Although Marrakech is not the capital of the country, it is probably the most famous and well-known city in all of Morocco and the ideal place to start getting to know the culture of our African neighbors. It was the starting point of our trip through Morocco and in this post we are going to tell you the best 25 things to see and do in Marrakech.
Did you know that Marrakech is called the pink city? It is because of the colour that tinges the chaotic alleys of its medina, but there is also the green and blue of the Majorelle Gardens, or the indescribable multicoloured palette of the lively Jemaa-el-Fna Square. Yes, it is a multicoloured city that you cannot miss on your trip through Morocco.
What to see and do in Marrakech
We spent 3 full days in the city and that's more than enough time to tick off all the points on the list. However, if you like to take a more relaxed approach, focus on the main things or what draws your attention the most and come back several times hehe... we've already been there 3 times and there are still more to come!
Now, let’s see which ones are the best…
1. Jemaa el-Fna Square
Start off on a high note by wandering around Jemaa el-Fna square , the heart of the Marrakech medina. It could be considered the very essence of the city, a place full of life, a hive of characters, vendors, improvised restaurants, fruit stands and (more or less) eye-catching shows. Tip: to fully appreciate this place, the best thing to do is to go up to a rooftop at sunset (the one at Café Glacier is veeeery good) and enjoy the show while drinking mint tea.
Something that unfortunately still exists are animals on display like monkeys and snakes. Don't take photos with them or be part of the animal business 🙁
By the way, the Plaza el-Fna area is the best place to stay for us. On our last visit we stayed at the Riad Bab Chems and we really liked it.
⭐ These are the best terraces in Marrakech
2. Free tour in Marrakech
Take a free tour with a local guide, it's one of the best ways to get to know this mysterious city. Don't be stingy when you finish and leave a good tip, the guides work hard! Ours (Karim) told us a thousand things about the city... The tour lasted about 4 hours and we thought it was super complete! You can book it here .
It's one of the best things to see and do in Marrakech, don't hesitate to sign up!
3. Minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, one of the best things to see in Marrakech
The minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque is the most famous icon of Marrakech. With its 77 meters of height, it conquers the sky of the city and becomes the target of tourists' cameras at any time of the day. Although access is reserved for Muslims (apparently the only large mosque that can be visited in Morocco is the one in Casablanca), it is well worth seeing it from the outside simply because it is impressive.
Fun fact: did you know that the Giralda in Seville was inspired by this minaret?
4. Lalla Hasna Park
You won't have to go far to get the best views of this iconic tower. Behind it is Parc Lalla Hasna , with a fountain in the middle of the promenade that aligns with the mosque. For us, the view is one that will never be forgotten.
The best time to walk around is just before sunset, to hear the call to prayer and see the hustle and bustle that fills everything.
5. Saadian Tombs
Another thing to see and do in Marrakech is to visit the Saadian Tombs , where the members of the Saadian dynasty (and their servants) rest eternally. In particular, don't miss the Hall of the Twelve Columns, with the tombs of Ahmad Al-Mansur (sultan from 1578 to 1603) and members of his family.
The twelve exquisitely carved marble columns are crowned by a wonderful wooden dome. Entry costs 70 dirhams. We went around 13:00 and had to wait in a bit of a queue. We think it's better to go in the afternoon.
6. Ben Youssef Madrasa
The Ben Youssef Madrasa is another stop to put on the map. Madrasas are Muslim schools where the Koran is studied, but also other general culture subjects. This is the most important in the country, and its architecture and decoration must be impressive. We say “must” because we were only able to see it from a terrace in front, since it was in the middle of a renovation project that will last until 2021 (now we have an excuse to return to Marrakech).
⭐ Update : We returned to Marrakech in 2022 and confirmed that the Ben Youssef Madrasa is truly amazing. We paid 50 dirham to enter and it's worth it all: seeing the central courtyard, the students' cells, wow, every corner is amazing. A must-see in Marrakech, without a doubt.
7. Bab Agnaou Gate
Go through the Bab Agnaou gate , one of the ancient entrances that dotted the walls of Marrakech . For us it is the most beautiful, but it is not the only one: other interesting gates are Bab el Jedid , Bab Doukkala and Bab el Khemis .
Curiosity: the ancient city is surrounded by a wall that is still standing today and measures almost 20km!
8. Bahia Palace
Visit the Bahia Palace , which was built at the end of the 19th century with the idea of creating, no more and no less, the most beautiful palace in the world. We don't know if they succeeded... what we can say is that it is one of the best places to visit in this city and many consider it to be one of the great masterpieces of Moroccan architecture. The general entrance fee is 70 dirhams (approx. €7).
Come on, don't miss it because it is one of the best things to see in Marrakech.
9. El Badi Palace
Another interesting palace in the old part of Marrakech is the El Badi Palace . At first glance it may seem like “just ruins” but, as they say, they are “ruins with a lot of charm”. However, in its heyday it must have been much more amazing since, according to legend, it had more than 300 rooms, all decorated with luxurious materials and styles of the time.
The only bad thing is that the entrance fee, like almost everything in the city, costs 70 dirhams.
10. Getting lost in the souks, one of the best things to do in Marrakech
Take all your fears away and lose yourself in the souks (markets) of the Marrakech medina. In ancient times, the streets were grouped by type of product, like in Medieval Europe with the guilds, so there was the blacksmiths' souk, the spices souk, the carpets souk...
Nowadays it's more of a tangle of stalls selling souvenirs for tourists, although if you go a little further north you'll find more authentic shops and workshops. Be patient, brush up on your bargaining skills and if anyone tells you to follow them to the Berber market (or somewhere else…) don't go!
⭐ Tip to avoid getting lost in the Medina: we used the Maps.me app to know where we were at all times. It works very well, but remember to download the city map to be able to use it without internet.
11. Stay in a Riad
Make the most of your stay by staying in a traditional style : in a riad . These are small hotels with several rooms distributed around a central courtyard. They are usually super cute, cozy, with the typical Moroccan architecture and decoration that… I don't know about you, but we love it!
By the way, if you don't have any budget problems (lucky you!) you can stay in one of the most beautiful luxury hotels in the world: La Mamounia . We were happy to stay at Riad Basma (on our first trip) and Riad Bab Chems (last trip). We also stayed in another one and although it was beautiful, we think the area around Jemaa el-Fna is the best.
12. Marrakech Palm Grove
The Marrakech Palm Grove , with its more than 100,000 palm trees, can be a curious place to visit on your trip. However, if you are going to visit other parts of Morocco, we think it is not worth going there, because you will be sick of seeing palm trees!
13. Jewish quarter
Did you know that Marrakech has a Jewish quarter ? We are talking about the Mellah , the place where many of the Jews who had to escape from Spain after the expulsion decreed by the Catholic Monarchs found refuge. Here you can visit the Al Azama synagogue or the Jewish cemetery. It is undoubtedly an original and alternative place to see in Marrakech.
14. Majorelle Garden
If after all those squares, mosques, alleys, souks and hustle and bustle, what you need is a dose of healthy relaxation, a great place to visit is the Majorelle Gardens , a botanical garden full of local and exotic plants. And when we say full, we mean it: it seems that they have more than 300 different species… a real green oasis!
Fun fact: it was created in 1919 by the French painter Jacques Majorelle , who was in love with Marrakech, and in 1980 the designer Yves Saint Laurent bought it, also attracted by this place. We went on a Saturday morning and we couldn't get in: the queue was im-men-sa (thanks Instagram), so we decided to let it go.
The price of the garden is 120 dirhams and the combined ticket with the YSL Museum is 220 dirhams.
15. Secret Garden
The name says it all: the Secret Garden is a secret little spot (less and less so, to be honest :-p) in the centre of the medina of Marrakech. Walking around here is like taking a breath of fresh air, although… you have to pay beforehand (60 dirhams), which is a bit expensive for what it is. We didn't go up to the tower (35 dirhams extra) but we did go to the terrace where there is a café and we were able to enjoy some good views.
16. Guéliz
If you close your eyes and think of Marrakech, you will probably think of picturesque corners of the medina… But Marrakech has a more modern area: we are talking about the Guéliz district . It is a good alternative if you are looking for new and quality accommodation, and there are also avenues, shops, shopping centres and cafes with a more Western style. Here you can also visit the beautiful buildings of the train station and the Royal Theatre.
17. Give Cherifa
Grab an orange juice, tea or whatever you fancy at Dar Cherifa , the oldest riad in the Marrakech medina. It's a real treat (and not as expensive as you might think: drinks for €2-3, food for €8/16).
18. Rahba Kedima Square, a must-see in Marrakech
One of the places we liked the most in Marrakech was the Plaza Rahba Kedima , in the old spice souk. Although the market is not as local as it could have been a while ago, it has a charming atmosphere. Plus, you have an extra reason to come: arranged around the square are some of the best terraces in Marrakech , such as Nomads or Café des Épices.
19. House of Photography
If you are passionate about photography or you are caught on a day of bad weather, the Casa de la Fotografía is a good place to spend some time. Here you can walk among photo exhibitions that portray Morocco in the 19th and 20th centuries. Plus: there is a pretty cool cafe on the terrace. Price: approx. €3. The area is a bit far from the commercial heart of the medina, so you can enjoy a pleasant and less touristy walk.
20. Almoravid Quoubba
Visit the Quoubba Almoravid , the last building still standing from the time of the Almoravids, founders of the city in 1062 and characterized by religious puritanism and rather austere art. We contemplated it from the terrace of Jad Jamal (we had a very nice tea), the best thing is to go up before sunset to enjoy this moment, and you will hear the call to prayer from the Ben Youssef mosque, right next door.
21. Eat at Amal
Book a lunch or dinner at Amal , a restaurant that not only serves exquisite dishes, but also does commendable social work, giving work to women in disadvantaged situations (widows, divorcees, orphans...).
⭐ Here we recommend more restaurants where you can eat well and cheaply in Marrakech .
22. Go to a traditional hammam, one of the best experiences to have in Marrakech
To end the day in the best possible way, there is nothing better than taking a relaxing bath and getting a massage in a traditional hammam . There are many spread throughout the city, but if you want to book the experience in advance you can do so here . It is undoubtedly one of the most pleasant experiences to live in Marrakech 🙂
More things to do in Marrakech: excursions
Do you have more time at your disposal? From Marrakech there are some nearby excursions that can complete an ideal trip through Morocco. Take a look:
23. Essaouira
This fishing village is one of the prettiest and most picturesque corners of the Moroccan coast and, although the ideal is to spend several days there, there are day trips from Marrakech that can fit into your itinerary.
⭐ Here we tell you everything to see and do in Essaouira
24. Ouzoud Waterfalls
Another day trip from Marrakech is to see the Ouzoud waterfalls , where you can take a refreshing dip. To get there, you have the option of renting a car (you get there in two hours) or signing up for a tour (a better option if you're not going to do more road trips).
25. Sahara Desert
And, of course, since you are in Morocco, why not take advantage of the opportunity to visit one of the most extraordinary places in the world: the Sahara Desert ? There are many multi-day tours that take you to the Merzouga or Zagora deserts , with other stops along the way, such as the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou.
⭐ Here we tell you in detail about the best excursions from Marrakech
We're sure we've forgotten other things to see and do in Marrakech , but these are a good start to getting to know the essentials of the city. If you've been there and think something is missing or know of original places to visit, leave us a comment!
