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A Day With Women Weavers in the Atlas Mountains
I spent a day with a women’s weaving collective in the Atlas Mountains, about two hours outside Marrakech. The women welcomed me into their home, where we shared tea, bread, and fresh melon before I watched them wash, prepare, spin, and weave wool by hand using techniques passed down through generations. There was such an ease and generosity to the day, and it became one of my favorite experiences of the trip. Salam Hello arranges day visits like mine, as well as overnight experiences if you want more time immersed in the community and surrounding landscape.
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Dinner in the Agafay Desert at Inara Camp
Less than an hour outside Marrakech, the Agafay Desert makes for an easy afternoon escape. I arrived at Inara Camp before sunset, toured the property, and met its many resident animals—from camels and goats to sheep, chickens, and cats—before watching the light change across the rocky landscape and enjoying dinner by lantern light. On the drive out, stop at Cooperative Yaqoute Bio to learn how argan oil and other local products are made, and pick up oils, beauty products, or freshly made nut butter. Inara also offers overnight stays, but arriving in the late afternoon and staying through dinner gave me plenty of time to enjoy the experience.
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Jardin Majorelle · Marrakesh
Jardin Majorelle
Jardin Majorelle is one of those places you’ve probably seen photographed countless times, but it’s still worth experiencing in person. The cobalt blue, yellow, palms, cacti, and dense greenery feel almost surreal against the dusty pinks and warm earth tones of Marrakech. I booked the 8:30 a.m. time slot, which I’d recommend. The garden gets busy, and depending on the time of year, going early also helps you beat the heat. Even with its popularity, there’s something about the color and scale of the garden that photographs never quite capture.
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Ben Youssef Mosque · Marrakesh
Ben Youssef Madrasa
For architecture, Ben Youssef Madrasa was one of my favorite places in Marrakech. The former Islamic college centers around an incredible courtyard of carved cedar, stucco, and intricate tilework, but I was just as drawn to the smaller rooms and passageways surrounding it. Walking through the tiny former student rooms, I kept imagining what it must have been like when the madrasa was filled with students living and studying. There are layers of light, shadow, pattern, and detail everywhere you look, so give yourself time to wander rather than rushing through for a photograph. I’d also go earlier in the day if you can, before the crowds build.
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Wander the Medina
Some of my favorite moments in Marrakech came from having nowhere in particular to be. The medina can feel overwhelming at first—motorbikes weaving through tiny streets, vendors, workshops, food stalls, and people moving in every direction—but there’s an organized chaos to it that I eventually learned to embrace.
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Jemaa el-Fnaa · Marrakesh
Jemaa el-Fnaa
Give yourself an afternoon without too much of an agenda in the medina, and slowly make your way toward Jemaa el-Fnaa as evening approaches. The square transforms as the sun goes down and the food stalls begin setting up, and experiencing that shift is worth sticking around for.
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