Since it’s our first trip to Marrakech, we book a Segway tour to explore the city.
After a brief training session to familiarize ourselves with the eco-friendly scooter, we set off, following our guide through the city busy roads. This is the reason for the lack of photos for which I apologize as I’m too busy navigating my Segway between cars and motorcycles going from the beautiful Hivernage district, through the exclusive residential area.
We pass by the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech’s largest mosque, and ride along the old city walls to arrive at Marrakech Souk, in Djemaa El Fna, the city’s main marketplace and square and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Marrakech Bazaar
The Marrakech Souk is just off Marrakech’s central square – A souk can mean either a single market stall or, as in this case, a whole bustling labyrinth of stalls selling everything from rugs and spices to leather goods and love potions.
The souks are divided into different areas for different products: leather goods, wickerwork, rugs, dried fruit and spices. The stalls are cramped against each other. Many craftsmen sit in front of their stalls making handicrafts..
The best handicrafts are leatherwork – said to be the softest in the world – produced since the 16th century and Rugs which originated in the 14th century from a knotting technique bought in by the Persians. There are also traditional clothes such as the caftans, a long loose fitting dress for women, and the djellaba equivalent for men.
All prices are inflated, so it’s necessary to haggle. You should not offer more than a third of the offered price, but be prepared to bargain back and forth for hours.
The freshly squeezed orange juice seems very tempting and a glass costs less than $1, but we have to keep up with our guide, and I’m careful not to run over anybody as I navigate the Segway through the bazaar crowd.
Most stalls are closed in the evenings and on Fridays, the holy day.
Marrakech beautiful gardens
After the souk, we visit the immaculate gardens of the swanky La Mamounia hotel and head back to our hotel
Back at the hotel, we enjoy cocktails with our fellow distributors. We are all in Marrakech to attend a Vertime meeting conference.
In the late evening, I enjoy a relaxing time in the hotel grounds.
Next morning is the first day of our meeting program. It’s a gorgeous day to sit outdoors and enjoy a nice breakfast.
To keep in mind: Morocco is a moderate country when it comes to Islam and is very open to tourists. The locals understand that travelers come from different cultures but please be mindful and respectful. The local culture is quite modest and it’s not common to see people in short shorts or revealing clothes so dress appropriately. If you are visiting during the summer months cover up with lightweight clothing. It’s also best not to flaunt your jewelry or possessions.
Check out my other Marrakech blogs…
We hope you love the products we recommend. Just so you know we may collect a compensation from the affiliate links on this page if you decide to shop from them, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Leave a Reply