YOUR FAVOURITE MTV SHOWS ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON PARAMOUNT+

Marrakech: 7 Things You Need To Experience

From scaling the Atlas Mountains to attending the Marrakech International Film Festival, here are 7 things you need to do in and around Marrakech...

If we learnt anything during our 72 hours in Marrakech, it's to expect the unexpected.

Located in northwest Africa, and just a three-hour flight from London, Marrakech is an exhilarating city teeming with beautiful buildings, stunning food, and a lot of friendly people that are more than happy to help with your life ails, no matter how random (more on that later).

We can't recommend a visit enough - so grab yourself a ticket, and read up on these seven essential things you need to do in and around the city…

Visit The Serene, Surprisingly Fashionable Jardin Majorelle

One of Marrakech’s most-visited sites, Jardin Majorelle is a 12-acre botanical garden located in the heart of the city. It’s famous for its owner, the late fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent.

Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé saved the garden and its villa from becoming real estate in the 80s, and went about restoring the garden into the striking place it still is today.

During their time there, Saint Laurent and Bergé hosted garden parties – and geese – inside the grounds. (Hopefully those two ingredients didn’t mix. Drunken geese? 'Lethal'.)

But what’s actually 'in' Jardin Majorelle? Well, it features a collection of brilliant plants from the world over – and many, many, many cacti – as well as a large reflecting pool that plays host to water lilies, and is neighbour to terracotta pots. It’s a peaceful chill-out spot. Perfect if you want a change of pace from the bustling souks.

Journey Up The Atlas Mountains In 4x4s

Located just an hour or two from Marrakech, The Atlas Mountains span over 2500km of north-western Africa, stretching across Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. It’s also home to Morocco’s ski resort,Oukaimeden. (Yep, Morocco has a SKI RESORT.)

During the trip, MTVjumped in a pair of 4x4s anddrove into the heavens.

The views were 'incredible'.

During our trip up the Atlas Mountains, we stopped off in two villages. Here wewere shown around traditional Berber homes, where the local people cooked up some of their traditional cuisine, including tajine, couscous and more.

One of the Berber houses was perched on the mountainside, and because there wasn’t enough space for the people to build a stable nearby, they built the stable inside their home - and, straight across the hall from the bedrooms, were two merrily mooing cows.

Later on, when we were eating bread with butter, olive oil and honey, we were told that the butter had come from the cows living in the house.Which is 'amazing.'

Just imagine the problems those cows can solve: want to eatyour morning cereal, butyou’re all out of milk? Don't worry, there are literally milk machines'downstairs.'

Explore The Souks

If you visit Marrakech, you have to journey into its bustling, chaotic, world-famous souks. There are carpets, clothes, and even this100% legit Louis Vuitton rugby ball. *cough*

There are musical instruments, too, including gimbris.

A gimbri is a Moroccan plucked lute with three strings. They come in various shapes and sizes, but we'think'webought a pretty cheap one. MTVhaggled it down from 100 dirham (£8) to 40 dirham (£3), which wethought was a decent price. (Have weactually been mugged off?)

As it turns out, gimbris are pretty popular with Moroccan people. Everywhere MTVwent, people wanted usto (attempt to) play. Some wanted to pluck it themselves, and one particularly friendly man even tuned it for us, and then started playing. Watch him below.

No, wehave no idea why that random dude from around the corner started singing ‘Cotton Eye Joe’ either. Maybe because it’s a karaoke classic? Who knows. (That dudeknows.)

Check out Marrakech’s incredible buildings

Marrakech is heaving with incredible buildings, such as the Koutoubia Mosque, the largest mosque in Marrakech.

Good fact: a white flag is hung from the building at times of prayer, so that the deaf know when to pray. Inclusive.

We also visited Bahia (which means “brilliant”) Palace, where the Sultanhoused his concubines during the 19th century. There were '24 extra' bedrooms for those women, who held a lower status in society to the Sultan’s four legal wives.

Also, there were public bakeries. If you’re familiar with these already, please skip the next paragraph.

This might make us sound a bit ignorant, but it was the first time we’d seen a public bakery, and it’s actually kind of amazing: children bring their bread boards to the bakery on the way to school, leave them there, and then pick up their fresh bread up on the way home hours later. Isn't that 'great?'

'Side note: here's a lady who's clearly a bit fed up of tourists (like us) taking photos when she's just trying to do her bloody job.'

Check Out The Marrakech International Film Festival

Founded in 2001 and held annually, the Marrakech International Film Festival ranks amongst the world's best film festivals.

Paul Verhoeven, director of' Robocop' (1987) and 'Basic Instinct' (1992), had brought his latest film, 'Elle', to the festival. Starring Isabelle Huppert in a role she eventually received an Oscar nom for, Verhoeven spoke about his new flick, and contrasted it against his earlier works.

Interesting nugget from the masterclass: Verhoeven spoke about how much filming practices had changed over the years. For example,when filming a famous scene in 'Basic Instinct', the crew had to wait hours and hours for the sun to reach the right level, so that it would illuminate Sharon Stone’s face at the perfect moment.If 'Basic Instinct' had been made in 2017, that effect could be added in digitally with 'ease. 'As Verhoeventold us, this means that, nowadays, that natural partof filmmaking has been lost.

Pick the right place to stay

Just a short ride from the airport and the centre of Marrakech, Mövenpick Mansour Eddahbi is in a prime location. With a heated pool, spa (professional masseuses are available) and jacuzzi all onsite, it's never a challenge to relax after a hectic day in the city centre, playing your gimbri. Most importantly, the hotel has a chocolate hour.'Every day.'

'MTV Travelled With... Rooms at the upscaleMövenpick Hotel Mansour EddahbiMarrakechstart from €125 per night based on two sharing, including breakfast and taxes. For reservations visitwww.movenpick.comor call tel: 0800 898 317.'' easyJet flies toMarrakech,from London Gatwick, Bristol and Manchester with fares from £31.99 one way, including taxes. Flights can be booked now at easyJet.com.'' Complete Tours offer a variety of excursions inMarrakechand the Atlas Mountains. For more information, visitwww.complete-tours.com'

Latest News