Bucket List: Marrakech

If you are headed to the hectic and chaotic madness that IS Marrakech I would suggest doing a little bit of research beforehand so you aren’t bombarded with a sensory overload. By research, I generally mean; scrolling through social media and pinning your favorite sites. Below is my bucket list of what to do with your time while in Marrakech!

Unfortunately, our trip was booked during Ramadan which we did not realize until a day before our departure so my ambitious bucket list wasn’t completed due to the fact that a lot of temples and sites were closed earlier than normal because of their religious holiday. If you happen to stumble upon my bucket list and see some of the sites I missed out on, let me know! I would LOVE to see your photos!

Bucket List: Marrakech Edition

 

• Koutoubia Mosque

  – the largest mosque in Marrakech, completed in 1157 and widely known for its long slender minaret which happens to be the oldest of the three remaining Almohad (a dynasty during the 12th century) minarets in the world. (A minaret is a slender tower where a muezzin calls Muslims to prayer).

  • no entry to non-Muslims but you can sit in the garden out front and admire

 

 

 

• Ben Youssef Madrasa

  – was an Islamic college named after the sultan Ali ibn Yusuf, built during the 14th century. It is the largest Madrasa (the Arabic word for any type of educational institution) in all of Morocco. Considered one of the largest theological school in North Africa, it was closed down in 1960 and became a historical site in 1982.

  • 20MAD (€2)  & open Monday-Sunday 08:00-17:00

 

• Saadian Tombs

  – are from a time period when the great sultan  Ahmad al-Mansur Saadi ruled Morocco in the 15th century. These tombs were forgotten about until they were discovered by the French in 1917. These tombs are the last and only remaining vestiges of the Saadian dynasty

  • 10MAD (€1) & open Monday-Sunday 09:00-1800

sadly this was closed every time I attempted to go due to Ramadan and short hours 😦

• El Badi Palace

  –  this Incomparable Palace took twenty-five years to build and was completed in 1593 with ransom money that commemorates the sultan’s victory over the Portuguese army.  **If you climb to the top of the terrace, there are gorgeous views of the Atlas Mountains.

  • 10MAD (€1) & open Monday-Sunday 08:00-1700

sadly this was closed every time I attempted to go due to Ramadan and short hours  😦 

• Jemaa El Fna Square

  – the climax of the old city; the hustle and bustle of local vendors who are trying to persuade you to buy their goods, taste their juices and snack of their fruits and snakes dancing to the sound of whistling flutes.

 

 

• Wander through the maze of the: Medina, Quartiers & Souks

  • The medina is the old historical part of the city normally surrounded by high walls. The medina is divided into quartiers. Each quartier has four essentials: a mosque, madrasa (educational site), Hamman (bathhouse) and a bread oven. Souks are outdoor markets; normally divided by trade; spice, leather, etc.

 

• Jardin Majorelle

  – twelve arcs botanical garden splashed with the most vibrant of blues and yellows. French painter Jacques Majorelle poured his heart and soul (and forty years of his life) in creating this maze of bold coloring. It is most famously known for being the burial site of the ashes of designer Yves Saint-Laurent (who purchased the gardens in 1980).

  • 70 MAD (€7): gardens and 30 MAD (€3): museum & open Monday-Sunday 08:00-17:30

 

 

 

• Hammam

  – is the Islamic version of a Roman bath, to get cleansed and bathed in a traditional sense. The Hammam will leave your skin feeling dewy, cleansed and polished.

  • prices and location varies

• Ride a camel

   

   

  

  

  

• Stay in a riad

 

 

• Haggle my way through the souks

 

• Try shisha with Morrocan pastries

 

 

 

• Buy a rug (or four)

 

 

• Enjoy a Morrocan meal from the rooftop

• Smell all the spices in a spice souk

 

 

• Eat something I can’t pronounce (see foodie post)

• Explore a Berber Village

 

 

• Donate school supplies to a local village

 

 

• Have a traditional Moroccan meal with a view

 

 

• Be amazed by the Atlas Mountains (literally…WOW!)

 

 

• Borrow some sand from the Sahara Desert

obviously, this didn’t happen…but if you go and wanna mail me some 😉
also, keep in mind while traveling to Marrakech the Sahara Desert is actually reeeaaalllly far away, and you need to commit to at least three days to venture out there, have an adventure and make your way back.

• Test my culinary skills in a cooking class

one day. but for now, I just ate everything in sight.

• Make a bomb-ass video of my weekend in Marrakech

to be determined..ha ha ha

 

Have you been to Marrakech? What did you think of the city? Did you complete your own bucket list? I would love to hear how yours went! And see your gorgeous photos! Thinking of making your own bucket list, let me know what you put on it! I would love to read yours!