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.

I felt very safe in Marrakech, including in the medina. The worst thing about the medina was the bloody mopeds everywhere. Shop keepers I can handle with a bit of friendly banter, and I love a good haggle. Getting lost in there was my biggest fear, it's a maze.

I never had the slightest concern about my personal safety and I've travelled a lot. I do dress very modestly in Islamic countries, I am tall and blonde and sometimes get unwanted attention, but I didn't find Marrakech difficult.

On the other hand, India was horrible, men sneaking random sly touches everywhere, out of nowhere. Urrgh. I won't be going back.

No. When I was with my husband and the guide it was fine but when I was alone I was harassed and heckled like crazy. I felt scared. You would probably be fine in the company of a professional local male guide but don't leave his side at all.

Agreed.

THANK YOU. Exactly.

And why the fuck would I set a foot in the country (any country) with a 'culture' of seeing a woman, wearing say a bog standard Western summer dress in the heat as a whore? And I'm not even talking about a short, spaghetti-strapped dress (not that there's anything wrong with that), but a midi short-sleeved one. My friend was assaulted repeatedly there wearing just that, breasts groped, almost dragged into an alleyway, barely escaped.

Fuck that. There are plenty of non-backward, non-medieval countries in the world to visit.

Not even talking about children, that's just sick. Adult men leering at children. If some dude would leer at an 9 year old wearing shorts in summer in the UK he would be called a pervert, creep and a paedophile. Over there? Let's cowtow to it and 'respect the local culture' everybody.

Again, fuck that. I'll spend my money elsewhere. Where I can wear what I want and where locals don't see me as a walking talking piece of meat with a wallet.

I went and it was absolutely fine even in passed through in the evening as there was a restaurant we wanted to attend on the other side. It’s a spectacle!

Your guide will know if there are people on the make - the henna woman always are and the product can scar. Cat calls yes but nothing outrageous or that I hadn’t heard at home. Didn’t experience any touching whatsoever.

It’s hard sometimes as you always have to keep your wits about you when travelling but I’ve always been pleasantly surprised when travelling that people are helpful and kind. In one of the old palaces a guard showed us some exquisite rooms that didn’t appear in the guide books and weren’t open to the public for example.

I was told by an older Moroccan woman in the accommodation we stayed at to look horrified if a man tries to shake your hand, tell him no. Don't accept flowers, don't smile at compliments. None of this is acceptable apparently.

We did not have children but it's a very family centric culture, I reckon it would be a good place for a family holiday

I've been a few places in Morocco and Marrakech was the only place a got some hassle. We met lovely, genuinely friendly Moroccan men and women everywher else. Especially Essaouira. I think judging the whole place by the men who try to talk to you in the Medina is like judging the UK by the hoodies going around on their E-scooters.

I‘m in Marrakech right now and went to the souk on Saturday morning as soon as it opened. Most stalls were still being set up so they were too busy to bother tourists. Can’t say it’s worth bothering though, there are maybe 6 types of stalls all multiplied by 100.