I was quite apprehensive upon visiting Marrakech simply because I had never been to a country with the same culture. It is very contrasting to your typical westernised city. Though some parts are more westernised than others Marrakech still maintains many of their beautiful traditions. One of those traditions being Riad's. These are traditional houses situated on the streets of the city that circle a central courtyard that may often house a pool or meeting area. Me and my friends chose to stay in one for our week there to experience the full Marrakech culture. The one we stayed at was the Riad Amira which was rather central within the city and not a far cry to all the things worth your visit in Morocco.
One thing that enticed me about Morocco was the stunning architecture, this was evident when we took a visit to the Bahia palace and I would highly recommend visiting here if you are off to Marrakech. It is made up of gorgeous 19th century Moroccan architecture filled with culture and is found in the south part of the Medina.
For getting around to the different areas in the city we opted for a two day bus pass that could get us to a range of different areas both within and outside the Medina. I would highly recommend doing this is you want to experience both sides to the city, both inside the tradition Medina walls where you can find the traditional souks markets and in contrast outside the walls where the cities westernised malls and roads are located.
If you are into your instagram worthy spots then along with the Bahia Palace, the Jardin Majorelle will be right up your street. It houses some beautiful architecture displayed in the intense blue walls and contrasting yellows along with a wild array of exotic plant life. Whilst there you can also visit the Berber Museum or pay a trip to the Yves Saint Laurent Memorial.
Probably my favourite part of the trip was a day out to the Ouzoud Waterfalls. We had an amazing guide with us on this day and he made the experience even more special. It was about a two hour drive to get to the mountains and once we arrived it was a quite a hefty walk to get to the actual waterfall. However the guide made the time fly by talking about the Marrakech lifestyle and also along the way we stopped off to get to hold a monkey, yes a wild monkey (because apparently our tour guide was Aladdin) Once we got to the Ouzoud falls we payed a small price to get on a boat that would take you right under the water and you had the option to jump in, but rest assured you still get soaked even if you don not take the plunge. We were then treated to a traditional three course meal followed by the delicious Moroccan mint tea before the walk back to the coach. If I had to recommend doing anything whist on your trip to Morocco it would be to visit here and I hope you get the same guide as me as he really made the trip special.
The Souks are an experience to be had. An attack on the senses many people called it, which I can second. A square full to the brim with traditional markets and food stalls can make one feel overwhelmed and leaves you not knowing where to look. Before you visit here be sure to be ready to haggle your prices and have an idea of what you are looking to buy or you may well be trapped there for hours on end. The locals may be persistent upon getting you to want t buy but simple no thank you's or wearing sunglasses to avoid eye contact if you would rather not be approached will help you out. None the less there are some beautiful items to be found for bargin prices here and the experience is one you will never forget.
All in all my visit to Morocco is one I shall never forget. I have fallen in love with this country and city itself. The traditional culture is one that is truly beautiful, one that should be respected. The traditional cuisine is something I still miss and can never replicate as good myself. Moroccan culture is something I think everyone deserves to experience because it will leave you wanting to go back for more.
