Marrakech, Essaouira and the Atlas Mountains

November, 2023

Our trips are lightly scheduled. Plenty of freedom for you to explore, making your own way through these remarkable places and returning to the warmth of dinner and good wine with friends. Together, like family.

Our first Family Gathering took place right here, in Morocco in 2018. We’ve returned many times since, and the mystery of this dynamic country grows with each new visit, and with each new person we meet. We will rejoin our friends and consummate hosts in their sweet oasis of a riad in the bustling medina of Marrakech. We’ll explore the alleyways and walk those winding streets, then return to the peace of the birds and the fountain singing together in the leafy courtyard of the riad. We’ll gather around the table for some inspired food and conversation, inviting local dynamic families to join us.

From Marrakech we’ll head to the coast. We’ll stay in a tiny surfing village and explore nearby Essaouira, Marrakech’s most charming seaside town. We’ll be guided through the ancient port city by an old friend, and spend three nights in the most charming, candlelight-only boutique hotel. 

From there we’ll say our farewells. For those who wish, we’ll travel to a storied Kasbah in the Ourika Valley, gateway to the Atlas Mountains, the guardians of the Sahara. Relax by the pool at this design haven or do some trekking to the nearby villages, where some of Morocco’s most beautiful rugs and ceramics have been lovingly made by the same families for hundreds of years.

 

 

LODGING: We’ll stay three nights in the riad of our dear friends in Marrakech, one of the medina’s best kept secrets, plus three nights at a rustic, charming boutique hotel in Sidi Kaouki. 

Ourika Valley, two nights in a legendary Kasbah, for those who choose the add-on.  

HIGHLIGHTS MAY INCLUDE: Longtable dinners, guided exploration of the labyrinthine souks of the medina, a visit to the local neighborhood hammam (a truly exotic and unforgettable experience), a cocktail party with our friend and Marrakech’s most enigmatic fashion designer in his thread-to-garment atelier, an evening of film under the stars. We’ll spend a day in the studio of a friend and one of Marrakech’s most-loved ceramicists. We’ll travel from Marrakech to the historic port town of  Essaouira and spend three nights in a nearby surfing village. We’ll wander the walled city, visit local markets and spend a day at a fishing shack that’s been in our friend’s family for generations, surfing and grilling fish on this abandoned stretch of coast.

For those who choose, we’ll journey back to the Ourika Valley, gateway to the mythic High Atlas Mountains, the tallest on the African continent, and spend two relaxing nights in a design-forward, historic kasbah, before returning to Marrakech. 

WHO IS THIS TRIP FOR?: Our families come from all over, with all kinds of backgrounds, but they share a few important features: curiosity, open hearts, gratefulness as a practice, respect for the culture and the landscape in the places we visit, deliberate and thoughtful parenting. 

DATES: October 15 to 20

COSTS:          2750€ per adult. 750€ per child. Ages 4 and under are no charge.

Ourika Valley add-on: €900 per adult. €450 per child. Ages 4 and under are no charge.

WHAT’S INCLUDED: All lodging, most meals, snacks and aperitivos, all transport in-country including airport transfers, all experiences and moments. 

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED: Alcohol (will be available for purchase), lights, travel insurance, personal shopping, additional visits to hammams and spas, gratuities.

To register please email martin@quartiercollective.com with queries.

MORE QUESTIONS? Visit our FAQ page HERE.

See you soon in Morocco!