Free things to do · Marrakech · Morocco
5 free things to do in Marrakech
Marrakech without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Val Traveler, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 2 days in Marrakech without paying an entry fee: Jemaa el-Fnaa, Koutoubia Mosque, The souks and Menara Gardens are all free. Carry small notes and coins; change for large notes is often hard to find in the souks and taxis.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 5
- Low-cost extras
- 10
- Cost level
- Affordable
- Lowest hotel prices
- June–August
Free sights and experiences
Landmark · Medina
1.Jemaa el-Fnaa
Watch the evening transformation from a rooftop café, then eat at a busy numbered stall; expect to pay performers if you photograph them.
- 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
2.Koutoubia Mosque
Walk through the rose gardens behind the mosque at sunset, when the call to prayer carries across the square.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- After dark
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Market · Medina
3.The souks
Haggle with a smile, start well below the first price and walk away politely if you can't agree; ignore anyone who says a lane is closed.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Shopping
- Free
- Photo spot
Garden · Hivernage
4.Menara Gardens
Come in the late afternoon in winter or spring for the classic photo of the pavilion against the mountains.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
- Kids
Garden · Avenue Mohammed V
5.Cyber Park
Use it as a shady rest stop on the walk between the Koutoubia and Gueliz.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Medina | Jemaa el-Fnaa, Koutoubia Mosque and The souks | 2–3 hours, best at dusk + 30 minutes + Half a day |
| Hivernage | Menara Gardens | 1 hour |
| Avenue Mohammed V | Cyber Park | 30–45 minutes |
Worth a small ticket
Palace · Medina
Bahia Palace
Arrive at opening; tour groups fill the courtyards by late morning.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
- Iconic
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Historic site · Medina
Ben Youssef Madrasa
Combine it with the Marrakech Museum and the Maison de la Photographie, both a few minutes' walk away.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Iconic
- Photo spot
Historic site · Kasbah
Saadian Tombs
Come early or late in the day; the queue to look into the main chamber is longest at midday.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
Palace · Kasbah
El Badi Palace
Climb to the corner terraces for views over the medina and, on clear winter days, the snowy Atlas.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Photo spot
- Kids
Garden · Mouassine
Le Jardin Secret
Pay the small extra fee to climb the tower, and come in the late afternoon when the gardens are quieter.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Nature
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Neighbourhood · Mellah
The Mellah
Visit the synagogue and the cemetery, and be firm with unofficial guides waiting at the entrances.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Shopping
- Off the beaten path
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Museum · Medina
Dar Si Said
Visit before shopping for carpets to learn regional styles and what good quality looks like.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Medina
Hammam experience
For a first visit choose a spa or riad hammam with the scrub included; for a public one, bring flip-flops, a towel and a change of underwear.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Rainy day
Gallery · Medina
Maison de la Photographie
Finish with mint tea on the roof terrace, one of the calmest views in the northern medina.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Views
- Off the beaten path
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Museum · Medina
Marrakech Museum
Step in when the madrasa queue is long; the courtyard is a cool, quiet place to sit.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Art
- Rainy day
More ways to save
- Carry small notes and coins; change for large notes is often hard to find in the souks and taxis.
- Bargain for anything without a fixed price, and compare several shops before buying carpets or leather.
- Simple cafés and snack stalls in Gueliz and the medina cost far less than rooftop restaurants.
- Jemaa el-Fnaa, the Koutoubia gardens, the Menara Gardens and Cyber Park are all free.
- Shopping stops arranged by guides or drivers usually include a commission that raises prices.
- The dirham is hard to obtain or exchange outside Morocco, so spend or change leftovers before you leave.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Marrakech expensive to visit?
Marrakech is affordable for most visitors, but 5 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Marrakech?
Jemaa el-Fnaa: Watch the evening transformation from a rooftop café, then eat at a busy numbered stall; expect to pay performers if you photograph them.