#2507 | Morocco adventures
my month-long girls trip to Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier & Fes — camel riding in the Agafay Desert, mules up the Atlas Mountains, and more
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Hello friends!
It’s been forever and a day. And I’ll spare you the “I’ll be better” promises that may or may not be empty — though I am working on my consistency across the board, so I hope to be seeing much, much more of you. Anyhow, thank you sincerely for still rocking with me despite a several-month-long hiatus. Just like that, we’re back!
This summer I traveled a ton, but the centerpiece was my month-long trip to Morocco in June/July. The first half was a girls’ trip celebrating my cousin’s 40th birthday — expertly planned by her and a travel agent — with stops all across the country. The second half was much more local: two weeks in Tangier with my mom, who recently retired there and is thriving in her new life of leisure.
The trip also coincided with my absolute over-it-ness about hoarding photos and videos that never see the light of day. Like many of us thirty-somethings, the cringe I feel about talking into a camera is very real. But I also still want to post — for memory-keeping, if nothing else. At last count, I had 49,759 photos and 7,966 videos floating in the cloud (which, tbh, I still don’t fully understand). So I decided to start sharing more, hoarding less.
Enter: Morocco. I even made a 100-part TikTok series (!!) about it, where you can see the trip in motion. But here in this newsletter, I get to really talk about it. So read through for the full itinerary from the Blue Pearl, through the Red City, to the coasts of Tangier and beyond. After all, we paid for it, so you don’t have to!
CHEFCHAOUEN
We splurged on business class from Canada, so we landed in Casablanca well-rested — which was crucial, since we had a five-hour drive to Chefchaouen. At the airport, we met our driver Abdul and guide Mohammed, who stayed with us throughout the girls’ trip and made everything seamless. Highly recommend if your group can swing it!
We made a quick stop at the Hassan II Mosque before the bulkiest part of the drive. And after we got our steps in climbing 100+ stairs to reach our hotel, the beautiful Dar Jasmine — we were rewarded with panoramic views, lush gardens, and some of the warmest hospitality of the trip.
We spent our time wandering the blue-washed streets, sipping the tastiest fresh orange juice on ancient corners, shopping for hand-carved wood pieces, and stumbling into a last-day-of-school celebration — dozens of kids dancing, cheering, and singing in the streets.
Back at the hotel, we had the tastiest goat cheese & caramelized apple toast by the pool, and big breakfasts overlooking the city — feasts of olives, breads, cheeses, figs, teas, and juices that made a plain omelet pale in comparison.
That night we stopped at the lookout point for photos before dinner at El Cielo. One of my favorite things here was hearing the calls to prayer echo across the town. The Adhan is not only a religious summons but also a kind of communal heartbeat. Whether in Chefchaouen, Marrakech, or Tangier (where I stayed next door to mosques), those reminders of connection to something greater were moving, no matter your own practice.
RABAT
From Chefchaouen we drove to Rabat, stopping for roadside snacks — including the juiciest donut-shaped peach I’d ever had. (Since then, I keep seeing them everywhere, classic Baader-Meinhof phenomenon!)
We explored the Chellah ruins, a hauntingly beautiful site with Roman and Islamic layers, storks nesting overhead, and flowers bursting from graves. For one night, we stayed at Villa Mandarine — all secret-garden courtyards. Dinner was a French feast at L’Avenue 155: three hours of food, live music, laughter, and too many desserts.
The next day, we toured the Royal Palace (where you’ll need an official guide to gain entry), strolled Kasbah Les Oudaias, and ended at Platforme du Semaphore for sweeping Atlantic views. This is a truly incredible lookout point for a picturesque panorama of the coast. I stopped to watch some young boys dance on the steps leading down to the ocean. About 10 minutes from there are the city gates and a set of steps, now known for being the location where Mission Impossible filmed a famous Tom Cruise motorcycle chase scene.
MARRAKECH
Marrakech was the heart of the itinerary — and maybe my favorite stay: Riad 72. The city buzzed with energy: endless souks, spice markets, riads, and unforgettable meals. At La Sultana, I tried pigeon pastilla for the first time and had a slow-roasted lamb shoulder that I still dream about.
Highlights included:
Shopping for spices at 100,000 Epices.
Bahia Palace’s intricate 19th-century beauty.
Rug-shopping at Kasr Ben Hayoune (I came home with a beautiful red carpet).
An incredible cooking class in Chef Tarik’s Berber garden, led by Chef Fatima & Chef Siham — three tagines, breadmaking the Amazigh way, and so many giggles.
We also toured Madrasa Ben Youssef, drank sand coffee, shopped leather goods (I got a duffel bag for my boyfriend, a cross-body for me, and furry shoes that the kittens play with when I walk down the street), and had birthday portraits taken by a local photographer at the Majorelle Garden and YSL Museum — complete with a surprise horse-and-carriage ride from habibi Ahmed. One night ended at Comptoir Darna for dinner and a show, the next: rooftop tacos across from our riad, and another at Nobu.
Day trips included mule-riding up the Atlas Mountains (the heights were terrifying, but the experience was absolutely worth it) and a beautifully scenic lunch at Kasbah Tamadot. On the way back, I stocked up on pottery at ‘Berber Fine Art & Antiques’ where women were making argan oil in the back, a rug loom sat upstairs, and dozens of rows of shelves containing bowls and dishes with that beautiful oxidized green color that the region is known for lined the walls of a room dedicated to ceramics.
Finally, we drove to the Agafay Desert for camel rides at Inara Camp. Our guide’s adoration for the camels, especially for the first one in line, whom he referred to as Leshell the Boss, was beautiful to see. The glamping setup looked incredible (pools, AC’d tents, nighttime parties), but for us, camel riding and a lovely lunch were enough.
AGADIR
Our last girls’ trip stop: Agadir. We stayed at the Fairmont Taghazout Bay in a sprawling beachfront suite with three balconies, three bathrooms, and a butler (plus Le Labo bath products). We cried in the lobby saying goodbye to Abdul and Ahmed (lol dramatic), then spent a couple of days rotating between the beach, the spa, and eating until our hearts’ desire. Despite the property’s many restaurants, we ordered room service for our first night there, and stayed in watching TV, yapping with the girls, and falling asleep on the couch… my absolute fave.
When we weren’t at the beach, we were indulging in the spa services. This was my first time having a hammam, and wowweeeeee; I’ve heard a lot of contradicting reviews on this, and I’m here to say this is an absolute must! I obviously did it in a bougie hotel setting, so I can’t speak to the more local/authentic ones, but I left thinking so; this is what a proper spa service is. It was a truly transformative experience. For dinner, we ate at the resort’s Japanese restaurant Morimoto, which was another 10/10 moment.
The next morning, we enjoyed the breakfast buffet before heading to the airport and parting ways — one to Toronto, one to Alabama, and another to Miami, and I to my Mom’s in Tangier… concluding part one of the trip!
TANGIER
Mom met me at the airport with her friend Mohamed, and we dove right into errands: groceries, and tile shopping at Driss Dkich (the making of her commissioned patio table became my first viral TikTok). When we finally got in, I got the grand tour and enjoyed one of the many home-cooked meals that followed. In the morning, Mom’s friend Neda came by to do a workout class with us on the roof. It was my Mom’s birthday, so I presented her with her gift — this book I made chronicling her life. It was the most personal part of my journey; seeing her thrive in a new city, celebrating a new stage, surrounded by great friends, food, and art. Oh, the life!
Fun fact: did you know that Tangerines are actually named after Tangier? Originally a variety of mandarin from Southeast Asia, they were first grown and exported from Tangier in the 1800s. The word literally means “from Tangier.” So yes — drink all the orange juice you can while you’re here… it really hits different, especially in Tangier.
Highlights:
Villa Mabrouka — we had a friend at this gorgeous, invite-only hotel, so we got to enjoy sunset drinks with truly incredible views and a private tour of their new pizza restaurant. If you can splurge on accommodations, this is the spot!
Cooking class with Blue Door Cuisine — I know what you’re thinking… did you really need to do another cooking class!? But this was distinct to the other one in that it was a city (vs farm) setting, and we got to shop the fish market together, and see the community oven where our bread was baked (a beautiful tradition that keeps home kitchens cool in the summer and energy low), plus I got to learn a different tagine to the first 3 (making me technically able to now cook 4 whole kinds?!) — this time it was a seafood recipe.
Restaurants — MOFI (really interesting modern Moroccan menu, don’t miss the fish crudo with the yummiest cold coconut broth), Aux 3 Portes (the café to a guesthouse with a dreamy look-out and a secret garden), La Muralla (aperitivo hour with views), Le Saveur du Poisson (Bourdain-approved, so arrive early).
Culture — Phoenician Tombs, Cinéma Rif Café (inside a historical movie theater across from the Grand Soco landmark, perfect for people-watching), the Ibn Battuta Museum, the bookshop Les Insolites, and of course, the markets.
Mostly, though, it was sun-chasing on Mom’s balcony, seagull-watching, and reflecting on how life expands when you choose a new chapter.
FES
Despite everyone warning us it’d be too hot (it was: 104°F), Mom and I did a weekend trip to Fes. A few quick notes:
We stayed at Riad Jardin des Biehn, which was gorgeous and had a lovely staff.
We ate most of our meals at The Ruined Garden, which was just steps away.
We had a great lunch at a spot called Fondouk Bazaar before escaping the heat.
And that was that! If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably as tired as I was by the end — but hopefully it was worth every second, just like the trip. If you’ve been to Morocco before, or if you end up checking out any of these spots on your next trip, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Next up: we explore my all-time favorite spots in the cities I grew up in — New York and Toronto — to close out my little summer tour.
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more!
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