Marrakesh, Morocco

When you land at the Marrakesh airport in Morocco, you will be amazed by how beautiful it is. I was honestly expecting something different coming to this country. (Google it, you won't be disappointed) I unfortunately didn't take any photos, I was running on 2 hours of sleep and just wanted to find my driver.

The city of Marrakesh, a former imperial city in western Morocco, is now a major economic center and home to beautiful mosques, palaces and gardens. You will hear Marrakesh be called the red city, this is because of the beautiful red shade of the walls in the old city.

The medina, the local market, is a densely packed, walled medieval city dating to the Berber Empire, with maze-like alleys where thriving souks (marketplaces) sell traditional textiles, pottery and jewelry. Be very careful going through the Medina, you can easily get lost. Don’t trust the men walking around to get you out, with some time and patience you can find your way out of there.

The 230-foot-tall Koutoubia Mosque tower Marrakesh’s most symbolic landmark, the pictures do not do it justice. The details and colors of the mosaic is absolutely gorgeous! Since I am not of Muslim religion, I was not allowed to go inside. Be made aware that in order to go into these beautiful Mosques you have to be Muslim, so this Catholic girl couldn’t see the beauty from the inside.

My next stop was Saadian Tombs. These tombs are located just outside Marrakech and were constructed in the late 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur. This is the resting place of al-Mansur, his family, along with other notable officials from that era. These tombs were discovered in 1917; restoration began shortly thereafter. 

Another place you should check out is Bahia Palace, if it sounds familiar it’s because Jessica Alba celebrated her birthday here after the Dior Fashion show. I can understand why she celebrated here, it is such a beautiful place. The colors of the mosaic and glass are so vivid. The wood doors and buildings have such great details.

On another note, if you are an animal lover like myself, keep an eye out for all of the kitties! They are well kept by shop owners and people who live there. You can buy little Laughing Cow cheese for them if you would like, just don’t get upset when you have cats following you to your hotel!

Some other places to check out that some of the girls on my tour checked out and highly recommended in Marrakech were:

-Dar Si Said

-Majorelle Garden

-Yve Saint Laurent Museum

Have you ever thought about going Marrakesh?

Con Amor,

Adriana 💕

Why every woman needs to travel solo once in her life

So I am currently writing this as I am drinking sangria in Madrid, Spain, alone. Many women I have talked to say that they are terrified to travel to a foreign country alone. I’m here to say that it should be absolutely necessary. You learn so much about yourself and gain this sort of appreciation for true independence.

As a first generation Mexican-American, I was told for all of my life by a number of family members that women should never leave the house without a man after dark, much less travel halfway across the world alone. It is such a liberating feeling knowing that I have proved every single one of those people wrong, as a woman you should travel alone at some point of your life.

What you will find is that solo travel will be an empowering, rewarding and a wonderful experience. For whatever reason you’re choosing to take a solo trip, I applaud you, and encourage you to make it the most amazing experience yet!

Here are some tips to help you along the way:

Research
Do research on Pinterest or travel blogs. There are so many solo travel blogs for women, and you will learn so much.

Get a plan with international internet
I ended up purchasing a Skyroam because I wasn’t unlimited wi-fi. It’s $10 a day and you can connect up to 10 devices on it. I ended up purchasing one rather than renting one, since it was about the same price. You will need your WiFi for emergencies and for google maps and translate.

Dress the part
Do research before going to a country alone. See the weather and how conservative they are. Do not wear your Apple watches, expensive jewelry and label things. You will be an easy target for theft. Look as low key as possible.

Share your travel plans
Make sure you tell a loved one where you are going and what days. God forbid something happens to you they have a rough idea where you were.

Be private
Don’t share where you are staying and never tell someone you just met you are in the country alone. Make up a lie that you’re there with a friend who is feeling under the weather or are with a tour group, but that you have a free day.

Wear that confidence
Friendliness and a smile can go a long way when exploring a new destination. Always be your most confident and fearless self, you will find that it becomes an empowering and life-changing experience.

Book that trip, go out there and experience this beautiful world. Life is way too short to wait any longer. What destination do you want to travel solo to?

Con Amor,
Adriana 💕


***Photo credit to Pixitours, My boyfriend gifted me a photo shoot for my birthday.