By Leyal Khalife
Executive Editor
The country’s magical vibes are finally being seen, explored and admired.
Morocco’s lush green landscapes, historical monuments, and fine-grained orange deserts have been drawing travelers for quite some time now. A-list celebrities have explored the country’s African vibes in recent years. This year, in particular, Moroccoreceived enormous praise from international stars who paid a visit to the country. It was even chosen as one celebrity’s wedding destination.
In fact, in just the first three months of 2019, the country saw a 4.1 percent increase in tourists. According to Morocco World News, the two main tourist destinations this year are the cities of Agadir and Marrakech. The latter proved to be a celebrity magnet so far, with several stars hopping on a plane to explore and admire the colorful city.
From traditional Bedouin nights in the desert to lively open-air markets, Marrakech is no stranger to hosting a diverse range of activities for tourists. And we can’t forget about the scrumptious cuisine; from luscious tagine to versatile couscous, Moroccan cuisine regularly wins tourists over and Prince Harry is definitely among them.
The food suits every palate, so much that some have left the country a few kilos heavier. American model and cook Chrissy Teigen gained 7 pounds (3.2 kilograms) in less than three days during her trip to Marrakech back in January.
Teigen was in Morocco for a photoshoot for what she described as a “top secret project” at the time. But, it wasn’t her first visit, as she visited Morocco in 2017 with her husband, American singer-songwriter John Legend, and their daughter, Luna. The couple also celebrated Legend’s birthday in the Arab country in 2015, according to E! News.
Other celebrities have been more explicit about their reasons for visiting the nation. Idris Elba, for example, spread positive vibes in the city of magic when he tied the knot with Sabrina Dhowre, an American model and actress, back in April. The duo celebrated their union with three-day festivities in Marrakech.
It was reported that the couple hosted a souk-themed dinner the night before their wedding at the famed Amanjena. The five-star resort has hosted David Beckham and his family in the past for the sportsman’s 40th birthday. American singer Katy Perry also marked her 30th birthday at the venue.
Just a month after Elba’s wedding, three other celebrities went full vacation mode while in the North African country. It was a fashion-filled trip on the backdrop of Dior’s 2020 fashion show at Marrakech’s El Badi Palace, a historic palace dating back to the 16th century.
Hollywood stars Jessica Alba, Lupita Nyong’o, and Shailene Woodley flooded Instagram with posts from the city of Marrakech. “I’m still swooning that I got to be here for this absolutely stunning show,” Woodley wrote in a caption on Instagram.
Dior knew exactly what it was doing when it chose Morocco as its destination. Christian Dior actually has a history with Morocco and made a silhouette called the “Marco” in 1951. Maria Grazia Chiuri, the designer, attempted to “integrate African artisanship into her work and give the credit it deserves, so the majority of the collection was a series of dialogues,” as reported by the New York Times.
The city of Marrakech has hosted several other celebrities as well, including American actor Will Smith, Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo, and British singer Lily Allen.
Did you know Ronaldo is even building his own hotel in the center of Marrakech? The project – which was launched in partnership with Portugal’s largest hotel chain Pestana – is expected to be completed by 2020.
Not sure if his hotel will beat La Mamounia, one of the most famous hotels in Marrakech, which opened its doors in 1923. Since then, it’s hosted several public figures including Winston Churchill, who painted landscapes of the Atlas Mountains from his suite during the 1940s. Several of these artworks can be found in the Churchill Museum in England.
Nicole Kidman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Orlando Bloom, and others have also lodged at the hotel during their trip to the country.
In a 2019 TripAdvisor ranking, Marrakech ranked among the Top 10 Travelers’ Choice Destinations in the world. The Moroccan city outranked Dubai, which has raised the bar for tourism in the Arab world.
The city of Marrakech has succeeded in attracting tourists, not just for one-time visits, but for recurrent ones. The city has stolen the thunder (maybe rightfully so) of several other naturally beautiful landscapes including Chefchaouen. Located in the northwest, the latter’s white-washed blue homes stand against the backdrop of the Rif Mountains and is the definition of a picturesque town. Founded in 1471 as a small fortress, the city’s name is derived from the Berber word for horns, lchawen.
The North African country is packed with diverse landscapes waiting to be unraveled by passionate travelers. Maybe it’s time you pack a bag and explore the country’s hidden gems on foot?
