If this is your first time visiting Marrakech and are looking for the best things to see in Marrakech and the best things to do in Marrakech, then this is the guide for you. First off, let’s go through the basics and common questions about visiting Marrakech. For a “pocket version” Marrakech travel guide, read: Marrakech Travel Guide
Where is Marrakech?
Marrakech is in the western part of Morocco and is one of the main tourist destinations in the country. Morocco is located in North Africa and is so close to southern Europe that you can take a ferry from Spain to Morocco!
Is marrakech worth Visiting?
Let me start by stating the obvious – Marrakech is absolutely worth visiting! I absolutely loved my time there and I am itching to book my next flight, in fact I already know when that will be!
I am a self-proclaimed foodie and the food in Marrakech did not disappoint – the tagine, cous cous, tangia, moroccan mint tea and more! Aside from the delicious food, you will be captivated by the vibrant, colourful and rich Moroccan architecture, the very hospitable locals and so much more.
Is Marrakech worth visiting? Absolutely!
How many days in Marrakech?
How many days in Marrakech really depends on what you want to get out of it. I spent 6 days in Marrakech and felt that was not nearly enough time to see and do everything I wanted. If you’re after a whistle stop tour of the city, then 3-5 days is enough, but if you want to explore all that Marrakech has to offer, with a couple of day trips out of the city then at least 10 days is needed.
Is Marrakech Safe?
This is a question I’ve been asked multiple times. To put my answer into context, I travelled to Marrakech for 6 days with a female friend. At no point did we feel unsafe but there were times we felt overwhelmed. When walking through the souks, vendors would shout at you to get your attention so you buy from them. And in Jemaa el-Fnaa, the main market square in the busy evenings when all the food stalls opened, street performers and snake charmers were at their peak.
Would I recommend Marrakech as a safe destination for tourists? Yes!
Read more: Visiting Marrakech as a Woman
In Marrakech, there’s something for everyone. For the self – proclaimed foodies, spa enthusiasts, history buffs, serene and picturesque garden lovers, you are sure to find something you’ll love. A Marrakech city break is calling your name!
Now let’s get into what to do in Marrakech, things to see in Marrakech and even the best day trips from Marrakech.
Marrakech Travel Guide: 14 Best Things to Do In Marrakech
1. Jardin Majorelle
Jardin Majorelle, a botanical garden just outside the old medina is a popular attractions and rightly so – it is one of the best places to visit in Marrakech. This enchantingly stunning garden houses a luxurious plant selection, boldly coloured buildings, a beautiful oasis and paths surrounded by palm trees and cacti.
It takes about 2 hours to complete a visit around the whole area of Jardin Majorelle and there are benches around for you to sit and take in the beautiful scenery. In addition to visiting the gardens, you can also purchase tickets to the YSL museum which houses beautiful YSL clothing designs. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take pictures in the museum.
Know Before You Go: Buy your tickets online and a few days in advance. The best time to visit Jardin Majorelle is first thing in the morning or later in the evening (near closing time) for fewer crowds.
Jardin Majorelle is outside the old town medina, so we used a taxi to get there. Typically, the taxi should not cost more than 70 Dirhams – be sure to haggle with the taxi driver if you’re charged more!
2. Street Food Tour
Now THIS was one of the highlights of my trip! We booked this food tour on our first night so we could try the local foods, get restaurant recommendations from the local guide and also to get our bearings of the busy square at night. I can happily say the tour did not disappoint – this is one of the must do activities in Marrakech!
We tried 5 local street foods – msemmen, harira soup, shebakia, Moroccan ‘sloppy joe’, various types and flavours of olives AND had a 3 or 4 course meal after that – chicken tangine, lamb tangia and so on. If you love food or are curious about Moroccan food and Moroccan cuisine, then be sure to book this tour!
3. Stay at a Riad
If you only take one thing away from this guide, it must be to stay in a riad in Marrakech. A riad is a traditional Moroccan house typically built to house one family, with 3-5 individual rooms. Riads display beautiful Moroccan architecture, offer a personal experience compared to larger hotels and usually include free Moroccan breakfasts.
There are riads to suit every budget, from luxury roads such as Riad Yasmine, Be Marrakech and Riad Botanica to more affordable riads including the gorgeous Riad Paradis Blanc and Riad Al Loune.
We stayed in Riad Botanica and this has to be one of the best raids in Marrakech – wow were we impressed! Beautifully designed, attentive hosts and great location close to all the best sights in Marrakech
The riads you’ll see usually have at least 2 floors. The 1st floor has a swimming pool and a couple of rooms, the 2nd floor has the remaining rooms and if there’s a 3rd floor, it’s usually a roof terrace.
Where to stay in Marrakech
Riad Botanica
Riad Paradise Blanc
Riad Yasmine
4. Museum of Confluence
Don’t let the fact that it’s a museum scare you away, the Museum of Confluence is an amazing place to see in Marrakech and the photos below should show you why. The museum is a perfect showcase of incredibly beautiful Moroccan architecture, as well as the effects of European influences.
There is a beautiful garden around the centre of the museum, with growing orange trees, distinct black and white floor tiles and colourfully-tiled columns – I have never been to a more aesthetically pleasing museum.
Know Before You Go: If you plan to visit Dar El Bacha (below) as part of your trip to the Museum of Confluence, then you must arrive at least 15 minutes before opening. The queue for visiting starts before opening and it can get really long, so you’ll do better to start your day with this visit instead of arriving later.
5. Dar El Bacha Café
Within the walls of the Museum of Confluence at the entrance to the old medina, you will find this beautifully designed café serving over 200 flavours of coffee. Famously described as one of the most beautiful places in Marrakech, Dar El Bacha actually means ‘house of the Pasha’. You do not need to be a coffee lover to appreciate the breath-taking beauty of the café’s interiors, form the alternating black and white tiles on the floor to the distinct orange coffee cans that line the walls and the Moroccan architecture and design. In the café, you can choose from an incredible collection of coffees, pastries and light meals.
Know Before You Go: The café is very popular, with wait times of 1-3 hours (IKR?!). To avoid having to wait, you need to arrive approx. 15 minutes before opening. If you do visit later in the day, there are e-queues, so you just have to register at the café and you are added to the queue. Spend your wait time exploring the Museum of Confluence.
6. Day Trip to Atlas Mountains & Berber Lunch
Escape the hustle and bustle of Marrakech and head to the Atlas Mountains and 5 Valleys predominantly inhabited by the Berber people. We booked this day tour which included a driver and tour guide who drove us from Marrakech. What made this Marrakech tour special was the trip to a Berber village for a traditional homemade lunch overlooking the mountains.
We made several stops on the drive, including a stop for spectacular views of Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa. Luckily for us, it had just snowed in the mountains and the peak looked absolutely incredible with the white snow on the top. One of our other stops was at a local shop selling products made by the women of the area including argan oil, orange blossom etc. Our guide was very knowledgeable on the history of Morocco and the Berber people, so it was really informative learning from him. This has to be one of the best Marrakech day trips!
For additional Marrakech day trips and Marrakech excursions, see here
7. Cooking Class
Now this is another one for my fellow foodies – a traditional Moroccan cooking class. Whenever I travel to a new destination, I always check for local cooking classes as it’s a great way to immerse yourself in a new culture, engage with locals and of course meet new people, both locals and travellers alike. Taking a cooking class is definitely one of the top things to do in Marrakech.
In this class, we went to the home of the cooking instructor, learned the culinary ways of Morocco – typical cooking spices, processes, materials etc and cooked two tagines – chicken and lamb. We even learned how to prepare delicious Moroccan tea and the art of pouring it. Did you know that the absence of bubbles in Moroccan tea when you pour signifies that a visitor isn’t welcome in your home? Make sure to add this cooking class to your list of activities in Marrakech and book it here!
8. Photoshoot Walk Around The Medina
You’re probably thinking ‘Why would I pay for someone to take of photos of me? I have a phone that can do just that’ and I hear you, that was my first reaction too but hear me out. In a large number of shops in the souk, you are NOT allowed to take photos of the shop, not to mention taking photos of yourself in the shop. However, the photographer had connections with the shop owners and so had permission to take our photos in them and they turned out GORGEOUS (if I may say).
The guide met us at our riad, where we started the walk (and photos) and took us to various areas, two including the famous spice shop and a well lit- lamp shop as seen below. If you’re a solo traveller or even a couple or group of friends that want professionally taken and edited photos, then definitely consider this tour!
9. Bahia Palace
This palace took over a decade to build (!!) and was to be one of the most imposing and impressive palaces of all time. Bahia means beautiful and that is exactly what you will see in this palace. When you’re walking around the interiors, be sure to look up at the ceilings as they all have different intricate designs. The palace also has multiple gardens that you can’t help but photograph.
Know Before You Go: You can combine a trip to Bahia Palace with El Badi Palace as they are situated close to each other.
10. Shop in the Souks
A Marrakech travel guide is not complete without talking about the vibrant and lively souks. Have you REALLY been to Marrakech if you haven’t shopped in the souks? The souks are an essential part of visiting Marrakech and you CANNOT leave without walking through them. The souks are outdoor markets, with shops grouped together by items sold. So you have clothing shops together, spice shops together, leather goods shops together etc. My biggest tip when travelling to Marrakech is to go with an empty suitcase as you will want to buy so many things. A lot of vendors actually offer shipping of heavier items to your home so you don’t have to deal with carrying through the airport.
You may have heard that the souks can be overwhelming or even chaotic and honestly, I’d have to agree but don’t let this stop you. The reason some find shopping in the souks overwhelming is because you have shop after shop after shop, with vendors trying to get your attention to patronise them and buy their goods. It can get loud and with so many people walking by in different directions, it can seem a lot. That’s why I recommend this street food tour and the photoshoot walk which pass through the souks to help you navigate on your first few days.
11. Le Jardin Secret
Tucked away in the heart of the old town medina is Le Jardin Secret, the Secret Garden. Once you enter this garden, you instantly forget about the hustle and bustle of Marrakech city and are transported to a quiet, serene garden. In here, there is also a café / restaurant. This is a really beautiful attraction in Marrakech and a breath of fresh air when the city starts to get a little too loud or chaotic.
The garden has two parts, the exotic garden and the Islamic garden. In the centre of Islamic garden, you will find a gazebo with inbuilt seats to take in the stunning scenery or rest before heading back out into the medina. Your visit to Le Jardin Secret can take as little as an hour or as long as you’d wish as the garden is not that big, at least compared to Jardin Majorelle. You have to add this garden to your list of what to do in Marrakech
12. Sunset Drinks at a Rooftop Bar
You may be surprised to hear this but there is an abundance of rooftop bars and restaurants to choose from in Marrakech. Though a Muslim country, there are bars around the centre of town set up especially for tourists and some are incredible to watch sunset from. Notably to mention, Dar Dar has an amazing view at sunset with great tasting food and drinks to choose from. El Fenn is a riad, but also has a bar and restaurant on the rooftop open to non-guests.
13. Explore Jemaa El-Fnaa at Night
At night, Marrakech’s main square, Jemaa Eel-Fnaa at night is a completely different vibe from during the day. You have outdoor food stalls, street performers (dancers, snake charmers), hawkers and all sorts of exciting acts and things. Even at night, the city is so vibrant!
If you find the square too busy, then head to one of the rooftop restaurants with views of the square so you can still experience it from above. Tuck into a delicious traditional dinner, tagine for Morocco or tangia which is specific to Marrakech and wash it down with a cup or two of Moroccan tea.
14. Ben Youssef Madrasa
Famed as one of the most beautiful places in Marrakech, Ben Youssef Madrasa was an Islamic college founded in the 14th century. It was the largest Islamic School in North Africa and is now regarded as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This has to be one of the best sights in Marrakech.
