Weekend in Marrakesh
Day 1 - Friday - Travel day
We started our day by heading to the airport and took a flight from the UK around 9am which arrived in Marrakesh around 1pm local time. This gave us enough time to take a taxi from the airport, make our way through the narrow streets to the Riad we were staying at, have a cup of mint tea and get cleaned up before heading out for a drink and dinner.
We asked the taxi driver to bring us to Bab el-Khemis which is on the edge of the Medina where cars can still drive. From there we had a 5 minute walk to the riad on Derb Lalla Bent el Amri.
We were going for a friends 30th birthday and were keen on getting those glamorous Marrakesh rooftop views, vibes and photos in early on and what better place than the rooftop at the El Fenn Hotel? We did have to wait downstairs for a table for about 15-20 minutes. The staff were very friendly and once we got a table it was a truly magical pre-dinner cocktail setting.
For dinner we stuck with the rooftop concept albeit a covered one which was good since it does get cooler quickly after sunset in the winter months. We ventured to the Le Salama Sky-bar where the servers wear traditional (perhaps slightly stereotypical?) uniforms including fez hats and they do a traditional dance show every evening for entertainment. For me, the show and outfits were not the highlight but the food definitely was. Great selection of traditional dishes as well as both local and imported wines to choose from.
For mains I went for a chicken-almond-honey tagine which was delicious, sweet, but delicious. Around the table my fellow travellers tried lamb shoulder, vegetable or chicken tagine with lemon and couscous dishes. Everything was very well presented and well made.
Day 2 - Saturday - Time to explore!
After a nice, traditional breakfast at the riad we headed out of the Medina to the "new city" for a visit to Le Jardin Majorelle–the house and gardens of Yves Saint Laurent.
Definitely book tickets online in advance for this as the gardens get crowded and they let a new group in every 30 minutes to try to give people enough space. We had a slot at 10.30 and it was already crowded, so if you're looking for a more quiet and tranquil experience I'd aim for an earlier slot. However, it was COLD even when we went since the sun hadn't been up for very long, so that's a little tradeoff if you're visiting around February time.
After a lovely stroll through the gardens taking lots of pictures among the greenery and a visit to the onsite shop, we stopped for a coffee and look around the lovely MORO shop, pool ground and café. Modern art, clothes and jewellery with a Moroccan touch. Well worth a visit!
Reenergised, we started to wander back to the old town for lunch at Naranj Libansese. Another rooftop restaurant which brings you up above the hectic vibrancy of the souk and its busy shops and streets.
This chicken and rice dish with the most amazing tahini sauce was the perfect lunch for me. We also had mezze sharing plates, hummus, breads and great homemade lemonade drinks.
This was probably my favourite place to eat out of the whole trip. It was very relaxed vibes, friendly staff, great value for money and the location was very central. Definitely recommend!
After lunch it was time to do some more touristing and we headed to the Bahia Palace. It was a beautiful place with many rooms, intricate mosaic and tiling, and good descriptions of what was what on the walls as you wandered through. Not my favourite of the cultural stops we made in Marrakesh but beautiful nonetheless.
We spent the afternoon wandering about the souk and looking at all the products, foods and spices on offer.
For dinner, we had reservations at Plus61 in the new part of the city.
If I was to do this trip again, I would recommend splitting Jardin Majorelle and a dinner outside the Medina between two days–or timing it so that one can do both in one go–not as we did with having to walk back to the old town in between.. We definitely got our steps in on this day though!
That said, Plus61 was such a nice restaurant and well worth the trek! Ultramodern design with Moroccan/European style sharing plates, great cocktails and just a very relaxed yet glamorous vibe.
This lychee & yuzu pre-dinner cocktail is one of the better and most tasty ones I've had! Fresh, tart, juicy...and beautifully presented. Yum!
Day 3 - Sunday - More exploring! and more eating!
On our way back to the riad from the secret garden we stopped at the Madrassa Ben Youssef–a beautiful, old school building, again with the intricate mosaic and tile designs throughout. This I found fascinating because you could walk around and see the student rooms, lecture halls and really imagine what life could have been like for these theology students. Absolutely you get a sense of history all around you when you visit.
If you're only going to do one of the more historical buildings on your first visit to Marrakesh this is the one I'd truly recommend.
At this point we all felt a bit more comfortable with our surroundings, how to find our way back through the winding streets to our riad and so on, that we split up into smaller groups and some went to rest and utilise the lovely sun terrace at the riad while some continued to explore the shops and small streets.
We met up for lunch at another rooftop restaurant: Nomad.
This was another place I really liked and on a longer trip I probably would have come back for a dinner as well! Apparently I enjoyed it so much I didn't manage to take any photos but it was absolutely a favourite of mine.
Dinner–and the last restaurant we tried in Marrakesh–was at L'Mida, another rooftop restaurant. It did get a little chilly since it was completely open but the views, the lighting, the food and the general energy of the place were absolutely great. I can imagine it in the warmer summer months and I don't think I would have ever wanted to leave.
Day 4 - Monday - Travel home
On Monday we all had different travel plans but checkout was at 11 from the riad. Two of us were heading out to the airport directly, so we took our bags and headed back to Bab El Khemis to catch a cab and head to the airport.
At the airport, the security check is at the very entrance to the building. Once inside, you need to remember to exchange any cash exceeding 250 Moroccan dirham BEFORE you head to the passport control and normal security check at departures.
Overall, Marrakesh in February is a perfect winter sun getaway allowing a good mix of culture, nature and food experiences less than a 3 hour flight away.
I hope you enjoyed this guide and could derive some useful tips and recommendations from it. Happy traveling!
Packing list
When I do a packing list, I always start to think about what activities I'll need to be ready for. On this trip, that meant: 1) Walk and "be a tourist" 2) Relax in the Riad 3) Dress up for dinner
We had 2 travel days (Friday and Monday) and 2 full days at the destination. I also had gone for the cheapest ticket option and only had an underseat bag in terms of space, so I had to be selective.
This was what I packed:
2x bottoms (I chose a pair of black linen trousers and a green midi-skirt. In hindsight, it was cooler in the mornings and evenings so jeans or tights would have been useful!)
+1x comfy trousers for travel
1x dress
2x shoes (I went for trainers+Birkenstock sandals)
6x tops
1x sweatshirt/second layer
1x scarf
Windbreaker for travel days
Swimsuit
Pyjama
Sunglasses
Airport bag with bathroom essentials (sunscreen, toothbrush, tinted moisturiser, schampoo and conditioner...)
This all fit in my backpack and I even had space to bring back a couple of souvenirs.
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