AIBU to think Marrakesh was far worse than I expected?

[LondonLass37]

I'm 40. I went to Marrakesh for a week with a female friend of the same age. Both white, both blonde. Just looking for some warmth, culture, and a proper break.

What I experienced was genuinely awful.

We were harassed constantly , not just persistent sellers, but followed, hissed at, and touched. A man spat at my feet because I wouldn't give him money for directions I never asked for. Later, a drunk local chased us through the medina. We had to hide in a shop for nearly half an hour.

The medina is filthy. In the markets, animal carcasses hang next to food. Live donkeys are visibly mistreated and beaten. I'm still upset about what I saw.

The food was bland and lukewarm. My friend got food poisoning.

I wanted mint tea and beautiful tiles. Instead I felt unsafe and miserable.

So – AIBU? Or is Marrakesh genuinely as terrible as I found it?

I loved Marrakech, so I guess we're all different.

That sounds horrible, of course YANBU to have disliked that

Marrakech is and has always been a stinky dump, with the vilest, bottom of the sewer men. The ‘culture’ shock is unparalleled.

I loved it, but unfortunately I think it’s one of the places you need to visit with a male at your side.

Never been to Marrakech but my mum went to Tunisia and said the same thing, awful food (and we generally love ethnic food, we're indian heritage!) and harassed everywhere by groups of men.

I wouldn't go to any city/country where I needed to do that! In fact I won't travel to any Muslim dominated country and that includes Turkiye, which despite its claims to secularism has the women hidden away in the resort areas just good enough for cleaning the toilets, whereas the men are out front everywhere. Nope.

Your description is very different to what I experienced a few months ago. I was with a man but it was fine when we were separate too. Some of the sellers were a bit pushy but it wasn't that bad, generally if you said no that was it.

Why would you be unreasonable to have experienced somewhere as you experienced it?

It’s not how I experienced it, but I’m not you. You felt how you felt.

I used to travel there with work monthly and always felt a bit uneasy. Taken to the hotel by blacked out cab and then always stuck with male colleagues. On going back for the return flight security used to go through all the female crews baggage and inspect all items including underwear. Never been back since my last trip

Myself and three female friends went to Marrakesh last year. Two of them are very tall beautiful leggy blondes. I can honestly say we never got harassed once and didn’t experience any harassment at all. It is a bit of a culture shock though. Very dirty and desolate in places.

You’re not selling it to me!

I had the same horrible experience too. It was tolerable when I was with my husband but absolutely dreadful when he wasn't by my side. However, we also met some genuinely kind and lovely people and I loved the food and their medina.

Been twice, won't go again- first time there was a riot and we had to shelter on a rooftop for hours with children - terrifying - we were all sick when we got home. Second time I went with girlfriends - stayed in the 4 seasons, we ate there or in high end restaurants and we had a guide take us around the medina and recommend a restaurant there. I got home and was again violently ill - spent a whole day in the sick bay at work and had to be sent home in a taxi.

I’ve been twice about 20 years ago and loved both trips, and only experienced harassment for buying goods in the souks.

However, on one trip we also went to Agadir and my friend decided to take her T-shirt off and just wear her bikini on a beach near our hotel that it appeared only locals use (we didn’t realise this until we got there). The teen boys appeared from everywhere, surrounding my friend, demanding sex. Friend was actually flattered (she said so layer!), but it quickly became frightening surrounded by about 10-12 persistent teen boys. She quickly put her T-shirt back on and we left. She knew to dress modestly in Morocco so I’m not sure what possessed her to strip down to a bikini on what we had quickly realised was a beach for locals and not tourists. I had a T-shirt and 3/4 trousers on so was ignored.

My friend went with her boyfriend and equally hated it. The staring, touching and her bag was pulled off her and stolen.

I'm well travelled, but Morocco isn't on my list and I'd never return to Egypt for similar reasons- filthy, asking for baksheesh (tips), leering men, poor care given to donkeys etc. I loved the cultural aspects, tombs, Luxor, Cairo museum but the rest was stressful.

I went last month for 4 day. I had mixed feelings. The hotel was beautiful,clean and so well kept and all of the staff were lovely, although the management were there almost constantly watching them to make sure they were engaging with guests and some staff eluded to them being very harsh if they were not seen to be being “fun” and the constant interaction from staff was sometimes a bit annoying when we were trying to just chill or enjoy a drink together.
We are out in a Moroccan restaurant, had tagine and cous cous which was delicious, food in the hotel was ok but it was a bit annoying having to be so careful about what was safe to eat due to the water.
i was with my husband so the Medina was not so bad as being a solo female, but we did still have people trying to take us to see things which we knew would end in us being pressured to buy stuff, they were very persistent. Likewise the men telling you roads were closed to keep you in the markets, and people trying to give you directions then having to hide til they went away was very annoying and I wouldn’t have enjoyed that at all had I been alone. The motorbikes and crazy driving was unnerving! And the animal welfare broke my heart, as a horse and dog owner it was horrible to see, and the amount of stray dogs and puppies around the outskirts was shocking, especially when you read up on what they do to them. Seeing monkeys on chains and snakes in the medina was not nice at all, and tiny baby tortoises for sale everywhere 😢
We had some great experiences, the traditional Hammam and massage was lovely, and a quabike tour of the desert was also really fun, the guides there were fantastic and we loved a traditional Berber tea out in the desert. We found some nice roof gardens for mint tea and traditional patries. But over all, I wouldn’t go back, and I can see how it could be quite unsettling if I hadn’t have been with my husband.

It’s not somewhere on my list to go for the exact reasons you mentioned .Ive travelled a lot but heard this story so many times . I hated Turkey for the same reason . They leered at my 14 year old daughter, she was horrified . Now I’m older it’s not a problem , but I still wouldn’t go

I had this in Turkey. Never went back.

I was disappointed by Marrakech, it wasn't as awful as you found it but just not much to do in the city. I really loved Istanbul, maybe go there if you want to try somewhere a bit different.

Years ago, I had a similar experience in Malta. Men hissing and spitting at me. I could not go out alone. Awful. I would never go back, or to any similarly cultural countries. Also female, white and blonde.

I love Marrakech, been there numerous times in the last 20 years.

However if I had experienced what you did then I would not have had a good time and thought it was a hellhole so I don't blame you.

It's a lot more set up for tourists than it used to be. If you thought it was bad now....!

I really enjoyed seeing the sights in Istanbul, but didn’t generally like the city at all.

My dh is Moroccan. I don’t like Marrakesh but his hometown is beautiful and safe. I love the family night life. I would go out with my children at 10pm to a restaurant and loads of women and children are still out shopping and having fun.

I liked Morocco but only was there for a day (cruise) had a guide and a 6ft 1 dh. We went into the mountains and had lovely food too. The fact that we were guided might be a big factor though. We are planning on returning independently but won’t be in the cities as we are going on the motorbike

Sorry you had a horrible experience.

I have been many times and not had this experience. I found the people to be friendly and helpful. I felt safe even walking around by myself at night which I would not do in the UK.