Hotels near Marrakech-Menara Airport - RAK, Marrakech

Marrakesh is a wonderful place to expose yourself to a different culture and way of life. The medina and souks are crazy but so interesting and varied. There are leather artisans, spice shops, food of all kinds, fresh fruit drinks, yummy sweets, and tea shops.

Marrakech is a busy city with loads of things to see. We only managed to stroll around the souk, visit the Ensemble Artisanale for the shopping with fixed prices (as I hate haggling), visit Le Jardin Secret and Ben Youssef Madrasa. But would have loved to see El Bahia palace and Saadian Tombs, YSL and Berber Museum and Majorelle gardens. We stayed outside the city as we prefer tranquility in a wonderful place Ferme Sidi Safou, where we had an entire villa with a private pool to ourselves. It served as a perfect place to explore surrounding areas. We drove to Atlas Mountains (did a hike with a guide without the kids), visited Ourika valley and the waterfall, and stopped at Andre Heller Anima Garden on the way (so worth it!), e-biked through Ouirgane valley (a highlight for the adults!), hiked around the lake Takerkoust and had a wonderful lunch at Le relais du lac (they even had petanque, which we enjoyed and a beautiful view - one can also do horse-back riding around the lake or jetskis, if you are into this sort of thing), visited a small town of Tameslouht, strolling through the streets and taking in the views...Kids came to most of our visits, except Atlas mountains and e-biking trip. We tried to stick to one activity a day and went to Marrakech only twice as it is quite overwhelming, yet beautiful. If you are coming as a family, this is a great destination.

Our visit to the Medina in Marrakesh may not be typicle, as we chose to go on a Saturday during a Moroccan national holiday week, so it was extremly crowded particularly in the evening as nearly everyone appeared to be out and about. The Souk is enormous, you will need a full day just to do a lap of the centre. The outer allyways and lanes extend to around 10km in circumference. A good thing though, most of the vendors are not particularly pushy and are happy to allow you to walk away if you wish.

Marrakech offered a vibrant and enriching experience. I loved exploring its historical buildings, each showcasing fascinating architecture and a deep sense of history. Climbing the Atlas Mountains was a breathtaking adventure, and the abundance of fresh juices and healthy local dishes made every meal a delight. The city's energy was infectious, with so much to see and do. That said, some areas—especially around the old town—were quite crowded and not as clean as one might expect, but it didn’t take away from the overall charm of the visit.

This was my first trip to Morocco and to Africa. Marrakesh is easy to navigate, especially if you are walking. The people are warm, friendly, and helpful. I chose Marrakesh for its rich in history, architecture, and proximity to the Atlas mountains. I booked a hiking tour, which included a camel ride, hike to the waterfall, breakfast at a local Argan oil cooperative, and lunch in a small village in the mountains. It was the best part of trip.

It’s busy, vibrant and friendly people - but easy to get away from the busy roads and into lovely calm parks. Lots to see. Eating out was an experience - some very good places to eat and such varied foods - but you always hit on an odd one that doesn’t come up to scratch! Trips out of Marrakesh definitely a must - Atlas Mountains and the deserts. Navigation round the city was interesting with no street names in evidence!