Visiting Marrakech – What you should know before you go – Part 3

General information

As far as clothing is concerned be sure to take good, solid footwear as the alleys of the medina are often uneven. Clothes should be light but not revealing. Take something warm for winter evenings. Carry any necessary medication as your own particular brands may not be available. Everything else is easily obtainable in Marrakech at the hypermarket Marjane, located on the Route de Casablanca just north of the New City. How long you plan to stay will depend on how much of the surrounding area you want to see. Marrakech itself is not a large city and as such has few important sights and monuments. Most visitors pass their time sunning themselves on rooftop terraces with the odd expedition into the souks. Unless you plan to have day trips south to the mountains or a trip to the coastal region of Essaouira then three or four days is probably long enough.

When planning your trip you will want to be aware of the Islamic holidays. The main Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar. They are Eid El Fitr, which is around the start of September and Eid El Adha, which is around the middle of November. During this time the city will stay shut for two days, so travelling or doing anything will be very difficult. In the holy month of Ramadan which begins around the start of August many Muslims fast during the day. Due to this fact, most restaurants and other places that sell food will be closed until sundown. As long as you are prepared for this it is not a problem.

The main tourist office is called The Office National Marocain du Tourisme (OMNT). It is not that convenient to find as it is located in the Place Abdel Moumen Ben Ali. This is in the New City which is a taxi ride away from the medina. The staff were not very helpful when we visited and like us you may find that the staff at your hotel or riad will be of more help.

Wheelchair users should remember that this is a very old location built long the needs of others were considered. Marrakech a tricky place to navigate, especially in the medina where the crowded roads tend to be narrow and in poor condition. Beyond the large hotels and the railway station, very few buildings are disabled friendly, though the better quality riads are trying their best to accommodate all guests.

The two main languages in use are French and Arabic with most official signs also being bilingual. However you will find English is spoken by most of those involved in the tourism industry.

The electricity supply here is 220V/50Hz. Moroccan sockets take European style two-pin plugs. So make sure you bring the right adaptor.

Continued in part 4