For my 40th birthday, I headed back to one of my favorite African destinations, Marrakech Morocco. I wanted to celebrate with my girls Gloria, Maria and Amaany in a beautiful city they’d never been to. I was actually pretty excited to turn 40. My 30s were incredible and certainly much better than my 20s. My 30s were all about following my dreams and pursuing my passions with an unabashed vigor. I’ve worked pretty hard over the last decade but it was fun work I must admit. I can honestly say, I am the happiest I’ve ever been. This decade of my life will be dedicated to rest, reaping the rewards I’ve sowed over the last 10 years and prioritizing my dating and love life.I’ve been to Morocco previously and you can find all the details on that trip here where we stayed in a traditional Riad and took you to the many beautiful properties and historical sites.
GETTING TO MARRAKECH MOROCCO
To find the cheapest flights from the United States I always check Google Flights. There are no direct flights to Marrakech from the United States and you will always have a layover. To prevent your luggage from being lost I would highly recommend flying the same airline for each connecting flight. I chose to fly Royal Air Maroc and it was not a good experience. I took an overnight flight from JFK Airport in New York City and on every Royal Air Maroc flight, the internet didn’t work. The TVs were also pretty spotty and the seating old and crumbling. The only good thing about this airline was the dinner we had on the way, was delicious. I would not recommend flying Royal Air Maroc and would instead suggest any other airline. You will probably have a layover in either Portugal, Spain or Casablanca Morocco. My layover was in Casablanca and then it was another short 30 minute flight to Marrakech. I ended up converting about 400 USD worth of MAD (Moroccan Money) at Marrakesh Airport and this money got me through the entire trip. The US dollar is about 10x more than the MAD at this time. Our hotel arranged for a pickup from the airport for us and they were waiting with a sign.
WHERE TO STAY
For this trip I opted for full on luxury. Please keep in mind that this was my 40th birthday and I saved up for this trip for quite some time. I chose the stunning Amanjena hotel. Any stay at this hotel includes round trip airport travel, daily breakfast and daily afternoon tea. For my trip and went with the Maison Villa which was a two level apartment. It had a primary suite that consisted of the entire upstairs with 2 separate closets, a huge walk-in shower and a bathroom with 2 separate sink areas. It also had a desk sitting area for work or makeup application as well as a cozy sitting area for relaxing. It featured beautiful windows which overlooked the main atrium of the villa. Downstairs was a huge sitting area complete with fireplace and water feature as well as a dinning area with a dining table and chairs, a coffee machine and mini bar. There is also a bathroom right off the main entrance as well. The downstairs bedroom had gorgeous sliding doors leading to the pool, a massive shower and ample closet space. We even had our own pool and outdoor seating area. There are less expensive suites at the Amanjena but I chose the Maison because it would comfortably fit 4 people. If you’re looking for a more traditional Marrakech experience I would suggest lodging at a traditional Riad within the Old Town or Medina of Marrakech like Le Riad Yasmine (which I stayed at during my first trip to Marrakech). You can also find tons of more affordable Riads on Airbnb. You can always do dinner, lunch, a day pass or a spa day at luxury hotels such a El Fenn Hotel (I’ve done a rooftop lunch here), La Mamounia Hotel (I’ve done a day pass spa day here) as well an Amanjena for dinner (go for the Moroccan Restaurant it’s incredible!)
WHERE TO EAT
The Amanjena Hotel has an incredible Moroccan Restaurant with live music. It’s beautifully lit with candle light and I’d highly recommend it for a romantic dinner. We also had a lovely dinner at Les Jardin Du Lotus in the Old Town of Marrakech. When you arrive you have to walk down a long dark narrow alley way accompanied by a man in a suit but once you arrive it’s a beautiful restaurant. The food here was so delicious. Everything on the menu was good even the truffle Mac & Cheese. I especially loved the skirt steak with chimichurri sauce and mash potatoes as well. This place has a DJ and can turn up on the weekends after dinner. Another delicious authentic meal was had in the Agafay Desert, an hour drive outside of Marrakech, at Alkamar Camp. We will get more into that in the next section of what to do in Marrakech!
WHAT TO DO IN MARRAKECH MOROCCO
I’d definitely recommend going to the Medina to shop in the traditional Marrakech Souks. It’s a cool experience to wander through all of the alleyways filled to the brim with home decor, handmade bags, Moroccan style footwear and clothing, jewelry, rugs, spices, fragrant oils and perfumes and everything in between. I have to admit though that it can be a bit overwhelming and I highly recommend not going alone. This is the type of adventure better suited for a group or with a companion. I say that because it can be quite intimidating when approached by guides who are very zealous in trying to get you to pay for their services. You will be approached by several men are vying to take you to the best places within the souks if you pay them. We had several approach us and one who really wouldn’t leave us alone for a good half hour and kind of followed us around until we made it very clear we just wanted to wander without a guide. Other than that it was a pleasant experience. I would advise against picking up anything you aren’t going to purchase. There’s also an expectation to haggle for a lower price. The first price is NEVER the price and you can always haggle down. If you’re not a good haggler this process will be a little daunting for you but there are so many treasures to be found. You can easily get lost in the souks so keep an eye out for your companions.
WHAT TO DO IN MARRAKECH CONT.
In addition to visiting the Souks I’d definitely check out the YSL Museum and Jardin Marjorelle which are major tourist attractions in Marrakech. They are conveniently located right next to each other and you are able to buy tickets online in advance which I highly recommend because the lines are very long. The street that the YSL Museum and Jardin Marjorelle are on has some amazing shops as well like Rue 33 to shop beautiful clothing, jewelry, fragrances and home goods. Ben Youssef is a stunning historic Islamic school in the heart of Marrakech. I went on my first visit to Marrakech and it was absolutely breathtaking. The architecture will transport you and it’s unlike anything I’d ever seen before.
WHAT TO DO IN MARRAKECH CONT.
Finally no travel to Marrakech is complete without a trip to the Agafay Desert which is about an hour long drive from Marrakech. There are so many beautiful desert camps like Scarabeo Camp which I spent a night at during my previous trip and Alkamar Camp that I had a day pass to during this current trip. If you want to try glamping you can book these places to stay overnight and enjoy things like camel rides and authentic Moroccan meals. I’d already had my desert overnight experience previously and loved it so for this trip I chose to get a day pass for my girls and I which included a pool day and an authentic Moroccan dinner with live entertainment. This was such a great way to end the trip and I thoroughly enjoyed it. You can easily book online on their website and pay in cash once you arrive.
WHAT TO WEAR IN MARRAKECH MOROCCO
I got so much flack about my outfits in Morocco but I’ve been a few times and know what to wear in what places. In any religious places such as mosques you need to be covered. If you are within your hotel grounds you can wear whatever you want. For the Souks, where comfortable shoes and something you don’t care too much about because the grounds are not paved and it’s a lot of dirt. You do not have to be covered as this area is pretty much a tourist area and mostly everyone had on shorts and a t-shirts. I chose to wear a long dress with long sleeves that was pretty light weight with a flat sandal. The desert gets cold at night so make sure to bring a cardigan or a light jacket or blazer for the evenings.
