Day 3 – Train to Marrakech: From Coast to Kasbahs

We were up early today—just after 6:00 a.m.—for our journey south to Marrakech. With a light breakfast of snacks (I had half of my roll), we were out the door by 6:45, heading for the train station. We arrived a little too early, so we sat outside on a bench under the still-blue morning sky, watching the city slowly wake up.

The train pulled in right on time at 7:35 a.m.—it doesn’t originate in Rabat, but travels up the coast, stopping briefly here. We were in first class, which gave us spacious, air-conditioned seats, though the carriage was an older one. There were some issues with unreserved passengers taking seats at random, but since we had booked ours in advance, we simply asked them to move.

The first leg of the trip ran along the coast to Casablanca, a vast, modern sprawl that felt quite different from Rabat. The train stopped several times in the city, making this portion a bit slow. But once we turned inland, the scenery transformed.

We passed through stretches of arable farmland, where most of the work is still done by hand. Donkeys and goat herders dotted the landscape—no tractors or machinery in sight. Later, the land became more hilly and rugged, with patches of desert scrub replacing the greenery. We passed the time watching videos on our phones, which made the five-hour journey fly by.

By early afternoon, we rolled into Marrakech. Once off the train, we negotiated a taxi ride for 80 dirhams—a bit pricey, but it saved us a long walk with bags in the heat. The driver dropped us at the edge of the Medina, and from there it was just a short stroll to Jemaa el-Fnaa, the city’s famous square. It was fairly quiet when we arrived, with only a few snake charmers, monkeys, and fresh fruit stalls, but it definitely had potential for later.

We navigated the narrow alleys to find our rented house, a bit tricky to locate at first. I messaged the host, and he arrived just a few minutes later. The house was a charmingly rustic multi-level riad: a double bed on the first and second floors, three more on the third, and a stunning rooftop terrace that quickly became our favourite feature. Tucked away up a side alley, it felt peaceful but was just moments from the hustle and bustle of the Medina.

Once settled, we walked to the Ben Youssef Madrasa, a beautiful former Islamic college. Though the architecture was stunning, it was quite crowded—probably over capacity, if we’re honest.

From there, we strolled through the souks back to the house, then made our way to the Secret Garden, a hidden gem tucked inside the Medina. The two connected gardens were peaceful and beautifully laid out, a perfect break from the noise outside.

For dinner, we tried the rooftop restaurant at Bendir. The food was more expensive than in Rabat—about double—but also the best meal we’ve had in Morocco so far. I had lamb tagine, David had chicken shawarma, and we both had vegetable soup, served with Moroccan bread. The tagine dish was so hot I burnt my thumb and ended up with a small blister, but nothing serious.

After dinner, we wandered down to the Koutoubia Mosque. Non-Muslims aren’t allowed inside, but we got some lovely photos from the outside as the sky darkened. We returned home to relax on the terrace, then headed out again around sunset. Jemaa el-Fnaa had transformed—food stalls, music, street performers, and throngs of both tourists and locals. The square truly comes alive at night.

Back at the house, we hit one snag: no Wi-Fi. The thick stone walls of the riad blocked all mobile signal on the ground floor, too. We called it a night around 10:00 p.m., with sounds from the Medina drifting in until well past midnight. Despite waking a few times, we slept well—ready for another full day in Marrakech.