Travel guide · Morocco
Marrakech travel guide
Souks, riad courtyards and the High Atlas on the horizon
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Boris Macek, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Marrakech is a walled medina city at the foot of the High Atlas, built around the Jemaa el-Fnaa square and the Koutoubia minaret. Visitors stay in riads — courtyard houses inside the medina — or in the hotels of Gueliz, Hivernage and the Palmeraie, and spend their days in the souks, palaces and gardens, with day trips to the Atlas valleys, the Agafay desert and Essaouira on the coast. It is intense and colourful, and best enjoyed slowly, with breaks on a rooftop terrace. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are March–May and October–November.
Key facts
- Country
- Morocco
- Best time to visit
- March–May and October–November
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- RAK
- Mid-range daily budget
- $90–$180 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Jemaa el-Fnaa, Souks, Riads and Jardin Majorelle
Why visit Marrakech
- Jemaa el-Fnaa turns from a market square into an open-air theatre and food court every evening.
- The Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Madrasa and Saadian Tombs show off centuries of Moroccan tilework, stucco and carved cedar.
- Staying in a riad, with its courtyard, fountain and roof terrace, is an experience in itself.
- The souks sell leather, carpets, lanterns, spices and argan oil in lanes grouped by trade, as they have for centuries.
- The High Atlas, the Agafay desert and the Atlantic port of Essaouira are all within a day's reach.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 18 things to do.
Landmark · Medina
Jemaa el-Fnaa
Marrakech's main square changes through the day: orange-juice carts and snake charmers in the morning, then storytellers, Gnaoua musicians, acrobats and henna artists, and from late afternoon dozens of open-air food stalls with grills and benches.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours, best at dusk
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Food
- Kids
- Photo spot
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Religious site · Medina
Koutoubia Mosque
The 77-metre minaret of the Koutoubia, completed under the Almohads in the 12th century, is the city's landmark and a model for the Giralda in Seville.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- After dark
Palace · Medina
Bahia Palace
Built in the late 19th century for the grand viziers Si Moussa and his son Ba Ahmed, the Bahia Palace spreads across courtyards and gardens decorated with zellige tilework, carved stucco and painted cedar ceilings.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Garden · Gueliz
Jardin Majorelle
The French painter Jacques Majorelle created this garden from the 1920s around a studio painted in his signature cobalt blue; Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought and restored it in 1980.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Art
- Nature
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Historic site · Medina
Ben Youssef Madrasa
Rebuilt by the Saadians in the 16th century, this Quranic school was once among the largest in North Africa.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Iconic
- Photo spot
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Market · Medina
The souks
North of Jemaa el-Fnaa, a maze of covered lanes is divided by trade: Souk Semmarine for textiles and slippers, the dyers' souk with skeins of coloured wool drying overhead, the metalworkers of Souk Haddadine, and stalls of leather, lanterns, spices and carpets.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Shopping
- Free
- Photo spot
Where to stay
Medina (Jemaa el-Fnaa) is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 6 areas.
$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and food lovers
Medina (Jemaa el-Fnaa)
Riads, souks and the main square inside the old city walls
$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, shopping and culture
Mouassine
Calmer medina lanes with design shops and restored riads
$$ · Best for budget, culture and quiet stays
Kasbah
Royal quarter by the Saadian Tombs and El Badi Palace
$$ · Best for solo travellers, nightlife, shopping and budget
Gueliz
French-built new town of cafés, galleries and modern hotels
What to eat
- Tagine — Slow-cooked stews named after the conical clay pot they are cooked in: chicken with preserved lemon and olives, beef with prunes and almonds, or lamb with artichokes and peas.
- Tanjia marrakchia — Marrakech's own speciality: beef or lamb with preserved lemon, cumin and saffron sealed in a tall clay urn and slow-cooked for hours in the embers of a hammam furnace.
- Couscous — Steamed semolina topped with vegetables and meat in a light broth, traditionally the family lunch on Fridays after midday prayers.
- Harira — A tomato, lentil and chickpea soup with herbs and a little meat, eaten with dates to break the fast during Ramadan and served all year at cheap cafés.
- Pastilla — A flaky pie of paper-thin warqa pastry layered with spiced pigeon or chicken, almonds and egg, dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar; seafood versions are also common.
- Mechoui — Whole lamb slow-roasted in an underground pit oven until it falls apart, sold by weight and eaten with bread, cumin and salt.
When to go
The best times to visit Marrakech are March to May and October to November, when days are warm and sunny but not too hot. Winter (December to February) is mild by day but cold at night, while July and August regularly exceed 40°C, making sightseeing hard outside early mornings and evenings.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Warm, sunny and green, with gardens in bloom and snow still on the Atlas peaks; the busiest and priciest season, especially around Easter. |
| Summer | June–August | Very hot and dry, with highs often near or above 40°C; pools and early starts are essential, and prices drop. |
| Autumn | September–November | The heat eases through September, and October and November bring warm, settled days ideal for the medina and day trips. |
| Winter | December–February | Mild, sunny days around 19°C, cold nights and snow on the High Atlas; busy over Christmas and New Year. |
Getting there and around
Marrakech Menara (RAK) is about 6 km southwest of the medina. Taxis take about 15–20 minutes to Jemaa el-Fnaa or Gueliz — agree the fare at the rank first — and an airport bus runs to the medina and Gueliz. Many riads arrange a pickup, which helps because cars cannot reach most riad doors.
The medina is a car-free maze best explored on foot, though scooters and carts share the lanes. Beige petit taxis cover the rest of the city, including Gueliz, Hivernage and the train station, and city buses and horse-drawn calèches are alternatives for short hops.
Plan your days
Three days covers Jemaa el-Fnaa, the souks, the main palaces and Jardin Majorelle at a comfortable pace. A fourth day adds a trip to the Atlas or Agafay; with a week you can add Essaouira or an overnight trip over the mountains to Aït Benhaddou.
Practical information
- Currency
- MAD
- Language
- Arabic (Darija), Tamazight (Berber) and French
- Plugs
- Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is treated, but most visitors drink bottled water to avoid stomach upsets.
- Emergency number
- 19 police, 15 ambulance and fire
- Tipping
- Leave about 10% in restaurants and small tips for porters, riad staff, guides and drivers; keep small coins for musicians, parking attendants and toilet attendants.
The most common problems are persistent touts, unofficial guides who claim a lane is 'closed' to steer you to a shop or tannery, and pickpocketing in Jemaa el-Fnaa and the souks. Scooters speed through the medina lanes, and summer heat can be extreme, so carry water and rest at midday.
Flights to Marrakech
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Marrakech?
Three days covers Jemaa el-Fnaa, the souks, the main palaces and Jardin Majorelle at a comfortable pace. A fourth day adds a trip to the Atlas or Agafay; with a week you can add Essaouira or an overnight trip over the mountains to Aït Benhaddou. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Marrakech?
The best times to visit Marrakech are March to May and October to November, when days are warm and sunny but not too hot. Winter (December to February) is mild by day but cold at night, while July and August regularly exceed 40°C, making sightseeing hard outside early mornings and evenings.
+What is Marrakech known for?
Jemaa el-Fnaa, Souks, Riads, Jardin Majorelle, Tagine and mint tea, Hammams and Atlas Mountains. Jemaa el-Fnaa turns from a market square into an open-air theatre and food court every evening.
+Is Marrakech expensive?
Marrakech is affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $90–$180 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Marrakech?
No. The medina is walkable and taxis are inexpensive. A car with a driver, or a self-drive hire, only makes sense for the Atlas Mountains, Essaouira or the desert.