10 Things to Do in Mar­ra­kesh: Attrac­tions and Tra­vel Tips

Marrakesh is a city that captivates all your senses. Wander through a maze of vibrant souks, soak in the scents of exotic spices, and explore historical palaces and stunning gardens. When you’ve had your fill of the bustling city, the breathtaking landscapes surrounding Marrakesh are waiting to be discovered.

Mar­ra­kesh is a city that tru­ly awa­kens the sen­ses. Its vibrant colors, exo­tic fra­gran­ces, and the bust­ling ener­gy of the Medina’s nar­row streets crea­te an enchan­ting atmo­sphe­re that imme­dia­te­ly draws you in. While it feels like step­ping into a dream straight out of 1001 Nights, the city can also be a bit overwhelming. 

This Mar­ra­kesh tra­vel gui­de intro­du­ces you to the best places to visit and pro­vi­des prac­ti­cal tips for an authen­tic, exci­ting, and unfor­gettable expe­ri­ence in Marrakesh. 

9 Things To Do in Marrakesh

1. Medi­na & Souks 

The Medi­na (old town) of Mar­ra­kesh is the vibrant heart of the city and a UNESCO World Heri­ta­ge Site. Its nar­row streets form a uni­que laby­rinth whe­re try­ing to main­tain your sen­se of direc­tion is often a losing batt­le. The best approach is to embrace the expe­ri­ence and let yours­elf wander. 

In the souks, you can buy almost any­thing ima­gi­nable. From exo­tic spi­ces and car­pets to lea­ther goods and intri­ca­te­ly desi­gned lamps, this is a shopper’s para­di­se. But the Medi­na isn’t just about shopping—it’s a place stee­ped in histo­ry. Amidst the mar­ket stalls, you’ll find his­to­ric mos­ques, tra­di­tio­nal ham­mams, and luxu­rious riads. 

Tips: If you want to escape the “cha­os,” explo­re the Medi­na ear­ly in the mor­ning when the streets are still calm.

If you plan to buy some­thing in the souks, remem­ber one gol­den rule: bar­gain! But keep in mind to be friendly. 

2. Dje­maa el Fna — The Main Squa­re of Marrakesh

Dje­maa el Fna is the cen­tral squa­re in Mar­ra­kesh. No mat­ter the time of day or night, the squa­re is always bust­ling. During the day, street per­for­mers and juice stalls domi­na­te the sce­ne, while in the evening, musi­ci­ans and food ven­dors take over. 

The squa­re is espe­ci­al­ly magi­cal in the evening when the set­ting sun bathes it in warm light. Here’s a tip: Arri­ve ear­ly in the evening and secu­re a spot in one of the sur­roun­ding cafés or restau­rants to enjoy the sun­set. Keep in mind that many restau­rants pre­fer cus­to­mers to order food, not just drinks, for prime sea­ting. My advice? Order drinks and a small snack, like a por­ti­on of fries. Don’t expect gour­met cui­sine, as the restau­rants here are not known for their quality.

Marrakesh Djemaa El Fna

3. Bahia Palace

The Bahia Palace is an impres­si­ve 19th-cen­tu­ry palace. With its beau­tiful cour­ty­ards, intri­ca­te­ly deco­ra­ted cei­lings, and lush gar­dens, the palace is a stun­ning exam­p­le of Moroc­can architecture. 

4. Meder­sa Ben Youssef

The oldest and most beau­tiful Qura­nic school in Moroc­co is the Meder­sa Ben Yous­sef. Built in the 14th cen­tu­ry, it once housed up to 900 stu­dents. The intri­ca­te­ly mosaic-tiled cour­ty­ard is a true high­light. Once a place of lear­ning, the Meder­sa is now an impres­si­ve tes­ta­ment to Isla­mic art and architecture. 

Tip: Arri­ving ear­ly is worth it! In the first 45 minu­tes after ope­ning, you can explo­re the Meder­sa in peace, befo­re it gets crowded.

5. Kou­tou­bia Mosque

The Kou­tou­bia Mos­que is the land­mark of Mar­ra­kesh, with its 77-meter-high mina­ret visi­ble from almost any­whe­re in the city, making it the per­fect point of orientation. 

Alt­hough non-Mus­lims are not per­mit­ted to enter the mos­que, it’s worth taking a walk around it and through the sur­roun­ding gardens. 

Koutoubia Mosque Marrakesh

6. Jar­din Majorelle

The Jar­din Majo­rel­le is a 4,000-square-meter gar­den and one of the most visi­ted attrac­tions in Moroc­co. Ori­gi­nal­ly crea­ted by French pain­ter Jac­ques Majo­rel­le and later res­to­red and rede­si­gned by fashion desi­gner Yves Saint Laurent. 

The gar­den fea­tures vibrant blue buil­dings, exo­tic plants, and tran­quil water fea­tures, making it an oasis away from the hust­le and bust­le of Marrakesh.

The gar­den is tru­ly beau­tiful and offers a wel­co­me break from the city’s cha­os, but to be honest, it’s less spec­ta­cu­lar and smal­ler than expec­ted. I per­so­nal­ly think the ent­rance fee of over €15 is a bit exces­si­ve, espe­ci­al­ly com­pared to other attrac­tions in Marrakesh. 

Note: Tickets must be purcha­sed online in advan­ce, as no tickets are sold on-site.

7. El Baa­di-Palace and Saa­di­an Tombs

The El Badi Palace is a ruin, but it still gives a sen­se of the gran­deur and sple­ndor of days gone by. The vast cour­ty­ards are par­ti­cu­lar­ly impressive. 

The Saa­di­an Tombs were redis­co­ver­ed only in the 20th cen­tu­ry and are now one of Marrakesh’s most impres­si­ve attrac­tions. Their intri­ca­te design, fea­turing marb­le and Zellij mosaics, makes them tru­ly unique. 

High­lights out­side Marrakesh

Once you’ve explo­red Mar­ra­kesh, be sure to take the oppor­tu­ni­ty to dis­co­ver the stun­ning sur­roun­dings and other highlights. 

8. Hot Air Bal­loon Ride

Along­side Cap­pa­do­cia in Tur­key, Moroc­co is also famous for its stun­ning hot air bal­loon rides. This uni­que and awe-inspi­ring expe­ri­ence is defi­ni­te­ly a high­light. At dawn, the hot air bal­loons take off, and you gli­de towards the sun­ri­se, enjoy­ing the view of the Atlas Moun­ta­ins’ peaks and the desert-like land­scape below. 

Most pro­vi­ders offer pick-up ser­vices in Mar­ra­kesh and bring you back after the ride. My pro­vi­der included a light break­fast befo­re the flight and a very hear­ty break­fast after­ward, befo­re hea­ding back to Marrakesh. 

9. Day Trip to Ait Ben Haddou

Ano­ther unfor­gettable excur­si­on is a day trip to Ait Ben Had­dou, one of Morocco’s most famous and best-pre­ser­ved kas­bahs. The mud-built for­ti­fied city is a UNESCO World Heri­ta­ge Site and has ser­ved as a back­drop for count­less films. If you have the time, I would defi­ni­te­ly recom­mend spen­ding a night here. 

Ait Ben Haddou Morocco Travel Guide Itinerary3

Best Restau­rants & Cafés in Marrakesh

Mar­ra­kesh is a culina­ry para­di­se, offe­ring a vast varie­ty of dining expe­ri­en­ces that will satis­fy any food lover. From tra­di­tio­nal Moroc­can cui­sine to inter­na­tio­nal dis­hes, you’ll find an array of opti­ons to explo­re. Two must-try dis­hes in Mar­ra­kesh are the ico­nic mint tea, a stap­le at every meal, and taji­ne, a slow-coo­ked stew with vege­ta­bles and meat (or vege­ta­ri­an options). 

Here are some of the best restau­rants and cafés to visit in Marrakesh: 

  • Le Sli­ma­na: This restau­rant is known for its excep­tio­nal menu, blen­ding local Moroc­can ingre­di­ents with inter­na­tio­nal fla­vors. The food is out­stan­ding, and the atmo­sphe­re, espe­ci­al­ly from the roof­top ter­race, adds to the charm. 
  • Broc the Kas­bah: A hea­ven for vege­ta­ri­ans and vegans, Broc the Kas­bah offers an impres­si­ve sel­ec­tion of meat-free dis­hes. Whe­ther you’re vege­ta­ri­an or just love fresh, deli­cious food, this place won’t disappoint. 
  • L’Mi­da: Loca­ted in the heart of the Medi­na, L’Mi­da com­bi­nes tra­di­tio­nal Moroc­can dis­hes with a modern twist. It’s a gre­at spot to expe­ri­ence local fla­vors with a con­tem­po­ra­ry touch. 
  • Ben­dir Roof­top: As the name sug­gests, this restau­rant boasts a fan­ta­stic roof­top ter­race with incre­di­ble views. The menu offers tasty Moroc­can and inter­na­tio­nal dis­hes, making it a per­fect place to enjoy both the food and the atmosphere. 
  • Man­da­la Socie­ty: This rela­xed café is ide­al for a quick cof­fee break, healt­hy snacks, or a light meal. It’s also a gre­at spot for a deli­cious break­fast or lunch stop in Marrakesh. 

For a tru­ly unfor­gettable expe­ri­ence, Le Comp­toir Dar­na offers din­ner with bel­ly dancing and live shows. This ico­nic venue com­bi­nes tra­di­tio­nal Moroc­can music, dance, and a luxu­rious atmo­sphe­re. While it’s on the pri­cier side (around 100€ per per­son), it’s per­fect for a spe­cial evening out. 

Afforda­ble Accom­mo­da­ti­ons in Marrakesh

Mar­ra­kesh offers a wide ran­ge of accom­mo­da­ti­ons to suit every bud­get, from luxu­rious Riads to char­ming, bud­get-fri­end­ly guest­hou­ses. Riads in the Medi­na are par­ti­cu­lar­ly popu­lar, pro­vi­ding an authen­tic Moroc­can expe­ri­ence with their ori­en­tal charm and per­so­na­li­zed ser­vice. The­se tra­di­tio­nal accom­mo­da­ti­ons offer a per­fect blend of luxu­ry and local flair.
For tho­se who pre­fer a more modern vibe, the­re are ple­nty of afforda­ble hotels in Mar­ra­kesh and bou­tique accom­mo­da­ti­ons loca­ted just out­side the Medi­na, offe­ring com­fort and style at com­pe­ti­ti­ve pri­ces. Whe­ther you’re see­king a lavish stay in a tra­di­tio­nal Riad or a more bud­get-con­scious opti­on, Marrakesh’s accom­mo­da­ti­on sce­ne caters to all preferences. 

Trans­por­ta­ti­on

The most com­mon way to reach Mar­ra­kesh is through Mar­ra­kesh Men­a­ra Inter­na­tio­nal Air­port, loca­ted just 15 minu­tes from the city cen­ter. With direct flights from Euro­pe, the city has beco­me a popu­lar desti­na­ti­on for short trips. Once you arri­ve, taxis and shut­tle buses are rea­di­ly available to take tra­ve­lers com­for­ta­b­ly to the Medi­na or other are­as of the city. 

The Medi­na of Mar­ra­kesh is main­ly car-free, mea­ning most explo­ra­ti­on is done on foot. For lon­ger distances or trips out­side the Medi­na, taxis are the best opti­on. ‘Petits taxis’ are ide­al for short rides, though it’s advi­sa­ble to agree on the fare in advan­ce, as taxis rare­ly use meters. For a more con­ve­ni­ent expe­ri­ence, ask your accom­mo­da­ti­on for an appro­xi­ma­te fare beforehand. 

Cos­ts of Tra­ve­ling Marrakes

Mar­ra­kesh is a rela­tively afforda­ble desti­na­ti­on, with expen­ses vary­ing depen­ding on your tra­vel style. Simp­le meals in local restau­rants typi­cal­ly cost just a few euros, while luxu­rious din­ners in ups­ca­le venues, such as Riads or restau­rants with enter­tain­ment ele­ments, can be signi­fi­cant­ly more expen­si­ve. Simi­lar­ly, accom­mo­da­ti­ons ran­ge from bud­get-fri­end­ly opti­ons to the most luxu­rious hotels and Riads, cate­ring to a wide varie­ty of tra­ve­lers. Whe­ther you’­re loo­king for afforda­ble accom­mo­da­ti­ons in Mar­ra­kesh or see­king a more lavish stay, you’ll find opti­ons to fit your budget. 

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Mar­ra­kesh is bet­ween March and May, as well as during the fall, from Sep­tem­ber to Novem­ber. During the­se months, the tem­pe­ra­tures are plea­sant­ly mild, making it per­fect for explo­ring the city and going on excur­si­ons around Mar­ra­kesh. The sum­mer in Mar­ra­kesh, on the other hand, can be extre­me­ly hot, with tem­pe­ra­tures regu­lar­ly excee­ding 40°C, so it’s best to avo­id the peak heat if you plan on out­door activities. 

Maps: All High­lights in Goog­le Maps

My Con­clu­si­on on Marrakesh

Mar­rak­ech is an incre­di­ble city that has so much to offer. In addi­ti­on to the gre­at his­to­ri­cal sights, it is also the modern influence, which is par­ti­cu­lar­ly evi­dent in the diver­se restau­rant sce­ne, that won my heart. On my enti­re tour of Moroc­co, I have never found such a diver­se ran­ge and at the same time such high qua­li­ty, so you real­ly are spoi­led for choice here. But Mar­ra­kesh is also incre­di­bly diver­se and has some­thing to offer for every bud­get and everyone. 

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