Marrakech is Morocco's most visited city — and for good reason. The medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of dizzying energy, the gardens are world-class, the food is extraordinary, and the surrounding landscapes offer some of the most dramatic day trips in North Africa. Here is everything you need to know about the best things to do in Marrakech.
Jemaa el-Fna & the Souks
The Famous Square
Jemaa el-Fna is one of the great public spaces of the world. By day it is a market of orange juice stalls, henna artists, snake charmers, and acrobats. As the sun sets, it transforms into something else entirely: dozens of food stalls materialize from nowhere, smoke fills the air, and the square becomes an open-air festival of grilled meats, Moroccan salads, harira soup, and sheep heads. Thousands of locals and tourists mingle in the chaos and the noise.
Practical tips for the square: - Orange juice stalls charge 4-5 DH for a fresh-squeezed glass — the iconic experience costs almost nothing - Food stalls in the evening are genuine and cheap: a full dinner of brochettes, salad, and bread costs 40-70 DH per person. Point at what you want and agree on a price before sitting. - Snake charmers, musicians, and acrobats will expect a tip if you photograph them — 10-20 DH is appropriate. Be decisive: if you stop and watch, you've implicitly agreed to tip. - The best view is from the rooftop terrace of Café de France or the Café Glacier on the square's south side — coffee 15 DH, view priceless
Navigating the Souks
The souks begin immediately north of Jemaa el-Fna and sprawl through hundreds of alleyways organized (loosely) by trade. Getting lost is part of the experience, but knowing the basic layout helps.
The main souk areas: - Souk Semmarine: the main artery, running north from the square, lined with leather goods, clothing, and tourist crafts - Souk el-Attarine (Spice Market): parallel to Semmarine, selling spices, perfumes, and argan oil — the smells are overwhelming in the best way - Souk des Babouches: the slipper souk, where thousands of leather slippers in every color hang from the ceiling. Babouches range from 60 DH (simple) to 300 DH (embroidered, high-quality) - Souk Cherratin (Leather): bags, belts, and leather goods direct from the tanners. Quality varies enormously — handle items before buying. - Souk Haddadine (Blacksmiths): clanging metalwork — lanterns, decorative ironwork. The noise is startling. - Mouassine: the neighborhood northwest of the main souks, with better-quality artisan shops, design boutiques, and fewer touts
On bargaining: Prices in tourist souks are typically inflated 200-400% for the first offer. Counteroffer at 30-40% of the asking price, expect to settle around 50-60%. Never name your price first. If a figure feels wrong, walk away — you will often be called back. Bargaining is expected and respected; aggressive refusal to engage is considered rude.
Gardens & Palaces
Marrakech has an exceptional concentration of historic gardens and palatial architecture within walking distance of the medina.
Jardin Majorelle
The most famous garden in Morocco, created by French painter Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s and rescued from demolition by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1980. The electric cobalt blue of the studio building against bougainvillea fuchsia, amid 300+ plant species from five continents, is genuinely one of the world's great garden experiences.
- ▸ Hours: daily 8h-18h (last entry 17h30)
- ▸ Entry: 70 DH garden only, 100 DH garden + Musée Berbère
- ▸ Book online to skip queues (essential in April-October)
- ▸ Best time: arrive at opening (8h) for photography and fewer crowds
- ▸ Also visit: the Musée Yves Saint Laurent immediately adjacent (80 DH) — a beautifully designed museum dedicated to the couturier's work
Bahia Palace
The Bahia Palace (meaning "brilliant" or "beautiful" in Arabic) was built in the late 19th century for Ba Ahmed, the Grand Vizier of Morocco. The complex of 150 rooms, courtyards, and gardens across 8 hectares represents the peak of traditional Moroccan palatial architecture. The painted cedar ceilings, carved stucco, and zellij tilework are extraordinary.
- ▸ Hours: daily 9h-17h
- ▸ Entry: 70 DH
- ▸ What to see: the main ceremonial courtyard (Cour d'Honneur), the private apartments (beautifully decorated), and the shaded garden courtyards with orange trees
Saadian Tombs
Discovered behind a sealed wall in 1917, the Saadian Tombs contain the mausoleums of the Saadian dynasty (late 16th-17th century). The Chamber of the Twelve Columns, with its carved marble pillars and cedar ceiling inlaid with gold, is one of the finest rooms of any period in Morocco. The garden around the tombs is also beautifully maintained.
- ▸ Hours: daily 9h-17h (closed briefly at midday on Fridays)
- ▸ Entry: 70 DH
- ▸ Note: the site is small and queues can be long in high season — visit early morning or late afternoon
Menara Gardens
A welcome escape from the medina's intensity, the Menara Gardens are a vast olive grove surrounding a large reflecting pool with a 16th-century pavilion. At dusk, with the High Atlas mountains snow-capped in the distance and the pavilion reflected in the still water, the view is among the most serene in Marrakech.
- ▸ Hours: always open (grounds). Pavilion 9h-17h.
- ▸ Entry: grounds free. Pavilion 10 DH.
- ▸ Getting there: 20-minute walk or 15 DH petit taxi from Jemaa el-Fna
Hammams & Wellness
A hammam visit is not just a tourist activity — it is a genuine cultural institution in Morocco, where men and women have gone for centuries to bathe, socialize, and refresh. The experience differs enormously depending on which type you choose.
Traditional Public Hammams (~20 DH)
Every neighborhood in the medina has a public hammam (women's and men's sections always separate, or operating at different hours). You bring your own savon beldi (black olive soap — buy at any souk stall for 10 DH) and kessa (exfoliating mitt, 10-15 DH), pay the entry fee (15-25 DH), and use the communal steam rooms. An attendant will scrub you down (tip 20-30 DH afterward).
The experience is authentic, slightly bewildering the first time, and genuinely rejuvenating. Ask your riad to recommend the nearest neighborhood hammam and the appropriate hours for your gender. Hammam Mouassine (near the Mouassine mosque) and Hammam Bab Doukkala are known to be welcoming to respectful foreign visitors.
Tourist Hammams (250-600 DH)
Designed for first-timers who want a more guided experience, tourist hammams offer a fixed package: steam room, savon beldi scrub, ghassoul clay mask, and massage. Everything is provided, instructions given in English or French, and the process explained.
- ▸ Les Bains de Marrakech (400-600 DH for 2h package): beautifully designed, reliable quality, near Bahia Palace. Book ahead.
- ▸ Hammam de la Rose (350-500 DH): popular, central location near Place Ben Youssef, good for solo travelers
- ▸ Hammam Ziani (250-350 DH): more modest but good value, recommended by locals as authentically run
What to expect in any hammam: You'll be taken to a hot steam room, have black soap applied and worked in, then receive an exfoliating scrub that will remove more dead skin than you thought possible. The result is startlingly soft skin. Leave 20-30% as a tip for attendants.
Day Trips from Marrakech
Marrakech's location at the foot of the High Atlas provides access to stunning landscapes within a few hours' drive.
Ourika Valley (45 minutes)
The closest and easiest escape from Marrakech, the Ourika Valley follows a river into the Atlas foothills, passing through Berber villages, walnut orchards, and market towns. The valley culminates at Setti Fatma, a small village with a series of waterfalls (1h hike up, moderate difficulty). On Mondays, the weekly market at Aït Ourir is an authentic livestock and produce market worth timing your visit around. Half-day or full-day by grand taxi from Marrakech (~300-400 DH for the vehicle).
Essaouira (2.5 hours)
The most popular day trip from Marrakech, Essaouira is a walled Atlantic port city with a relaxed, artsy vibe that offers total contrast to Marrakech's intensity. The ramparts, the busy fishing harbor, the blue-and-white medina, and the wide windswept beach are all memorable. Take the CTM or Supratours bus (80-100 DH each way, 2h30) or organize a private transfer (600-800 DH each way). Consider staying the night rather than rushing back.
Ouzoud Falls (3 hours)
The most spectacular waterfall in North Africa, Ouzoud is a series of 110-meter cascades in a dramatic canyon planted with olive trees. Resident Barbary macaques scramble on the rocks around the falls. You can swim in the pools at the base. The drive through the olive groves and Berber countryside is beautiful. Best done with a car or organized tour (full-day, 200-400 DH in a group, 800-1,200 DH private).
High Atlas Mountains & Agafay Desert
For something more adventurous, the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260m) road south toward Ouarzazate passes through dramatic High Atlas scenery and the ancient kasbah of Aït Benhaddou (a UNESCO site used in filming Game of Thrones and Gladiator). Full day or two-day trip.
The Agafay Desert — a rocky, arid plateau 40km from Marrakech — offers a genuine desert atmosphere without the 9-hour drive to the Sahara. Sunset camel rides, luxury desert camps, and quad biking. Half-day from 400 DH per person in a group, full overnight experience from 1,500 DH.
Rooftops & Nightlife
Marrakech's nightlife is more developed than any other Moroccan city, ranging from sunset rooftop drinks to high-energy club nights.
Best Rooftop Bars and Sunset Spots
- ▸ Nomad (Derb Aajane, medina): consistently one of the best rooftop restaurants in Marrakech, with views over the rooftops and a contemporary Moroccan menu. Arrive early for sunset. Book ahead. Mains 90-160 DH.
- ▸ Le Jardin (Mouassine quarter): a beautiful garden restaurant in a restored riad, with a rooftop bar. Cocktails 80-120 DH.
- ▸ Café de France (Jemaa el-Fna): not glamorous, but the corner terrace on the third floor gives the best bird's-eye view of the main square — especially at sunset when the food stalls are setting up
- ▸ Kech Boutique Hotel terrace (Rue Moulay Hassan): less known, but the rooftop pool and Atlas views are excellent
Live Music Venues
- ▸ Jemaa el-Fna itself: Gnawa musicians perform around the square most evenings — the circular procession of musicians and dancers is one of the genuine cultural experiences of Morocco. Free, tip the musicians.
- ▸ Restaurant Dar Zitoun (medina): traditional Moroccan dinner with live Andalusian or Gnawa music, 250-400 DH with dinner
- ▸ Theatro (Hotel Es Saadi, Hivernage): Marrakech's most famous club, with international DJs and a beautiful outdoor pool setting. Entry 150-250 DH, open Thursday-Saturday from midnight.
- ▸ Pacha Marrakech (Circuit de la Palmeraie): one of the Pacha group's flagship clubs, large outdoor space, regular international DJ events. Entry 200-400 DH.
Note on alcohol: Alcohol is available in tourist hotels, licensed restaurants, and upmarket bars throughout Marrakech. It is not served in the medina's traditional restaurants or street stalls. Prices: beer 40-60 DH, cocktail 80-130 DH, wine by the glass 60-100 DH.