Marrakech, in Our Eyes

Now reader, Julie and I both lived in Marrakech for three years and some change. Long enough to learn which alleys lead home, which rooftops hold the best light, and how to tell the difference between chaos and rhythm. Long enough to fall in love, to fall apart, to fall right back into the red dust that never really leaves your shoes.

There is something about this city that rearranges your senses. It is not gentle, it does not try to be, but it is generous.

The way the call to prayer spills over green tiled rooftops. The way the scent of oranges and smoke twist together in the air.

The way beauty here refuses to be polished.

We have our list, of course, the places that became our shorthand for comfort and awe: the cafes where time folds in on itself, the riads that whisper stories in mosaic and shadow, the way the desert outside the city breathes like an exhale you did not know you needed.

But what we really recommend is this:

Let Marrakech happen to you. Let it test your patience, seduce your appetite, and remind you that every place worth loving has its contradictions. Drink the mint tea. Get lost. Buy the rug. Say yes to the long dinner, the longer conversation, the detour down an unmarked road.

Marrakech does not ask to be understood. It asks to be experienced.

And we will tell you what we tell all our retreat leaders and wanderers: you can plan the perfect itinerary here, with the best artisans, the dream villa, the desert sunrise, but the real magic will never be on your schedule. It will be in the small gestures — a smile from the gardener, a shared plate of olives, the golden hour light pouring through a carved archway just as you think of someone you love.

So this is what we recommend. Come curious. Leave lighter. And let Marrakech cast its warmth over you.

We still plan and host retreats here because this city taught us everything we know about beauty and belonging. If you are dreaming of bringing your own group to Marrakech, reach out to us. We would love to help you find the version of this city that opens itself to you.