Travelling through Marrakech as a woman

Marrakech is a hustling and bustling city pretty close to the centre of Morocco. It's home to some gorgeous and historic architecture and so much culture, especially in their markets. Just outside of the city, there is a desert landscape that many companies offer tours to see. My time in Marrakech was definitely one to write home about with all the diverse options the city has to offer.

Where to stay

This is one area where the second you land you must have your accommodations sorted because they will ask you for them at the airport. The city is full of Riads. These hotel-like villas often have small central pools and serve a large variety of bread and juices for breakfast. Often they're similar to staying in a hotel where you get your own private room. The difference is they’re very open concept where people tend to hang and get some sun in the spaces. I stayed in a Riad in the medina (translating to the old city in Arabic) that was about a 10-minute walk South of the main market, Jemaa el-Fnaa. I preferred outside of the main square as it meant it was much quieter at night. Jemaa el-Fnaa almost reminded me of an Arabic version of New York City with just how busy and brightly lit it was.

What to wear

As a white woman in Marrakech, I saw some, not many, but some women who looked like me often coupled up or with their friends. This is important as I went with my partner but, if I was travelling here solo, I would have been quite uncomfortable. You're able to wear technically anything as a foreigner. I did see some women dressed as I would see them typically in Canada wearing either shorts or tank tops that didn't quite cover their stomachs. There's nothing inherently stopping you from wearing that but I will say the culture in Marrakech is very different. I often wore long sleeves and baggier clothing especially while walking around the city. This was something I chose to do out of respect for the culture, but also to avoid the many catcalls I did hear. 

Activities to do

ATV ride through the Agafay desert

This excursion was the most fun I had in the city. it lasted about 4 hours and where we went? I have no idea. But, it was such a cool experience. After reserving a time through Airbnb we had someone pick us up and tour us through the outskirts of the city in the desert. Being from Canada all I can say - wow. Around halfway through the tour we stopped and were provided with some bread and hot tea in an open shelter. I had never once stopped to consider that drinking hot tea while at 40 degrees Celcius may actually be a good way to not overheat your body. Once you’re done with your snack break you'll continue your drive, stop for a quick picture break, and then they will drive you right home all included in the price.

The Yves Saint Laurent Museum

If you've ever seen anyone posing next to a bright blue building in Marrakech, I bet you anything it was in the lush gardens of the Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) museum. These gardens are so bright and luxurious to explore for an afternoon with cactuses, flowers and so many plant varieties. 

They also have exhibits showcasing YSL's inspiration he found while visiting Morocco. He loved travelling there and seeing all the bright colours they used compared to the fashion in Europe. There's a collection and a video comparing his designs to those of Marrakech. 

Bahia Palace

A quick stop over if you want to see some beautiful history and architecture is the Bahia Palace. The building was once home to the king so it's quite large and quite lavish. It's covered in marble and manmade intricate detailing that's beautiful to take pictures and wander through. You're able to spend as long or as little as you would like exploring the old rooms and open squares trying to figure out just how the palace used to be laid out.  

Other tips

When it came to exchanging currency, going to the ATM with a debit card while you're there is much cheaper than what you'll likely get at home. Take a look at exchange rates before heading there but in general, using a debit card at an ATM in Marrakech is probably your best option. Most places do take cards either credit or debit but small shops and taxis often require cash.

One thing I didn't enjoy was seeing the working horses and donkeys in the city. Coming from a more privileged Western mindset it was hard to see very thin animals and people mistreating them. Monkeys with chains around their neck for tourists to take pictures with was also something I thankfully avoided, but is very common. The middle of the day is when most people bring their animals to Jemaa el-Fnaa because that's when most tourists will be there. I personally avoid funding animals being used in tourism and in order to try to not see it, I toured the market at night. This worked well and I avoided seeing most of the things I didn't want to.

Marrakech is a city full of beautiful architecture and culture like none I would ever see at home. It was quite an experience. As long as you go in with the right expectations, you can have a really unique and memorable time.