From Casablanca to Marrakesh: How to Spend a Week in Morocco!

Jes Bellamy
Oct 14
7 min read

A highlight of my year was visiting Morocco with one of my good friends for a much-needed vacation. From Marrakesh to Casablanca, we visited close to all of the major cities in this beautiful country. On top of this, it was my first time in Africa! This trip only fueled my curiosity to discover what else this beautiful continent holds.

If you're unfamiliar with Morocco, it's at the very northern part of Africa, right next to Spain and Portugal. The Major religion there is Islam, and most people speak English in addition to several other languages. It always intrigues me how many languages other cultures know! Makes me want to learn more.

Note: During part of this trip, we visited during Ramadan, a popular Muslim holiday. If you decide to go during Ramadan, know you will have a more unique experience and your trip will be just as fun as any other time!

Hotel/Riad

I suggest staying in Riads not only because they are beautiful, incorporating traditional Moroccan architecture, but also because they are typically cheaper. They also offer more peace and privacy than chain hotels like Marriotts and Hiltons, yet provide the same (or even better) quality. If you're on a budget, this is undoubtedly helpful.

We stayed in about 4 Riads, 2 of which we chose on our own, and two were given to us through our 3-day tour. Out of all of them, I highly recommend staying in Ambre Epices Medina Riad. We stayed here for 4 days, and although they are on the pricier side for Riads, the staff treated us very well. However, there are many Riads to choose from, just make sure you do your research and read the reviews!

Food and Drinks

I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect when it came to the food in Morocco, but I was blown away by how flavorful everything was. Food is taken very seriously in Morocco, especially when it comes to their spices, with Saffron being one of the most commonly used. One of the local dishes we ate the most was Tajin! Tajin is a traditional cooking pot with spherical lids that is used for slow-cooking a delicious stew. Almost every Riad or restaurant had some sort of Tajin on the menu; I personally liked mine with lamb or chicken.

After a while, we wanted to try other dishes, and we enjoyed some pizza, chicken skewers, and even burgers and fries. You can find all types of food in more populated areas!

It’s also important to note that during Ramadan, those who participate don't eat until sundown. They don’t expect tourists to participate, and there are still many restaurants and places open in the major cities for tourists.

Transportation

In Marrakesh, we relied on walking to reach most of the places we visited. We only used a taxi for dinner at night, which our riad arranged for us.. The price both ways was $10.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Explore Marrakesh

Day 2 - Ouzoud Waterfall Tour

Day 3 - Spa Day

Day 4 - Casablanca & Ifrane

Day 5 - Fez & Blue City (Ramadan Began)

Day 6 - Blue City & Rabat

Day 7 - Shopping day

Day 8 - Head home

Day 1: Explore Marrakesh

After landing at the airport and going through customs, we met our driver, whom we had booked in advance on GetYourGuide, and headed to our Riad, Ambre Epices Medina Riad. The workers at this Riad were very kind. They guided us to the entrance, which was a bit of a walk away, and provided us with tea and treats. Afterward, we decided to head out and explore a bit of Marrakesh. Let's just say, I will go back to Marrakesh with way more empty suitcases just for the shopping!

One term you'll hear a lot in Morocco is "Souks," which pretty much means a place to shop at, and there are so many! My best tip is to wait until the last day, if you can, to buy souvenirs so you can get the best prices.

While exploring, we visited places like Le Jardin Secret Botanical Garden, Madrasa Ben Youssef, and the Marrakech Museum. We then decided to eat at Le Jardin, a popular and touristy restaurant that, if I'm to be honest, wasn’t the best food we tried in Morocco, but it was still nice to try.

After shopping around some more, we went back to the hotel and had some good Tajin.

Day 2: Ouzoud Waterfall Tour

On our second day, we booked a tour on GetYourGuide that visited the Ouzoud Waterfalls with a guided hike and boat ride. This was an enjoyable tour, featuring an easy hike down to an incredible waterfall, a fun boat ride to get closer to the waterfall, and a delicious lunch there. The hike up is a little more challenging but manageable. We then got to see monkeys and take pictures with them.

We also got to visit an Argan oil shop, which I highly recommend stocking up on it wherever you can, since it is inexpensive and really good for the body and hair!

After the tour, we ate at Dar Moha in Marrakesh, one of the fancier places we ate at on our trip, with a stunning atmosphere and delicious Moroccan cuisine.

Day 3: Spa Day

It ended up raining pretty hard outside on this day, so we decided to get a hammam bath/scrub with a massage, which was intense but a fantastic experience. For a hammam bath, you end up getting fully naked, and you get scrubbed down by a worker. The worker then washes you and puts a mask on your body. I highly recommend doing this, but just be aware that if you're with friends, book separate times, or you will most likely be getting naked with that friend. As for the massage, it was like any massage, but still very relaxing.

If your hotel doesn't provide a hammam bath or massage, there are plenty of popular spas that offer them, such as Les Bains de Marrakech.

After the massage, we went to Kabana Rooftop Bar for some appetizers, which was only a short walk from our Riad. This was another one of my favorite places to eat! Definitely try the crispy cigars with feta and pistachios, I'd fly back just for those.

After we got dressed up, we went to Safran by Kôya, my all-time favorite place to eat in Morocco! I still dream of the food I ate here. Along with the fantastic food, they put on a live show for you, keeping it very festive. Highly recommend making reservations weeks in advance for this restaurant!

Day 4: Casablanca & Ifrane

We started our small group 3-day tour around Morocco, which we booked on GetYourGuide. Everything from transportation to Riads and even some meals was included in this tour. You do stick with the tour guide the whole time, and there are about 10 other people with you.

On the first day, we headed to Casablanca. It took around 3 hours to get there, and we got to visit Hassan II Mosque, the second-largest Mosque in Africa. After exploring the Mosque and getting a guided tour, we headed to an Italian restaurant called Italien Pizzeria and had some delicious food.

After eating, we visited a small town called Ifrane and then headed to Fez, where we spent the night in a Riad and had dinner there. The Riad was definitely a bit older than the ones in Marrakech, but still very comfortable.

Day 5: Fez & Blue City

On this day, we explored more of Fez and got a guided tour of the Medina of Fes, one of the oldest spots in Morocco. We mostly visited the souks and textile factories, and also went to a pottery factory where they showed us how they make all their beautiful decor for homes.

After Fez, we went on a 6-hour drive to Chefchaouen, AKA the Blue City or Blue Pearl, a mountain town famous for its buildings painted in various shades of blue. Once we arrived, we stayed in, of course, a Blue Riad, and was given a nice dinner. The Blue City is one of the most well-known and most visited cities in Morocco. If you do decide to visit , know you don't have to book a tour, but it is a few hours away from Marrakech, and I highly recommend spending at least a day here!

Day 6: Blue City & Rabat

We were given time to explore the Blue City further, so we strolled through the blue streets, visited local shops, and had some drinks at a small rooftop cafe called Cafe Clock.

For the last part of our tour, we drove to Rabat, the capital of Morocco, and visited the Hassan Tower. Rabat, in my opinion, was one of the more modern cities we saw in Morocco, and I enjoyed seeing the contrast to its older parts.

After driving back for a few hours, we were dropped off at our Riad, Le Saadien in Marrakesh. While it wasn't my favorite in terms of hospitality, it was definitely the prettiest Riad we stayed in.

Day 7: Shopping day

On this day, we booked another tour to the desert for a nice dinner and camel ride. However, we were so exhausted from our last tour that we canceled it and had a shopping day instead, visiting more souks. We found that the best location for shopping is in Jemaa el-Fnaa, a large market/square with many vendors! We then had lunch at Dar Dar cocktail bar and also visited the YSL museum, which was a fun experience.

Day 8: Head Home

We left early in the morning for the airport with a shuttle driver we booked on GetYourGuide. You don't have to book a shuttle in advance; there are taxis available. However, for peace of mind and a fixed price, we leaned towards booking them early.

Things to Note!

While credit cards can be used in restaurants and larger shops, I recommend pulling out cash at the ATMs to make purchases in the shopping districts and to tip.

If you visit during Ramadan, Marrakesh still has plenty of places open for tourists to eat and dine. Just be patient with the locals; they are working without having eaten all day. I know I'd be cranky if I were in that circumstance, so I could only imagine what they were feeling like. If you're in smaller cities, most places might be closed, but a tour guide should know where to go.
You can book your tours in Marrakesh, but I highly recommend doing so in advance.
Don't be afraid to haggle. I can be one of the biggest pushovers while shopping, but after a couple of days, I was able to negotiate my way to some very cheap prices!

Overall, Morocco is an intriguing and unique country to visit. From the food, the beautiful clothing, the architectural designs, the interior decorations, and, of course, the welcoming people, you will return home knowing you experienced a country like none other!

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