Marrakech is a city like no other….
The historic Medina (often called the walled city), is a hive of bustling activity full of souks, mosques, hammams, riads and of course the Bahia Palace. On the other side of the wall is Gueliz, the ‘new city’. Here you’ll find tranquil gardens, high end hotels, gourmet restaurants, café culture and shopping malls. It’s one of the few places I’ve been where you will find a Lamborghini and horse & carriage competing for the same road space!
In the souks, you’ll encounter a sensory overload of sights, sounds, and smells. You will find everything from colourful fragrant spices to the very latest designer handbags, clothing, jewellery, you name it (all fakes or course, but good ones!). Word of warning though, if you are intimidated by being approached continuously by shopkeepers, this is probably not going to be your thing. I personally love it, especially when it comes to bartering. Always start really low (20% or what they’re asking) and never be afraid to walk away if its more than you want to spend. The indoor souk can be a nice reprieve also from the heat, as it can get very hot, especially in the summer months!
You will find a myriad of activity on the Medina Square (Jemaa el-Fnaa), from snake charmers, monkeys, street food, horse & carriages and more souks. As with most places in Marrakech, but especially here, keep your wits about you as there are plenty of pick pockets on the prowl.
Eating out in Marrakech with food allergies…..
With regards to finding places to stay and eating out, this trip required some extra planning given that Marrakech are generally behind the times when it comes to awareness and understanding of allergies. Much of the food in Morocco is gluten free, however as bread is a staple food served with most meals it can be quite difficult to avoid cross contamination. Dairy is also rarely used in cooking, but without awareness of food allergies, the times it may be used may not be clearly communicated. Avoid all pastries and cookies if you have a nut allergy as they are quite often added. As I always recommend, contacting hotels and restaurants ahead of booking is essential to ensure they are able to cater for your allergies.
After scouring the web for restaurants that could cater for multiple allergies, Pointbar was the only one that seemed to ‘get it’ and their reviews were excellent. I contacted them beforehand and they gave me piece of mind that they understood and asked about the kind of things my son would want to eat. They were very clear that they wouldn’t be able to get any gluten free bread, as it’s not something you can easily buy out there, so we brought some with us from home and gave it to the chef when we arrived.
The manager personally greeted us and looked after us for the whole evening, which made it even more special as we were out celebrating a big birthday. The restaurant itself has a really nice vibe. The large outdoor area is partially covered with canopies to give some shelter from the sun in the day, but also allows you to eat under the stars at night. The palm trees add to the calming atmosphere, which takes you completely away from the hustle and bustle of the city, just outside the front door.
I honestly can’t recommend this place enough!
We didn’t feel safe eating in any other restaurants. I did reach out to quite a few but they either said they couldn’t cater or gave me a really vague, non-committal reply, so it just wasn’t worth taking the risk. We therefore chose to take certain foods with us from home and buy the rest in the local supermarket, where required. If we went out for the day, we would take our own food with us. Street food is a massive no-no for obvious reasons!
Carrefour Supermarket Al Mazar Mall
Not everyone wants to go to the supermarket when they are on holiday but I quite like having a mooch around to see what local foods are available. Not only that, it’s a safe option as you can check the ingredients and usually find free from alternatives that would normally be hard to find in hotels, restaurants or local shops.
Carrefour in Al Mazar Mall is huge, very clean, with different sections for fresh produce, butchers and deli counters. They also have a free from section and a counter that will prepare meat for you (burgers, kebabs etc) that is gluten free. Remember to take your allergy translation cards with you or use Google Translate in case the person serving you doesn’t speak English. Added bonus, they also have another shop that sells alcohol, so you can stock up for your stay given that it’s hard to buy alcohol elsewhere. I did notice they didn’t have any gluten free beers there though.
Places to stay with food allergies…….
Sirayane Boutique Hotel & Spa
Located approximately 15 minutes from the centre of Marrakech, this spa like hotel is a haven of tranquility, which was much needed after the hustle and bustle of the Medina. There is also a free shuttle bus into the centre of town. We splashed out and got a room with our own private pool, which didn’t disappoint as it gave us the privacy and quiet we really craved after the chaos of life back home. Our only interruption were a couple of peacocks that would fly into our garden every now and then, which is not something you see every day! The staff really went above and beyond to ensure we were well catered for and provided a varied selection of meals for us to choose from. As tagine is the main dish in Morocco, this was our firm favourite, substituting cous-cous for rice. We did find deserts were a little more difficult, so tended to stick to fruit. They also sell really nice cocktails, which are lovely by the pool, overlooked by the snowy Atlas mountains.
Villa Akhdar, Alouidane, Marrakech
We opted to go self catering for our second trip, providing us more space and more freedom when it came to food. The pictures sold the villa from the start to be honest and what you got for the price was amazing, three double bedrooms, a huge garden and our own private pool.
What I didn’t expect though was the incredible housekeeper that came with the package. Fatiha was amazing! She insisted on making us food morning and night, including wheat and dairy free pancakes every morning, freshly squeezed orange juice, fruit and Moroccan mint tea (with mint picked from the garden).
Given my son’s allergies she told us what to buy from the local supermarket (Carrefour) so she could make us home cooked local dishes, that he could also eat. We felt completely spoilt the whole week. The only challenge was that she didn’t speak any English, only French and Arabic, so we did have to rely on Google Translate a lot.
(gluten & dairy free)
Not adverse to a bit of pampering, I decided to try the traditional Hammam treatment in the onsite spa. The Hammam is an ancient Moroccan traditional method of bathing, using special techniques in the warmth of the Hammam Room to cleanse and exfoliate impurities from the body. The experience includes a sequence of treatments including a full-body cleanse, scrub, steam, and oil massage. It was definitely an experience and probably not recommended when you have a touch of sunburn as they exfoliate you to an inch of your life. The treatment ended with a hair wash and a bucket of water poured over my head, which probably wouldn’t have been such a shock if I was expecting it. I did feel reborn afterwards though and had the smoothest skin for weeks.
The only downside to the villa was the 30 minute taxi ride to the centre of Marrakech, which did cost a bit over the week we were there. It was worth it however given the incredible experience we had overall.
Things to do….
Balloon ride over the Atlas mountains
I have to be honest, I was a bit nervous about this trip as I’m not the greatest with heights. However, I felt really safe and watching the sun rise over the Atlas mountains and desert was well worth fighting the fear! It can get a bit chilly up there though, even with the flames, so I would definitely recommend you take a few layers.
Palm Grove Quad Bike and Camel Ride
This was a brilliant experience for the whole family. Both kids got their own quad bike for the first time. In previous experiences they usually have to ride with us due to their age, so they loved it. It did have me on edge though as my 12 year old daughter was taking corners like Lewis Hamilton! We were given a face mask and helmet, which were really needed as you do get sand blasted.
As the trip was prepaid, we didn’t think to take cash. It was only during the trip we were told water didn’t come as part of the package, so we had to beg and borrow from others on the trip to buy some bottled water half way round. Don’t make the same mistake as it gets very hot in the desert and you will need a drink (sounds obvious in hindsight).
My son sat the camel ride out as he wasn’t sure if he would be allergic, which he really wasn’t disappointed about as I got the impression the further he was away from them, the better. It was actually quite a funny experience and my daughter loved it! My camel was hilarious and even managed to catch him being the clown on camera.
Horse & Carriage ride around the Medina and ‘New Town’
As you may come to know, I love horses, so it was really important to me that the horses were well cared for if we were going to do this. Horses in Marrakech were badly neglected in the past but a new law came in to ensure that horses are properly cared for, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to operate. Having said that, lots are still neglected, so I made sure we picked the healthiest horses there.
The trip was actually a really lovely way to see the old and new town. My son started to react to the horses after developing a mild allergy (blocked nose and sneezing), so the driver took us to a local herbal medicine shop where they gave him some nigella seeds to inhale through his nose. I tried it first and trust me, it’s quite a hit that makes your eyes water, but it does the job. I have to say that because it worked so well in clearing my son’s allergic reaction, I became a bit of a salesman’s dream after that and bought a load of other stuff that was supposed to combat eczema etc, which after testing, did not work at all!
Day trip to Essaouira
It’s a bit of a trek, but the 2.5 hours drive to the coastal town of Essaouira is well worth it. You can join a coach trip from Marrakech or just grab a private taxi for the day, like we did.
Check out my blog Essaouira in a day for more information.
To Conclude…..
I love Marrakech and will definitely be back. You can traverse from the buzz of the city to the tranquil of your hotel/villa in a short taxi drive. We relaxed by the pool in the day and found a variety of things to do and places to visit at the end of the day, when it started to cool off a bit.
Something that I haven’t spoken about too much in this blog is just how friendly and respectful the local people are. The hospitality we received where we stayed, in restaurants, from trip guides and taxi drivers has been second to none. Although you do need to stay vigilant from pick pockets and opportunists, I really did feel safe.
There is still a long way to go when it comes to understanding allergies and learning how to cater for them in Morocco, so careful planning and preparation is an absolute must. I made contact with hotels, villa owners, trip organisers and restaurants ahead of the trip, just to be absolutely sure they understood the ask and that they could cater for my son. If there was any doubt in my mind that they couldn’t, I wrote them off. This paid off as we were very well looked after and more importantly, no allergic reactions.
To help with travel planning, refer to my Travel Tips to help you prepare for your trip and ensure everyone has a great time!
Typical Moroccan Food & Drink
- Tagine is a slow cooked stew in a cone shaped clay pot and is the traditional dish of Morocco. The dish consists usually of meat (typically lamb, chicken or beef) and an array of vegetables, dried fruits and Moroccan spices like paprika, saffron, cumin and coriander. Although tagines are typically free of most allergens, always check with the waiter as they do sometimes add egg or nuts. This is especially the case with the famous beef and prune tagine where they decorate the dish with almonds.
- Couscous is the staple side dish in Moroccan and is essentially small steamed granules of rolled semolina (wheat based) and is often served with stew. If you make the waiter aware of your wheat allergy, this can be easily substituted for rice.
- Zaalouk is a popular Moroccan cooked salad of eggplants and tomatoes seasoned with paprika, cumin, garlic, and herbs and is served as a side dish to many meals but is usually presented as a dip alongside crusty bread.
- Harira is a hearty tomato-based soup that is a staple of Moroccan cuisine, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan. It is made from a flavourful combination of lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, and aromatic spices like ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon. This is a great option for vegetarians and vegans seeking traditional Moroccan fare. As always, notify the waiter of any allergens as sometimes flour (wheat) is added to the soup as a thickener.
- Mint tea, also known as “Moroccan whiskey,” is a beloved beverage in Morocco, cherished for its refreshing taste and symbolic significance in Moroccan hospitality. It is made by steeping green tea leaves with fresh mint sprigs in boiling water and sweetening it with sugar. Mint tea is traditionally served in small glasses and poured from a height to create froth, adding to the ritualistic charm of the drink.
- Moroccan coffee is a strong and aromatic beverage that holds a special place in Moroccan culture. It is typically made from dark roasted coffee beans and brewed in a small pot called a “dallah” or “kanaka.” Moroccan coffee is often flavoured with spices like cardamom or cinnamon, which add depth and complexity to its flavour profile
Allergens Translated….
The majority of people in Marrakech speak Arabic or French, not many speak English. Taking an allergy translation card and having Google Translate will therefore be invaluable.
| English | Arabic | French |
| I am allergic to … | Hassasiya… | Je suis allergique a…. |
| wheat | gemah or d’geg | blé |
| durum wheat/semolina (cous cous) | smida | semoule |
| dairy | hleb | lait |
| nuts | luz | noix |
| eggs | bayda | bayda |
| fish | hoot | poisson |
| shellfish | almahar | fruits de mer |
| soya | fawl alsuwya | soja |
| sesame | simsim | sésame |