Marrakech, the Most Exotic City at Europe’s Doorstep
Hopping off Marrakech’s airport bus, I’m greeted by the familiar chaos of Moroccan city life. My senses are already tingling as I approach Marrakech’s main square, embraced by the North African heat.
To my right, I see a line of orange juice vendors next to henna ladies sitting eagerly under sun umbrellas. To my left, open-air cafes are filled predominantly with men sipping mint tea as horse carriages, chatty pedestrians, and motorcycles zip past them. As I walk forward, I’m immersed in it all: a loud, curious, and cultural city.
It always amazes me to think that just this morning I was navigating my typical Barcelona streets, yet hours later I’m in an entirely new world for just under £60 return. It feels like I should have travelled far longer. How could a place so close by feel so vastly different from everything I know?
The thing about Marrakech is that what I know doesn’t matter. I must rework my understanding of city life to fully indulge in the workings of Marrakech.
Eager to repave my old paths and discover more about this curious country that keeps me coming back for more, I proceed onward in pursuit of my hotel. It’s a cosy riad with a large, intricate, dome-shaped door. Once inside I find myself in a courtyard surrounded by white-washed walls, dotted in tall cacti…
