Last week we went to Marrakech in Morocco! It was a bit of a random selection based on a good deal we saw on Voyage Privé, but we were both so excited to visit a country in Africa for the first time. There were a lot of things to figure out, including converting cash to a closed currency and how to survive in 40°C heat.

We were staying in a resort, which was a 25 minute drive to the city centre, this was both calming and a wee bit of an obstacle. The resort had loads of cool things on site including a spa, mini golf, an adults-only pool, and frogs! From our bedroom window we had a view of palm trees and the desert and we spent a lot of time hanging out, reading, and playing cards under the shade of the argan trees.

We kicked off our first day with a small guided tour through the city centre where we saw the Koutoubia mosque, the Souk markets, an argan oil co-operative and had lunch. It was great for getting a sense of the place without having to stop and look at the map. Our tour guide Mohammad was awesome and gave us insight into the history of the city and its buildings. We also had a lovely time lunching with one of the older couples on the tour which had me putting my French speaking to the test!

On our second day we headed into the city and visited the botanic garden Jardin Marjorelle where we became enamored by the frogs, terapins and turtles. The gardens were beautiful and filled with loads of lovely plants (however the amount of people there just to take pics for the gram detracted from the experience a little). While there, we visited the Berber Museum to learn about the native people and crafts of the area and then visited the YSL Museum next door and saw how Marrakech influenced his fashion.
Our adventure continued as we found our way to the Madrasa Ben Youssef which is a gorgeous example of Moroccan architecture – we were awestruck at the amount of detail. We then went for our own walk through the souks but we hadn’t realised so much would be closed for Eid Al-Adha. So, while we weren’t able to buy some of the things we had in mind, it was cool to explore those streets without the crowds. It was absolutely roasting this day so we made our sweaty way back to hang out by the pool for the rest of the afternoon. In the evening there was a traditional Moroccan band performing at the resort so we enjoyed listening to them while sipping on a mint tea.

The next day we had planned to do a cooking workshop but unfortunately this was cancelled so we leaned in to a full rest day. We started with a couple of rounds of mini golf, played cards and hung by the pool. I also took myself to the spa to enjoy a hammam treatment which is essentially a steam room and a full body scrub and mask. I came out feeling so zen and so very clean. After dinner that evening, we yapped the night away lying on hammocks and had a lovely walk.

On our final day we were determined to seize the day before going into travel mode so we got into the city first thing, hit the souks and ticked off our shopping list of souvenirs and gifts. I picked up lots of argan oil beauty products, presents for my family and a few fun food and drink things, including a teapot, cups and Moroccan mint tea, and a wee tagine pot. One of the coolest shops we visited was in the spice market. We wanted to buy some Ras El Hanout which is a spice blend made of 35 different spices. We got to watch and smell the guy picking out all of those whole spices and freshly grinding them into our blend which we’ve taken home to try and make tagine ourselves.

Marrakech was such a gorgeous place, so different to places I’ve visited in the past. The people were so friendly and together with Kit I felt very safe. It was a total treat to smell all the spices and flowers and see the patterns and textiles that were everywhere. We tried our hand at haggling and speaking French (to varying levels of success) and had loads of fun. Most importantly, it was a lovely few days away with my best pal. It was so special to explore like this with Kit and we definitely will be coming back one day!