Marvellous Mocktails in Morocco

A weekend away in Marrakech was a sober girl's delight

I’ve been lucky enough to travel a few times this year, and I’ve started rating my trips by their alcohol-free offerings. Skiing in Bulgaria didn’t have many; Corfu delivered the goods with the AF beer; Mallorca impressed with its supermarket selection - and then came Marrakech. As the fifth-largest city in a largely Muslim country, I had high hopes. It didn’t disappoint.

This trip was a friend’s 50th - a group of us who first met when our kids were at school together. They’re a wonderful bunch, not least because none of them drink much. They were also the same group I took my first sober holiday with in Edinburgh for another 50th. When I first told them I’d stopped drinking, no one batted an eyelid. Before, I’d have been the one egging everyone on to have “just one more.”

We had a brutal 3.30am start. In the old days that would’ve meant a prosecco at the airport, whatever the hour. This time it was coffee and pastries. On the plane, I had tea and a nap. I did notice one passenger sink four mini bottles of fizz - even I was shook!

When we arrived, it was straight to the pool. My first drink of the holiday? A virgin mojito in a giant glass tanker (nicer than it sounds!) - absolutely delicious.

That evening we headed to Rooftop Dardar, a beautiful bar where we watched the sunset. I opened the menu and nearly laughed out loud - the entire first page was mocktails and soft drinks. That has never happened. I ordered a virgin mojito, full of fresh mint and it was hands-down the best I’ve ever had.

The next day, on a guided tour, I even spotted signs for a mocktail bar. It was so refreshing not to see alcohol pushed everywhere. No pubs, just restaurants - the whole drinking culture felt different.

Back at the hotel, more mocktails by the pool. Before dinner that night, the girls shared a bottle of champagne. At first they were chatty and buzzing; an hour later, quiet and tired. One of them rubbed her temples and said she had a horrible headache.

Dinner was at Comptoir Dardar, all live music and belly dancers. They offered mocktails too - sweeter than I’d like, but even the cocktail drinkers said the same about theirs.

Flying home, I felt relaxed, happy, and genuinely rested - not hungover, not anxious, just… good. Imagine if, by your next holiday, you could come home feeling like that.

Book a chat with me - let’s start shaping a holiday (and a life) you don’t need to recover from.