Marrakech was my next stop after my fantastic trip to Portugal. It did not disappoint. We arrived in Marrakech in the afternoon and staying at a riad (L’Hotel Marrakech) within the ancient walled medina. A riad is a large traditional house built around a central courtyard. Many riads are being turned into small “boutique hotels”. L’Hotel Marrakech has five beautiful suites. A true experience!
Doorway to L’Hotel Marrakech
Looking down at the L’Hotel Marrakech courtyard
When arriving in the medina, a riad team member needed to meet us at a certain point because cars were not permitted to go any further due to the narrow allies. He was accompanied by a gentleman having a pull cart that would bring our luggage to the riad. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t prepared for the labyrinth of tiny allies within the medina, but after one afternoon I learned my way to and from the riad. We were at the riad for two nights and it was a truly magical and mystical experience. We spent the afternoons walking through the bustling souk, visiting sites with our guide and exploring the more contemporary part of Marrakech outside of the medina.
Our next stop in Marrakech was about 30 minutes outside of the medina to the Amanjena. The experience at the Amanjena was quite different from staying at the riad. The Amanjena is a five star hotel about sixty minutes from the Agafay Desert. This is where I had my first desert experience. We went quad biking through the desert and then were transferred to camels for a totally different experience. I highly recommend a visit to the desert while in Marrakech!
The Agafay Desert