Marrakech

Marrakech (Arabic: مراكش, Berber: ⴰⵎⵓⵔⴰⴽⵓⵛ), also spelt Marrakesh, is one of the imperial cities of Morocco.

Understand
The name Marrakech originates from the Amazigh (Berber) words mur (n) wakush, which means "Land of God". It is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat, and lies near the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains and a few hours away from the foot of the Sahara Desert. Its location and contrasting landscape has made it an enviable destination in Morocco.

The city is divided into two parts: the Medina, the historical city, and the new European modern district called Gueliz or Ville Nouvelle. The Medina is full of intertwining narrow passageways and local shops full of character; it also contains the large square Djemaa El-Fna, where many hotels are located and tourists, locals and vendors congregate. In contrast, Gueliz plays host to modern restaurants, fast food chains and big brand stores.

Marrakech is the main tourist destination in Morocco and thus it is also a place where many Moroccans try to become rich fast by ripping off tourists. This mentality is so widespread that even Moroccans are now ripped off whenever possible so that they call the city "Marrakech, Arnakech" - which rhymes in Arabic and translates to "Marrakech, Mafia". See the Scam section for more information.

For further information, you may also visit the

By plane


Marrakech has an international airport with direct scheduled flights from many major European centres, including flights operated by a number of low cost carriers. Connections via Casablanca (45-min flight) are also possible.


 * Easyjet flies to Marrakech from Manchester, Stansted and Gatwick Airport (and also from Madrid, from Lyon, Amsterdam and from Basel)
 * Ryanair - direct flights from Oporto (Portugal), London Luton, and London Stansted to Marrakech. They also fly from Hahn (Germany), Berlin (Germany), Alicante (Spain), Girona (Spain), Eindhoven (the Netherlands), Bergamo (Italy), Madrid and Reus (Spain), Dublin (Ireland) to Marrakech.
 * British Airways flies from London Gatwick.
 * TUIfly flies from Cologne and several other European destinations.
 * Transavia a low-cost airline from Air France-KLM group coming to Marrakech from several cities in Europe, including Paris.
 * Norwegian offers direct flights from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm.
 * Iberia offers two non stop flights from Madrid.
 * TAP Portugal offers direct flights from Lisbon
 * Domestic flights operated by Royal Air Maroc, with flights from Agadir, Casablanca (daily), Fez (daily), Ouarzazate, Al Hoceima, and Tangier.

Ground transport from airport
The airport is about 9 km south-west of the city center (Medina), and 6.6 km from the Djemaa El-Fna square.

The L19 Airport express bus is 30 dirham for a round trip (if the return trip is within 2 weeks of purchase) and the driver can make change. It serves all the major hotels and is a great way to go from the airport to the Medina area. The is right out of the terminal according to the bus' route. (If not, exit the arrivals hall at Terminal 2, to your left you will see the parking area, walk into it and continue across all the taxis, at the end, close to the exit, there's an empty area with a black BUS sign without signs or maps, nor a place to sit or shadow.) The bus leaves the airport every twenty minutes between 07:00 and 21:30. This bus line terminates at Jeema El Fna and it only has a couple of stops along the way, most notably the Menara Mall. The whole trip takes 15-20 minutes. You can see the whole route and departure times in Google Maps. Beware, some taxi drivers will approach and try to convince you to go with them, sometimes even resorting to lies ("The bus is not running today" or "It comes only once an hour")&mdash;don't listen to them.

You can also catch No 11 city bus which runs from M'Hamid district to the long distance bus station at Bab Doukkala, stopping also at Jeema El Fna. It stops on Avenue Gnassa - main road near airport, 500 m from terminal. This is an option only for people with convenient luggage, but it is the cheapest one&mdash;the bus costs 4 dirham, like all local buses. The driver can make change.

The airport is about a 10-15 min ride by petit taxi from the city center. Prices directly from the airport are fixed, insanely inflated and displayed prominently just outside the airport (just like at every airport in Morocco). Walking the 200 m across the parking lot to the road and hailing a taxi there will get you a much, much better price per vehicle (about 20-40 dirham compared to the official 200 dirham).

Many hotels and riads offer a shuttle service for about €15 per person. The advantage is that you avoid the hassle, and they will lead you all the way to you lodging, even if the car cannot drive there. However, you might have to wait a while for all your fellow passengers to get out of the airport.

Several international rental car companies are based at the airport as well.

If you do not have too much luggage then it is possible to walk from the airport to the Medina even though it would take you from an hour and half to two hours. There is a footpath alongside the road all the way and the minaret of the Koutoubia mosque provides an excellent landmark to head towards. If you have enough time you can break the trip with a visit to the Menara gardens, which are between the airport and the city.

By train

 * Getting there: Some taxi drivers will offer their services in the train station or just in front of it. They usually don't use their meter and ask for at least 50 dirham to Djemaa El-Fna. Ignore them and hail one on the main road. The metered fair to Djemaa El-Fna is about 12 dirham, if you want to avoid any discussions just offer 20 dirham upfront and take the first taxi that accepts this offer.
 * Getting there: Some taxi drivers will offer their services in the train station or just in front of it. They usually don't use their meter and ask for at least 50 dirham to Djemaa El-Fna. Ignore them and hail one on the main road. The metered fair to Djemaa El-Fna is about 12 dirham, if you want to avoid any discussions just offer 20 dirham upfront and take the first taxi that accepts this offer.

Trains from Casablanca (2nd class 84 dirham, 1st class 150 dirham, 3 hr), Rabat and Tangier connect with most domestic rail destinations in the country, with Marrakech as the southernmost stop. Trains run regularly between Marrakech and Casablanca (including the International Airport). They arrive around every two hours and regularly from other destinations like Rabat. Every day there are 8 direct 7 hr trains to Fez via Casablanca Voyageurs station and another two direct connections to Tangier.

From Tangier it's about a 10-hr journey. You can travel either by day train or night train. During the daytime, you will need to change trains for a connection halfway through the journey creating a welcome break for about 30 min. The night trains which leaves for Marrakech from Tangier travels straight through to Marrakech without the need for a connection. The night trains do have sleeper cars on board, though you will need to pay extra for these if you want a bed (around 350 dirham). If you're planning to go cheap and take the night train on the regular seats in second class (and planning to sleep), you'll be interrupted by movement of passengers and a few times by the ticket conductors throughout the night. It's a great way to travel but don't plan on sleeping on the train, especially if you are travelling alone.

There is no train line further south than Marrakech in Morocco; if you want to head south, to the desert, Atlas Mountains, Agadir or Essaouira on the coast, you'll have to get a bus, rental car or grand taxi.

Moroccan trains do not have restaurant cars. A snack trolley makes the rounds with sandwiches, soft drinks and coffee, but bringing some food for the journey isn't a bad idea. Stops in Casablanca and Rabat usually are long enough to grab a bite in the station en route.

By bus




There are many long distance bus companies operating within Morocco which serve Marrakech and other cities.

The bus companies mostly used by tourists are CTM, Pullman du sud and Supratours. Other companies do exist, though these three companies are usually the safest options, but mostly not the cheapest ones.

The long distance bus station, CTM and private bus companies travel to destinations such as Agadir (regular, 3 hr, 80 / 100 dirham local/CTM), Safi, Casablanca (regular, 4 hr, 80-95 dirham), El Jadida, Essaouira (regular, 3 hr, 55 / 80 dirham local/CTM), Fez, Meknes, Ouarzazate (regular, 3-3.5 hr, 80 dirham), Rabat, and Taroudant. Taxi touts will often gather in the bus station to convince you that a bus to your destination is 'full' and to steer you into a grand taxi, and will attempt to sell you goods as your taxi is prepared. This can be difficult if there is nobody manning the ticket desks, and the best option is to walk out of the station to the coaches - a ticket can usually be purchased from a conductor on board.

For trips to Meknes (6 hr, ~120 dirham), while seemingly shorter on the map, the mountain route via Beni Mellal takes at least 2 hr more than on the highway via Rabat and Casablanca​, going there by train (6½ hr, 174 dirham) is the most comfortable option, although buses might be slightly quicker.

Get around
Once in the medina, everything can be seen on foot, though you'll be doing a lot of walking. Many tourist destinations are signposted by brown, red or green signs affixed to posts or to buildings. Bear in mind that many of these signs don't take the direct route, and some seem to deliberately send tourists via various markets or other places money may be spent.

For exploring more of the city, buses and petits taxis are plentiful.

By bus
Alsa run the city buses and have maps, fares and a frequency guide on their web page.

Almost all buses stop at Djemaa El-Fna (the bus stop for Djemaa El-Fna is called Terminus Arset El Bilk, and it is marked on Google Maps) and Place Youssef Ben Tachfine and fares range from 2–5 dirham depending on the distance. Important municipal bus lines are:


 * No 1 - Towards Gueliz
 * No 8 - Stops at the central train station, and bus station (Gare Routiere Voyageurs Marrakech)
 * No 10 - Stops at the long distance bus station
 * No 11 - Will drop you off at the gardens of Menara
 * No 18 - Outside of Airport to Djemaa el-Fna.
 * No 19 - Airport express to Djemaa el-Fna (return for 30 dirham)

Bus No 19 leaves Djemaa el-Fna every half an hour, from 05:15 to 21:15. The trip to the airport takes about 25 minutes.

There is an open-topped City Sightseeing bus that will take you around the outskirts of the city, with commentary provided via headphones (supplied with your ticket) in any of 8 different languages. The best place to catch it is from the coach stops by Square de Foucauld. Tickets cost 145 dirham each and are valid for 24 hours from the time of issue, no matter how many times you get on or off. You can get a 48-hour ticket for very little extra and as there are two distinct tours, this can be a good deal. Check the timetable carefully, as the buses can stop running earlier than you might think.

By caleche
An alternative and romantic way to travel is by caleche, a small horse-drawn carriage. They can be hired at Square de Foucauld (the small park to the south of Djemaa El-Fna). It's wise to agree on a price before setting off. As a guide price, you should pay around 80 dirham per hour, per carriage.

By taxi
You should always ask to use the meter (compteur in French); otherwise, you are just contributing to a culture of ripping off people. However, in the vast majority of cases, the drivers will refuse to take you if you insist on using the meter. Even locals often have troubles with drivers in Marrakesh, that's how it is. Even if you use the meter, the driver may try and charge extra for bags, or be lacking change in order to get a larger fare.

Your only option to completely avoid this is using the buses which serve most destinations of interest (see above). If you accept that you have to pay a small penalty fee for being a tourist, offer 50% more than the metered ride would cost upfront (see below).

For petit taxi, the maximum number of passengers is three (plus the driver), i.e. one fare applies to a single person, or a group two or three people.


 * The meter starts from 1.70 dirham before 20:00 and 2.40 dirham after 20:00; there's no need to negotiate the price. Basically they have to use the meter even if it is midnight.
 * The minimum charge is 7 dirham before 20:00 and after will be 10 dirham.
 * 20 dirham is a good price for a 10-minute ride and if offered upfront will usually be accepted. If not, kindly refuse and simply take the next taxi.

For grand taxis (regular Mercedes taxis) there are no meters. Typically the set rate from Marrakech Airport to the Medina or Djemaa El-Fna (Main square) is 150 dirham. There also appears to be no limit to the number of people they'll attempt to squeeze in! Outside of the airport if you are a group of more than three, the maximum for a petit taxi, then do negotiate you fee before you enter the grand taxi.

See


There is much to see and do in Marrakech. An entire day can be dedicated to wandering around all the different souks, seeking out the best bargains. The city also offers several historical and architectural sites as well as some interesting museums.







Do

 * Football:
 * Football:

The Medina
The historic district of the city.

The main square in the Medina is Djemaa El-Fna. It is surrounded by endless labyrinths of souks (bazaars) and alley ways covering all of the Medina. Djemma El-Fna is a must as there is always something to see there day and night whether it be snake charmers, acrobats, sooth-sayers,or the musicians and food stalls. At night the square really comes to life as people navigate toward the exotic aromas and the entertaining sights. As the evening darkens, the hustle & bustle of activity rages on. The exotic music appears louder and more hypnotic.

The Medina is also the place to stay in a Riad, a Moroccan house with an internal courtyard. Most windows are inward facing towards the central atrium. This design of property suits Islamic tradition as there is no obvious wealth statement being made externally, no windows to peer through. Entering a Riad is like discovering an Aladdin's Cave in comparison to its non-descript exterior. They are great places to stay and offer an intimate and relaxing retreat.

Directly south of the Djemaa El-Fna is Rue Bab Agnaou. A five-min walk takes you straight to the famous Bab Agnaou entrance to the Kasbah district of the Medina. The Bab Agnaou entrance, through the ramparts, is by far the most impressive entrance of all medina rampart entrances.

The Kasbah, in comparison to the Derbs (streets) surrounding the Djemaa El-Fna, portrays a calmer, less abrasive atmosphere. It is home to the Royal Palace, also the former El - Badi Palace and the Saadian Tombs. This naturally creates better security, cleaner streets and a hint of being a special place within the medina. The Kasbah has its own little bazaars (Souikas), food stalls, restaurants, hotels and riads for travellers to enjoy.

Hammams
Hammams are baths, often close to mosques to facilitate the performance of ablutions. In guidebooks and signs that call them "Moroccan Turkish Baths" the name "Turkish" is a misnomer, since Morocco (unlike Egypt or Syria) was never under Ottoman rule, but the historical role of the baths is authentic in Morocco.



Desert trekking
Marrakesh is not in the desert: you will spend several hours to get to the desert and that day tours are therefore pretty stressful. If you have the time, spend at least one night in the desert or in a town close to your desert trekking destination. Beware of tours that don't include meals and water as they will drop you at 100 dirham restaurants far from any other option, because of this and the kickback from shops you will visit multi-day trips to Merzouga can cost as little as 600 dirham if you play agencies against each other.

A good alternative to big desert trips is a day-trip to the Agafay desert. It is rockier (less sandy), but a common trip for the locals.

Buy


Along with the major souk (Arabic for 'market') adjacent to the Djemaa El-Fna, there are a plethora of smaller souks throughout the city where any number of products can be had. In any of them, you generally need to bargain. Keep an eye out for a wide array of hand-crafted candle-holding lanterns, as well as spectacular displays of local spices.

Most shops sell the same handful of items. But if you wander a little off from El-Fna, you can find small workshops with real craftsmen making handmade goods. You then get to talk to craftsmen that the item you bought. If you buy shoes or clothes that can also make alterations for you, and there a few places that make unique products that you will not see anywhere else.

Argan oil, produced only in Morocco, is used in Moroccan cooking and beauty treatments. If you enjoy its unique nutty flavor, be sure to pick some up in the souks. It will cost you about 70 dirham per 100 ml at local supermarket for cooking oil or 200 dirham for genuine cosmetic oil. Marrakech is home to a large tanning industry, and leather goods of high quality can be bought here cheaply. Check out camel leather items especially - jackets, round poufs (little ottomans), and handbags.

For the shoes, always check they have no paper inside sole because it is very common. Do not be fooled by demonstration of bending the shoe back and forth; try it yourself by feeling and hearing how the paper bends. For poor quality shoes you should not pay more than 40 dirham, and for a good pair no more than 90 dirham. Shop around and learn the difference in shoe quality.

Also of interest would be items made of the local cactus silk, which is really rayon, a natural fiber made of plant cellulose and produced in Morocco. Rayon holds the chemical dyes well which accounts for the vibrant range of true colors (natural dyes cannot produce a "true" color). On offer are scarves, handbags, tablecloths, bedspreads and throws in stunning colors. Some merchants try to charge a premium price for this "cactus silk". Check well because there are many fakes and sellers will usually tell you any lie to get you to pay a high price.

Be sure to wander around the potters' souk, and look for brightly colored platters and bowls, as well as tagines (large, lidded cookpots) in all sizes

Lovely cashmere shawls can also be had for less than a fiver with a little bargaining.



If you cannot stand the bargaining, there are two government-run shops where you can buy handicrafts at fixed prices. Look for boutique d'artisans. One is near Djemaa El-Fna while the other one is in the ville nouvelle.

An option to explore the souks in a more tranquil way is to go during the Friday prayer. Although some shops will be closed, most stay open and are significantly less crowded than at other times.

The Apple and Samsung smartphones being sold on Djemaa El-Fna are Chinese-built fakes; they work fine but employ less storage and cheaper components than the originals. Bargain accordingly.



Prices
In order to not become (heavily) overcharged: If there is no price tag, ask for the price first. This applies to both products and services.

As a guide for prices, maximum and generous prices you should pay.
 * Djellaba, long coat with hood for men, made of cotton/wool. Low quality: 90 dirham. Good (thick) quality: 300 dirham.
 * Paintings, depends on the quality and size but no more than 50 dirham for a 70x50cm.
 * Shisha, 150 dirham for the smallest ones. Prices then vary with size and quality.
 * Tobacco for shisha, 20 dirham. There are many flavours and decent prices at the duty-free store at the airport in Marrakech.
 * Shoes, for home, no more than 50 dirham for a good one, for the street no more than 90 dirham for a good quality one.
 * Lamp, no more than 60 dirham for a medium size lamp.
 * Woven beanie, 15 dirham.
 * T-shirt, no more than 50 dirham for a large.
 * Small wooden snake toys, 5 dirham.
 * Small teapot (2-3 cups), 90-100 dirham.
 * Medium size cooking tagine 40 dirham. (Choose carefully, glazed tagines have a risk of releasing unsafe levels of lead.)
 * Dress for women, poor quality, not wool, 30 dirham.
 * Carpets: 1,000 dirham for a white wool carpet that is 8 ft x 12 ft
 * Henna tattoo: medium-sized design should cost no more than 50 dirham (Ask for brown henna if you are allergic to PPP black henna, the brown henna is natural and safe)
 * You can order special gold jewellery items like a chain with your name on it or using a customised design but ensure you have agreed on the price beforehand.
 * 250 g of gunpowder tea, 30 dirham. Although best bought at a supermarket.
 * Round piece of bread, 1.5 dirham.
 * Spice mixes, 80 dirham/kg. Cumin, curcuma, cinnamon, ground ginger, etc. 40-60 dirham/kg

Also see Morocco. Do not offer a price that you are not willing to pay. Even hostel prices can be haggled.

Remember, sellers are just the middle man, they do not produce it, except maybe for some kinds of lamps, and they pay very little to the people who actually make it. Also, never pay in advance. And never let anyone write you an invoice. It is a bad idea and in most of the cases you will never see your goods or money back.

Most major banks and a slew of cash exchange shops can be found in a cluster around Arset el bilk (next to the main square). Most banks don't accept Unionpay and many ATMs displaying the Unionpay logo actually don't support the cards regardless of what Unionpay or the bank's website will tell you. Apparently the Société Générale banks can do withdrawals from 16:00-21:00.

Be aware that if you are shopping at western stores like Zara, that the return policies are different. Contrary to many other countries, purchases by credit card can only be exchanged, not returned. However, cash purchases can be returned for a refund.

How to eat (well) in the Djemaa El-Fna


Each night in the Djemaa El-Fna rows of street stalls are set up under giant white tents. The huts targeting tourists serve similar fare and have menus printed in French, Arabic and usually English. Everyone has tajine, couscous, brochette and some variety of soups. Some have specialities like offal, egg sandwiches or special tajines. Be aware that most restaurants employ rather insistent "greeters," who are very aggressive in trying to customers for their stall. The line 'we already ate' seems to work well to get them to stop. As of 2018, the "greeters" mentioned above have changed strategies to one of harassment and insults. They try to separate couples and corner women while hurling insults.

If you want to eat well in Marrakech, do what the locals do and eat at the food stalls in the square. It is a common misconception that these stalls are only here for the tourists. Actually, they have been in existence long before Marrakech became a tourist destination. All of the stalls can be regarded as perfectly safe to eat at. They are strictly licensed and controlled by the government, especially now as it is a popular destination for tourists. The locals eat at the cheaper stalls that don't employ greeters and serve the more interesting food: snails, sheep head, lentils and beans.

Some tips:


 * Prices tend to vary a little. Depending upon how hungry you are, you can pay anything from 10 dirham for a bread filled with freshly grilled sausages, or perhaps a bowl of harira soup to 100 dirham for a full three-course meal with salad, bread, starter, main course, and tea.
 * Try harira (great soup, of lamb/beef, red lentils and vegetables) and the fried aubergines. Don't be afraid-try the lamb head: it's really tasty. The "bull stew" (beef stew) should also be given a chance in the same stalls.
 * Don't miss the tea! There is a row of tea sellers along the front of the food stalls who each sell tea for 3 dirham each (as of 2011). Most of the tea at these stalls is actually ginseng tea with cinnamon and ginger... most delicious and welcoming. They also have cake, made of basically the same spices, which can be a bit overpowering.
 * All food stalls at Djemaa El-Fna display the price on the menus, making it less likely you'll be overcharged, but many will bring starters to you without asking, then charge for them at the end.
 * Drinks are rarely on the menu so it is better to ask the price of them before ordering, as they can often be comparatively high. On the other hand, some stalls offer free mint tea to encourage you to choose them.
 * Early mornings, look for people frying riifa in the covered part opposite the Koutoubia. Riifa is dough stretched and flattened and folded over, then cooked in a frying pan, and is best described as a Moroccan version of a pancake or crepe.

Mid-range
For more upscale eateries (and especially for non-Moroccan cuisine) you generally must go outside the Medina to Ville Nouvelle.



Drink
Street vendors offer fresh orange juice (jus d'Orange) by the glass for 4 dirham. Try it with a dash of salt like the locals, but be wary of vendors who try and water the juice down with tap water. Also, pay attention when you buy as they offer 2 types of orange... the blood orange juice costs 10 dirham per glass and a misunderstanding on what you want to drink could occur.

Confirm the price of your orange juice and pay for it before you drink. Unscrupulous vendors will sometimes try to charge you 10 dirham for a 4-dirham glass of jus d'Orange, so don't accept your drink until you've paid the correct amount.

Be wary also, that they do not always clean the glasses very well so it is possible to get an upset stomach from the juice.

There is a very limited selection of places selling alcohol in the Medina.



Outside the Medina.



Sleep
Marrakech has an amazing choice of places to stay ranging from tented camps outside Marrakech to cheap hostels and hotels that can be charming or seedy to luxurious kasbahs in luxurious gardens or the traditional riad (garden courtyard) hotels. Wherever you choose (or can afford) to stay it really is a must to visit one of the riad hotels to see this amazing style of architecture. Most riad managers will be happy to show you around provided that they are not too busy and in some riads you can even book a lunch or dinner without being a resident provided that the riad is not privately rented. For example, see Riad Cinnamon, Riad Laksiba and Riad Papillon.

There are three main zones to sleep: Medina, Guéliz (also known as Ville Nouvelle), and the surroundings of the city. The Medina has the highest concentration of very cheap hotels and riads (small palaces), while Guéliz is much more quiet and most of the hotels are mid price (including showers in the room, breakfast service), but going to the Medina from the Guéliz by taxi costs about 10-15 dirham and can take a long time at busy periods (evenings and weekends).

The surroundings have all the huge tourist hotels, the ones that usually come with what the travel agencies offer. They can be further away from the medina and the rest of the city, but have big swimming pools, restaurants, and many services.

Dars
The Medina is packed with Riads and Dars (old grand houses converted into hotels and inns). Traditionally, riads should have gardens; with smaller dars having open courtyards. However the term riad is now used loosely to describe any house with an internal open-air center. These are wonderful places to stay to get a feel for life in Marrakech.

Riads


The Medina is packed with Riads and Dars (old grand houses converted into hotels and inns). Riads should have gardens; with smaller Dars having open courtyards. However the term Riad is used very loosely today to describe a house with an internal open-air centre. These are wonderful places to stay to get a feel for life in Marrakech.

If you arrive by car, ask the hosts to help you find your way from the parking lot, especially if you never experienced orientation in a real medina before. Here are a sample of some of the riads (in alphabetical order) where you can experience Marrakech's unique style of living:

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 * {{sleep
 * name=Riad Melhoun | alt= | url=https://riad-marrakech-bahia.com/} | email=contact@riad-melhoun.com
 * address=99 Derb Sidi Moussa, Quartier de la Bahia, 40007 Marrakech Médina | lat= | long= | directions=
 * phone=+212 524 386 252, +212 678 734 373 (Mobile) | tollfree= | fax=
 * checkin= | checkout= | price=
 * lastedit=2017-07-19
 * content=Located in central Marrakech, a 3-minute walk from the El Badi and El Bahia Palaces, it features an interior courtyard with a swimming pool and a furnished rooftop terrace with views of the medina. Each room has traditional Moroccan decoration and en-suite shower. Guests also have access to a traditional living room with a fireplace and a lounge area with books. Free Wi-Fi is available in common areas, hammam, massages and traditional meals are provided on request.
 * {{sleep
 * name=Riad Melhoun | alt= | url=https://riad-marrakech-bahia.com/} | email=contact@riad-melhoun.com
 * address=99 Derb Sidi Moussa, Quartier de la Bahia, 40007 Marrakech Médina | lat= | long= | directions=
 * phone=+212 524 386 252, +212 678 734 373 (Mobile) | tollfree= | fax=
 * checkin= | checkout= | price=
 * lastedit=2017-07-19
 * content=Located in central Marrakech, a 3-minute walk from the El Badi and El Bahia Palaces, it features an interior courtyard with a swimming pool and a furnished rooftop terrace with views of the medina. Each room has traditional Moroccan decoration and en-suite shower. Guests also have access to a traditional living room with a fireplace and a lounge area with books. Free Wi-Fi is available in common areas, hammam, massages and traditional meals are provided on request.
 * content=Located in central Marrakech, a 3-minute walk from the El Badi and El Bahia Palaces, it features an interior courtyard with a swimming pool and a furnished rooftop terrace with views of the medina. Each room has traditional Moroccan decoration and en-suite shower. Guests also have access to a traditional living room with a fireplace and a lounge area with books. Free Wi-Fi is available in common areas, hammam, massages and traditional meals are provided on request.





Discount hotels
The budget conscious will have more luck in the streets and alleyways south of Djemaa El-Fna, which are packed with discount hotels offering singles from 50 dirham. Derb Sidi Bouloukat is a good place to look, a quiet but safe alleyway packed with traditional-style hotels just a min from Djemaa El-Fna. Its entrance is easy to find, just a few steps away from Djemaa El-Fna. Take Riad Zatoune (unmarked) which starts right of the Moroccan Red Crescent (with your back towards the Koutoubia) and it's the first alley on the right (marked in Arabic only). On your way in Riad Zitoune you will also come across the public hammam (10 dirham, left entrance for women, right entrance for men, the soap, glove and small bucket can be bought at many shops across the street) and a small restaurant serving bissara and mint tea for less than 5 dirham.

Popular options with backpackers include:

In the little streets between rue Bab Agnaou and rue Riad Zitoune (where the Smara, the Essaouira, and the Imouzzer are) there are a lot of other small hostels. It is difficult to get lost as they are surrounded by these two big streets and Djemaa El-Fna. It could be a good idea to arrive during the day (best in the morning) and wander around comparing many hostels in a short time.

Cope
There are many dry cleaning shops inside and outside of the Medina. It takes only one day to clean and will cost from 10-30 dirham per piece. If you stay at hotel, you can hand out your dirty clothes to a housekeeper. Usually they wash it by hand. They do not have a price list and usually say "up to you". You should not pay more than 50-100 dirham per plastic bag.



Consulates
Be sure to report any crime to both the local police and your embassy.


 * 🇷🇴 Romania

Most other foreign embassies and consulates in Morocco are in Rabat, with a few more consulates in Casablanca.

Stay safe
Marrakech is a generally safe city, with police presence. However, staying alert about your surroundings and taking general safety precautions is always a good idea like everywhere. Here are some tips:


 * Violent crime is normally not a major problem, but thefts are known to happen. Keep your money close and hidden, and avoid poorly lit streets or alleys at night.
 * Guides offering their services should display an official badge from the local tourist authorities.
 * Morocco is under an increased threat from international terrorism. Be vigilant when you're out and contact authorities if you notice anything suspicious.
 * Be especially careful about being drugged, especially as a solo traveller. The common and easy-to-make drug GHB only lasts three hours and is undetectable in the body after 7 hours, so if you are attacked, take action immediately.
 * Be careful ordering room service if you are a solo traveller, as even older women can be targets for robbery. Don't ask the waiter to enter your room.
 * Get one of the shopkeepers to dress you up with a berber style scarf, for men and women, it will cover your face (leaving only space for your eyes) and you can remain undetected and will definitely not be harassed by the shopkeepers, one or two beggars may catch on that you are still a tourist from the way you are dressed though, so bear that in mind.

Drinking water
Don’t expect a good quality of tap water In Marrakech. While locals drink it with no problems, visitors often find it hard to digest and swallow. To be safe, opt for bottled mineral water, available at the numerous marketplace kiosks and food stalls. Make sure that the cap seal has not been broken, since vendors have been known to save money by refilling plastic bottles from the tap. At restaurants, ask for your drinks without ice, which are usually made with tap water.

Touts and scams
A Moroccan idiom is "Marrakech, Arnakech" ("Marrakech is Mafia"): Marrakech is the city with the most inflated prices, the most persistent touts and the most cunning scammers. Even Moroccans who visit Marrakech complain. So all the warnings listed on main page about Morocco should be taken extra seriously. On the plus side, at least since September 2016 (and still valid in April 2017), police has been cleaning up a lot; so take these items with a grain of salt and keep an open mind:


 * "It's closed"/"it is a prayer area"/"you cannot go there, it is not a tourist area": This is a common technique by scammers pretending to be tourist guides. Some will even have printed badges with photos and documents pretending to be from the Ministry of Tourism. They will ask you or guess where you are going and say that it's closed. Immediately after or later in the conversation, they will lure you to the location they want you to go, usually some sort of commerce with inflated prices. If a stranger approaches you and claims a location of interest is closed, it is very likely a scam. Shake your head, ignore possible shouting and keep walking.
 * "Only every 15 days": Another technique is to say a group of Berber only comes every 15 days to do commerce. Buy now, or miss the opportunity!
 * Tanneries: It is a common scam near the tanneries in the medina to invite tourists for a free tour to the tanneries and then aggressively demand money. You can visit the tanneries for free, but be prepared to be intimidated by fake guides. Maybe better to go only in a group. The tanneries are always open thorugh the year, so avoid people telling you that there is a short time to see/buy.
 * Directions then pay: If strangers are showing you the way and following you, they may ask you for money at the end of showing directions.
 * Snake charmers: Stay at a distance unless willing to pay 20 dirham. They will put a snake around your neck for picture and expect payment.
 * Taxi drivers in the "tourist hot spots" (train station, gare routiere, agence CTM, Djeema El-Fna), by default, do not use the meter, though they have to by law, and they overcharge a lot: Either insist on the meter (good luck with that) or agree on a flat price up front. By meter, the trip from the train station to Djeema El-Fna is 13 dirham during daytime, a price of 20 dirham is a good deal for a tourist, regular asking price is 50 to 70 dirham. If your luggage permits, just walking 100 m down the street, away from the "tourist hot spot", and hailing a taxi will get a cheaper fare. (or even a metered fare).
 * Djeema El-Fna is now patrolled by tourist police and one can actually walk there pretty much hassle free, except for: At night time, the food stalls can be pretty "aggressive" when trying to convince you to eat there. "Aggressive" as in shoving the menu into your face, while blocking your path or grabbing your hand because they are sure you are an "old friend", starting a lengthy, friendly conversation. And they still try the "complimentary XY" trick where they'll serve you spoonfuls of fries, salads or other items while you are already eating - each tiny plate shows up as 5 dirham on the bill. The latter can be easily avoided by insisting on paying immediately when your food arrives and then just walking away after you finished your meal. On the plus side: With all the tourist police present, (April 2017) simply raising your voice when telling the same guy "la, shokran!" (no, thank you!) for the 3rd time or when debating a bill that lists items you did not order will probably make them stop for fear of police intervention.
 * When ignoring touts, you might get dismissive remarks shouted after you, usually tailored to your (guessed) nationality: Unless you know at least French really well, just keep on ignoring them.
 * When you get lost in the Medina, you should never have to pay more than 20 dirham to a random person to get you at least out of the medina to a taxi that can drop you of someplace from which you can navigate. Again, agree on a price upfront and have the exact amount ready (or change en route in some shop).
 * Henna tattoos are popular with locals and tourists alike. But among the many genuine traders are some scam artists who offer a free henna tattoo only to charge ridiculous prices afterwards (up to 10 times as much as locals would have to pay). Simply refuse any "free" henna tattoos. And, in Marrakech more than in other places, be wary of overly good henna: It is probably regular, cheap henna, mixed with chemicals like PPD to make it appear darker (i.e. of higher quality). This is not only questionable from an overall health perspective but it can lead to serious allergic reactions.

Always remember: Most Moroccans are incredibly friendly, honest people, so sometimes making a fuss in public can generate unwanted attention for a scam artist and shame them into backing off.

Go next
Marrakech can make a good base for exploring the High Atlas or for organizing one to four day Sahara treks. The following are towns in the High Atlas that can be seen as part of a day trip: