Morocco

Morocco is one of the most vibrant Country I have ever seen. Morocco’s story is one of crossroads. Sitting where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean and Africa meets Europe, it has been shaped by wave after wave of people who came, stayed, and left their mark.

From the ancient roots, land’s first inhabitants Berber (Amazigh People), to arrival of Islam in the 7th century with Trade, Sultan and Isolations to becoming a French and Spain controlling different zones to finally getting independence in 1956. Its history is rich, exotic and something to remember forever.

We went to Morocco for a 10 days window at the end of September. Our plan was to cover - Marrakesh, Fez and then take a day trip to Chefchouen.

Marrakesh, The Red City

Founded in 1070 by the Almoravid dynasty, Marrakesh grew from a Saharan trading camp into one of the great imperial cities of the Islamic world. Its name is thought to come from the Amazigh (Berber) words for “Land of God,” and its nickname, the Red City, comes from the rose-hued walls and buildings that still ring the old medina today.

I loved roaming the bustling alleys, vibrant Medina, small shops and Cafes. The city left so much impact on me, even though I am writing about it after a few years, I am totally transported back to the alleys of Marrakesh. It stays with you forever. To stay, I would highly recommend staying at a Riad inside the walls of Medina and not at any posh hotel.

The word Riad means Garden in arabic language. Most of the Riads would have a beautiful Courtyard, pool or a relaxing area and rooftop. They are smaller so may not have more than 10 rooms or so depending on which one you pick.

For Marrakesh, we picked Dar Kandi. Kandi is inspired from Kennedy, the original owner was friends with Kennedy. It is beautiful, we had a very comfortable stay here.

We spent our time covering:

Jemaa el-Fnaa: This sprawling main square comes alive in the late afternoon and evening with street performers, storytellers, and vibrant food stalls.
Souks and Medina: Wander through the UNESCO-listed Medina. Instead of sticking to the main, crowded arteries, also dive into smaller places.
Jardin Majorelle: A stunning botanical garden featuring exotic plants, a striking blue villa, and the YSL Museum. Tip: Book your tickets and timed entry online in advance to avoid long lines.
Medersa Ben Youssef: an Islamic college featuring stunning mosaic tiles and carved cedar
Experience a Hamam: We have tried Hamam in Istanbul, moroccon process is slightly different but it was so relaxing after a long day of walking. We added full body massage with our hamam exeperience and had 0 regerts.

Food in Marrakesh needs a separate section because how delicious it is. Below mentioned are some of our favorite spots:

Dar Dar Rooftop - Amazing spot for Sunset, live music and delicious food. It is a bit of walk as there is no elevator but it was worth the breathlessness. Must try - Lamb Tagine with Couscous.
L’Mida - Another rooftop restaurant. We went there for lunch and their lentil balls in Sauce was so good, I can taste it as I write it.
NOMAD - We found this place from Netflix, Phil had been here. We enjoyed great vegetarian affair dinner here.
Small Cafes around Jemaa el-Fana are a great way for you to sit, relax and people watch as you sip on your coffee. We ate a moroccon Burger and flatbread called Msemmen for $1 each, freshly made right in front of you and one of the best street foods I have eaten till date. Yes, both vegetarian.

After our amazing trip, we took the train to Fez. The train journey is easy and took us about 6hours. I loved riding through the vineyards area, it was beautiful.

Fes

Fes is Car-free so our taxi dropped us at the gate of the Medina. An assistant from our Riad had a trolley with him, he loaded our luggage and we walked with him through the alleys and reached at our Riad. We stayed at an amazing Riad here called, Riad Laroussa. I still dream about this every single day. I mean just look at their Courtyard.

Things we did in Fes

Fes el-Bali & Bab Boujloud: You can enter through the striking blue-and-green gate (Bab Boujloud) and dive into the world’s largest car-free urban area.
Chouara Tannery: This 11th-century outdoor tannery is a must-see. Watch workers soften and dye animal hides using ancient, natural methods, climb to the surrounding leather shops to get a bird’s-eye view. Before you enter, they will give you a few mint leaves to sniff on, don’t say no, take it, you can smell the smell at this factory. You can also buy leather jackets etc. here.

We wanted to visit Nur, a restaurant we had heard a lot about. I made the reservations in advance and reached for one of our dinners, all I would say is, don’t sleep on this. Go and experience it.

Chefchouen

We took a day trip and guided Tour to Chefchouen. It is far, it took us good 4-5 hours just to reach here. But the blue city really captures your eyes and mind both in one single sight. Our guide had us walk through and climb steep to get to even more amazing views.

Chefchouen was founded in 1471 by Moulay Ali ibn Rashid and it was originally established as a fortified kasbah to defend Morocco’s northern coast against Portuguese invaders. It was also a Spanish Protectorate for a while before gaining Independence. Today local community actively preserves the blue aesthetic, transforming the former fortress into one of Morocco’s most iconic and vibrant culture.

We explore the the plaza, which is like a central square is perfect for grabbing traditional Moroccan meals. Also saw the Spanish Mosque (Bouzafer Mosque), an abandoned 1920s mosque. It’s the ultimate vantage point for panoramic views.

Instead of eating at the Plaza, we made our way to a beautiful restaurant called Bob Ssour. I loved the lentils stew, eggplant dip, moroccon bread with Olives. If you are a vegetarian then this place should be on your list to go eat at. And the views were so magical.