Spend a glorious hour laying naked (with disposable underwear) on marble as someone washes and scrubs you down. Whether you choose to go to a public or private hammam, do note that local Muslims visit hammams often before their Friday prayer as a way to cleanse their bodies. A hammam, known as the crown jewel of Moroccan well-being, can also vary in price, depending on where you go and the treatment you select.  

In Marrakech, $50+ can get you an hour at Hammam de la Rose located in the northern part of the medina, while you can indulge in the ultra-luxe hammam at the Royal Mansour for $120+. Owned by the King of Morocco, the Royal Mansour is a destination hotel in itself where security is tight, so you can't just wander in to take photos. After I alighted in their golf cart from the lobby to the spa, I was greeted with what seemed like a gateway to heaven. You have to visit it for yourself to experience this temple of beauty decorated with an ethereal, all-white structure from top to bottom that reminds me of honeybees. Of course, there is a fountain at the center of the lobby filled with fresh, floating flowers that fill the entire space with notes of orange blossom and peppermint.

Laying on hard, cream marble did bother my ailing tailbone at first, but I thoroughly enjoyed being rinsed and fully scrubbed with an exfoliating mitt to release stress, toxins, and anxiety. My senses were fully woked as I dipped in the cold plunge pool to end my hammam journey with the Royal Mansour's Hammam Lumiere Sur Le Corps. Then, I was ushered into a sitting room that I could have spent a whole day napping in and snacking with their preserved fruits and nuts and fresh detoxifying juices and tea. But alas, I was under a tight schedule and had to complete my entire spa experience with an hour-long massage that actually fixed my ailing right shoulder-- something that my Thai masseuse in the US couldn't do-- for an additional $200+. 

Like in any other busy local market, shopkeepers will welcome you with gusto. Albeit being forewarned by many female friends who have visited the same medinas in Morocco, I found that there are ways to avoid locals from continuously heckling you, especially if you are a solo female tourist: (1) give them your best rrbf (respectful, resting bitch face), (2) walk fast if you don't intend to buy, (3) at night, walk closely with a group of locals/families that is close enough to pretend as their guest, and (4) if there are no locals in sight, walk closely with a group of tourists. While there are certain times that cars are not allowed in the medina, motorcycles can whizz by any time of the day, so be careful while wandering the narrow labyrinth. 

Marrakech's points of interest are close by to each other, but in order to avoid the dry, summer heat in the city, Youssef dropped me off and efficiently picked me up when visiting different places. I didn't have to exhaust myself from long walks under the sun, which triggers my migraine!  

Landscapers, plant, and even fashion enthusiasts can geek out in the Majorelle Gardens, a 2.5-acre botanical garden located in the upscale neighborhood of Gueliz. With its exotic plants from around the world to the cacti varietals, this luscious garden painted in striking blue also boasts a small monument for its fashion icon co-owner, Yves Saint Laurent. The late couturier, who passed in 2008, was inspired by the traditional Moroccan dress, such as the kaftan and djellaba, that transcended to his haute couture collections. Also in the midst of the medina is Le Jardin Secret, a historic 19th-century riad that boasts an exotic and Islamic garden. 

Engross yourself with Moroccan architecture and history at the:

Chicken covered in potatoes and vegetables.

Chicken couscous at Al Fassia, Marrakech.

Hands-down best meal in Morocco from Amal Women's Training Center.

Smoked salmon stuffed with poached egg and creamy avocado at La table du Palais.