Morocco: an active and cultural escape to the winter sun

Marrakesh: colour, contrast and charm

Marrakesh is a lively maze of alleyways and squares, scents and sounds. On a first visit, the city can feel a little overwhelming: busy souks and scooters weaving their way through narrow streets. Yet behind the often seemingly crumbling façades of the old medina lie the most beautiful riads, stylish boutique hotels and the trendiest rooftop restaurants. While you still encounter donkeys and carts, little stalls and traditional crafts in the alleyways, a few floors higher you can sip a cocktail overlooking the Koutoubia Mosque and the city rooftops. The old town, the medina, is best explored on foot. If you feel less comfortable walking through the dark alleyways in the evening, many restaurants provide an escort who will take you safely back to your riad or hotel for a small tip. This makes it very accessible even for less experienced travellers.

How much time in Marrakesh?

You can easily spend 2 to 3 days in old Marrakesh. Enough time to:

• Get lost in the souks around the famous Djemaa el Fna square
• Admire the Koutoubia Mosque up close, the city's landmark
• Visit magnificent palaces and monuments, such as the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the Ben Youssef Madrasa
• Catch your breath in hidden city gardens such as Le Jardin Secret or in a traditional riad
• Drink tea on a rooftop terrace overlooking the sunset above Djemaa el Fna
• Enjoy delicious lunches in atmospheric courtyards and stylish rooftop dinners overlooking the city

A traditional hammam experience along the way completes the picture: a scrub, steam and total relaxation amid the bustle of the city.

Gueliz and modern Marrakesh

Once outside the old city walls, you enter the modern part of Marrakesh: Gueliz and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Here you will find wide boulevards, boutiques, trendy coffee bars and concept stores.

• The famous Jardin Majorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum are in this part of the city and are an absolute must. The iconic cobalt-blue garden, peaceful paths, bamboo groves and cacti create a beautiful contrast with the bustle of the medina.
• In Gueliz you will also discover modern art galleries, stylish brasseries and cocktail bars that show just how cosmopolitan Marrakesh is today.

Many large luxury hotels and resorts are in these newer neighbourhoods or in green oases just outside the city, among palm gardens and orange groves. For golfers, Marrakesh is a little paradise: there are several excellent golf courses to choose from, often overlooking the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas.

The Atlas: fresh air and mountain villages

A short drive from Marrakesh, the mountains of the High Atlas come into view. A trip here offers fresh air, spectacular views and authentic Berber villages. Possible experiences:

• Hiking in the High Atlas: from gentle walks to multi-day treks, always accompanied by local guides who know the paths and villages inside out.
• Visiting Berber villages: see how people still live traditionally, with terraces full of olive and walnut trees.
• Lunch with a local family: wood-fired tagines, homemade bread and mint tea with a view you will not soon forget.

Ourika Valley & Zat Valley

• The Ourika Valley is one of the best-known excursions from Marrakesh. You drive along the river, past small villages and café terraces to Setti Fatma, where you can walk to waterfalls.
• The Zat Valley and Canyon are quieter and wilder, with deep gorges and spectacular vistas, ideal for anyone seeking somewhere a little less touristy.

Telouet, Aït Benhaddou and the oases

If you would like to continue towards the real desert, head into the mountains over the Tizi n’Tichka pass. The route is an experience in itself, with hairpin bends, changing landscapes and viewpoints.

• Telouet is often the first proper stop: here you visit the fascinating kasbah of the El Glaoui dynasty. The exterior looks weathered and a little dilapidated, but inside you discover colourful zellij tiles, woodwork and old salons that bear witness to a rich history.
• Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is perhaps Morocco's best-known ksar: a fortified earthen village often used as a film set. The climb to the top rewards you with views over the surrounding oases and riverbeds.

Around it lie several oases and villages where palm groves, small fields and earthen houses come together in a timeless landscape.

Oasis de Fint

Near Ouarzazate lies the Oasis de Fint: palm trees, silence… You can walk, drink tea with the locals and simply do nothing for a while.

Desert experiences: from Merzouga to Agafay

For a true Sahara experience with high sand dunes, such as those of Merzouga, you drive further east, beyond Ouarzazate and the Dades or Todra gorges. This requires a few days of travel, but rewards you with camel rides at sunrise and sunset and nights in tented camps among the dunes beneath an incredible starry sky, far from light pollution. If you have less time but still want a touch of the Arabian Nights from Marrakesh, the Agafay Desert is a perfect option. This rocky, moonlike landscape is just under an hour's drive from the medina.

Flavours, atmosphere and hospitality

Morocco is a paradise for food lovers: tagines with slow-cooked meat and caramelised onions, couscous with seasonal vegetables, grilled fish, mezze, salads and fresh oranges for dessert, mint tea and sweet pastries to round off the day. The atmosphere in Marrakesh and the surrounding regions has evolved considerably in recent years: very open and welcoming, with a young, creative generation breathing new energy into the city. You notice it in the trendy coffee bars, art galleries, concept stores and fine-dining restaurants with a Moroccan touch. The local people are warm and friendly. Excellent local guides are happy to show you the way: in the medina, around cultural highlights or on treks through the mountains and nature. This makes travel here not only fascinating, but comfortable too.

How would you like to experience Morocco?

Would you mainly like to get lost in the alleyways of Marrakesh, enjoy slow travel in the mountains, spend a few magical days in the desert or combine it with the Atlantic coast and Essaouira? Anything is possible. You dream, I’ll make it happen. Together, we will turn it into a fascinating journey. Let’s connect, Inge