Marrakesh

Most people I speak to confirmed my belief that Marrakesh is a place to visit for a few days max. The excitement and chaos are novel for a short time, particularly in the old medina. Scams, expensive and tiresome. For sure Marrakech is something to experience, it really is a buzz, especially if you want to shop but within a couple of days I learned to avoid the medina as much as I could and within a week I was ready to leave. Plenty of excursions and day trips including Atlas mountains, Sahara, Essaouira and surrounding towns/villages to get you out of Marrakech but living staying a long time is too much.

Marrakesh has been one of my favorite places to visit. I spent 1 week there in October (2022). The temperature was cool and I could wear shorts or jeans throughout the day/night. We experienced 1 day of rain, but other than this time, it was pleasantly dry.
The town has many tourists, I met with many European visitors and some Americans. The locals are friendly and not pushy. The streets are quite clean and are maintained daily from what I see. I did not feel unsafe even as I walked alone at 11 pm. I only experienced positive behavior from the locals. My only issue was that I was charged tourist prices when purchasing items or riding the taxis at night (x5 the normal price), though I got better prices when I haggled and switched my speaking from English to Spanish.
The internet situation was a hit or miss. I was working from my laptop with video calls throughout the day, so fast and reliable internet was a must. My first AirBnB (located in the older North Medina area) had good reviews and was within walking distance to all places of interest, however, had very slow and unreliable internet. I had to switch airBnBs during my stay and was able to find a very good place with fast and reliable internet (in the West Medina area with a fiber connection). If continuous/fast/reliable internet is important to you, I'd suggest researching a bit before choosing your stay and maybe even contacting the owner beforehand.
As for food, we had some fantastic meals in the Medina area. Yelp and google reviews helped, but we found many restaurants not advertised in either of those two options and ended up just gauging the locales as we passed by them.
Last, we were happy with the budget we set for this trip. Marrakesh was very affordable for us. Will be back!

I'm currently in Marrakesh and been here for a month. I would definitely recommend visiting but not during summer as it can get really hot. My first day here it was 42 degrees and really dry. It has gotten better so I would say visit around August or later. Marrakesh is lovely but very touristy and I can only imagine how things were pre-pandemic. Since it is very touristy, locals are more lenient when it comes to what you choose to wear which helps a lot when it's really hot. Obviously, you still have to be very respectful of the culture and their customs and you should dress modestly when going to souks. I've heard a lot of stories from people about getting scammed or the place being dangerous to women especially but I feel and have found that it is as dangerous as any other place or country if you're not careful. I don't really tend to go out late at night anyway but if I do go out, I'm always with other people just in case. French is the main language but most people can understand a bit of English so you won't really have any problems communicating. Google translate helps as well. I would recommend going to Medina and walk around the old town. Go to Jemaa el-Fna at least once just to experience it. The YSL musee is cool as well as the Jardin Majorelle. Tons of cheap riads around Medina as well so definitely stay in one for a couple of nights. I would recommend staying in and around Gueliz if you're staying for longer than a week. It's a great area and you'll find everything you need in the center. I'm off to Tanger in a few days but I will definitely be back in Kesh in a few months when it's a bit colder and maybe camp in the desert! Oh and lastly, the internet was pretty bad in the airbnb that I stayed in so I found myself having to use my data most of the time.

Marrakesh December 2018. An amazing city with contrasts, modern and age-old wonders everywhere you look. Stayed near the main medina (pictured above) and that was a good location to see everything. Internet was good, and my tunnel service functioned fine. Weather is variable at this time of year... as a Canadian I had breakfast on a rooftop terrace at +1C and thought it was absolutely fine, but it also hit +27C later that day... dress in layers. Walk like you know where you are going and you'll be fine... the place is full of tourists (this was pre-covid). People are trying to make a living and will try to hustle you- don't be intimidated, just keep on moving. Prices for eating out were reasonable, and I was pretty careful about water consumption. My traveling companion got one bad meal from a streetside vendor (and a night in the toilet), but it didn't happen to me, so just be aware. Bank machines from major banks gave good exchange rates, just be aware of your surroundings as you use them. Got my laundry done for the equivalent of $2USD, which was a good deal (and they literally pressed the socks and underwear, too). If you know French you have it made here, some know English, too. See the Yves St. Lauren Museum, just check the times and days before you go. the food is amazing and varies (don't gert stuck eating Tagine every day). Alcohol is strictly controlled- package stores are few and you will need your passport to buy it. I will be back to Marrakesh, for sure... but I was here in December and I hear its REALLY HOT in the summer, so be aware.