Marrakech

I visited Marrakech with three girlfriends in April 2023 and the city was even better than I imagined and a great location for a grown-up weekend away. The weather was hot but dry with lots of shade in the narrow streets, and it was a great place to explore in just two nights.

The journey

We travelled with Easyjet and flew from Gatwick to Marrakech. We took an early flight so that we would have a full Friday afternoon in the city – it’s quite a long flight at almost four hours. Once we arrived we took a taxi from the airport to our accommodation which we prearranged with our accommodation. 

Where we stayed

There are some really beautiful places to stay in Marrakech, both hotels and Airbnbs, some of which are surprisingly expensive. We were all keen to have our own bed so we ended up choosing a very attractive youth hostel with plunge pool. The Central House has a range of accommodation options. We booked a private room with two bunk beds and an ensuite bathroom. It was a great place to stay for a short trip and perfectly comfortable. 

How we spent our time

On arrival on the Friday we went straight out for an early lunch and then to Les Bains D’Orient for a Hammam (Turkish Bath) and skin treatments. The spa was beautiful and relaxing and I would highly recommend making time for this – booking in advance is essential. Our Saturday was spent visiting the souks and buying baskets, mirrors and other gifts from the markets. The souks were really clean and we felt completely safe although we were not great at haggling! We had brought a spare empty suitcase with us to share which only just fitted in all the purchases we made. We also visited Le Jardin Secret, a beautiful oasis in the city centre, where we also ate lunch. That evening we had cocktails and dinner at Nobu’s Rooftop Garden. It was a great meal but it was quite far out of the city centre. Other similar places in the centre were already fully booked when we tried to book restaurants a week ahead of our holiday, so book restaurants in advance. Also note that quite a few restaurants in Marrakech don’t serve alcohol so if this matters to you make sure you check the website before booking. On the Sunday we had time for breakfast and then headed back to the airport for a midday flight, back at Gatwick by 4pm.