After years of world-class restaurants, massive traffic, all-night parties and the stress that comes with living in New York City, it’s little wonder that Carrie Bradshaw and her friends Charlotte York, Samantha Jones and Miranda Hobbes had to escape the Big Apple. Though Sex and the City 2 is supposed to take place in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, most of the movie was actually filmed in Morocco.
Celebrity watchers first spotted Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon in Marrakesh, with sightings of Kristin Davis and Kim Cattrall to follow. In addition to Marrakesh, filming also occurred in Rabat and Erfoud. Walk in the footsteps of these decadence-seeking ladies and create your own Moroccan girlfriend getaway.
Gallivant with the Elite in Marrakesh
Marrakesh offers the excitement and glamor for any girlfriend getaway, complete with bountiful shopping, culture-rich entertainment, and luxury hotels and spas.
Browse the markets of Marrakesh’s medina for household treasures like Berber cedar chests, embroidered leather poufs and intricate pottery to add a Moroccan flair to your home’s décor. Accessorize with traditional jewelry or silk scarves made by local artisans. If you’d like to try on fashion by local designers, take a cab to Quartier Industrial Sidi Ghanem, a cluster of boutiques and designer factory outlets just outside of the city.
At some point you’ll need to get off of your feet, and Djemaa El-Fna, the main square of Marrakesh, is just the place to refuel and enjoy some entertainment. By day, you can grab lunch fare at any of several cafes around the square, or sip freshly squeezed orange juice from any of the many vendor stalls, while taking in the sights of snake charmers, children with monkeys and rhythmic Gnaoua musicians.
After sunset, the square transforms into an open-air dinner theater surrounded by more than 100 small restaurants offering an array of exotic Moroccan dishes, including whole lamb head. Follow the aromas and the chefs’ calls to select your delicacy for the evening, and then pull up a chair with your friends and enjoy performances by dancers, storytellers and magicians.
After dark, you’ll find plenty of trendy nightclubs where you can dance the night away in Hivernage, just outside of Marrakesh. Whatever you fancy—hip hop beats, 80s classics, Moroccan pop—you and the girls are bound to find a place to get your groove on, possibly alongside visiting diplomats and fashion designers.
When it’s time to escape from the city’s excitement, you can retire to your hotel and surrender to the in-house hammam. There are several stylish, full-service accommodations in Marrakesh. La Mamounia is world-renown for its sophistication and luxury, and a night here allows you to enjoy the same mountain views and vibrant gardens as Sarah Jessica Parker and other celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Salma Hayek.
Desert camel rides are a favorite excursion for visitors to Morocco, and you don’t have to wander far from Marrakesh for an experience like Carrie and her friends enjoyed. Several tour companies in the city offer camel-back journeys ranging from 30 minutes to several hours and can include overnight camping in the Sahara Desert with a guide.
Head to Rabat for Oceanside Tranquility
In contrast to Marrakesh, the country’s capital offers ocean views and a relaxed pace. The shopkeepers here are more laidback and tend to watch quietly as shoppers peruse the market’s spices, carpets and textiles. Although Rabat attracts fewer tourists than some of Morocco’s other destinations, the city offers plenty of five-star quality restaurants, hotels and spas due to the high volume of business travelers and visiting politicians. With beaches nearby, you can try your hand at surfing in the Atlantic or simply soak up some sun.
Watch the Sun Set over the Desert in Erfoud
Located in eastern Morocco with views of the Sahara Desert, Erfoud has a quaint, small-town feel. Despite its size, the town attracts a steady stream of tourists because of its proximity to the desert and the camel tours that leave from here, which in turn supports a handful of restaurants and hotels that cater to visitors with upscale preferences. One of the most notable is Kasbah Xaluca Maadid, a glitzy hotel where Moroccan music videos have been filmed.
Written by Shelley A. Gable.
Photo by P Keigan.
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