Unpacking Marrakech: 24 Hours of Pure Sensory Overload in Morocco 🇲🇦
Colours, Spices, and Chaos | 52
Here in Toronto, we are smack dab in the middle of the 2026 FIFA World Cup! I’ve been playing soccer my entire life, and I’ve been watching World Cup games ever since my coach made us watch Brazil, telling us to “play like them”... haha.
I cannot express the emotions I have right now with Canada being one of the host countries and games being played right here at home! All eyes are on my city. I get emotional watching those classic aerial shots—this time, it’s my city, and I get all choked up seeing it! Plus, I’m excited to finally have a home team to officially cheer for: Team Canada!
(Though I will still cheer for Portugal because it’s in my genes and, well, Ronaldo; Brazil because it’s in my past; Germany because of past World Cup bonding memories—more on this in a second; Argentina because of the G.O.A.T. Messi; Spain; and former Yugoslavian countries like Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina because of Gordana, of course). The energy here in Toronto is palpable! I love it!
Quick story! I was in Germany hanging out with my cousin Santana from Cologne back in 2014. We were in a bar in Bonn watching Germany slaughter Brazil 7-1! I will never forget that energy; it’s permanently engraved in my mind. I was also in Germany when they won the World Cup! Amazing. Interestingly, I’m watching Germany play as I write this! I feel like that child again, playing the midfield position out on the pitch!
Speaking of soccer, yesterday I watched Morocco play, and I was so impressed with their game. Seeing all the colours, flavours, and languages mixing in my city right now immediately reminded me of the vibrant, colourful spices of Marrakech.
In this edition:
👉🏾 24 Hours of craziness in the Red City
👉🏾 My 5 Faves, The Ultimate Marrakech Hit List.
👉🏾 Insane flight deals to fuel your next escape!
24 Hours of Craziness in the Red City
Marrakech is an absolute explosion of bright colours, loud music, the taste of exotic food, the smell of herbs and spices, the softness of silk and leather goods, and the heat of the hot sun touching your skin. It’s nuts! It highlights an incredibly rich culture, and in fact, it is a place that first caught my eye years ago while watching The Amazing Race.
There are so many experiences Marrakech, and Morocco as a whole, has to offer. From waking up in beautiful Riad-style accommodations (traditional Moroccan houses with peaceful interior gardens or courtyards) to exploring the old Medina, it offers a typical Moroccan market experience with a wild side. You can easily lose yourself shopping for rugs, carpets, and leather goods, or watch acrobats, monkeys, and snake charmers right in the street. I kid you not! Did I say it’s nuts?
5 Faves
The Marrakech Medina: The chaotic heart of the city. This is where you come to completely lose yourself in the winding alleyways, inhale the wild scent of spices you never heard of, and hunt for beautiful silk and leather goods.
Koutoubia Mosque: The spiritual compass of the city. This iconic, towering minaret anchors the city skyline. No matter where you get turned around in the city, you can always look up and find your way. My CN Tower equivalent.
Jemaa el-Fnaa: Pure nighttime craziness. This bustling main square completely transforms as the sun goes down, coming alive with storytellers, musicians, and endless food that will truly test your culinary boundaries. Sheep heads (with the eyes still in) anyone?
Saadian Tombs: A peaceful step back in time. Hidden away for centuries, this historic and tranquil resting place for the Saadi Dynasty features some of the most intricate and stunning tile work you will ever see.
Bahia Palace: An architectural masterpiece. When the energy of the city gets to be too much, the 150 rooms leading out to tranquil courtyards and lush green gardens offer the perfect quiet escape from the chaos of the streets
👉🏾 Best Things To Do In Marrakech: The Ultimate 24-Hour Tour Guide
👉🏾 Amazing Places to Stay In Marrakech, Morocco!
Unpacked Travel Insider
Lima, Peru (LIM) | Machu Picchu Calling! 🇵🇪📷
Best time to book or length of deal: October through December (Purchase within the next 48 hours!).
Deal Summary: You gotta love exploring Machu Picchu and saving big on flights along the way! Make your way to Peru with this incredible sale for less than $600. Fares are offered by Air Canada, American, Delta, and LATAM.
Departure Cities (All fares round-trip): U.S. Departures: Austin (AUS) - $494, Baltimore (BWI) - $476, Boston (BOS) - $510, Charlotte (CLT) - $564, Chicago (ORD) - $553, Columbus (CMH) - $561, Dallas (DFW) - $593, Miami (MIA) - $583*, Minneapolis (MSP) - $573, New York (JFK) - $561, New York (LGA) - $553, Newark (EWR) - $553, Orlando (MCO) - $544, Philadelphia (PHL) - $553, Raleigh (RDU) - $514, San Francisco (SFO) - $507, San Juan (SJU) - $445, St. Thomas (STT) - $537, Tampa (TPA) - $524, Washington DC (DCA) - $469, Washington DC (IAD) - $474 (*Nonstop flights indicated).
Canadian Departures:
Calgary (YYC) - $591, Halifax (YHZ) - $593, Montreal (YUL) - $553, Ottawa (YOW) - $585, Quebec City (YQB) - $514, Thunder Bay (YQT) - $539, Toronto (YYZ) - $514, Vancouver (YVR) - $550
How to Book: Click Google Flights to adjust your departure city and find the cheapest dates.
San Diego, California (SAN) | San Diego Sun! 🇺🇸☀️✈️
Best time to book or length of deal: June through September (Purchase within the next 2-3 weeks).
Deal Summary: Get ready for some sun in Southern California for way less than the usual $400! Fares are offered by United, American, Delta, JetBlue, and Frontier.
Departure Cities (All fares round-trip): U.S. Departures: Albuquerque (ABQ) - $302*, Asheville (AVL) - $292, Atlanta (ATL) - $441*, Austin (AUS) - $217*, Baltimore (BWI) - $276*, Boston (BOS) - $277*, Charlotte (CLT) - $398, Chicago (ORD) - $247*, Cincinnati (CVG) - $190, Cleveland (CLE) - $198, Dallas (DFW) - $118*, Denver (DEN) - $72*, Detroit (DTW) - $521*, Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - $461*, Hartford (BDL) - $299, Houston (IAH) - $377*, Indianapolis (IND) - $398*, Jacksonville (JAX) - $299, Kansas City (MCI) - $476*, Las Vegas (LAS) - $56*, Los Angeles (LAX) - $239*, Louisville (SDF) - $298, Miami (MIA) - $379*, Minneapolis (MSP) - $279*, Nashville (BNA) - $314*, New Jersey (EWR) - $210*, New Orleans (MSY) - $271*, New York (JFK) - $204*, New York (LGA) - $251, Oklahoma City (OKC) - $192, Orlando (MCO) - $277*, Omaha (OMA) - $418*, Philadelphia (PHL) - $401*, Phoenix (PHX) - $50*, Pittsburgh (PIT) - $278, Portland (PDX) - $165*, Raleigh (RDU) - $233, Richmond (RIC) - $289, Sacramento (SMF) - $137*, St. Louis (STL) - $398*, Salt Lake City (SLC) - $169*, San Antonio (SAT) - $363*, San Francisco (SFO) - $56*, San Jose (SJC) - $137*, Seattle (SEA) - $178*, Tampa (TPA) - $291*, Washington DC (DCA) - $304*, Washington DC (IAD) - $201* (*Nonstop flights indicated).
Canadian Departures: Calgary (YYC) - $381* CAD, Montreal (YUL) - $490* CAD, Toronto (YYZ) - $712* CAD, Vancouver (YVR) - $522* CAD How to Book:
Click Google Flights to adjust your departure city and find the cheapest dates.
New York City, New York (LGA, JFK, EWR) | The Big Apple Awaits! 🇺🇸🍎✈️
Best time to book or length of deal: June through September (Purchase within the next 2-3 weeks).
Deal Summary: Get ready to take a bite out of the city that never sleeps for way less than the usual $400! Incredible round-trip fares are offered by Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, and United.
Departure Cities (All fares round-trip): U.S. Departures: Albuquerque (ABQ) - $231*, Asheville (AVL) - $104*, Atlanta (ATL) - $92*, Austin (AUS) - $143*, Baltimore (BWI) - $178, Boston (BOS) - $176*, Charleston (CHS) - $171*, Charlotte (CLT) - $188*, Chicago (ORD) - $177*, Cincinnati (CVG) - $199*, Cleveland (CLE) - $98*, Dallas (DFW) - $82*, Denver (DEN) - $156*, Detroit (DTW) - $157*, Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - $178*, Hartford (BDL) - $156*, Houston (IAH) - $143*, Indianapolis (IND) - $269*, Jacksonville (JAX) - $198*, Kansas City (MCI) - $341*, Las Vegas (LAS) - $204*, Los Angeles (LAX) - $251*, Louisville (SDF) - $232*, Miami (MIA) - $194*, Minneapolis (MSP) - $220*, Nashville (BNA) - $192*, New Orleans (MSY) - $210*, Oklahoma City (OKC) - $302*, Omaha (OMA) - $196*, Orlando (MCO) - $159*, Philadelphia (PHL) - $198, Phoenix (PHX) - $289*, Pittsburgh (PIT) - $178*, Portland (PDX) - $294*, Raleigh (RDU) - $157*, Richmond (RIC) - $198*, Sacramento (SMF) - $322*, St. Louis (STL) - $289*, Salt Lake City (SLC) - $243*, San Antonio (SAT) - $329*, San Diego (SAN) - $340*, San Francisco (SFO) - $298*, San Jose (SJC) - $299, Seattle (SEA) - $277*, Tampa (TPA) - $197*, Washington DC (DCA) - $177*, Washington DC (IAD) - $170* (*Nonstop flights indicated).
Canadian Departures: Calgary (YYC) - $421* CAD, Montreal (YUL) - $392* CAD, Toronto (YYZ) - $362* CAD, Vancouver (YVR) - $470* CAD
How to Book: Click Google Flights to adjust your departure city and find the cheapest dates.
Unlock More with Your OWN Thrifty Traveler Account ✈️
These deals are brought to you by Thrifty Traveller. Thrifty Traveller Premium is a flight & hotel deal alert subscription service (not a booking site) where real human experts, not algorithms, find incredible deals from over 250+ cities. Imagine scoring savings like NYC to Tokyo business class for just $1,500!
Mandatory Disclaimer: #Ad #Sponsored.
Just like a high-stakes World Cup match on the pitch, navigating the winding alleys of the Marrakech Medina is pure adrenaline and beautiful chaos. Truthfully, my love for the game is pretty much just an extension of my deep love for travel and the human connections that unite us all!
I want to know: who are you cheering for, and what jersey are you wearing? Let me know your team in the comments below! 👇🏾
— Stay Rudderless
Rudderless Travel: Website | YouTube | Podcast | Threads | Instagram | Work With Us