Seven Nights in Marrakech

At the end of October, I traveled to Marrakech, Morocco.

I’m still carrying its colors with me—the terracotta walls, the apricot sunsets, the pistachio-green mint tea glasses, the Majorelle Blue that has become a symbol of Marrakech itself. It feels impossible to put such a sensory, soul-stretching experience into words…but I’ll try.

For seven nights I stayed at Dar Blanche, a serene and beautifully restored riad tucked into the Medina. It was our home base for a retreat called A Feast of Colors, led by two extraordinary sober women: Tammi Salas—a sober, dignified woman and artist based in Oakland, CA, who creates sober-supported travel experiences for women—and Carol Sicbaldi, a sober woman who lives in Italy and leads active, bespoke Italian tours. Together, they curated a week that felt like equal parts art, adventure, recovery nourishment, and heart-expanding connection.

There were six of us total—women ranging in age from our thirties to our seventies, all traveling together in sobriety. Different stories, different seasons of life, and one shared intention: to experience Morocco with presence, creativity, and curiosity.

The Riad That Held Us

Dar Blanche itself was a work of art. Every corner had texture—plaster walls smoothed by hand, layered rugs, carved wood doors, soft lantern light bouncing like gold from room to room. Breakfast was served on the rooftop terrace each morning, where we watched the city wake up to the call to prayer drifting across the rooftops. It felt grounding, almost ceremonial, to start each day this way.

A Week of Color, Craft, and Connection

A Feast of Colors was exactly what it promised: an immersion into beauty, making, and mindful exploration.

We were all working on travel collage journals—the art project that anchored our week. Most mornings at breakfast, we worked on our journals, spreading out scraps of paper, ticket stubs, fabric pieces, paint, and pens across the rooftop table as the city woke up around us. Those slow, artful mornings became one of my favorite rituals, each page capturing the colors and textures of Marrakech.

One of the most memorable moments from our first day in the Medina was visiting a local spice vendor who created a custom Ras el Hanout blend just for our group. Ras el Hanout translates to “head of the shop,” meaning the very best spices a vendor has to offer—often 20, 30, sometimes even 40 different spices blended into one aromatic masterpiece. Each recipe is unique to the maker, a kind of fragrant signature.

He laid a sheet of saran wrap across a bright blue table and began scooping spices into small, colorful mounds—turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika, flowers, pepper, things I couldn’t name but could instantly smell. It looked like a patchwork quilt of color and scent. Then, with a sweep of his hands, he folded the saran into a pouch and poured everything into a large, industrial-style grinder—the kind that fills the entire shop with fragrance. The spices whirred together into a golden, deeply aromatic powder. Each of us left with our own bag of Ras el Hanout to take home.

By the end of the week, our suitcases and everything inside them had fully absorbed the aroma—an unexpected souvenir that felt like carrying a piece of Marrakech home with us.

Scoops of spices—they are freshly ground into a golden mound of Ras el Hanout.

Into the Atlas Mountains

Our second day took us far beyond the Medina. We traveled by shuttle into the Atlas Mountains, watching the city fade behind us as the landscape opened into wide, sweeping hills and small Amazigh villages tucked into the earth-toned slopes. We passed a luxury resort owned by Richard Branson, but most of what we saw was rural life—quiet, spacious, and beautifully simple. Instead of tourists, we passed trekkers and locals with donkeys moving between villages.

We met our local guide and took an easy hike through the hills, eventually arriving at the home of an Amazigh woman who welcomed us onto her balcony. She stoked a rustic fire and baked fresh bread for us to enjoy.

Our Amazigh hostess stokes the fire to bake our bread, with the Atlas Mountains as our backdrop.

Together, we helped prepare chicken and vegetable tagine, one of Morocco’s most iconic dishes. A tagine is both the meal and the vessel it’s cooked in—a clay pot with a conical lid that returns steam to the dish, creating tender, flavorful food. We had tagine several times throughout our stay, each version comforting in its own way.

As the tagine simmered, our guide brewed Moroccan mint tea, affectionately called “Moroccan whiskey.” It’s a symbol of hospitality, always served to guests. The tea is poured from high above the glass to aerate it, cool it slightly, and create a delicate foam—an essential sign of a perfect pour. Sitting there in the mountains, sipping hot mint tea and eating fresh bread, felt like the heart of Moroccan generosity.

Our guide in the Atlas Mountains preparing mint tea for us. This first pour is returned to the pot, and the traditional pour is held high above the glass.

The Power of Sober Travel

Traveling sober, especially with other sober women, is its own kind of magic. There’s no numbing, no detouring from yourself. Instead, there’s presence. Depth. Real connection. And an ease with one another that felt both rare and familiar.

I felt supported. I felt seen. I felt stretched in the best possible way.

Tammi and Carol held the container beautifully—Tammi with her artist’s soul, and Carol with her “what-would-you-like-to-see-next?” spirit. They created a retreat that honored creativity and sober sisterhood in equal measure.

Life — and sobriety — unfold one step at a time. Interior steps at Izza Riad

Coming Home With New Colors

Marrakech changed me in ways I’m still understanding. I came home with a suitcase full of spices and artisanal wares—and a heart full of something harder to name. Maybe it’s perspective. Maybe permission. Maybe a reminder that my life is allowed to be wide, bright, and full of texture.

What I know for sure: I’m grateful. For the colors. For the women. For the journey. And for the sober clarity that allowed me to take in every detail.

If you ever find yourself craving a trip that nurtures creativity, community, and the spirit of sober exploration, keep an eye on what Tammi Salas and Carol Sicbaldi are creating. Their work is a gift.

And Marrakech? She’ll stay with me for a long time.

Golden sunset from the rooftop of Izza Riad

Thank you for reading this. I hope you'll come back. I'll be over here.