Look, I need to be honest with you. After living in Morocco and visiting Marrakech more times than I can count, I have to warn you about something serious. If you're planning to visit Marrakech Morocco, you might want to reconsider. In fact, let me give you five very good reasons why you should probably just stay home instead.
Fair warning though—by the end of this article, you might hate me a little bit. Because these "reasons" might just make you want to book a flight immediately. But hey, I did warn you!
A Little Background on Marrakech
Before I get into my list, let me set the scene. Marrakech sits at the base of the Atlas Mountains in central Morocco. The city dates back to 1070 AD, when it was founded by the Almoravid dynasty. Today, it's a mix of ancient medina walls, bustling souks, modern neighborhoods, and that famous square everyone talks about—Jemaa el-Fnaa.
When people think of Morocco, they often picture Marrakech first. The red sandstone buildings give the city its nickname: the Red City. Palm trees line the streets. The call to prayer echoes five times a day. And tourists from all over the world walk through the narrow alleys of the medina, getting wonderfully lost.
Now, on to my warnings...
Reason #1: The People Are WAY Too Friendly
Here's my first complaint about Marrakech: everyone is just too nice. Seriously. It's exhausting.
Walk down any street in the medina, and shopkeepers will greet you with big smiles. "Welcome! Come, come, just look!" They'll offer you mint tea even if you're not buying anything. Try to ask for directions, and someone will probably walk you halfway there just to make sure you don't get lost.
When I first brought my friend Sarah to Marrakech, she couldn't believe it. We stopped at a small cafe in the mellah (the old Jewish quarter) for breakfast. The owner not only served us the best msemen (Moroccan pancakes) she'd ever tasted, but he also sat down with us to practice his English. Then he drew us a map of his favorite spots in the city and refused to let us pay full price because "you are guests in my country."
How are you supposed to maintain your tough traveler exterior when everyone keeps being so warm and welcoming?
The servers at restaurants will remember your name after one visit. Local families might invite you to share tea on their rooftop terrace. That man selling carpets will tell you about his grandmother who wove that pattern while showing you photos of his family on his phone.
This friendliness extends to the famous Jemaa el-Fnaa square. Yes, there are hustlers and touts—this is a tourist area, after all. But most people are just genuinely excited to share their city with visitors. The orange juice vendor will explain which oranges are sweetest. The henna artist will show you traditional Berber designs. The storytellers will try to teach you a few words of Darija (Moroccan Arabic) while you listen.
Practical Tip: Learn a few basic Arabic phrases before you visit. "Salam" (hello), "shukran" (thank you), and "la shukran" (no thank you) will take you far. Moroccans appreciate when visitors make the effort, and it makes those friendly interactions even better.
The worst part? This friendliness is contagious. After a few days in Marrakech, you'll find yourself smiling at strangers and striking up conversations with people you just met. It's really quite terrible for productivity.
Reason #2: The Food Is Ridiculously Delicious
My second warning: the food in Marrakech will ruin all other food for you. It's a real problem.
Let's start with couscous. Every Friday (the traditional couscous day in Morocco), the smell fills the medina streets. Fluffy semolina grains steamed to perfection, topped with vegetables, chickpeas, raisins, and tender meat that falls off the bone. Families spend hours preparing it. The vegetables are stewed in a rich broth flavored with ras el hanout, that magical Moroccan spice blend with 20+ ingredients.
One afternoon in Marrakech, my host family invited me for Friday lunch. We sat around a large platter of couscous, eating with our hands the traditional way. The grandmother taught me how to roll the couscous into small balls using just my fingers. The sweetness of the caramelized onions and raisins mixed with the savory meat and vegetables created this perfect balance I'd never experienced before.
That was four years ago, and I've been chasing that taste ever since.
Then there's the street food. Oh, the street food. In the evenings, Jemaa el-Fnaa square transforms into Morocco's largest open-air restaurant. Smoke rises from dozens of food stalls. The smell of grilled meat, cumin, and fresh bread fills the air.
You can find everything: snail soup (yes, really—it's delicious), grilled sardines, kefta skewers, tangia (a slow-cooked meat dish), harira soup, fresh dates stuffed with almond paste, and chebakia (sesame cookies dripping with honey). Each vendor will try to convince you their food is the best. And honestly? They're all kind of right.
The tagines in Marrakech deserve their own paragraph. Chicken with preserved lemons and olives. Beef with prunes and almonds. Lamb with peas and artichokes. These cone-shaped clay pots create the most tender, flavorful dishes. The long, slow cooking process makes the meat so soft you can cut it with a spoon.
But here's the real danger: the breakfast spreads. Moroccan breakfast isn't just coffee and a croissant. It's a whole production. Fresh khobz (round bread), multiple types of jam, honey straight from the mountains, amlou (almond butter with argan oil), fresh cheese, olives, eggs, msemen, beghrir (thousand-hole pancakes), fresh orange juice, and pots of mint tea.
Practical Tip: Don't eat a big breakfast before exploring Marrakech. You'll want room for street food snacks, mint tea breaks, and those fresh pastries from the neighborhood bakery. Also, if a local invites you to eat with them, always say yes. The best Moroccan food isn't in restaurants—it's in people's homes.
After a week in Marrakech, regular meals back home will feel bland and boring. You'll find yourself trying to recreate that perfect tagine or searching desperately for decent msemen. It's a curse, really.
Reason #3: The Riads Are Too Charming (You'll Never Want to Leave)
Here's complaint number three: traditional Moroccan riads are so beautiful and comfortable that you'll waste your entire vacation just relaxing in your accommodation instead of exploring.
For those who don't know, a riad is a traditional Moroccan house built around a central courtyard or garden. The name comes from the Arabic word for garden. From the outside, riads look plain—just a simple door in a medina wall. But step inside, and you enter another world.
The first time I stayed in a riad in Marrakech's medina, I was shocked. The courtyard had a fountain in the center, surrounded by orange trees and fragrant jasmine. Colorful zellige tiles covered the walls in intricate geometric patterns. The rooms opened onto the courtyard through carved wooden doors. A rooftop terrace offered views across the medina to the Atlas Mountains.
But the real problem is the atmosphere. Riads are quiet. The thick walls block out the city noise. Sunlight filters through the open courtyard ceiling, creating patterns on the tiled floors. You can hear water trickling from the fountain and birds chirping in the trees.
Most riads have only a few rooms, so the service feels personal. The staff will learn your name, remember how you like your tea, and give you insider tips on where to eat. Many riads serve breakfast on the rooftop terrace—fresh bread, local honey, fruit, and that excellent Moroccan coffee.
During my last visit, I stayed in a riad near Bab Doukkala. Every morning, I'd wake up planning to explore. But then I'd go up to the terrace for breakfast. The sun would be warm, the mountains clear in the distance, and the owner would bring fresh msemen hot off the griddle. Three hours would pass before I even left the riad.
The architecture tells you something about Moroccan values too. The plain exterior walls protect the beautiful interior—a metaphor for privacy and family life. The courtyard design dates back centuries, developed to keep homes cool in summer and warm in winter without electricity. The craftsmanship in the zellige tilework and carved plaster takes years to master.
Practical Tip: Book a riad in the medina, not a hotel in the new city. Yes, the narrow medina streets can be confusing, but most riads will arrange to meet you at a main square and guide you in. The experience is worth it. Choose one with a rooftop terrace for sunset views.
The main downside? After staying in a riad, regular hotels will feel corporate and soulless. You'll miss waking up to fountain sounds and breakfast under orange trees. You'll want carved wooden doors and zellige tiles in your own home. It's a serious problem.
Reason #4: The Perfumes Smell Too Good (Your Nose Will Be Spoiled Forever)
Warning number four: Marrakech smells incredible, and it will ruin your sense of smell for everywhere else.
The souks (traditional markets) in Marrakech have specific sections for different goods. When you enter the perfume and spice souks, the smells hit you immediately. Rose, amber, musk, sandalwood, saffron, cumin, cinnamon, mint—all mixing together in this intoxicating blend.
Perfume vendors sit surrounded by bottles of essential oils and handmade scents. They'll invite you to smell different fragrances, dabbing tiny amounts on your wrist. "This one is called 'Secret of the Desert,'" they'll say. "This one is 'Marrakech Night.'" Each scent tells a story.
Traditional Moroccan perfumes use natural ingredients. Rose water from the Dades Valley. Argan oil from the south. Orange blossom from the northern groves. These aren't synthetic department store fragrances—they're complex, layered scents that develop on your skin.
During one visit, a perfume merchant spent an hour creating a custom scent for my sister. He asked her questions: What flowers do you like? Sweet or woody? Heavy or light? Then he mixed different oils together, adjusting the proportions until she was happy. The final perfume was unique—nobody else in the world has that exact scent.
But perfumes aren't the only good smells in Marrakech. Walk through the medina early in the morning, and you'll smell fresh bread baking. The neighborhood bakeries (called ferranes) make khobz daily. People bring their own dough, and the baker puts it in the communal wood-fired oven. The smell of baking bread mixed with burning wood fills the narrow streets.
In the afternoon, mint tea dominates. Every cafe, every shop, every home prepares pot after pot. Fresh mint leaves, green tea, lots of sugar, poured from high above the glasses to create foam. The aroma is refreshing and sweet.
Evening brings cooking smells—tagines simmering, spices toasting, meat grilling. The food stalls in Jemaa el-Fnaa create this incredible smell combination that draws you in.
Practical Tip: Visit the spice souk near Rahba Kedima square. Buy some ras el hanout (the traditional spice blend) to take home. Also, consider getting rose water or argan oil—they're cheaper in Morocco than abroad, and the quality is excellent. For perfumes, take your time and smell many options before buying.
The gardens add another layer of fragrance. Jardin Majorelle has bamboo, palms, cactus, and water lilies. The scent changes throughout the day as flowers open and close. Le Jardin Secret in the medina combines Islamic and exotic garden styles, with orange trees and jasmine.
After spending time in Marrakech, regular cities will smell boring. You'll miss that combination of spices, flowers, mint, and baking bread. You'll find yourself buying rose water at home just to remember. It's genuinely tragic.
Reason #5: The Olives Are Too Juicy (And Fresh Market Produce Will Ruin Supermarkets for You)
My final warning: the food markets in Marrakech are so good, with produce so fresh and flavorful, that you'll never be satisfied with supermarket shopping again.
Let's start with those olives. Moroccan olives come in dozens of varieties—green, black, purple, small, large, with herbs, with lemon, spicy, mild. Market vendors display them in huge barrels and bowls, glistening with oil and spices.
One morning in Marrakech, I went to the olive section of the market. The vendor gave me samples of at least 15 different types. Each one tasted different—some were buttery and mild, others were sharp and salty, some had cumin and paprika, others had preserved lemons mixed in. The purple olives from Meknes were unlike anything I'd tried before, almost sweet.
I ended up buying a kilogram of mixed olives, which he packed in a plastic bag with some of the brine. Those olives lasted three days because I couldn't stop eating them.
But the markets offer so much more than just olives. The produce sections overflow with color and abundance. Pyramids of oranges, lemons, and clementines. Mountains of dates (at least 20 varieties). Fresh figs, pomegranates, melons, and prickly pears depending on the season. Tomatoes actually taste like tomatoes. Strawberries are sweet and smell like strawberries should.
The spice stalls are works of art. Vendors arrange their spices in perfect cones and pyramids—bright red paprika, golden turmeric, black peppercorns, brown cumin, green cardamom. Each merchant tries to create the most beautiful display to attract customers.
Fresh herbs fill entire sections—bundles of mint, cilantro, parsley, and herbs I can't even name. Everything is picked that morning or the day before. Nothing has been refrigerated for weeks or transported thousands of miles.
The meat and fish sections operate differently from Western markets. Everything is extremely fresh—sometimes too fresh for squeamish visitors. Chickens are often alive in cages, killed and prepared on the spot. Fish comes directly from the coast, displayed whole on ice. You can see and smell exactly what you're getting.
Practical Tip: Visit a local market like Mellah Market or the souks near Bab Doukkala early in the morning for the freshest selection and cooler temperatures. Bring small bills for easy transactions. Don't be afraid to ask for samples—vendors expect it. If you're staying in a riad with a kitchen, buy ingredients and try cooking Moroccan food yourself.
What struck me most about Marrakech markets is the social aspect. People don't just rush in, grab items, and leave. Shopping is an event. Vendors chat with regular customers, asking about family. People debate which tomatoes look best. The mint vendor and the egg vendor might joke with each other across the aisle.
After experiencing Marrakech markets, Western supermarkets feel sterile and sad. Fluorescent lights, plastic packaging, produce that's been bred for appearance rather than taste. You'll find yourself complaining that oranges don't taste right anymore or that market strawberries weren't actually sweet.
Practical Information for When You (Inevitably) Ignore My Warnings
Since you've read this far, you're probably going to visit Marrakech Morocco anyway, despite my very serious warnings. Fine. Here's what you need to know:
Getting There: Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) has international flights from Europe, the Middle East, and other Moroccan cities. From the airport to the medina takes about 20 minutes by taxi. Agree on the price before getting in (around 100-150 dirhams during the day, slightly more at night).
Best Time to Visit: Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) offer perfect weather. Summer gets very hot (over 40°C/104°F). Winter is pleasant during the day but cold at night.
Money: The currency is Moroccan dirham (MAD). ATMs are common. Many places accept cards, but bring cash for souks and street food. Tipping is customary—10% in restaurants, small amounts for helpful services.
Language: Arabic and French are most common. English is spoken in tourist areas but less common elsewhere. Learning basic Arabic phrases helps tremendously.
Dress: Morocco is relatively moderate, but dress respectfully, especially in the medina. Cover shoulders and knees. Women should consider bringing a scarf for visiting mosques (though most are closed to non-Muslims).
Safety: Marrakech is generally safe. Watch for pickpockets in crowded areas like Jemaa el-Fnaa. Be firm but polite with persistent vendors. Scams exist but are usually small-scale.
Getting Around: The medina is best explored on foot (it's a maze, but that's part of the fun). Taxis work for longer distances. Negotiate prices for petit taxis (small taxis) or use Careem/Uber where available.
Accommodation: Stay in the medina for atmosphere and proximity to main sites. The northern medina near Bab Doukkala is quieter. Near Jemaa el-Fnaa is more central but noisier.
So... Should You Visit Marrakech Morocco?
After reading my five complaints—the overwhelming friendliness, the impossibly delicious food, the too-comfortable riads, the intoxicating perfumes, and the spoil-you-forever fresh markets—you've probably figured out my little secret.
These aren't real warnings.
Every single one of these "problems" is actually why Marrakech is such a special place. Yes, the people are genuinely warm and welcoming. Yes, the food is incredible. Yes, the riads are beautiful. Yes, the city smells amazing. And yes, the markets are bursting with fresh, flavorful produce.
Marrakech can be overwhelming at first. It's loud, chaotic, and intense. The souks are confusing. Vendors call out constantly. The square gets packed at sunset. It's nothing like the organized, quiet tourism of many European cities.
But that's exactly what makes it magical. Marrakech is alive. It's real. It's been a trading and cultural center for almost 1,000 years, and you can feel that history in every narrow street and crowded square.
Will you get lost in the medina? Absolutely. Will vendors try to sell you things you don't need? For sure. Will you pay too much for your first carpet because you're not good at negotiating yet? Probably. Will it be worth it anyway? Without question.
The real warning I should give you is this: Marrakech gets under your skin. It stays with you. Long after you've left, you'll find yourself missing the call to prayer echoing through the streets at dawn, the taste of fresh mint tea on a rooftop terrace, the feeling of discovering a beautiful hidden riad at the end of a plain alley.
You'll bore your friends with stories about the best tagine you ever ate or that time a local family invited you to their home for couscous. You'll find yourself planning your next trip before you've even unpacked from the first one.
Now It's Your Turn—Let's Talk About Marrakech!
So there you have it—my five completely "serious" reasons why you should absolutely not visit Marrakech Morocco. I hope I haven't discouraged you too much (wink, wink).
Now I want to hear from you:
- Have you been to Marrakech? What was your favorite part that "totally ruined" you for other cities?
- Are you planning to visit despite my warnings? What are you most excited (or nervous) about?
- What questions do you have about Marrakech that I didn't answer?
- What other Moroccan cities should I warn you about next?
Drop your thoughts, questions, and experiences in the comments below. And if you found this article helpful (or at least entertaining), share it with anyone planning a Morocco trip. Let's spread the word about all these "terrible" problems in Marrakech!
Also, if you want more Morocco travel tips, insider advice, and stories from someone who actually lives here, subscribe to Bewildered in Morocco. I promise to keep warning you about all the wonderful, terrible things about this incredible country.
Safe travels—or should I say, good luck resisting the urge to book a flight!
HassanYour friendly neighborhood Morocco travel guide