Morocco travel tips
Concrete, city-by-city tips to travel better for less: free sights, budget eats, smart transport and traps to avoid.
12 results
Marrakech: classic traps and how to avoid them
"Road closed", fake guides, pushy henna, taxis without meters: nothing dangerous, but enough to spoil a day and your budget. Here is how to spot them and say no politely.
You save: often 100–500 MAD over a stay
Free Marrakech: the best places to see without spending a dirham
Jemaa el-Fna, the Koutoubia gardens, Cyber Park, the Menara gardens, the souks… Marrakech is easy to enjoy for free, as long as you know where to go and when.
You save: ≈ 150–300 MAD a day in paid entries
Merzouga: book your desert camp directly and know what is included
If you travel independently, booking a night in a desert camp in Merzouga directly often costs less than a tour sold in Marrakech. Provided you check exactly what is included.
You save: often several hundred MAD per person
Trains in Morocco: book Al Boraq early and travel smart with ONCF
Trains comfortably link Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Fes, Meknes and Marrakech. Booking ahead, especially for the Al Boraq high-speed line, often means paying less.
You save: often cheaper than driving or flying, stress-free
Agadir: Souk El Had for shopping at local prices
A huge walled market where locals do their shopping, Souk El Had is the place to buy spices, dried fruit, argan oil and crafts for far less than in tourist-area shops.
You save: often 30–50% versus tourist shops
Chefchaouen: the blue city without the crowds, early in the morning
Day trips from Fes and Tangier arrive late in the morning. Staying overnight and heading out early lets you photograph the blue alleys in peace, then end the day at the Spanish Mosque at sunset.
Cost: Free
CTM and Supratours coaches: the cheapest way to reach the south and Chefchaouen
Where trains do not go, CTM and Supratours connect the big cities with Essaouira, Agadir, Chefchaouen, Ouarzazate and Merzouga, with comfortable coaches and tickets you can book online.
You save: several hundred MAD versus a private driver
Essaouira: eat fresh fish at the port without a surprise bill
The port grills of Essaouira are a must. The golden rule: choose your fish, know the price per kilo and agree on the total before it is cooked.
You save: avoids inflated bills at the end
Fes on a budget: free viewpoints and sights under 30 MAD
Marinid Tombs at sunset, Jnan Sbil garden, Seffarine square, low-cost medersas: Fes offers a lot without spending much.
Cost: Free to ≈ 20 MAD per visit
Fes: why an official guide saves you time (and money)
The Fes el-Bali medina has thousands of alleys and GPS is unreliable there. Half a day with an official guide avoids fake guides, detours and forced shop stops.
You save: time, and fake guides' commissions
Marrakech airport: reach the medina by bus for 30 MAD
Bus line 19 links Marrakech-Menara airport to Jemaa el-Fna. It costs far less than a taxi taken without negotiating, and it is easy if you travel light.
You save: up to 150 MAD versus an unnegotiated taxi
Riads: when and how to pay less for a night in the medina
Riad prices vary a lot with the season and length of stay. Travelling outside peak periods, staying several nights and contacting the riad can bring the bill down noticeably.
You save: often 20–40% depending on dates