Buzzing with life, Marrakech exudes vibrancy, with the exotic smell of spices in the air to the hustle of the inner souks and varied aromas from the street stalls in the medina. With super cheap flights from London me and one of my girlfriends headed to this North African city for a 10 day girls adventure.
Here is a girl’s guide for things to do in Marrakech!
Is it safe for women to travel alone to Marrakech?
For groups of girls or solo female travellers, Marrakech is pretty safe to visit as long as you keep smart about things. The unwanted attention from men is something that may be off putting but as long as you take correct safety precautions, there’s no need to worry.
Also be cautious and aware of your surroundings. There are many scams in Marrakech so do your research and have a heads up of what to expect. Walk like you know where you’re going, dress modestly and don’t flash valuables around.
For more on how to stay safe as a solo female traveller read this: Solo female travel: How to stay safe on the road
Places to visit in Marrakech, Morocco
Stroll through Jemaa el-Fna, Marrakech
This is the main square in Marrakech and is used by both locals and tourists. Here you will find food stalls, story tellers, snake charmers, musicians and dancers. It comes alive after sunset and loads of food stalls open up.
The food sellers will try and bring you to their stall, take pictures with you and are all really friendly (doing what they can to bring in the business!). Still it’s fun to talk to the locals and try the different street food available.
During the day there are many stalls selling the juiciest orange juice around, as well as ladies doing henna tattoos. Just make sure you get the brown henna (the black henna is not good). We got ours done by a lady behind one of the juice stalls- felt a bit dodgy at the time but it turned really good.
Shop at the Medina of Marrakech
Just off from Jemaa el-Fna is the medina and the souks, full of everything from leather goods, clothing, carpets, shoes, spices and jewellery. It’s definitely geared up for tourists and much of the stuff is probably cheaply made but if you’re looking for some cool clothes to wear around Morocco, or for some souvenirs you can find some nice things here.
Be aware of the shop owners, they can sometimes be quite pushy trying to get you into their stall. If they ask you “do you want to buy something”, make sure you don’t lead them on buy saying “maybe or yes” as they will put the hard sell on you!
You could get lost for days here, there’s so many little nooks and crannies. Give yourself enough time to explore as there’s so much to see.
Admire the pretty Majorelle Garden’s
Although popular with tourists, this pretty garden created by French painter Jacques Majorelle is a calm away from the busy streets of Marrakech. French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent bought the blue villa and the gardens and kept them open to the public, restoring them to former glory.
The gardens are a nice way to spend the morning and to take some time to chill out and admire the natural beauty of this place.
Day trip to the Ouzoud Waterfalls
One of my favourite things I did on this trip was visit the Ouzoud waterfalls. They exceeded my expectations and are spectacular when your standing down below. The Ouzoud falls are 110 metres high and you can see them from many different viewpoints.
There were even people swimming in the bottom. On the same day tour they also took us to some smaller falls where we jumped in over the cascading water. A little scary at first but after a few times it was a lot of fun!
Spend a day in the Altas Mountains and Berber villages
Another day tour from Marrakech, this one took us again to the Atlas mountains where we were guided around one of the local Berber villages, talking with the local children and meeting several camels too! (such funny animals).
We also took a break in the traditional Berber village where we enjoyed a cup of refreshing mint tea. It tasted so good in the heat and the mint tea in Morocco is so delicious.
Lunch by a pretty stream was really good, before heading to the waterfalls of Imlil (not as good as Ouzoud but still nice).
Enjoy Bahia Palace
Built in the late 19th century by Si Moussa, Bahia Palace is a beautiful historical site in Marrakech, Morocco. With it’s enchanting gardens to the colours, textures and patterns of its walls and floors, it’s a charming visit close to the city.
Just a 15 minute walk from Djemma el-Fna, it’s perfectly situated and easy to get to. The ceilings, floors, decor, walls are so intricate and colourful, as well as tranquil gardens to match.
Camels and Quad bikes in Beachside Essaouira
This was a super fun day trip from Marrakesh which took 3 hours by coach. Once at windy Essaouira town it instantly felt more relaxed from the city, not including many street sellers trying to convince us to buy their ‘happy cakes’.
After looking around the artsy medina section, we headed to the beach for a camel ride. Such a fun activity, especially when they make the camels run a bit and you’re bouncing around like crazy!
But the most fun I had at Essaouira was going on a quad bike tour. Me and my friends took it in turns to drive the quad bike up and over the sand dunes, where we got spectacular views of the beach and desert.
Wind down at a Moroccan Spa
There are so many spas in Marrakesh that cater to most budgets. We were on a pretty tight budget but managed to find a decent looking one. In our bikinis, the lady washed and gave us a full body scrub (pretty vigorously I might say!) and then hosed us down.
It was actually an amusing experience as we were both in the small room together watching as she sprayed us with this powerful water. However my skin did feel amazingly soft afterwards so I guessed it worked!
Enjoy the Local Food
The traditional tajine- a stew like meal can be seen cooking everywhere you go and there’s no better place to try it than when in Morocco. Also give the street stalls a go in the main square- we tried to go to several of the stalls, where you sit at a long table along with everyone else. This would be a great opportunity to talk to other travellers if you are travelling solo.
The traditional Tajine
See the Koutoubia Mosque
Lit up beautifully at night, the Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco. 5 times a day you will hear the call to prayer which is quite an atmospheric thing to experience in this cultural city. Try going at sunset for some great photography opportunities.
Dine at a Rooftop bar
There are many rooftop bars in Marrakech and I happened to stumble across this beautiful one, tucked away in the medina. Enjoying a cocktail and some bread and olives, it was great to sit and watch the city from a viewpoint.
There was no one else there and the place was so calming, playing through some strange meditation type music but it just added to its charm and tranquillity.
If you are looking to go out to some bars and clubs, there are some in the city- the bigger ones will charge an entry fee though. We went to a cosy bar close to the new city and danced out in the open air. There are many cocktail bars around the city that cater to tourists.
Where to stay in Marrakech?
Hostels are cheap in the city and are always in convenient locations. They are great for solo female travellers wanting to make friends and to find someone to walk around with.
Check out these hostels from £3-£14 (so cheap!)
I stayed in a cheap hotel in the new city, close to the plaza. Even though we had a big room and our own sitting room I wished I had booked a traditional raid. There are some absolute stunning raid’s in Marrakech.
Check out these riads from £23- £80
Getting Around in Marrakech
The public transport isn’t great but luckily most things are walk-able distance or a cheap taxi ride away. For day trips out of the city, you can book these easily once there, at the tour shops around the Medina or from your accommodation.
When to visit Marrakech?
The peak season is from September to October and from March to May. These are warm months as opposed to July and August which are hot. December to February can be pretty chilly. Even in the peak times to temperature can drop off at night so bring something warmer for the evenings.
Hope you enjoyed this female traveller’s guide to Marrakech, please share if you can ladies!
Click here for: 5 Adventurous Countries for Solo Female Travel
