DESTINATION: Marrakech, Morocco
Travel Destinations
Audio By Carbonatix
By Kevin McCullough, Editor In Chief
As Editor-in-Chief of That Passport Life, I spend an unhealthy amount of time buried in travel data, trend-lines, booking analyses, and destination heat-maps. Very little truly surprises me anymore. But this season, one destination absolutely jumped off the page — and I’ll admit, I didn’t see it coming.
Marrakech, Morocco — paired with the breathtaking Atlas Mountains — is ranking across multiple global lists as one of the top places in the world to visit in November. And not quietly, either. It’s appearing at or near the top of travel editors’ picks, search analytics, and booking momentum lists. When a single destination dominates the metrics like this, it’s worth paying attention.
Why the buzz? Because November, in Morocco, is a kind of magic month — the sweet spot between scorching summer heat and winter chill. The air is warm, the breezes soft, the sun gold rather than punishing, and the skies clear enough that the snow-dusted Atlas Mountains gleam against a desert horizon like something out of a film.
In an era in which Europe can feel overcrowded, and the Caribbean can feel predictable, Marrakech is giving travelers something different — sensory, cinematic, richly textured, and wildly alive.
Where to Stay
If you want the Marrakech experience most travelers never forget, stay inside the medina in a traditional riad — a historic Moroccan home built around a courtyard with gardens and fountains.
Look for properties like:
- Riad Yasmine
- La Maison Arabe
- Royal Mansour (for the ultra-luxury experience, designed by Moroccan artisans)
Or, if you want the mountains, split your trip and stay a few nights in the foothills at:
- Kasbah Tamadot (Richard Branson’s property perched above Asni village)
- Berber-style ecolodges with panoramic terrace views and starlit silence
Where to Find Truly Great Food
Morocco’s cuisine doesn’t flirt with your senses — it seduces them.
A few favorites:
- Nomad — rooftop dining overlooking the souks, modern Moroccan plates, sunset that feels like a movie.
- Dar Yacout — one of the most iconic, multi-course feasts in the medina.
- Café des Épices — the perfect lunch spot above the spice market.
- Street-food in Jemaa el-Fna — grilled meats, fresh juices, and the heartbeat of Marrakech.
What to Do (A Different Kind of Adventure)
Here are 7 experiences you will not find anywhere quite the same way:
- Get lost in the labyrinthine souks — bargaining, colors, scents, leather, rugs, lanterns.
- Sunrise hot-air balloon ride over the desert — surreal, silent, unforgettable.
- Explore the Jardin Majorelle & Yves Saint-Laurent Museum — electric blue artistry and botanical peace.
- Camel trek or ATV ride through the Agafay Desert — no dunes like Sahara, but the lunar landscape is breathtaking.
- Day hike in the Atlas Mountains & tea with a Berber family — authentic, humble, life-shifting.
- Hammam spa cleansing experience — steam, exfoliation, massage — rebirth guaranteed.
- Nightfall in Jemaa el-Fna Square — snake-charmers, storytellers, musicians, markets and magic.
Final Word
If you think November means retreating indoors and tolerating gray skies, think again. Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains offer warmth, color, adventure, sensuality, and story — without the crowds and without the cliché.
This is a destination that feels like stepping into another dreamworld — and according to the data, travelers everywhere are waking up and choosing it.
And I’ll confess — I’m delighted to be surprised.
