A day out with women in Marrakech: where to meet up, unwind and connect

It's a question I see come up again and again in Facebook groups for women who have just moved to Marrakech, often with children: "where can we actually get together here?" Whether you're passing through for a few days with friends or building your new life in Marrakech, here are my ideas for creating that moment or that connection.

For a catch-up with friends, with or without children

My number one spot is still La Secret Beach, Marrakech's 100% women-only pool, open every day from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm. You can arrive right at opening for breakfast (Moroccan spread, avocado toast or pancakes, between 70 and 90 Dhs), then slide straight into a lazy day by the pool.

What many people don't realise: it's not just for child-free outings. Boys are welcome up to age 7, and there's no age limit for girls — so you can come with your baby, your daughters of any age, or simply among women. The main pool welcomes everyone in a friendly atmosphere all year round.

For a get-together with mums, without having to watch every second

It's a real bonus for mums: La Secret Beach has a Pataugeoire, a semi-enclosed space with its own sun loungers, designed specifically for women with young children. It's not just a corner of the main pool — it's a separate space, booked independently. The perfect setup to get the children settled nearby and finally have a proper chat with other mums, without keeping one eye glued to the main pool at all times.

It's exactly the kind of place that answers the question you see so often in Facebook groups for newcomers: "where do you meet other mums with children the same age?" — somewhere you can come back to regularly, with the kids, without it feeling like a compromise.

Bonus: combine with the Secret Family Farm to make a full day of it

More good news for families: the Secret Family Farm is on the same grounds as La Secret Beach. Children can feed the animals (goats, rabbits, chickens…), but what really makes it worth spending time there are the workshops on offer, tailored by age:

• Pottery painting, from age 1 (for the very little ones)
• Plaster creation and painting, from age 4
• Ceramics and painting, from age 5
• Pony ride, up to age 6
• Adult pottery painting (30 min to 1 hour), for mums who want to join in too

With this range of workshops covering every age group, it's easy to spend a good chunk of the day there without the children getting bored — making it simple to move on to the La Secret Beach pool right next door, without needing to plan a separate outing.

The two work really well together on the same day, with a preferential rate for those coming from the pool: entry to the farm drops from 90 to 50 Dhs for an adult, and from 50 to 30 Dhs for a child aged 2 to 11.

For newcomers: where you can easily meet other women

Moving to a new city is often easier in theory than in practice — especially when you don't know anyone. La Secret Beach works really well for that too: many women come back regularly, particularly through their "Secret Girl" loyalty card, which makes it a place where you often see familiar faces and conversations happen naturally.

If you're more in a professional or entrepreneurial mindset, I also recommend getting in touch with the Pouvoir d'Entreprendre network, a community of active women in Marrakech, very welcoming, which regularly organises meet-ups.

Small-group activities that naturally bring people together

Beyond the pool, some activities naturally spark conversation far more than a standard sightseeing visit:

• A Moroccan cooking class at the Musée des Arts Culinaires, where you cook together around the same table
• A hammam in Guéliz, in a small group
• A jewellery-making workshop, sitting around the same table for an hour or two

These are formats that, without forcing anything, naturally create conversation.

My advice for mums who have just arrived in Marrakech

Facebook groups are a good starting point, but nothing replaces a physical place you come back to more than once. Choose one or two regular spots — La Secret Beach is clearly one of them — rather than hopping between one-off outings. It's often by becoming a regular somewhere, more than by chaining together isolated events, that real connections are made.

And if you'd like more personalised guidance to find your feet in your new city, don't hesitate to contact me directly.