The Riad Capaldi Tips for Travellers
Welcome to the Riad Capaldi. We are in the heart of Marrakesh in the Medina. When you first arrive you will be immersed in true Moroccan culture. The hustle and bustle of it is a lot to take in for first time visitors and so here are some do's and don'ts to keep you safe and ensure you make the most out of your time in Morocco's capital.The most important thing is to have a safe place to stay, a base where you are taken care of by the staff and are looked after. An authentic Moroccan Riad like ours is the best choice to make the most of your stay. Find out more about our Riad here.
Here are our Do's and Don't for travellers:
Do's
1. Bring tissues with you as toilets are often unequipped!
2. Use antibacterial hand gel as a good alternative to washing hands.
3. Agree the taxi fare before entering a petit taxi. You can normally get anywhere in Marrakech for under 50 dh or try just getting in and stating your destination with no discussion. You may get a surprise and he will use the meter. If he does give a couple of Dirhams as a reward!
4. Visit El Badi Palace and see the storks.
5. Visit Saadian tombs but decline the offer of a tour guide. There isn't a lot to see and often a 10/20 minute queue to see the main room.
6. Watch the main square come alive from a rooftop restaurant.
7. Eat from an outside market stall (prices are cheap and food is superb) Eat with your hands, the cutlery is rinsed between clients.
8. Barter hard when buying from the souks. If you want something, act like you don't and you will get it at half the price. Sellers feel it when you are in love with the item. Around the corner you will find the same one, so walk away, it may help to get the price down.
9. Visit Majorelle Gardens a great calm retreat, early morning or late afternoon is best to avoid the tour bus groups.
10. Visit the Cyber Park Arsat Moulay Abdel Salam, it is free and far bigger than the Majorelle Gardens and peaceful.
11. Stay at a Riad . Take pictures of hard to remember alleys.
12. Visit the Ben Ali Yusuf Madrasa and Museum.
13. Ignore the people who try and send you in the wrong direction.
14. When you agree to a price, for example for a henna tattoo, have it written down in dirhams first. You will not be the first one they tell afterwards that you did not understand them correctly.
15. Do buy pastry, including croissants, in bakery stores for $20-30 cents
16. Do be prepared for anyone you tip to tell you "more , more". Whatever you tip them, they will try for more so here is what to do: smile, then laugh and pat them on the back. Then turn and walk away. Sometimes they will give you the stink eye, sometimes they just start smiling too. Don't get worked up about it.
17. Try and speak a little French. Saying 'Merci' and 'Bonjour' can go such a long way. Do not be a rude tourist who does not make an effort!
18. Do go and see where they dye the leather in smelly vats because it is real Marrakech.
19. Arrange with your taxi to the medina for dinner in the riads to collect you - they are quite prepared to let you pay after they collect you as they get a bigger fare - and they will get out and take you to the Riad - many of them are impossible to find.
20. Spend most of your Dirhams before getting to the airport! Many of the Duty free shops at Marrakech airport don't accept dirhams, preferring Euros. Just keep some for refreshments.
21. Keep a coin purse, as you will need small amounts of money for smaller items, snacks, tips, and toilets (2 dirhams).
22. Store an offline 'copy' of Marrakech on Google Maps- the map will then show even if WiFi is unavailable, and your GPS will do well at guiding you around the Medina. You will not use up any data this way!
23. The best currency exchange offices are just around the corner from the large post office on Jemaa El Fnaa. When you pass the post office to your left, walk left down a colonnaded pavement, where you will find several offices that offer a good exchange rate (2 dirhams higher than in the airport).
Don'ts
1. Buy water from the main square. Supermarkets are often cheaper. A five litre bottle of mineral water is 8 Dirhams as of 2012 at the Carrefour Market store, about 20 minutes walk from the square.
2. Take pictures of snakes/ monkeys/ dancers/watersellers, unless you are prepared to get ripped off.
3. Nothing is free! Don't let the ladies in the square henna tattoo you and shake you down after!
4. Don't forget a map of the city it can be invaluable. Most streets are not named so a map with landmarks and hotels is very useful.
5. Worry about access to money as there are plenty of cashpoints scattered around the city.
6. Do not panic (and keep a sense of humour). Many of the people are very friendly and helpful.
7. Forget to book a taxi transfer to your Riad. It would be very difficult to find if your coach/bus airport transfer dropped you off at the main square.
8. Do not forget sensible shoes or trainers. The streets in the Medina are cobbled and hard on your feet. When it rains it can get muddy in certain places. Sandals are not recommended, apart from perhaps in the New Town.
9. Don't forget to pack a small torch to navigate the less well lit lanes of the medina at night and always carry low value notes for tips.
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