Travel Diary: Marrakech top tips and shopping guide

Hi all !

So the last week has been hectic, between work and some other things that I have to work on. Blogging has been put on the back burner, I was just too tired to post when I came home. So I am using this first free Sunday, in a long time, to catch up on the blogging, as I think I had got into a better routine lately.

These are the photos of my Marrakech purchases. I would recommend planning for extra purchases, when organising baggage, especially if you are flying with the fabulous Ryanair. We brought one big luggage between us and one hand luggage. We bought another hand luggage over there. This is considering we didn't buy anything huge, size wise, such as lamps, carpets or silverware. It is a great place to get some interesting pieces, especially if you have a new house or apartment to decorate .

So as I said, keeping it light, I bought a leather, hand embroidered bag, it had an ethnic Isabel Marant style that I liked. I also got some princess style babouches, the typical style slipper of Marrakech. I love them so much I want to put them on display more than wear them !
Next up was a silver cuff, with pieces of orange, green (keeping it Irish) and black. While we were in Marrakech, we had a Hamam done, which was a full body scrub, with this special black soap, made from Argan oil. I still have yet to give it a go at home, but it real worked a removing all the dead skin cells, for baby soft skin.

For our (future) house we got a little mirror in the shape of a door, that has two little doors that open to reveal a mirror inside. I want to hang it on the wall as a feature piece, another memory from all our travels. Lorenzo got a little tangine, the traditional method of cooking their meat stew. I love it's sea blue colour.

Where to eat in Marrakech:
In the Medina:

• Le Marrakchi - great food, belly dancers, romantic atmosphere and one of the only places they serve alcohol in Djema el-Fna square. I would recommend this for your first night in Marrakech.
• Riad El Fenn - a beautiful rooftop restaurant and bar of this chic, boutique style hotel. It's owner is Vanessa Branson. Great mix of Moroccan/European style food. We spent dinner and after dinner here.
• Le Foundouk - this was probably the most expensive restaurant we ate in. It has a beautiful rooftop garden, but inside is also stunning. They have a mix of traditional Moroccan food, but also with some European add-ons.
• Un Dejeuner - A good place for breakfast or lunch, with a rooftop terrace. They don't serve alcohol.

In Gueliz:

• Azar -  mix of Moroccan and Lebanese food. A very chic and modern setting. Great music and belly dancers setting the scene. One of my favourite meals.
• Grand Cafe de la Poste - a great place for lunch, dinner and before/after dinner drinks. The most European style place. A great place if you need a break from Moroccan spiced food.

Where to have drinks:
In the Medina:

• Kosybar - one of the few places to serve alcohol in the Medina. We went here for lunch and after dinner drinks. They also have a rooftop terrace.

In Gueliz:

• La Mamounia - The most luxurious hotel in Marrakech, with the most beautiful gardens and outdoor area. It costs and arm and a leg ( cocktail is about €20), but great for a before dinner cocktail. Dress to impress.
• Le Renaissance hotel - a rooftop terrace bar, with a modern feel. Great for pre-dinner drinks.

In Hivernage:

• Le Comptoir - It seemed to be the most happening place in Marrakech. Pricey drinks at about €10 a pop and also open for dinner, with fantastic belly dancing and music show. Seems to turn into a club after dinner, a seemingly westernised version of Morocco. A great place to dance the night away, or even just for some after dinner drinks. A definite must visit !

For shopping in the Souks I recommend:

• Bargain, Bargain, Bargain ! It is expected. Start low and work your way up and meet in the middle.
• Many places have the same thing, so look around, but if you really love something, don't leave it behind, as you probably won't be able to find the shop again.

Make a list of what you would like to get, as it is easy to get distracted by all the other things around, it can be overwhelming !


Must visit the:

• Yves Saint Laurent Gardens -Le Jardins Majorelle
• Bahia Palace
• Saadiens Tombs
• Souks

What to wear:

• Leave your heels at home, or at least the stilettos. I brought a little pair of kitten heels from ZARA and some ornate flats. Even Carrie Bradshaw would have had difficulty.
• If you are going in hot weather, embrace the hat ! I loved wearing my fedora and it was great for keeping cool
• The temperature really drops at night, so depending on the time of year you are going, prepare for cooler nights.

•  Marrakech (Morocco), as open minded, safe and cosmopolitan as it is, is still a Muslim country. In my   opinion it is important to respect their culture. So don't show too much skin.

I say no to:

1. Short shorts,
2. Short dresses,
3. Anything low cut

 I say yes to:

1. Maxi dresses,
2. Kaftans,
3. Loose pants,
4. A shawl (keep this in your handbag to cover exposed shoulders if needed.

What I thought was a fashion obstacle, turned in to a fantastic challenge. I am now a fan of the Maxi dress and can say I embrace evening flats !

Please drop me an email if you have any other questions on your trip to Marrackech.

That's all for now,
Love Dani x

If you missed out on the other instalments of my Marrakech trip, you can find them here:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four 
Part Five

Travel Diary: Marrakech Part five

Hi all !
So here we are on the final part of the Marrakech Travel Diary.
These photos are from my last day in Marrakech, when we went to the Souks and had an evening cocktail in La Mamounia.
The souks were overwhelming and it was easy to get lost inside. It is packed with leather goods, traditional lamps, ceramics, clothing,jewellery, carpets and spices. You definitely need to factor in extra baggage after a trip here.
We left our shopping to the last day, which was good in one way as we had a look around during the week to see what we wanted.On the other hand it can be quite exhausting, so I would suggest maybe dividing your shopping over two days.
It is important to bargain as you will find that many shops have the same items, so you can definitely argue a price. However don't leave with the idea that you will come back and get something, more than likely you won't be able to find it again !
I bought a beautiful leather and embroidered bag, the typical babouche slippers, a bracelet, some black soap and we bought a mirror for our (eventual) house. I will feature all these in another blog post, with my tips on where to eat, what to visit and do in Marrakech.
After the souks we went for predinner drinks to La Mamounia. It is a famous hotel in Marrakech and was apparently a favourite of Winston Churchill. It is luxurious inside, but the best part are the never ending maze of gardens. We had a cocktail there, the prices were expensive, with my cosmopolitan costing 20 euro, but it is great for a special night. I suggest going before it gets dark so you can enjoy a walk in the gardens.

That's all for now,
I am back soon with my purchases from Marrakech and my top tips.
Love Dani xx


If you missed the other instalments, click here:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Travel Diary: Marrakech part four

Hi all ,
So this is the second last part of the Marrakech travel diary. These photos are a glimpse of the two day excursions we took outside Marrakech.
The first one is to the Ouzoud waterfalls and the second was to a Berber village in the Atlas Mountains, where we did a 2HOUR hike.... but it was great !
I love getting outside the city, in any country, and getting a chance to see the countryside. We had a fantastic guide at the Atlas Mountains, who took us on roadless hike, that finished with a spectacular view of the valley.
I stuck to comfortable clothes, with my blue shirt and black pyjama/track pants (both from ZARA), my converse and my trusty fedora hat.
In the next (and last) instalment of the Marrakech Travel Diaries, I will close up with my must visits, including sites and restaurants and some tips on bargaining on taxi's and in the souks.

That's all for now,
Love Dani x

If you missed the other instalments, click here:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Outfit Post: Tangerine Nights

Riad Kaiss

Riad Kaiss

Riad El Fenn

Riad Kaiss

Riad Kaiss

Riad El Fenn

Riad Kaiss

Riad El Fenn

Riad El Fenn

Hi all !
Here is an outfit post from Marrakech. It was taken on one of my favourite nights, when we went for dinner at Riad El Fenn. Riad El Fenn is seven riad's joined together and forms one huge, luxurious hotel style riad. It is modern in it's design, with Moroccon references. I have to say I preferred our Riad's (Kaiss) interiors as it was more traditional Moroccan, however El Fenn had a fantastic rooftop restaurant and bar, where we spent a romantic evening.
The dress I am wearing is two years old, from Primark/Pennys and was originally bought for a wedding. I love it's rich orange colour and I paired it with my leopard belt (CUE) and matching flats (summer Primark/Pennys).
This trip was more a hunting in flats than heels, as the streets of Morocco were not made for my beloved footwear. Only a pair of kitten heels from ZARA, made it into the final packing cut. I was glad in the end and had all my maxi dresses shortened before I left, to accommodate my new life choice !

That's all for now,
Let me know what you think of my orange dress? What is your experience of heel wearing in Marrakech?
Love Dani x

New Outfit Post: Marrakech Nights

Hi all!
Here is the outfit post as promised ! Taken before a night out in Marrakech, I am an advertisement for ZARA, with my ZARA only outfit. These leopard pants paired with my white embossed, partially see thought top, are two of my favourite purchases from last season. They are really stand out, unusual pieces that are my go to when I feel like standing out from the crowd. I was a bit unsure about putting them together, as I usually only like to have one feature piece in an outfit, but I think it worked out well.
That night we went out in the modern area of Guliez with drinks on the rooftop bar at The Renaissance hotel and then drinks at the very chic Le Comptoir in Hivernage.

That's all for now,
Let me know what you think of this look ?
Love Dani xx