Morocco — Because You Need a Change of Scenery
Marrakech — this looks chaotic but it is actually quite orderly. So many vendors. Capitalism is alive and well…
Some Updates on Travel This Week…
This week, I met with…
The Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection on Tuesday. I love the new Luminara.
Swan Hellenic on Wednesday. They have such interesting itineraries!
A conglomerate of German hotels including the Koenigshof in Munich and the Conrad in Hamburg on Thursday. (Given my background, I sell a lot of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland so nearly every week, I am meeting with hotels, river cruise operators, and tour providers in this part of the world.)
London’s One Aldwych hotel on Friday. (I love this property and use it a lot with my clients. Great location, great service.)
I also had an ill client in Italy this week. Being ill on vacation is no fun but it was a reminder that travel insurance is there to help you! Most travel insurance comes with telemedicine and you can even request that a doctor visit you at your hotel. A good protection plan comes with all sorts of bells and whistles! And if you’re not looking to cover your trip costs and are just worried about sickness and evacuation, travel insurance is an affordable no-brainer. Run a quote here and put $0 as your trip costs to see what I mean.
Now let's talk about Morocco…
When to Go: NOT July and August
Who Should Go: If you like craft shopping, artisans, cooking classes, design, surfing, and a little adventure, Morocco is for you.
Morocco sounds so exotic to clients. It’s unlike most European cities you’ve been to. But that’s why I love it so much. It’s good to get out of the familiar and what we know in our day-to-day. Change and new experiences are good for our brains.
I think about brains a lot — my mom, an incredibly intelligent woman, was diagnosed with cognitive impairment in her later stages with Parkinson’s Disease. She lost her executive functioning abilities—she knew what year it was but not what month, she would put the garbage out on random days, software and websites and iPads frustrated her tremendously, and she could no longer manage her finances. I went through all the memory testing with her — the multi-day exams are so interesting. (And exhausting.) Can you spell world backwards? Can you draw the hands on a clock at 7:35 pm? If I gave you three words now and asked you to repeat them an hour later, can you remember the three words?
Those are just the entry level questions. The testing gets more complicated from there.
In our consultation with my mom’s memory doctors after the largest battery of tests, they communicated how important change is for our brains. We need to keep moving and we need to keep learning. We need hobbies and interests and new environments to open up new pathways. The brain is elastic — without exercise, it withers and dies. (One of my mom’s doctors, for instance, decided late in life to learn everything about turtles. It was very interesting!)
Apparently, it is true what they say about a change of scenery. Your brain needs change.
So…if you are feeling stuck…if you are feeling bored…maybe you need a change of scenery.
Let me take you to Morocco.
The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
Casablanca
Most people treat Casablanca as a transit city. I'd push back on that, at least slightly. It's worth a night or two — especially if you're arriving on that direct flight from Miami, NYC, Boston, or Washington DC — and your body needs a moment to adjust before diving into Marrakech.
The Hassan II Mosque is one of the most extraordinary buildings I have seen anywhere in the world. It sits right on the Atlantic, partially over the ocean. The scale of it stops you in your tracks.
The Four Seasons Casablanca is where I'd put clients here — oceanfront on the corniche, Atlantic views from your balcony, an excellent hammam, and the service you'd expect from Four Seasons. I am a Four Seasons Preferred Partner, which means clients who book through me receive complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and priority for room upgrades at any Four Seasons worldwide. Book a complimentary vacation consultation here to talk more.
Jardin Majorelle
Marrakech
This is the heart of the trip, and most clients will want three to four nights. The medina is overwhelming in the best possible way — the souks, the food stalls, the noise, the color. Give yourself (and your wallet) a full day just to wander and get lost. Jemaa el-Fna, the main square, transforms completely after dark.
Two things I'd flag:
The Jardin Majorelle is a must — a striking cobalt-blue garden that Yves Saint Laurent restored and eventually made his home. The YSL Museum next door is excellent. Go early to beat the crowds.
The Bahia Palace takes about 45 minutes to walk through. Alahambra in Spain is a lot older but the Bahia Palace is a lot more beautiful.
For hotels, Marrakech has some of the best luxury products in the world. Here are some of the amazing options…
The stunning Royal Mansour
Built by the King of Morocco, it's a medina within a medina — a private city of individual riads, each with its own terrace and plunge pool, connected by a network of underground corridors used by the staff so you never see anyone carrying anything. The spa is world-class. The food is exceptional. It is expensive, and it is worth it. Royal Mansour is a Virtuoso property — book through me for perks including breakfast and hotel credits. Ready to talk Morocco? Book a complimentary vacation consultation here.
Four Seasons Resort Marrakech
Set on 40 acres of Moorish gardens between the medina and the modern city, this is the right choice for families, or for anyone who wants resort amenities without sacrificing proximity to everything. Also a Four Seasons Preferred Partner property — breakfast, credits, and upgrade priority when you book through me.
"Peaceful paradise." Twenty minutes from the medina in the Palmeraie, and that distance is the whole point. If you want to come back from a day in the souks and feel genuinely removed from everything, Amanjena delivers. Individual pavilions with domed living rooms and private courtyards. The first Aman property on the African continent, and it shows.
La Mamounia has been welcoming guests since 1923 and has earned every one of its accolades. Winston Churchill painted here. The gardens alone are worth a visit. For a certain type of client — someone who wants history and grandeur as part of the experience — there is nothing else quite like it in Morocco. (This is the Marrakesh hotel featured in Inventing Anna.)
Set on 20 hectares of olive groves and rose gardens, just outside the Medina. 54 villas and 9 suites — small enough to feel personal. The spa is exceptional. Another Virtuoso property — book through me for perks.
Erg Chebbi Dunes
The Sahara — Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi Dunes
The drive from Marrakech to Merzouga takes you through the High Atlas Mountains and across a landscape that shifts from green valleys to lunar desert over about six hours. Or you can fly into Ouarzazate and cut the drive. Either way, the arrival at the Erg Chebbi dunes — a sea of apricot-colored sand that rises up to 150 meters — is genuinely arresting.
You spend the night in a luxury desert camp. Real beds. Private bathrooms. Dinner by firelight with traditional Berber music. And then the stars. The Sahara sky at night, with no light pollution for hundreds of miles, is one of those things that doesn't fully translate to a photograph. You simply have to be there.
Mornings in the desert are equally extraordinary — the dunes change color as the light shifts, and the silence before the wind picks up is complete. Camel rides, sandboarding, and 4x4 excursions are all on offer, but most clients tell me they spent more time than expected simply sitting and watching the light change.
A delicious tagine, just waiting for you
What to Eat in Morocco
Moroccan food is one of the great undiscussed arguments for going. Three things you have to eat:
Tagine. This is the dish Morocco is built around — slow-cooked meat or fish with vegetables, dried fruit, preserved lemon, and spices in a conical clay pot. Lamb with prunes and almonds, or chicken with preserved lemon and olives. The meat falls apart.
Pastilla. Order this whenever you see it, and don't let the description put you off. It's a flaky pastry filled with spiced pigeon (or chicken), almonds, and eggs, dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Sweet and savory at the same time. (I joke that there are only two places I will eat pigeon — France and Morocco.)
Harira. A thick, warming soup of tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, and fresh herbs. You'll find it everywhere, from street stalls to hotel restaurants. Order it for lunch on your second day when you're starting to find your feet, and you'll understand why Moroccans eat it every day.
The Wine
This surprises people: Morocco has a real wine industry. The vineyards are concentrated around Meknès — sometimes called the Bordeaux of Morocco — at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, where warm days and cool nights produce grapes that actually work.
The thing to order is the rosé, and specifically the vin gris — a local style that's lighter than a typical rosé, almost onion-skin in color, bone dry, and extraordinary with food. It's uniquely Moroccan. Look for Château Roslane or Domaine des Ouled Thaleb on the wine list. Both are reliably excellent.
One practical note: Morocco is a Muslim country and alcohol isn't served everywhere. The major luxury hotels and riads catering to international travelers will have wine lists. In the medina and at local restaurants, don't assume. Ask first.
Two of the most beautiful lunches I’ve ever had have been in Morocco…one at the Le Val d’Argan winery and the other at La Fromagerie outside Essaouira. At Val d’Argan, my friend Ben bought a case or rose wine but we had just four days to drink it all before flying back to London. Sadly, we failed and had to leave some bottles behind. (This was before I became more confident in packing wine in my checked bags.)
A Few Practical Things to Know about Morocco
Morocco is most comfortable in spring (March–May) and fall (September–November). July and August in Marrakech are extremely hot — not impossible if you are used to hot climates, but plan accordingly.
Morocco pairs beautifully with a few days in Seville, Spain or the Algarve in Portugal — both are a short flight away — if you want to extend the trip into Europe.
Morocco is a well-developed tourism destination with a government that actively supports and invests in visitors.
And then because I have to say this — Morocco is not in the Middle East. It is on the northwest corner of Africa, close to Spain, actually!
If Morocco has been in the back of your mind, or if perhaps I have piqued your interest, now is the time to start planning it properly. Reply to this email and let's talk about what your trip looks like. Or Book a complimentary vacation consultation here.
About Krista
I’m a Virtuoso travel advisor based in Palm Beach, Florida. I attended the University of Notre Dame for undergrad and I have my MBA from the University of Chicago. Before building my travel business, I spent 20 years in the investment management industry and over a decade living and working in London, England. I’ve personally traveled to 80 countries and now design thoughtful, highly customized trips for travelers who value expertise, access, and a seamless experience.
I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation for travelers considering a custom itinerary or luxury cruise.c
For travel inspiration and real-time updates, you can follow along on Instagram or connect with me on Facebook. I also share a curated list of travel products I genuinely use and recommend in my online store.
What I Offer…
Custom itinerary design for complex, multi-stop trips
VIP hotel benefits through Virtuoso and preferred partner programs (including complimentary breakfast, hotel credits, and priority for upgrades where available)
Luxury ocean, river, and expedition cruises with added onboard credits
Vetted villa rentals with concierge services worldwide
Private guides, small-group touring, and unique local experiences
Private aviation and yacht charters through trusted partners
Airport transfers, VIP arrival and departure services, and full ground logistics
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I work best with travelers who want expert planning, trusted partnerships, and someone in their corner from start to finish. That’s what I am best at! Ready to talk travel? Book a complimentary vacation consultation here.
