Why do medina streets feel narrower than the map suggests?

They were built for shoulders, not wing mirrors. Walls lean in over centuries, upper floors reach across for shade, and without a single straight sightline, your brain quietly loses track of distance.

Why does Marrakech feel hotter, slower, and louder than other cities?

Marrakech sits on a red clay plain at the edge of the Sahara, with no sea breeze to speak of. Dense earthen walls absorb heat all day and radiate it back at you all night. Sound bounces between them. The city's rhythm follows the sun, not the clock.

Why does silence sound different here than at home?

Thick earthen walls absorb high frequencies while allowing low frequencies to pass through. Courtyard architecture creates acoustic wells. The absence of constant mechanical background noise—traffic, HVAC, appliances—reveals a different sonic baseline.

Why do riads feel cooler inside than outside, even without AC?

Thick earthen walls, a central courtyard pulling hot air upward, shade geometry, a fountain adding moisture to the breeze — a riad can sit 10–15°C below street temperature without a single watt of electricity. The building is the air conditioning.

Why do riads feel humid, especially at night?

Courtyard fountains, thick earth walls that retain moisture, and limited air exchange between enclosed rooms create higher relative humidity indoors. At night, temperature drops cause condensation on cool wall surfaces.

Why do riad rooms only have windows facing inward?

Riad rooms have windows — but they open onto the courtyard, not the street. Islamic residential architecture treats privacy as a right: if there are no street-facing windows, no one can see in. The courtyard gives light, air, and the sound of water instead of traffic.

Why do shopkeepers shout but then ignore you when you enter?

The shout is a greeting, not a sales pitch. Once you step inside, the dynamic changes — now it's private space. That brief moment of being ignored? It's actually courtesy. It says: look around, no pressure. The real conversation starts when you pick something up.

Why does the city wake up late after lunch?

Midday heat makes activity dangerous and unproductive. The city follows a bimodal rhythm: morning activity, long midday rest, then a second peak from late afternoon into night. This is thermal logic, not laziness.

Why are Moroccan houses inward-facing, not outward?

Wealth is expressed inward, toward the courtyard, not outward toward the street. A plain exterior wall protects domestic life from the public gaze. It's not a limitation — it's a deliberate value system called hchouma, roughly: what's private stays private.

Why do so many streets end in walls or dead ends?

Dead ends are deliberate: they mark the transition from public to semi-private residential territory. The medina's layout filters strangers away from homes. What looks like poor planning is actually a sophisticated access control system.

Why do riad bathrooms sometimes smell?

Dry water traps. That's it. Riads predate modern plumbing by centuries, and vent stacks that release sewer gas above the roof are nearly impossible to retrofit through metre-thick earth walls. Running water briefly through all the drains refills the traps and the smell vanishes.

Why do cats outnumber dogs in these cities?

Cats are considered ritually clean in Islam and have been tolerated in Moroccan cities for centuries. They control the medina's rodent population and move freely through homes, shops, and mosques. A 2025 draft law (19.25) would criminalize feeding strays in public — controversial and still under parliamentary review.

Why does tap water taste or smell weird sometimes?

It's safe. It just doesn't taste like home. Morocco's tap water comes from Atlas limestone aquifers — high in calcium and magnesium, mineral-heavy in a way that reads as flat or chalky to most visitors. In older buildings, decades-old pipes and rooftop storage tanks add their own character. It's not chlorine. It's geology.

Why do meals feel later than you're used to?

Lunch lands around 1:30–3pm, dinner at 9 or 10. It follows the heat — you eat after it breaks, not when the clock says so. During Ramadan, the entire eating schedule shifts to after sunset, and the city's best energy happens between iftar and midnight.

Why do people eat bread with everything, even sweet things?

Bread (khobz) is the primary utensil and a staple food. It tears into scoops for tagines and salads. Moroccan cuisine is designed around communal eating from shared dishes, and bread is the tool that makes this work. Wasting bread is culturally unacceptable.

Why doesn't mint tea taste like mint tea everywhere?

Moroccan mint tea is Chinese gunpowder green tea with fresh spearmint and large amounts of sugar, brewed and poured from height to create froth. The ratio of sugar to tea varies by region and season. It's a prepared beverage with a specific technique, not mint steeped in hot water.

Why does the ground feel warmer underfoot than the air?

Stone and clay surfaces absorb solar radiation all day and re-radiate it upward. In the medina, narrow streets trap this ground-level heat. Air temperature measured at head height can be several degrees cooler than temperature at foot level.

Why does heat feel more exhausting here than elsewhere?

Marrakech's heat combines high temperature, low humidity (which accelerates dehydration), reflected heat from earth walls, altitude (450m), and unfamiliar UV intensity. Your body works harder because multiple heat stressors operate simultaneously.

Why do cockroaches show up even in clean places?

Cockroaches are endemic to warm, dense cities. The medina's interconnected drainage, shared walls, and century-old construction create pathways between buildings. A cockroach in a clean riad traveled there from the infrastructure below, not from the kitchen. Their presence indicates climate and urban density, not hygiene failure.

Why does walking 500 meters feel like 2 kilometers?

Medina streets curve, branch, and change width constantly. Without straight sightlines, your brain cannot estimate remaining distance. Every turn resets your mental map. Add heat, crowds, uneven ground, and constant stimulation, and perceived distance stretches.

Why does Google Maps mislead you more here than at home?

Google Maps assumes grid-based, car-navigable streets. The medina has none. Covered passages, stairs, unmarked alleys, and 3D elevation changes don't appear on the map. GPS signal bounces between walls. The map shows a 2D abstraction of a 3D city that was never designed for mapping.

Why do locals turn right where tourists go left?

Locals navigate by landmarks, sounds, smells, and social memory—not visual maps. They know which alleys connect, which dead ends have shortcuts, and which routes avoid afternoon sun. This is learned spatial knowledge that no app can replicate.

Why do shop aisles seem emptier but more crowded?

Souks stack merchandise vertically and display goods protruding into the aisle. The functional walkway is narrower than the architectural space. Merchandise, not walls, defines the edges. You navigate product, not architecture.

Why does it feel rude to refuse tea but you don't want any?

Tea is a hospitality protocol, not a commercial transaction. Accepting tea acknowledges the social relationship. Refusing it signals rejection of the person, not the drink. People accept, sip once, and leave all the time — the ritual matters more than the consumption.

Why does time feel elastic here?

Morocco operates on relationship time, not clock time. Meetings start when everyone arrives. Meals happen when food is ready. Schedules serve social harmony, not efficiency. The discomfort tourists feel is the gap between industrial time and social time.

Why does everything feel more intense at dusk?

Dusk triggers a convergence: heat breaks, the call to prayer sounds, street food fires up, people emerge from afternoon rest, and golden light transforms the red earth architecture. Five sensory shifts happen within one hour.

Why do Moroccan cities feel layered, not organized?

Moroccan cities were built incrementally over centuries without master plans. Roman, Arab, Berber, French, and modern layers coexist. A single wall may contain 12th-century stone, 18th-century plaster, and 2020s electrical wiring. The city is a palimpsest, not a blueprint.

Why do medina walls feel like memory?

Medina walls are made of tadelakt, pisé, and earth plaster that erode, patch, and re-erode visibly. Every repair leaves a mark. Walls display their own history—cracks, color shifts, patches—like geological strata. They age rather than decay.

Why do neighborhoods have their own invisible rules?

Each derb (neighborhood) has unwritten social codes managed by long-term residents. Who can park where, when noise is acceptable, how strangers are received—these are negotiated communally, not legally. A medina neighborhood functions like a village within a city.

Why do markets feel alive but not loud?

Souk acoustics absorb sound through textiles, leather, and narrow geometry. Sellers project voice directionally, not broadcast. The overall volume is dense but layered—each sound occupies its own spatial zone. It registers as alive rather than chaotic because it has spatial logic.

Why is there white powdery stuff on the walls?

The white powder is efflorescence—mineral salts (mainly calcium carbonate and sodium sulfate) drawn to the surface by moisture migrating through earth walls. It's a symptom of the wall's breathable construction, not damage. Sealing the wall with paint makes it worse by trapping moisture inside.

Is Marrakech safe after the 2023 earthquake?

Yes. The medina was shaken but not destroyed. Most riads sustained cosmetic damage and have been repaired. The souks never closed. The lasting devastation is in remote mountain villages, not the city.

What should I wear in Marrakech?

Shoulders and knees covered gets you through anywhere comfortably. Loose, light fabrics make more sense than sunscreen in 42°C. Closed-toe shoes survive medina cobblestones better than sandals. Women don't need to cover their hair. The dress code is as much about heat management as culture.

Why does the first night in a riad feel unsettling?

Jet lag, unfamiliar silence, unidentifiable sounds — cats on the roof, the call to prayer at 4am, deep courtyard shadows, and the open boundary between your room and the night sky. Your brain is scanning an unknown environment for threats. Completely normal. By the third night, it stands down.

Why are there monkeys in Marrakech, and should I interact with them?

Barbary macaques are endangered primates native to Morocco's Atlas Mountains. The ones in Marrakech's squares were taken illegally from the wild as infants, had their teeth pulled, and are chained as photo props. Paying for a photo funds the next capture. The wild populations live in the cedar forests near Azrou and Ifrane — that's where to see them.

Why do women grab your hand and start drawing henna on it?

Women near Jemaa el-Fna grab your hand and apply henna paste before you've said a word — once it's on your skin, you're expected to pay 200–500 dirhams. The paste goes on fast. Pulling your hand back early is the only thing that stops it. Real henna art happens in completely different settings, usually arranged through a riad.

How does a Moroccan hammam actually work?

Three rooms, each hotter than the last. You steam, lather with black olive soap, and then someone scrubs your skin with a coarse glove until visible rolls of dead skin come off. It's startling the first time. Locals do this weekly — it's hygiene infrastructure, not a spa experience. Entry runs 15–20 dirhams.

What's the difference between a local hammam and a spa hammam?

A local hammam costs 20 dirhams. You sit on the floor with strangers, someone scrubs you hard, and you emerge feeling like you've been reassembled. A spa hammam costs 400–800 dirhams, offers private rooms, couples treatments, softer scrubs, and English-speaking staff. The spa removes the friction. The local hammam is the friction.

Who has right of way in a medina alley?

Everyone else seems to know exactly where to go. There are no traffic signs, no lanes, no formal rules. An unwritten hierarchy runs on physics: laden donkeys first, then handcarts, then motorcycles, bicycles, and finally pedestrians. A horn beep means shift slightly — not freeze or jump. Predictability is the whole system.

Why is it so loud in the medina at night?

Stone walls carry sound. Courtyards amplify it. And there's no buffer between a wedding next door and your pillow. Morocco's Law 11-03 does protect residents from noise nuisance — fines up to 40,000 dirhams — but enforcement works at neighbourhood speed, not hotel-complaint speed.

Can you file a noise complaint in Morocco?

Yes. Law 11-03 (Article 47) prohibits noise nuisance — fines up to 40,000 dirhams. Penal Code Article 609 addresses nocturnal disturbances. Law 15-91 prohibits public smoking. The complaint chain: moqaddem → arrondissement → procureur du Roi. A constat d'huissier (bailiff's report) with timestamps and evidence strengthens your case. The legal framework exists and is being strengthened as Morocco modernises urban governance.

What is the Police Touristique and how do I reach them?

The Brigade Touristique (Tourist Police) is Morocco's dedicated police unit for assisting visitors. In Marrakech: station on Place Jemaa el-Fna near the post office. Direct line: +212 524 384 601. 24-hour line: +212 524 888 680. National emergency: 19 (police), 177 (gendarmerie), 112 (mobile). Tourist Police units also operate in Fes, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, and Agadir. File a procès-verbal for stolen items — required for insurance claims.

Can you photograph people in Morocco?

Photography etiquette in Morocco runs on one principle: ask first. Point at your camera, raise your eyebrows — most people will nod yes or wave no. Performers in the squares expect 10–20 MAD for the privilege. Architecture, food, and market stalls are generally fine. It's the faces that carry weight.

What is Ramadan, and how does it affect your visit?

The Islamic month of fasting from dawn to sunset, observed by most Moroccans. In 2026 it falls approximately 18 February – 19 March. Most tourist businesses in urban areas stay open. Shops may close briefly at sunset so staff can break their fast. Visitors aren't expected to fast — most are simply discreet about eating and drinking in public during daylight hours.

What happens during Eid al-Adha in Morocco?

Eid al-Adha (Eid el-Kbir or Fête du Mouton) is Morocco's most important religious holiday. Families sacrifice a sheep to commemorate the Prophet Ibrahim's obedience to God. In 2026 it falls around 27 May; in 2027, around 17 May. Most urban businesses stay open but may close for part of the morning. The holiday lasts two to three days, with festive atmosphere for about a week.

When are public holidays in Morocco, and do shops close on Fridays?

Morocco has 11 fixed public holidays and 4 Islamic holidays that shift annually by the lunar calendar. Friday is the weekly prayer day — banks and government offices close, souks and tourist-facing shops carry on. During Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, some businesses close for up to three days. The rhythm is different, not disrupted.

Should you take your shoes off when entering a Moroccan home?

In homes, riad living areas, and mosques — yes. The cue is almost always visible: a row of shoes near the door, a mat, or your host already in slippers. Shops and commercial spaces don't expect it. Zellige tiles and handwoven rugs are kept meticulously clean, and shoes stay at the threshold.

How do you eat from a shared tagine without embarrassing yourself?

Right hand, bread as your utensil, eat from the section directly in front of you. Bread tears into small scoops for pinching meat and mopping sauce. Someone may bring a basin and kettle to wash hands before the meal — hold your hands out, they pour. Mint tea follows. Reaching across the dish is the one thing that gets noticed.

Why does Agadir look nothing like other Moroccan cities?

A catastrophic earthquake in 1960 destroyed the entire city, killing a third of the population. Agadir was rebuilt from scratch two kilometres south — wide boulevards, modern architecture, seismic safety standards. It has no ancient medina or historic riads. What it has: a 10km beach, a modern souk, 300 days of sunshine, and the gateway to Morocco's surf coast.

What is there to do in Agadir if you're not a beach person?

Agadir works best as a base. The city itself offers Souk El Had (one of North Africa's largest markets), the restored Kasbah hilltop, and excellent port-side seafood. The real draw is what's around it: Taghazout's surf coast (20 min), Paradise Valley (1 hour), Tiznit's silver market, and Taroudant's unwalled medina. Agadir rewards people who radiate outward.

Should I take a calèche ride, and are the horses okay?

The green and gold carriages line up between Jemaa el-Fna and the Koutoubia Mosque, horses standing in pairs, one back leg bent in a resting pose, waiting for the next fare. They look beautiful. They also look like they've been standing in the sun for a while. Your instinct says enjoy the ride. Your conscience says check first.

The ankle is the tell. If the horse is wearing a blue SPANA band on its fetlock, it has been microchipped, veterinary-inspected, and passed as fit to work. That band is your answer.

SPANA — the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad — has been in Morocco since 1925, when two British women, Kate and Nina Hosali, arrived on holiday and were horrified by the conditions working animals endured. They never left. Today, SPANA's Marrakech clinic is their biggest in the world — around 1,500 donkeys, mules, and horses come through every month. Since 1988, SPANA has run the calèche licensing scheme: every horse is inspected three times a year plus spot checks, covering nutrition, hoof care, harness fit, and overall condition. A horse that fails gets a ticket. Two consecutive tickets and the horse is admitted as a patient. Only healthy horses work the streets.

They also built nine water troughs on the main carriage routes across the city, cleaned and refilled twice daily. Before the troughs, dehydration was one of the biggest welfare problems. Now the horses drink on every circuit. Simple infrastructure, enormous difference.

The calèche drivers know this system works for them. SPANA hosts annual Calèche of the Year Awards — since 1996 — with categories for best horse, best carriage, best effort. Winners get copper plaques mounted on the front of their carriage, cash prizes for the driver, and bags of barley for the horses. Look for the plaques when you choose a carriage. The drivers with the most plaques are the ones who take the best care of their animals — and choosing them rewards the practice.

Some visitors help directly. Bring sugar cubes, carrots, or an apple for the horses — the drivers appreciate it and the horses will take food from your hand gently. It costs nothing and it's the easiest good deed of your trip.

Prices are printed on a sticker on every carriage. A circuit of the medina walls runs about an hour. Agree the price and route before you get in. Pay at the end. A fare negotiated so low that the driver can't feed the horse costs more than it saves — a race to the bottom on price is a race to the bottom on welfare.

If the horses stay with you after the ride, the Jarjeer Mule and Donkey Refuge — a sanctuary for retired calèche horses and rescued working animals in the Atlas foothills — welcomes visitors. Details at jarjeer.org.