Things to Do in Marrakech: A Local Guide to the Best of the City

How many days do you need in Marrakech?

Three full days is the number most visitors are happy with. That gives you one day for the medina and its palaces, one day for gardens, a slower morning and a hammam, and one day for a trip out of the city to the mountains, the desert or the coast.

Two days works if you are short on time, but you will walk fast and skip things. Four or five days lets you add a second excursion and still have an afternoon by a pool, which in summer is not a luxury but a survival strategy.

If you only have one day, do the old city in the morning, rest in the hottest hours, and come back to Jemaa el-Fna in the evening. Do not try to fit a desert trip into the same day.

Start with the medina and Jemaa el-Fna

The medina is the old walled city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is where most of the things people come for are found. It is a maze on purpose. The lanes were never designed for tourists or for maps, and GPS is often wrong by thirty metres, which in a lane two metres wide is a big error.

Jemaa el-Fna is the main square and the best place to orient yourself. In the morning it is quiet, with orange juice stands and a few snake charmers setting up. By late afternoon it fills with food stalls, storytellers, musicians and crowds. It is a loud, smoky, crowded place, and at its best at sunset.

Walk through it once in daylight to see how it works, then come back after dark for dinner. Eat where the stall has many local customers, agree the price on the menu card before you sit down, and keep your phone in a front pocket.

Climb a rooftop café at sunset

The square looks completely different from above. Many cafés around Jemaa el-Fna have terraces, and you only need to buy a drink. Go about an hour before sunset, take a table facing the Koutoubia mosque, and watch the light change and the smoke from the food stalls rise.

The big monuments: palaces, tombs and madrasas

Marrakech has a handful of historic sites worth paying to enter. Visit them early, when the tour groups have not arrived and the light is better for photographs.

Bahia Palace

A nineteenth century palace built for a powerful family, with painted ceilings, carved cedar doors and quiet courtyards with orange trees. It is easy to visit in forty-five minutes, and it is one of the best places to understand Moroccan decorative craft.

Saadian Tombs

A royal burial ground that was walled up for generations and rediscovered in the early twentieth century. The main chamber is small and often crowded, so go when it opens. The detail in the zellige tilework and carved plaster is the reason to come.

El Badi Palace

A ruined sixteenth century palace with huge empty courtyards, sunken gardens and storks nesting on the walls in spring. It is atmospheric because it is a ruin. Climb to the upper terraces for a view over the old town and, on a clear day, the Atlas Mountains.

Ben Youssef Madrasa

A former Islamic school with a central courtyard and rooms for students arranged over two floors. The carved cedar, stucco and tile are exceptional. Check opening times before you go, as the site has been closed for restoration in the past.

Koutoubia mosque

You cannot go inside unless you are Muslim, but the minaret is the landmark of the city and visible from many places. Use it as a compass when you are lost. Its gardens are pleasant for a short rest.

A guided half-day tour of these monuments costs less than most visitors expect and saves a lot of queueing and wrong turns. We run a history tour and a full city tour with lunch, both with hotel pickup, which you can read about at the end of this guide.

Gardens and quiet places

Marrakech is hot, loud and busy, and the best antidote is a garden. They are not an extra. They are part of the experience, and most of the city's best-looking photographs are taken in them.

Jardin Majorelle

The most famous garden in the city, created by the painter Jacques Majorelle in the first half of the twentieth century and later restored and owned by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. The deep blue buildings, cacti and bamboo are striking. It is also the most crowded garden, so book a ticket for the first slot of the day if you can.

Le Jardin Secret

A restored palace garden in the medina, with an exotic garden and a more traditional Islamic garden, and a tower you can climb for a view. It is calmer than Majorelle and close to the souks, which makes it an easy break in a day of walking.

Menara Gardens

A large olive grove with a pavilion beside a reservoir, with the Atlas Mountains behind it on clear days. It is a local family place more than a tourist site. Go late in the afternoon.

The Palmeraie

Just outside the city, a palm grove of tens of thousands of trees. It is the setting for camel rides, buggy tours and quiet walks. If you want a morning outside the medina without a long drive, this is the easiest choice.

The souks: how to shop without stress

The souks are the markets north of Jemaa el-Fna, and they are organised by trade: leather, metal, spices, carpets, textiles, lamps, slippers. Walk through them for the atmosphere even if you do not intend to buy.

Bargaining is normal and expected, but it is a game with rules. Decide what you would be happy to pay before you start. Offer less than that and be friendly about it. If the price does not come down to your number, thank the seller and walk away. They may call you back.

• Do not accept offers to be led to a shop by someone on the street. The commission is added to the price.
• Ask the price of one item before you show interest in several.
• Look closely at leather, metalwork and carpets, and ask about the material. Prices should reflect the quality.
• Carry small notes in dirham. Change is a good reason for a seller to round up.
• Argan oil, spices and tea are best bought in fixed price cooperatives or well-known shops if you do not want to bargain.

If you hate haggling, a guide can take you to workshops where the prices are fair and you can see things being made. That is often the most enjoyable part of shopping here.

Hammam, food and slow moments

The hammam is a traditional steam bath and a part of everyday life in Morocco. There are two kinds: the local hammam, where people go with their own soap and scrub, and the spa hammam, which is a more private and gentle experience, with a scrub and sometimes a massage.

For a first visit, choose a spa hammam in a riad and book an hour or two. It is a good way to rest after long walks and to recover from the heat. We offer a hammam and massage experience in a riad with a simple booking.

What to eat

Start with tagine, the slow-cooked stew named after the clay pot it cooks in, and couscous, which is traditionally served on Fridays. Try pastilla, a sweet and savoury pie made with pigeon or chicken and dusted with sugar and cinnamon. Mint tea is served everywhere and is a gesture of welcome.

In Jemaa el-Fna, look for grilled meat, harira soup and snails at night. For a calmer meal, use a restaurant in a riad courtyard and ask for the local dishes of the day.

Day trips from Marrakech

One of the best things about Marrakech is how much there is within a morning's drive. You can leave after breakfast, see a completely different landscape and be back for dinner.

• Agafay desert, about 40 km away: a stone desert with views of the Atlas. Good for camel rides, quad bikes, buggies and sunset dinners.
• Ourika Valley, about an hour away: a green valley in the Atlas with Berber villages and waterfalls, especially pleasant in summer.
• Ouzoud Waterfalls, around two and a half to three hours: the highest waterfalls in the region, with a hike and a boat ride below them.
• Essaouira, around three hours: a white and blue fortified port on the Atlantic coast, cooler in summer.
• Ait Benhaddou and Telouet: a longer day on the Road of Kasbahs, through high mountain passes to a UNESCO fortified village.

If you are staying only a few days, our advice is to choose two different excursions rather than three similar ones. For example, a sunset in the Agafay desert and a day in the mountains give you two completely different landscapes.

When to go and how to plan

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best seasons. Days are warm, nights are cool, and almost everything is open. Summer is very hot, especially July and August. Visit early in the morning and in the evening, and use midday for rest and the pool. Winter days can be pleasant, but nights are cold, and the mountains may have snow.

Ramadan changes opening hours and the rhythm of the city. Many restaurants close during the day, but the evenings are lively and special. It is not a bad time to visit, but it is useful to know in advance.

A simple three day plan

1. Day one: a morning walking tour of the medina with a guide, lunch in a riad, a rest, then Jemaa el-Fna at sunset and dinner.
2. Day two: Jardin Majorelle when it opens, Le Jardin Secret, an afternoon hammam, and a calm evening.
3. Day three: a full day excursion. Choose the mountains for green and cool, the desert for sunset and space, or Essaouira for sea air.

Practical advice

• The currency is the Moroccan dirham. Cards are accepted in hotels and larger restaurants, but cash is needed in the souks and for taxis.
• Use petit taxis with the meter on, or agree the price before you get in. Ask your hotel for the usual fare to your destination.
• Dress comfortably and modestly: shoulders and knees covered is respectful in the medina and keeps unwanted attention down.
• Ask before photographing people. Many will say no, and some will ask for money.
• Keep your valuables out of sight in crowded places, as in any large city.

Where to stay: medina or new town?

This is the choice that shapes your trip. A riad in the medina puts you inside the atmosphere: courtyards, rooftop breakfasts, the call to prayer at dawn. The cost is that taxis cannot reach the door, luggage must be carried or wheeled through lanes, and nights can be noisy near the main squares.

Gueliz and Hivernage, the modern districts, are easier. Wide streets, hotels with pools, restaurants and bars, and taxis at the door. The medina is a ten minute ride away. Families with small children and people who dislike getting lost often prefer these areas.

A good compromise is a riad on the quieter edges of the medina, close to a main gate such as Bab Doukkala or near the Kasbah. Ask the riad to send someone to meet you at the nearest taxi point. Every good riad does this as a normal service.

Whichever you choose, ask about air conditioning in summer and heating in winter. Old buildings with thick walls stay cool in the day, but winter nights can be surprisingly cold.

Seven common mistakes to avoid

1. Trying to see everything on day one. The heat, the noise and the walking will leave you tired. Plan one big thing per half day.
2. Following a stranger who says the road is closed or that the tannery is open only today. These are well known tricks to lead you to a shop.
3. Visiting the most famous garden at midday in July, when queues and temperatures are both at their peak.
4. Not agreeing a taxi price in advance when the meter is not used. Ask your riad for the normal fare.
5. Eating only in the main square. It is worth doing once, but the best meals are often in quieter places.
6. Buying a carpet or a lamp on the first day. Walk through the souks first, learn the price range, and buy on the last day.
7. Leaving the day trips to the last minute. The most popular days, especially the balloon flights and sunset dinners, fill up in the high season.

None of these are serious problems. They are just the things that cost people time, money and patience. A bit of planning removes almost all of them.

Evenings in Marrakech

After dinner, the city has a different face. Lanterns light the lanes, musicians play in the square and the rooftops fill with people. A few ideas for the evening: a walk through the quiet streets around the Kasbah; a drink of mint tea or fresh juice on a terrace; a dinner show in a restaurant with live music; or a slow walk in the Jemaa el-Fna crowd with a guide who knows which stalls to try. Keep your valuables safe, and do not walk alone in dark and empty lanes late at night. Taxis are easy to find at the main gates and squares, and your riad can call one for you.

A note on guides, hustlers and scams

Most people in Marrakech are friendly, and most conversations are just that. A few habits are worth knowing. A stranger who says a street is closed, or that you are going the wrong way, may be leading you to a shop. A person who offers to be your guide in the medina and then asks for a large fee is not unusual. The easiest answer is a polite no thank you, said with a smile, and keep walking. For a guide you can trust, book through your riad or a company with clear prices, and agree the length and the cost before you start.

Booking tours without stress

The easiest way to see the city and the region without wasting time is to book a few well-chosen activities in advance and leave the rest open. Our tours include pickup from your hotel or riad, a local guide who speaks English, French and Arabic, and a clear price. You pay in cash on the day, and you can cancel for free up to 24 hours before.

If you are not sure what suits your dates and your group, send us a short email with how many days you have, who is travelling and what you like. We reply with suggestions, not a sales pitch.

Frequently asked questions