| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | ||
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1 | MAP: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1gqi9SA74fjoawrwrYA1-65PwgW2ji88&usp=sharing Actities/hotels highligted in green were my favorites/things I'd recommend. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | ||||||||||
3 | 4/14 | 4/15 | 4/16 | 4/17 | 4/18 | 4/19 | 4/20 | 4/21 | 4/22 | 4/23 | 4/24 | 4/25 | 4/26 | ||||||||||
4 | Location | Casablanca | Agafay Desert vibes: relaxing, hot & dry, quiet | Atlas Mountains vibes: relaxing, beautiful views & scenery, luxurious | Marrakesh | Fes | Paris | Home | |||||||||||||||
5 | Hotels | Casablanca Marriott Nothing special, just a place for layover night | Inara Camp A cool setup in the desert - it's glamping-esque but they make it as comfortable as possible for tented rooms. Some families. Tourists mostly british and french, we were only americans Dogs bark overnight, they provide earplugs! | Kasbah Bab Ourika Absolutely recommend - gorgeous grounds, amazing room with private pool (panoramic suite), good food made with fresh herbs grown in on-property gardens. A+. Wifi not great - download podcasts and workouts etc in advance if you need them. Lots of dogs, cats & donkeys also on-property | La Mamounia Was absolutely speechless upon arrival. The grounds are absolutely stunning. This is also where Anna Delvey scammed her friend. Big yes.* (Wasn't a fan of the moroccan restaurant, so head out for dinner, but the hotel itself is unreal) (AMEX Points - Free breakfast, late check-out and "experience credit" - 2 massages free) | Palais Faraj Suites & Spa Another beautiful hotel, right outside/on the medina. Large, comfortable rooms that i'd consider suites (our room, #2, had a living room, entryway area for suitcases, big bedroom and big bathroom). Hotel has an upstairs bar & restaurant and a beautiful courtyard for tea. | Hotel Dupond Smith Booked via Ben's Chase Points Cute, not a real "hotel" - a few rooms on an elevator. that said, very sweet concierge/desk staff and big comfortable room, as well as homemade banana bread in the lobby | ||||||||||||||||
6 | Notes | Book all activities through the camp. | Book all activities through Kasbah. | https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/02/02/travel/what-to-do-36-hours-in-marrakesh-morocco.html Available via AMEX points - eligible for AMEX fine hotels & resorts benefits like free breakfast, late check-out and 2 "experience credits" | 36 Hours in Fez, Morocco - The New York Times | https://www.vogue.com/article/the-vogue-editors-guide-to-paris | |||||||||||||||||
7 | AM | 6:00 | Arrive in Paris 9am | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 | 7:00 | Fes to CDG Air Arabia 3O367 7am - 11am | Run on Seine | ||||||||||||||||||||
9 | 8:00 | Yoga - Confirmed with Inara | End of Ramadan | Eid - lots of things were closed | Breizh Café- Crepes Have been here twice, delicious! | ||||||||||||||||||
10 | 9:00 | 9:30 AM Pickup at marriott by Inara camp - this is a long drive from casablanca to the desert, took us about 4 hours. Reserve a driver, don't attempt to drive yourself. Bring hand sanitizer, bathroom stops are not ideal | Yoga @ Kasbah | Yoga @ Kasbah | Historical sights: Bahia palace Badi palace Saadian tombs | Pool @ Mamounia | |||||||||||||||||
11 | 10:00 | Layover | Safari transfer - This was a great way to transfer between hotels - guide showed us through a few berber villages and we did an amazing picnic lunch on a mountain. Book through Inara | Easy Trek through the villages - Took 2 hours, about 5 miles, with a guide. Beautiful views and a great way to spend a cloudy morning and a decent workout. Guide can also take you through national park. | AirBNB Experience - Souk Shopping Tour This was great, highly recommend getting a guide! Be prepared to shop - we bought a rug for our office, loafers & slippers, 2 leather bags, oils and tea. Negotiating on price can be fun / it doesn't feel terribly serious. Having a guide really helped clarify the worthwhile stops from the (what seems like) miles and miles of trashy stuff. Rug Store: Dar Mejbar - darmejbar@gmail.com, +212 6 61 20 30 63 N24 Rue Assoual Amassaffah Medina Marrakech NYT Write Up on the Medina as FYI - Arabic lesson No. 3: souk (market). The medina must also rank among the planet’s oldest, largest, most diverse and most atmospheric open-air markets, thanks to stalls selling a wide range of items, including water pipes and wedding dresses. A targeted treasure hunt offers a chance to explore its myriad passages and discover some innovative takes on traditional artisanal goods. A design district is emerging at Souk Chérifia, courtesy of boutiques like Khmissa, which channels the spirit of the jet-setter Talitha Getty through psychedelic caftans, slippers and accessories with a 1960s feel. For stylish updates of tea glasses, ceramics, towels, cushions and other décor, step into Chabi Chic, just south of the fragrant spice market known as Place des Épices. And be sure to wear sunglasses at Riad Yima, a funky and flamboyant cafe-boutique-gallery where every surface pops with radiant hues and crazy geometric patterns. The space was founded by the photographer Hassan Hajjaj, whose color-soaked street portraits of Moroccan dandies and fashionistas line the walls, alongside vintage Egyptian film posters, Arabic-language street signs and many Warhol-esque objects and garments (all for sale) made from upcycled Arabic-language advertisements and food packaging. Seeking a handbag created from a recycled couscous sack? It’s here. | Souk Tour - AirBnb - 10:30 - 3:30 11 Boulevard Ben Mohammed El Alaoui, Bab Rcif, Fes, Fez-Meknès 30000 Our guide took us ALL over the souk - a few key points - The tanneries (leather shops) - SMELL SO BAD. They'll give you a sprig of fresh mint before you go in as a "gas mask." Use it! Despite this, I was successful in buying 2 leather jackets! They'll quote you a super high price ($250) for 1 leather jacket. I responded with - I'll take 2 leather jackets for $250. They act incredulous and ask for the quoted price ($500 for 2.), you go back and forth. My best tip is to start walking away (and be willing to walk away) - they won't let you go without bringing down the price. We ended up settling on $320 for 2 leather jackets and it was a fun experience! We also had 2 street food style sandwiches - one with sardines and crispy potato that may have been the best thing I've tried in Morocco. | |||||||||||||||||
12 | 11:00 | Dune Buggy - definitely recommend, this was a lot of fun and not scary/difficult | Transfer to La Mamounia - 11am, 45 min drive - confirmed through Bab Ourika | Air Arabia 3O746 2:10 PM Land 3:10 PM Reservation 83787460 | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | PM | 12:00 | Arrive in Casablanca 2:35 | Lunch @ La Mamounia in the garden | |||||||||||||||||||
14 | 1:00 | Lunch | Lunch & pool | Clamato - sardine toast one of the best dishes i've ever had. raw bar + Natural wine | |||||||||||||||||||
15 | 2:00 | Hang by pool | CDG > Home | ||||||||||||||||||||
16 | 3:00 | Lunch at Inara Camp | 3pm La Mamounia Check-In | Terasse De Epices Perfect juxtaposition w the hectic Medina - a chic terrace above the medina (hard to find) with a long cocktail/wine list and lots of options for lunch | |||||||||||||||||||
17 | 4:00 | Inara Check-In at 4pm | Massages | First pass at the Medina/Souk Would not recommend doing this in the afternoon - was crazy packed and stressful - much better in the AM! | Requested 4:30 - 2 Hamam Spa Treatments Did the traditional hamam treaments at the spa in Palais Faraj. You sit in the steam room for 30 minutes, and then they come get you. You lay on a ceramic table and they do all sorts of scrubs, as well as wash your hair. I'm not the biggest fan of the full body scrub (invasion of personal space) but I'd recommend trying it to do the thing. | Shopping in La Marais | |||||||||||||||||
18 | 5:00 | Hassan II Mosque - beautiful huge mosque, worth a quick stop to see the beautiful architecture - wasn't allowed in, as non-muslim & ramadan services ongoing | Lunch & Pool | Le Jardin Secret Quick stop | Les Enfants Marche -wine bar inside market | ||||||||||||||||||
19 | 6:00 | 6:30 - Iftar at Le Casteban Emily confirmed via WhatsApp iftar a very specific experience...fully buffet style, didn't sell alcohol | Camel Ride - not my favorite thing, felt a bit obligatory and I feel bad for the camels. About 40 mins | Cooking class - less of a class, more of an education session from the chef on how he prepares tagine. Was cute and worth an hour! This will also be your dinner! | 6pm Massages @ La Mamounia - confirmed - free w AMEX Fine hotels & resorts experience credit | Walk around Gueliz district- Matisse art gallery | Cocktails @ https://hotelsahrai.com/en/# Overlooking the medina, the 50-room Sahrai became Fez’s first real boutique hotel when it opened in 2014. Using rich local materials like biscuit-colored Taza stone and custom-made décor like copper-framed lanterns, the Parisian designer Christophe Pillet coined a new decorative idiom of contemporary Moroccan chic that has made this stylish establishment a favorite of the local beau monde. Join this cosmopolitan crowd for cocktails either in the curtained open-air gallery near the bar or in the rooftop bar overlooking the city. The cucumber-tini, which is made with gin, puréed cucumber, lemon juice and jasmine syrup, tastes especially good on a warm night (130 dirhams). | Tea in the garden at Palais Faraj | rest | ||||||||||||||
20 | 7:00 | Sundowners & Dinner | Dinner @ La Mamounia - Moroccan Restaurant I actually would not recommend dinner at the Moroccan restaurant at La Mamounia. It was expensive and not all that good, and not much of a vibe. Such a bummer because it's absolutely beautiful and I had high expectations. I'd actually consider this meal our "expensive mistake" (we make at least 1 expensive mistake per trip) | Restaurant Dar Hammad - confirmed via FB Messenger 8pm No frills, super inexpensive, and really good. Delicious tagine & couscous on a rooftop overlooking the medina. Note: they do not serve alcohol | |||||||||||||||||||
21 | 8:00 | 7:30 Nur Pre-fixe - female chef from Alinea, French Laundry, il Bulli This place was weird for a lot of reasons (art, some of the food, slow service), but we ended up liking it. I'd recommend getting there closer to 8 or later, as it's lit by a natural skylight overhead that almost gives it an office-flourescent feeling when it's too bright out. When the lights dim, it's much more romantic and there's also more people there. This is also one of the few places that reliably sells wine during Eid.... | Le Mary Celeste - fave wine bar | ||||||||||||||||||||
22 | 9:00 | Dinner at Inara | Dinner @ Nomad A pretty rooftop with really good food, didn't serve alcohol | MY Kechmara -,lounge-y atmosphere w live music. Serves alcohol. | 8pm confirmed - https://www.restaurant-aupassage.fr/ | ||||||||||||||||||
23 | 10:00 | random italian place | |||||||||||||||||||||
24 | 11:00 | notes on desert / mountan food: it's not possible/practical to travel off-campus for meals, so plan to eat at your hotel. Food was excellent at both places! | |||||||||||||||||||||
25 | 12:00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
26 | Other Marakesh recos we missed: El Fenn L'ibzar - unresponsive Bar 68 - wine bar- Closed for Eid Cafe Clock - closed for Eid Jardin Majorelle & YSL Museum - need to buy tix online in advance (for Eid at least) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
27 | Recommended fm Zach & Caitlin: Pizza Popalare Frenchie was awesome if you want Michelin star but you’ll have to check in every day to see if you can get a reservation. Frenchie’s other places in Paris are good too. La Bourse was great but had a small menu. We’ve been trying to get into Les Bon Georges but can’t get a reservation Robert et Louise | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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