khmissa_), Laly (insta: lalymarrakech) or Jannah Boutiques (insta: jannahmarrakech). All three stores are located in the souk and have an amazing selection of dresses, blouses, and kimonos in pure silk in bright bold colours. The items are a bit on the expensive side with fixed prices. A 100% silk abaya at Laly will run you approx.. 2.200 MAD. However, the quality really speaks for itself.
Khmissa is located at 17, Souk Chrifia Sidi Abdelaziz. Laly can be found at Dar El Bacha 137 and Jannah is at Souk Jeld, sidi Abdelaziz.
Another small boutique shop worth mentioning here is Warda la Mouche located at 127 rue Kennaria (insta: wardalamouche) with its bohemian style maxi dresses and shirts in bright floral patterns and bead accessories. Prices start at about 580 MAD for a loose-fitted cotton blouse.
Ethnic fashion and lifestyle – don´t miss Max & Jan! This ethnic fashion and lifestyle brand is the creation of Belgian/Swiss design duo Jan Pauwels and Maximilian Scharl and beautifully combines Moroccan heritage and craftsmanship with international fashion and flare. The flagship store is located right in the middle of the Marrakech Souk inside the Medina and opened in 2014. Go there for lunch, breakfast or tea at their roof top terrace restaurant called Soul Food, attend a yoga class every Thursday and Saturday, or browse the store for Moroccan accessories, modern ethnic jewelry, colourful kimonos and sweaters, or chic designer items.
Kaftans and djellabas – go to Chez Makhoukh Hamid located at 17 Bd Fatima Zahra, Quartier R´Mila. The souk is filled with little shops selling both kaftans and djellabas in bright bold colors in varying quality. I managed to find the best quality kaftans at Chez Makhoukh Hamid for 320 MAD per item (fixed price). It´s a little shop just outside the souk near the Koutoubia Mosque.
Leather poufs, slippers, brass lamps, tea pots etc. – go to the souk in the Medina or to the Ensemble Artisanal located at Avenue Mohammed VI. The Ensemble Artisanal is a government sponsored artisan fair-trade marked and has fixed prices (still some room for bargaining but not much) and supposedly a bit better quality than usually found in the souk. However, the ambience and authenticity is nowhere near the same as in the souk inside the Medina. Still, the experience of the Ensemble Artisanal is a bit more hassle-free.
What and where to eat?
Whether you are a budget or a luxury traveler, the food scene of Marrakech will NOT disappoint you.
Don´t hesitate to gobble down as much tagine, kefta, couscous, pastilla, and yummy seafood as you can. Morocco has over 3.000 km of coastline so fresh seafood is readily available in all of Marrakech.
If you are not a meat person, make sure you try harira – a yummy spiced vegetable soup sometimes served for breakfast.
Whenever I´m staying in Marrakech I always end up eating at Bakchich Café located at Rue Riad Zitoun el Jdid. It has a hip and eccletic décor, the food is simply amazing, and the staff seem to really enjoy working there and look like they have a good time which adds to the whole ambiance. Prices start at 55 MAD for a meal and don´t be afraid to try the Kefta – you simply won´t find better Kefta in Marrakech!
Other cafés worth mentioning are Café France with a roof terrace overlooking Jeema El Fna square as well as Kosy Bar located in the Jewish Quarter tucked away in the corner of the Place des Ferblantier overlooking the square below with views of the massive stork nests around the wall of the El Badi Palace. At night, Kosy Bar really comes into its own with dimmed lights and lounge music.
At nighttime, the Jemaa el Fna square goes through the same transformation every night. Juice vendors and snake charmers are replaced by a wide array of food stalls and musicians.
For a slightly more up-scale dinner experience than Jemaa el Fna, I always eat at Le Foundouk – a three-story restaurant with a scenic roof top terrace nestled in the souk near the Ben Youssef Madrasa. Foundouk means “Hotel” or “caravanserai” and the restaurant was originally used for offering accommodation for travelling merchants and their animals. The restaurant – mentioned in the New York Times – is inaccessible by cab, so you are met at the cab meeting point by a waiter with a lantern, who guides you 200m to the restaurant and hand you over to the restaurant staff. Try their Tangia Marrakchia – a Marrakeshi specialty flavored with ras el hanout and preserved lemon. I always finish up with a pastilla with orange blossom milk for dessert.
For a more international high-end experience La Mamounia has great lunch and dinner options with prices starting at 750 MAD for a 2-course meal.
What to see and do?
Oh, the list is almost too long. There are the usual tourist spots with huge crowds like The Majorelle Garden, the Yves Saint Laurent museum, the Koutoubia Mosque (which you can only enter if you are a Muslim), The Bahia Palace (slightly overrated if you ask me!), The Saadian Tombs, and the horse-drawn carriage rides.
The Bahia Palace 
The Bahia Palace
I would recommend seeing The Secret Garden which is just as breathtaking as The Majorelle Garden – if not more. It is – as the name suggests – hidden away inside the Souk but easily found if you know to look for it. Besides the stunning garden with lavender bushes and orange trees, it has a gorgeous roof top terrace which serve great food and tasty virgin mojitos.
In addition, I always go for a SPA appointment when I´m in Marrakech and on my recent trip I discovered the SPA at Riad Elisa. It was by far THE best SPA experience I have ever had in Morocco. The courtyard of the Riad is covered in white marble and the SPA décor is simply stunning. The prices range from 100 MAD for a simple waxing up to 950 MAD for a package 2-hour SPA treatment. It is the perfect place to relax, renew, and refresh.
However, one thing I have discovered on my trips to Morocco: Getting a “relaxing massage” in Morocco is basically nothing but a masseur petting you gently with argan oil. Always, always, always order the “deep tissue massage” if you actually want to get rid of your sore muscles.
Riad Elisa 
Riad Elisa
The Mosaicist 