Night view of the Jemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech.
1. Tourist bus. If this is your first time setting foot in Marrakech, hop on the tour bus as it's a great way to get around the city. It crosses the old and the new part and also circulates through the neighboring and famous palm grove. There are two routes to choose from and the ticket can be used on two consecutive days. Buy the ticket at the Tourist Office, on Avenida Mohamed V. It's good to do this route on the first day, then... get lost! The city lends itself to being discovered on foot a thousand times.
two. Visit the souk, the great bazaar. It is essential and at the same time it becomes a journey through time that no one should miss. Moroccan souks are delicious and this one, although too accustomed to tourism, is wonderful. You will find everything: clothes, spices, shoes, musical instruments, sweets and a long etcetera. Let yourself go without further ado through the alleys of the souk, you always return to the same place, to Jemaa el-Fna Square, yes, full of gifts. Stop by Boutique Terroirs de Mogador, you won't regret it.
3. Go shopping fashion. You can find fashion stores in the area of Avenida Mohamed V, which leads to Plaza de La Libertad and continues up through the new area to Plaza del 18 de Noviembre. It is the neighborhood of brand stores, fast-food restaurants and Moroccan 'hipsters'. It is a good plan if you are tired of the souk.
Four. If you want take a rich couscous With delicious views and without breaking the bank, I recommend you go up to the top floor of the Hotel Islane, just opposite the Plaza de la Koutubia. At the top of the hotel is the café-restaurant. They usually have a lunch and evening menu, and they also offer breakfast. It is worth sitting at one of the tables in this hotel, which, by the way, is where Moroccans usually stay, and contemplate the city from above. The first thing you will see is the Koutoubia tower, the highest point in the city with 70 meters, which It was designed in the image and likeness of the Seville Giralda. Erected by the Almohads at the end of the 11th century, it was called koutoub, which means books, because in the past Moroccan booksellers used to set up their stalls in the small square where it is located. It is a pity that the minaret, one of the jewels of Arab architecture, is not open to tourists because, surely, from there there must be some beautiful views of the city.
5. Taking the Koutoubia as a point of orientation, it is time to get lost in the walled area of the city. You will find several oil shops -with products made with argan oil-, medicinal ointment shops, some street stalls where you will surely find freshly made bread and puff pastry. The most beautiful thing about this walk is to get lost in the labyrinth of streets that surround the Jemaa el-Fna square and find the alleys that make up the Jewish quarter. A Moroccan may offer himself as a guide when passing by, don't be afraid, the first thing you learn in Morocco is to trust and arm yourself with patience -especially women- so let yourself go, he will surely teach you fascinating things at the same time, I have no doubt, he will take you to one of his stores or a friend's business, that is irremediable!
6. Try the street juice , a real delight!
7.Sign up for a hammam. If you look closely, in almost every neighborhood you will find signs advertising popular hammams, places visited by men and women every day. These baths are the meeting place for Moroccans, this daily bath is almost as respected as religion. Hammans are usually very cheap, except those that have been set up for tourists. Among the latter, there is one near the medina that is really a passage to the Thousand and One Nights, it is called Medina (Quartier Kennaria. Derb Zaari, No. 52) and you find it in an alley, it is really beautiful. Although I recommend going to the popular hammans, they are quite an experience.
8. Be sure to visit the Mamounia, it is one of the most emblematic spaces in the city and possibly one of the most incredible. After several years rehabilitating itself, it has finally reopened its doors. It is a luxury hotel, but also a space surrounded by silence and nature, where you will find the most fascinating spa in the city and three of the best restaurants: one Italian, one French and one Moroccan..
9. A bit of marching Moroccan style. I leave you with two places that in my opinion deserve a visit: the Churchill Bar, at the La Mamounia hotel, with live jazz every night; and a glass of still wine at the Kosybar Restaurant. It is inside the middle. Ask for a table on the terrace and join the trend of drinking Moroccan wine, exceptional! The most surprising thing is not only the wine and the views, but also the restaurant's menu, elaborated and prepared by a Japanese, and the hyper-modern concerts and performances that are organized on some nights. Worth.
10. To top it off, sign up for a cooking class! I prefer three schools where they teach you how to cook with the tajine and make perfect Moroccan couscous: at the Kasbah Agafy hotel-restaurant, classes are held from time to time in the open air in an organic garden owned by the hotel. Rhodes School of Cuisine organizes week-long classes in a super luxurious setting, in a typical Moroccan Ryad, what a delight.