5 days in Marrakesh with teens: trip report, why we loved it, useful tips
Detailed travel account of our last trip to Marrakesh with the kids: our itinerary and tips for 5 days in Marrakesh with teens
Our recent family trip to Marrakesh has been one of our most successful and satisfying trips we have taken with our kids to date.
It was our first trip outside of Europe since about 6 years ago, the first one we took to a place that was really ‘other’, culturally, with our kids, and it came with a lot of excitement.
After years cooped up within the familiar borders of Europe (and the US), I was itching to get traveling again and I couldn’t wait to do so with my teens, see what they’d make of Morocco and how we would all, as a family, feel in less familiar territory.
I am delighted to report the whole experience was nothing short of brilliant!
I well and truly fed my travel bug which is now poking me to get going again; my husband was mesmerized by being in North Africa and while the kids were unsure about some aspects of it (more on it later), they also made the experience as a whole pass with flying colors, and all agreed we’d like to go back!
On this page, I share our exact trip, what we loved, what we would do differently and a few tips we have learned along the way. I hope this is useful!
Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through them, we might make a small commission. The places mentions in this post reflect those we chose for our own trip: we do not received compensation nor incentive to visit or include any of them.
5 days in Marrakesh with teens – our trip at a glance
Season: Spring (April) | Budget: Moderate | Flights: Aerlingus direct from / to Dublin
Our exact itinerary – You can use the links to check out and book the same experience we took.
Day 1: Arrival in the early evening, transport to accommodation Riad Maison Arab -Andalus (fantastic!), dinner in the accommodation
Day 2: · Morning walking tour of the old town and Medina with Moments of Morocco via GetYourGuide; · Lunch at La Famille; · In the afternoon: family Hammam Experience in Hammam Rosa Bonheur. · Dinner at La Table Ocre
Day 3: · Day trip to the Atlas Mountains with Click Excursions via GetYourGuide; Drinks on the Rooftop at El Fenn; Dinner in Restaurant Al Khayma.
Day 4: · Morning walk in the Kasbah and self guided visit to the Sahadian tombs; · Lunch in Mandala Society (this was the plan but we hadn’t booked and didn’t get in! We ended up in a forgettable place instead); Walk to the Secret Garden across the Souk · Dinner in Kabana Terrace.
Day 5: · Morning in Jardin Majorelle, late breakfast in old Cafe de La Poste. · Walk back towards the hotel via the Jewish Quarter, departure.
What we would do differently: Nothing major, however: I would book all restaurants in advance; I would also stay and extra day and add an overnight stay to Essaouria.
Day One – arrival and settling in
Our first day was a travel day. We booked a direct flight from Durbin to Marrakesh with Aerlingus and this got us to land at about 7.30 pm in Marrakesh Airport.
We found the flight and arrival easy and straightforward: Marrakesh Airport is modern and clean, very easy to navigate and even has free wifi! So we were off to an excellent start.
Since the cost was contained, we had booked a private car pickup via our accommodation.
All drivers wait outside the arrivals hall and since there is wifi coverage, even when we didn’t find ours straight away, we were quickly able to get hold of him via whattsapp.
Need to know: you cannot re-enter the arrivals hall once outside! I recommend you make contact with your driver, if needed, when still inside, where wifi coverage is stronger. If you want better coverage and not have this stress, you can also get an e-sim with a local number: my phone didn’t support one but I would have gotten it, had it been possible. The one I had selected, based on friends recommendations is Airalo.
If you prefer not to get a private transfer, there is a taxi booking booth immediately to your left as you exit the airport’s arrivals hall.
The taxi ride into the Kasbah, where we stayed, is short and easy.
Moroccan drivers have a pretty ‘dynamic’ approach to driving so if you are used to mellow driving conditions, it can be a a lot to take but they seem to be very skilled and the feeling we got is that it was less chaotic than out outsiders’ eyes may perceive.
Comparing with other places we’ve been, I’d say it was something in between Italian and Indian driving!
We have older kids who do not need car seats but it is important to know taxis do not seem to carry them.
The taxi left us about 1 minute walk from our accommodation which was on a pedestrian road.
Our hosts met us on arrival and helped us find the entrance: they were the most gracious people and the places was stunning!
Entering the Riad was like stepping into an oasis of peace.
The place develops around a small internal yard with plunge pool and greenery and all you hear there are the birds chirping and the palm leaves swaying in the breeze.
Our hosts offered us Moroccan tea, gave us a tour of the place (there were storks on the roof, with their massive nests perched on top of the nearby towers!) and let us settle in the room.
We had the family room with was perfect: double and two single beds, large en-suite bathroom, heating and air conditioning you could fully control.
Since I wasn’t sure about how safe it would be to go out at night (it is safe, I now know), I had arranged for dinner at the Riad and would definitely do it again as we got a wonderful homemade dinner with tagging and sweets we all loved.
Both breakfast and dinner in the Riad were exceptional. I would 100% stay here again and get the first dinner from the hosts.
Day 2 – Walking tour of the Medina and Hammam
Morning
Since this was our first time in Morocco, I had though it would be good to have a guide.
This was partially to understand what we were looking at and get the lay of the land, and partially because friends have ‘scared’ me telling me we really don’t want to see the markets alone.
It turns out, we never felt unsafe at all in Old Town Marrakesh and we did not need a guide to see the markets safely.
However, it was lovely to learn about the city so just for the educational side of things, I would recommend this tour.
The tour started from Cafe de France, on Jamaa El Fna, Marrakesh’s main square (wonderful to experience!) and it was only about 10 minutes walk from out Riad.
Our host told us the best way to get there was to walk across the Souk and I’ll be honest: since I was told the souk was the place I wanted a guide for, I wasn’t thrilled about this.
But I was completely wrong! Walking across the souk was not only safe, but pleasant and meaningful.
Since out tour was early in the morning, we found ourselves walking along the souk as the shopkeepers were opening up.
None of them had any interest in us: they didn’t try to lure us in, sell you anything or any of the sort and it was lovely to get a glimpse of this real life, before the business of later in the day.
The tour started on time and we had a nice guide called Mohammed.
We visited the souks (amazing), the Jewish area, Bahia Palace (nice but too busy) and the Quranic school (Stunning, my favorite!).
The tour was well priced and I feel like recommending it: as it is customary in Morocco, we left a gratuity at the end – we were told by several sources before out trip that 10-15% is standard.
The tour started and ended in Jamaa El Fna, which is wonderful square to visit as it truly feels like a market square in Africa – which is it, of course! But it really made me think of another time and carts coming from faraway to trade in the market town.
Afternoon:
My husband and I love a good hammam and we wanted to get the kids to experience it too, so we looked for one that would welcome all genders and ages.
We found the perfect place in Hammam Rosa Bonheur, where we booked the hammam bath and a massage.
We had a lovely time here but let me tell you: if, like us, you are used to Andalusian Hammams, this is not quite the same thing!
First of all, a Moroccan Hammam does not include a pool.
Instead, you are in a hot room with a hot water fountain in the middle and you sit on marble seats around the room.
Also, you do not bathe yourself: instead, you are assigned a hammam worker (all women, in our case) and they come into the room to wash with water from the fountain and they scrub you clean, literally, with an exfoliating glove.
It is a peculiar experience!
It wasn’t unpleasant, we actually all really enjoy it, but when they scrub you clean, they really do and if you are not expecting it, it can be quite disconcerting!
They use the glove to go over your all body and splash you with hot water from small buckets – the kids thought it was the funnest thing that had ever experienced and even us adults could’t help but giggle by the idea of sitting with someone literally throwing water at you!
After the hammam moment, we were separated boys and girls and we got a long, wonderful massage each.
In terms of logistics, we were all together, just the four of us, in the hammam room and we were then separated myself and my daughter in one massage room and my husband and my son in another.
We enjoyed the experience and would do it again but I think it is only suitable for people who have no problem with physical contact.
To allow for the exfoliation and the massage you wear small disposable underwear and they are effectively giving you a bath (torso, back, arms and legs – of course everyone’s modesty is respected) so if you have any issues with physical proximity to others, it may be a bit too much.
No photos from inside, so I’ll show you the area instead.
Day 3 – Atlas Mountains day trip
Hiking on the Atlas Mountains was the thing we most dearly wanted to do in Morocco and it was all we had hoped for!
Since we preferred not to drive, we took a day trip that included transport and let them us guide us to the Ourika Valley.
The day was wonderful: the Valley is a kaleidoscope of red rocks and green trees and it is visually stunning as the mountains are tall and alive with waterfalls.
The tour included a stop at a women’s cooperative of Argan Oil makers (a shopping stop, but lovely and informative; great for souvenirs too) and then got us to the bottom of the hike, were we met a local guide.
The hike goes up across a cluster of shops and restaurants and quickly reaches a lovely waterfall with beautiful views of the gallery below.
The path doesn’t requite technical expertise but you do want good shoes (we had runners with good grip) and it is best for people who are not afraid of heights.
I am very afraid of exposed trails and there were a couple of spots where I was not happy, but the guide helped me by holding my hand and in fairness, it was not bad.
I was the only one in the group who had this issue and I accept the fear had probably more to do with me than the actual risk.
One thing however I feel like saying: I had read some reviews of the hike and some travelers said their toddlers had done it.
Now, I don’t know what toddlers they have but the hike we did was not doable by toddler legs! In most parts you are on rocks and you need longer legs than toddlers’ ones for that!
So if you are thinking of going with a little one, I highly recommend a hiking carrier.
The hike gave us lovely views and also some fun animal encounters in the form of cats and monkeys!
At the end of the hikes, the tour got is for lunch along the river and it was delightful.
The river side is all covered by restaurans with low tables and cushions and while it is all very tourist ready and photo ready, we are tourists and so we enjoyed it immensely!
The tour got us back to Marrakesh earlier than we expected but this was a good thing for us as we only really wanted to do the hike, which we did and truly enjoy.
For some reasons, we didn’t go to the market, despite picking a date when we were told it would be on, but I didn’t pursue this with the guide so there may have been a very legitimate raason for it.
Personally, we were only interested in the hike and since we got it, we were happy.
Back in Marrakesh, we showered and treated ourselves to a wonderful rooftop pre-dinner drink in El Fenn (Go! Stunning! Entrance is through their beautiful store but don’t look at the prices….) and then a lovely dinner in a traditional restaurant.
Day 4 – self guided sightseeing
We had originally planned to spend this day in Essaouria, but then we worried it would be too much and stayed in Marrakesh instead. I am happy we did as the city has so much!
We started the say with a walk around our hotel area and a visit to the Saadian Tombs.
I confess we only has a passing interest in the history of the place and so we visited alone, rather than with a guide.
We got tickets there and then and we truly enjoyed the visit: the tombs are busy with visitors but absolutely stunning!
After this, we had a snack in the lovely Cafe Clock (cafe and cultural venue), then ventured again around the Medina and visited the lovely Secret Garden (tickets on the spot).
Finally we ducked into the souks and Marrakesh’s smallest alleys to have tea in Dar Charifa, an ancient Marrakesh Home now become a restaurant and venue for cultural events.
What I would have done differently: we felt that while it was nice to have a day to take it easy, it would have been even better to book an activity, for instance this cooking class over lunch, which I had booked and then, regrettably, decided to cancel.
We did however had an excellent dinner on the Cabana Terrace, which was lovely.
Day 5 – Jardin Majorelle and Cafe de La Post
On our last day, we booked ticket to see the famous Jardin Majorelle, maybe the best known of all attractions in Marrrakesh.
I made a bit of a mess of the booking as I though I had selected a mid morning slot, only to discover I had an 8.30 am one (not sure how that happened, my fault), but this mixup was a blessing as the gardens are at their quietest at this time!
The gardens are as lovely as everyone says and easy to enjoy in your own time, without a guide.
A pavilion with info panels gives information about the most peculiar plant species, for those interested, but even just taking a stroll arounf these leave quarters is pleasant and relaxing.
We didn’t book the museum but I wish we did – so this is another thing I would do differently, was I to do it again.
The weather didn’t cooperate with us on this day and it stayed overcast all the time. A shame for photos but it’s spring, so changeable weather is normal.
After the Jardin, we trusted our Lonely Planet which said the modern town was interesting to visit thanks to its architectural French influence, and so we ventured for a long walk in that area.
I’ll be honest, we didn’t find it particularly exciting.
It was definitely interesting too see a more everyday part of Marrakesh (it would be silly to think Marrakesh is just the Medina), but we didn’t find the architecture itself to be unique enough to really give us much satisfaction.
We did however really enjoy a long and generous French breakfast in Cafe de la Post which I can highly recommend – get a taxi here are we walked it all but it is long!
After the breakfast we headed back to our hotel across the Medina and spent some time around the main square and the mosque.
We eventually made it back to the Riad and got our transfer back to the airport, after promising (and meaning it) to our hosts we will be back and recommend them to all out friends!
Random thoughts and tips about our 5 days in Marrakesh with teens
We found Marraskesh to be a lot easier and tourist friendly than we expected.
The towns is clearly well used to tourism and accepts western attire: we opted for skirts below the knee and modest attire, but we saw tourists in all types of clothing, from short shorts to ballgowns!
The souk and the Medina were a lot safer and easier to handle than we thought.
We never had anyone aggressively nor insistently trying to sell un anything or lure us inside shops (we were warned to expect it – maybe a memory from the trips a long time ago?) and we were able to stroll with ease everywhere.
My absolutely favorite bit was the blacksmiths market!
We had bum bags at our waist for safety but it would have been equally safe to have a normal crossbody bag.
At no stage we felt there was any risk, even in the evening, in the Medina and the Kasbah.
I felt the bum bags were especially useful for the kids – like in Rome, I felt phone is pockets could not be as safe and the bags were handy and easy to keep an eye on.
We had no problem finding restaurants but I recommend to book.
We missed out on a couple we wanted to try and we also had to compromise with time of dinner for some, due to my lack of planning – I never plan meals out as I don’t like to be tied down by reservations but in Marrakesh , if you have your eye on some specific places, definitely book well ahead!
In Morocco it is customary to leave tips in cash.
We used card for pretty much anything but we did take out some cash from the ATM in Jamaa El Fna for tipping, which was always well received. We didn’t have any pressure to tip but it was clear it is very much expected.
Jamaa El Fna is a peculiar, not to be missed experience: the square is massive and feels very much like an African market square. We loved it! But there is a ‘but’.
Need to know: We read on the guidebook about the snake charmers and the monkey tamers here and indeed we spotted some. Even just a quick look at the confirmed what we had read: that these animals have no rights – this was the one time during the whole trip we felt really ill at ease. My son noticed a chained monkey who was very unhappy and commented ‘She’s just like a child in chains, she’s crying’ and I couldn’t shake the feeling he was right. We made a point of staying well away from them – I would recommend you read about them in advance to make up your own mind about how to go about it.
The souks are wonderful and busy: my son tends to prefer quieter atmospheres so he found the narrow lanes, speeding scooters and the amount of people around (mostly tourists) a lot to take.
However, none of us felt threatened or at risk, and he himself told us all it took was to the have some relaxing time away from the crowds to regain energy.
Marrakesh is a lot greener than we thought and has several nice parks for resting and for small kids to play.
The Kasbah was the perfect location to call home and we would 100% stay there again.
If you are hoping for an alcoholic drinks, they are harder to come by than we expected; we didn’t find beer anywhere and only a handful of international style terraces had any alcohol at all. You however have plenty of options ranging from water to sodas, juices and cocktails.
Eating out in Marrakesh with teens
We found all places to be welcoming to teens and kids in general, even the trendiest terraces.
In terms of food, we found a mix of more traditional places and trendy avocado toast type offerings.
Tajines and couscous are ubiquitous and, to our uneducated palate at least, all seemed delicious!
My favorite thing of all however where their starters of goats cheese filled pastry parcels (briouates if I recall correctly, although I have seen them called several ways in different places – possibly with subtle differences from one another I wasn’t able to to pick up on).
Moroccan sweets are delicious and very sugary. If you love cinnamon you’ll be in heaven here as they put it everywhere! Even just their orange slices with sugar and cinnamon on are heavenly.
Overall, we had an amazing time and are already hoping to go back soon. We felt is was a pleasant, enjoyable, fascinating and easy trip and a perfect ‘entry level’ trip for people on their first experience outside Europe and the US.
Safe travels!
