Would you take daughters into Marrakech medina on your own?

[Alljan]

Daughters are 11 and 8. The three of us are travelling to a nice hotel outside Marrakech for the week and I have booked a private tour of the medina on the morning of one day. Specifically booked the morning so quieter. Daughters are sensible for their ages but haven’t been to a country like Morocco before.

My ex husband is apoplectic at the thought of the risk I am potentially taking. Could anyone who has been with kids recently advise as to whether it was too much for kids? My ex was controlling and thinks I don’t make good decisions which isn’t true but has put a lot of doubt in my mind.

When have you been? I’ve been a few times recently and found it to be absolutely fine!

We spent 3 weeks in mostly north of casablanca, and many around Atlas mtns.
Terrible dirty disgusting place, where they wash the veggies in the toilet water.
We wouldnt go back in chains.

I went with a girlfriend in my 20s and with my family this year and it was fine.

I was amazed at the number of western women dressed as if for a day shopping in, say, France. We dressed appropriately.

The men were/are over the top but we ever felt unsafe, any of those times.

Dress appropriately and respectfully. What you or your daughters think as modest may appear very provocative through different eyes. Cover yourself - arms, shoulders, legs, chest with non-see through material and then you will be fine. Keep together.

Why the fuck would you want to go to a place where you have to make sure 8 and 11 year olds have to be covered up head to toe to be safe?

Been there with 3 kids - fab time. Found it very family orientated & noone got upset if there was a tantrum - unlike the judgy looks you get here. They’ll give things to your kids to try and get a sale, just give them back and keep walking. Enjoy the hustle & bustle

You won’t be out late as with the kids, but usual travel rules apply re personal safety & respect the local dress code, less coverage = more attention

Id love to go back, you’ll have a fantastic time

No never. I was also assaulted in a shop. I was completely covered 🙄for the poster who seemed to think that will keep you safe.

I wouldn’t go anywhere without a man as a minimum - and I was assaulted WITH a man with me.

I accept that not all societies have the same attitudes. The OP has taken the decision to go on holiday to Morocco, dressing modestly is one of the things you need to do to keep safe there (not the only thing you need to do I may add but one of the things). Is a visit to the Medina respectfully dressed in the middle of the day as safe as walking down Winchester High Street at night wearing a sleeve less shirt and a short skirt, probably not. Then again, Marrakesh isn't Winchester.

Lots of Moroccan women in the cities dress like that too though. It's by no means a conservative Muslim country.

I was there a few weeks ago with dh and dd. I always felt OK with dh around (although afraid for my life re mopeds!). However there were several groups of western women we saw without a male accompanying and I didn't notice anyone being hassled during the day. There were some young women being verbally catcalled on a night but they were wearing outfits that would make a Geordie blush.

You will be fine with a guide. Ensure you either have a booked transfer or get into a marked petit taxi. There are all kinds of drivers trying to make a buck. Approved guides have to go through a selection process with the government and are highly educated. Ours was simply fantastic and we learnt so much about the city. Morroccan women in Marrakech go about their business unescorted, even at night, and the younger women give the moped boys a run for their money!

It’s been nearly 20 years since I was last in Marrakesh - back then it would have been a yes, but don’t let anyone take you into the kasbah, as it’ll cost you a small fortune to pay your way out of it 😂. Now, with maps on your phones etc, I would assume even that’s perfectly fine. Part of growing up is seeing your parents take calculated risks in order to have new experiences, and learning how they prepare to do so. And the medina is awesome!

@localnotail You don't have to cover children or adults up from top to toe. But like any country in the world you visit, most people understand thst it's important to respect local customs and cultures. You don't have to dress modestly, but you will get far less respect from local people if you read like you're at a Spanish beach bar. There is no expectation that tourists should cover their heads in public, just that they shouldn't walk around outside their hotels wearing shorts, crop tops, and showing cleavage etc.

I wouldn't personally do it but I'm not very assertive.
I went there with a boyfriend once and even tho he was with me, men still tried to touch me, people grabbed at me etc.. I found it very stressful.
Nothing bad happened though. I just found it stressful because I'm an introverted no confrontational person.
I imagine there are women who could deal with the situation well. I'm not one of them so I'd never take my daughters there on my own.

However I think your husband is being a bit of a twat to be 'apoplectic'about it.
If you think you can cope with it and are just going out for a few hours during daylight I think that's up to you. If you are capable of being assertive and having your daughters at arms length the entire time, you should be fine.

I get that but we are talking about kids here, suggesting that they could be "showing cleavage" is a bit much.
Anyone who sees an 8 year old in shorts as something other than a child in shorts is a sicko and I could not care less what culture are they from.

I was harassed constantly, despite being with my male partner and covered up. It was so off-putting and gross, I wouldnt like to put my daughters in that environment,

I would not. We had a run in with a shopkeeper in the Medina. He was very aggressive to my cousin and I said she doesn't want to buy anything he swore and me then blocked my cousin leaving the shop. Look disinterested is all I'll say. Or just don't bother.

The Jewish quarter had a nice vibe and nice stalls too.

I felt really unsafe there and would never go back. I don't think dressing modestly or being on a tour is enough protection, frankly. I was grabbed at, insulted, had my arms stabbed at with henna, and generally treated like a walking wallet. Also I am from an ethnic background that is seen as an easier target.

I hated it. We stayed in a Riyad inside the medina, and despite being with my partner got hassled constantly. That was about 20 years ago though.

If you had a bad experience pre-Covid, you'll find it very different now.

When the pandemic was virtually over, the Moroccan government was desperate to get tourists back. So they commissioned research to find what attracted people there and what put them off. And the hassle was found to be a massive factor in people not choosing Morocco as a destination.

So if you go to Marrakech now, you'll find that tourism police vans are permanently parked in the main square, that the touts have disappeared, and that you won't get grief or generally hassled any more.

Selling in the souks can still be very pushy and occasionally bad tempered, but in general the government's action to stop the poor treatment of tourists had been a great success.

You'll be fine with a private guide. We attempted the Medina without a guide as we are very seasoned travelers and lived in Asia/ Middle East etc and didn't see the need. Big mistake. We were harassed, yelled at, sworn at and had huge issues with locals trying to scam us for photographs or overcharging. We went back with a guide and had no issues. This was in 2015 so it's reassuring to hear that this is a thing of the past now, but I still wouldn't attempt without a guide.

@localnotail Of course I wasn't referring to little children with my comment about cleavage or dressing modestly in general 🙄. Most of the comments on this thread from people who said they had a bad experience in Marrakech were referring to themselves and not little children.

I'm not sure what people think they're meaning when they take about the Medina. It's basically the centre of Marrakech and most of the old town. If you don't go in the Medina, you've basically not been to Marrakech! Most of the smaller and nicer hotels are within it, most of the restaurants are there. I spent the vast majority of my holiday within it because that's where my hotel the restaurants, the spas, the shops and pretty much all the atmosphere was/ is.

I travelled alone, I wandered in and around the place until midnight and beyond (the Medina, specifically Jemaa el Fnaa) is buzzing until 2am most nights, and it would be insane not to make the most of it.

A guide to take you around the souks might make sense, but it's entirely unnecessary these days to be escorted just to be in the Medina.

I travelled to Morocco twice as a teenager and believe it to be a safe country. Moroccans are very family oriented and a safe country for children. As an Islamic country, I would say make sure they dress modestly, long sleeves that kind of thing, as to not attract unwanted attention. I had blonde hair and did get looks but that’s it. They were not used to seeing women with golden hair, so it’s more they were mesmerised than anything.

I found Morocco to be a respectful country. I have had far worst attention in India, where I have felt unsafe as a woman.

No

I went there with my teen daughter a couple of years ago, and like you I was anxious. It wasnt somewhere I would have chosen to go to, but my dd had booked it with her bf and they split up, and she asked me to go in his place. It was absolutely fine. The only real problem I had was the heat, as I went in July, and it was 40 degrees! I enjoyed it though. Not sure if I’d go back again, as it’s something once you’ve experienced it, that unless you absolutely loved it, wouldn’t be bothered about returning.