6 Days in Morocco in early Summer. Exploring the Cities of Marrakesh, Fes, Chefchaouen, Meknes.
Summary –
The busy markets and relaxing retreats of the riads during the hot afternoons in the desert are a great mix of adventure and relaxation. Some patience is needed for getting around this developing country as a destination though. This trip was part of our Spain & Mallorca trip as a month long trip over the Summer. The logistics from Spain are quite easy to navigate.
Day – 1 Marrakesh
After you land at the new Marrakesh Airport terminal, hire a private car to take you to the old city center, known as the Medina. Our riad (which is a small hotel with a cozy courtyard) was tucked away in the heart of the medina.
Note – Riads and luggage handlers.
Hotels located in the old city center are not accessible by car due to the narrow streets. However, when you hire a car to your hotel you will be dropped off at the closest entry point of the medina to your hotel. When you arrive at the entry, your driver arranges for a luggage handler to carry some of our luggage by cart to your riad. This is common practice in the medina. You may decline the assistance. I would suggest accepting it though as the streets are quite confusing your first time in the city. Tip a few dollars for the service.
The riad had a boutique feel and was located on a quiet street. We booked a cooking class with the head chef at the riad for a few days later. More details on that later! Enjoy some tea before heading out of the riad to explore the markets and alleys of Marrakesh for the day.
The late afternoons bring high temperatures. Shops close for a few hours until things start to cool down. You can spend the afternoon at La Jardin Secret, a beautifully restored palace with amazing botanical gardens. Evenings are pleasant with plenty of restaurants and rooftop bars to discover.
Day – 2 Marrakesh Strolling the city
Kickoff your day at Bacha Coffee, and trust me, you’ll want to grab a reservation because this little spot gets packed! It’s like a tea room, but with coffee. You can enjoy some delicious desserts and snacks in the awesome atrium that’s connected to the Bacha Museum.
No worries though, you don’t have to pay for the museum just to get to the coffee shop; there’s a side entrance. If you see any guards, just let them know you’re there for coffee. By the way, the museum is worth checking out for about $7 USD.
Keep in mind, getting lost in the maze of streets in Marrakech is part of the fun! Eventually make your way to Park Arsat Moulay Abdesalam, where beautiful gardens and tranquil spots await. Right across from the park is Ensemble Artisanal, a collection of local art and businesses with beautiful courtyard vibes. Unlike the main Medina markets, the artists here are friendly and don’t hassle you to buy anything.
Then head to the Saadian Tombs, which showcases some stunning tombs and gorgeous tile mosaics that really grab your attention.
Rest up during the hot afternoon lounging at the riad rooftop pool with some refreshing drinks. For dinner, go to La Pergola, where they serve great drinks and have sunset views over a lovely plaza square.
Day – 3 Desert Hike
Grab a rental car for the rest of our adventure back at the airport. The service was super slow, and figuring out the translations was a bit tricky.
Once you hit the road, head south toward the edge of the Sahara Desert to the village of Sti Fadma, where the Seven Waterfalls trail is. This drive took us through some of the less developed parts of Morocco, giving us a peek into real village life.
The Seven Waterfalls trail is an uphill walk lined with local tents selling drinks and snacks right next to the river. You can chill at those tents for about the first 20 minutes, up to the fourth waterfall. Most of the walk is shaded by trees thanks to the river that brings in plenty of water to them.
After that, the remaining waterfalls are above the tree line and into the desert. You can go as far as you want, but the trail does get tougher. We were all in and hiked up to the 7th waterfall, where we found a small oasis to catch some shade before heading back down.
A cooking class at the riad is a great night of fun and eating. Spend the evening learning about local flavors and spices. Dinner is typically served in the courtyard. Our was absolutely delicious!
Day – 4 Meknes and Fes
Drive to Meknes and Fes. Moroccan highways are easy to navigate, the signage is similar to the highways in Europe.
The Mausoleum of Moulay in Mykines was a cool spot to walk around, with gorgeous tiles and mosaics everywhere. After, grab some lunch, then head over to Fes.
Curious about the tanneries that make all the leather goods Morocco is famous for? Once you get to the Medina of Fes, the smell from the tanneries was pretty rough and may have you rethink that plan. The alleys in the Fes medina were much narrower and trickier to navigate than in Marrakesh. Our drive took way longer than we thought, so we missed out on visiting any sites in Fes.
Note – Police Checkpoints
In Fes while driving around the city trying to get to our riad, we made a U turn after following a taxi up a road that led to a roadblock in front of a palace. The guards stopped us and told us there is a fine for the U turn. Clearly, we were targeted by the police which we read is a good chance of that happening in Morocco.
They wanted $40 USD for the fine right now. Another traveler who spoke French was able to translate with the police to let us go without the fine. We just kept acting like we didn’t understand the police and they gave up once the translator told them we don’t have any cash. We also came across several checkpoints in rural areas or roundabouts. The rural police did not stop us though. Do not make eye contact when passing by.
Day – 5 Chefchaouen, The Blue City
The drive to Chefchaouen takes you right through the foothills of Talassemtane National Park, which is close by. Chefchaouen is known as “The Blue City,” you can spot it from miles away because of its eye-catching blue skyline.
Even though it’s a tourist hotspot, the hillside city didn’t feel too crowded, except for the main square. Everywhere you look, the buildings, sidewalks, and alleys are painted in all sorts of blue hues. You can see the old layers of blue paint on the walls, showing off the different shades from over the years.
Just wander around and snap some amazing photos because the whole place is a photographer’s dream. There is a rooftop restaurant for dinner with the sunsets over the Riff Mountains, just breathtaking!
Day – 6 Chefchaouen, Talassemtane National Park
Take a drive out to the edge of Talassemtane National Park for the Akchour hike. A fun trek through awesome canyons formed by a small river and its waterfalls. The trail was pretty and not crowded at all, plus there were a few small drink tents along the way where you can kick back by the riverside and dip your feet in the cool water. After you got back to Chefchaouen, hit up some shops for leather goods. We ended up snagging an ottoman pillow and a drawstring bag made of nice thick brown leather.
The nearest airport is in Tangier and it was a few hours’ drive. Then it was back to Spain to wrap up our trip.
