#NInjaVerdict: Marrakech, Morocco

Many years ago, I took a day-trip from Malaga to Tangier. Ever since, I’ve been really keen to go back to Morocco and see more of the country.  I was really keen to get to Marrakech, known as the Red City, as soon as I heard that you could fly direct from Belfast.

As you’d imagine, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a NInja deal – 3 nights in early December, flights and 4 star hotel, ALL for under £200pp. I immediately booked through the travel agent, got it locked in with a low deposit, and I’m happy to say that my trip was everything I hoped for, and more!

Marrakech is a stunning combination of ancient tradition and modern vibrancy. You may well have some questions and concerns before booking – BUT I genuinely believe that it has something for everyone, and I hope I can persuade you to give it a try.

Your first question will likely be – is it safe? I can honestly say that I never felt concerned. Of course, you must take normal precautions – don’t display valuables ostentatiously, and don’t walk alone in unlit areas at night. At times, the crowds and sensory stimulation felt slightly overwhelming, but never dangerous. 

For me, the most worrying thing was my own total lack of a sense of direction – there are no street signs, and the GPS signal for maps on my phone was intermittent. It would be very easy to get lost in the disorientating labyrinth of tiny, dark streets of the Medina. Female travellers should take extra precaution, and ensure they dress appropriately. Marrakech is a modern city, well–used to crowds of Western tourists, but it is respectful to consider their local culture when packing. Long, loose layers are best, with a scarf to cover your shoulders if necessary. 

A word of caution – the roads can be terrifying. There are zebra crossings on most streets, but traffic disregard these totally. The best solution we could come up with was to wait for a local to cross and follow them!

On our first night, we headed straight for the famous Jemaa-el-Fna square. This was a baptism of fire! It’s a huge open space in the shadow of the symbol of Marrakesh, the Koubouti mosque. You’ll find a mish-mash of henna artists, musicians, fresh fruit juice stalls, street food, souvenirs… even people selling items from their own home. It seems chaotic at first, but there’s an order there, even if it’s not one we would be used to. 

The square is calmer during the day, although a word of warning – it’s full of animals. Snake charmers, men with monkeys, rabbits… and it isn’t ethical. Please don’t get your photos taken with these animals. If tourists don’t enable this cruel trade, it will eventually die out. You need to be prepared for the hustle – sellers, taxi drivers, tour touts, guides, restaurant workers will all try to persuade you to sample their wares. It’s easy to deal with though, just say ‘no,thank you’ firmly but politely. People will then leave you alone, with no issue at all. The Moroccan people are generally warm, welcoming and polite.

Your next question is probably – is it expensive? As already mentioned, there are some fabulous Ninja deals for short breaks to Marrakech. Like any modern city, there are stores, restaurants and hotels which will cost you a fortune. But it’s absolutely possible to travel here, experience plenty, and do it on a budget. We wanted to see as much as possible in our short time there, so I spent some time researching the best options for trips and tours before we left. 

There’s a wealth of information out there, and absolutely no shortage of options to choose from. I would highly recommend booking a free walking tour with a local guide (you pay whatever tip you feel is appropriate at the end). I always choose this option on my first day visiting a new city, as you see places you would never know about if left on your own, and benefit from local knowledge. Our guide, Mustapha, who spoke an unbelievable eight languages, was excellent. 

We started at Koubouti mosque, and he showed us the beautiful gardens behind the tower. Very few visitors realise that they are there, and miss seeing the citrus trees and huge fountain – a fantastic photo opportunity.

The minaret of the mosque towers above the city – legally, no building can be taller. This means that this low rise city feels wonderfully quaint. We visited the Jewish quarter, Kasbah and a traditional Moroccan pharmacy, where we had the chance to try some Royal tea and sample the ancient remedies.

Our tour ended in the Medina, which is a sensory overload. The scent of argan oil and spices hangs over the maze of narrow alleys, bustling souks and stunning riads, alongside the ever-present sweet mint tea. There are so many beautiful items for sale, especially textiles and pottery – be prepared to barter, the traders expect it! Riads are houses with a central courtyard and water feature inside (used to be a fountain but, in 2024, more likely converted into a pool!). They’re known for their intricate tiling and many have been converted into boutique hotels. I would recommend staying in these, rather than a chain hotel, as a uniquely Moroccan experience.

Mustapha was also able to give us some tips for the best restaurants for both Moroccan and

European food, and strongly warned us not to eat the street food in Jemaa-el Fna. He also pointed us to the best rooftop bars. Make sure you don’t miss these – most are perfectly positioned to take in the sunset, and those overlooking Jemaa-el Fna give you a ringside view of the commotion. 

A word on alcohol – as a Muslim country, there are strict regulations around the buying and selling of booze. It’s perfectly legal in hotels, some restaurants and bars – but being drunk in public is very much frowned upon.

Our next trip was to the Agafay desert. I would suggest booking any tours online in advance – that way, you can read the reviews to be sure it’s all above board and suitable for your needs. I found doing so considerably cheaper than the options I saw advertised in the city centre. I loved our night in the desert – I had picked this one because I wanted to see the sunset, and luckily for us it was a beautiful night to do so! Sitting in the peace and quiet watching the huge, orange sun set will be a memory I will treasure. I was surprised how far out into the rocky plains we were taken (about 70 mins from Jemaa el-Fna). There are loads of options for this type of tour, and you’ll see many advertising quad bike experiences. Before you book these – check your travel insurance. Most policies count quad bikes as extreme sports and don’t cover you. Always better to be safe than sorry! We had a delicious meal of couscous and chicken tagine, followed by traditional music and a fire show. And all for less than £20 pp.

The following day we travelled to the Atlas Mountains. I really enjoy spending time in nature so wanted to balance this with city experience as much as possible. Our guide, Omar, took a lot of time to explain Berber culture to us and it was fascinating to hear about this totally different way of life. We had a few stops, including an Argan oil women’s co-operative and the weekly Berber market. You could buy literally anything at the market, and you could visit the dentist (who was also a barber) – you could even sign a marriage contract if you wished! 

Omar’s family then cooked us a huge lunch – tagine and couscous, again (get used to it!) before we set off into the mountain villages for a 90 min walk. Although this sounds lengthy, it wasn’t warm and the pace was slow. There was a small restaurant built into the mountainside when we reached the Imlil waterfalls and we stopped for a welcome freshly squeezed orange juice.

After a nap in the minibus, we arrived back to the city centre. Omar was so good that we tipped him very generously. Guides, drivers, waiting staff, etc all expect tips. You will need cash for this, and a good stock of small denomination notes and coins. Unfortunately, you can’t change your sterling for dirham until you arrive. If you can, I would recommend changing your money in one of the banks at the airport. I didn’t, and so was unable to tip my very kind pre-booked taxi driver. 

You’ll find that large, modern stores and restaurants take cards, but many only accept cash. You must pay tourist tax on arrival at your accommodation and, for some reason, my hotel would only take cash for this. As I needed money quickly, I was forced to use an ATM, not linked to a bank, and was charged a fortune for the privilege.

That evening, we had a drink in the rooftop bar at Café de France. This is one of the oldest restaurants in Marrakech, with a gorgeous art deco theme. It’s seen better days, but I loved the faded glamour of it – and the views are outstanding. It’s right on the square, and you can sense what it must have been like over one hundred years ago.

The following day was the last of our too-brief trip. In the morning, we decided that we would go to Jardin Majorelle – this lush garden is an Instagram dream. One time- Marrakech resident Yves Saint Laurent owned the garden from the mid-1960s, and there’s a museum dedicated to him next door. His influence is apparent in the vibrant azure, yellow and orange tones of the paintwork, which are set amongst hundreds of exotic plants. There’s no doubt that it’s absolutely beautiful, the only  problem is that everyone else wants to visit too – even in December it was packed out, so it’s pretty tricky to get the stunning photos you’d imagined! And if you find “influencers” irritating, be prepared for people filming themselves talking to camera, dancing, carrying out full fashion shoots….and in a relatively small space.

Before lunch we went to look round the shopping centres – Marrakech has plenty of modern retail options outside the souks. There was loads we could have bought, except we had brought no luggage to carry it home in! After such a busy few days, there was only one thing I wanted to do for our final few hours – laze by the pool! Although evenings are cool in December, and early mornings are verging on cold, by mid-afternoon it’s lovely and warm. If you can find a sheltered area like a riad or hotel pool, the temperature can be in the high 20s. You’d need to be brave to get in the swimming pool though – the water was absolutely freezing!

One of the final things we had to do before we left was print our boarding passes. Marrakech airport will not accept passes on your phone – thankfully Easyjet sent us an email to let us know 48 hours before we left, and we were grateful that our hotel was happy to print them for us without any fuss. But print them yourself before leaving, if you can, just to save the hassle. 

Whether you have check-in luggage or not, you must go to the bag drop desks at the airport, with your printed passes. They will then stamp them for you before you proceed to the gates, and passport control. Security is tight there, and you’ll find that you’re asked for your passport and tickets by security staff much more frequently than you would be in Europe.

If you’re ready for an adventure which will stimulate all your senses, Marrakech will not disappoint. The pace of life in the city may not be for everyone, but there are plenty of all-inclusive hotels should your only wish be to lie in the winter sun for a few days. I cannot wait to return!

You can check out the FULL highlights from this NInja trip over on the NInja Insta page – on the homepage under the Marrakech highlight tab – CLICK HERE

Why not visit your LOCAL NInja travel agency and ask them to plan your next NInja adventure to Morocco, you can contact them via Holiday NInja – CLICK HERE – and we can easily make that connection for you!!