For couples · Marrakech · Morocco
Romantic things to do in Marrakech
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Marrakech is a classic romantic escape: candlelit riad courtyards, hammams, rooftop dinners facing the Koutoubia and desert sunsets in Agafay. Book a riad with a roof terrace and plan at least one evening outside the city. Couples tend to stay in Medina (Jemaa el-Fnaa).
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 4
- Area for couples
- Medina (Jemaa el-Fnaa)
- Best months
- March–May and October–November
Romantic ideas
1.Rooftop sunset
Watch the light fade over the medina and the Atlas from a riad or café terrace as the call to prayer sounds.
2.Couples' hammam
Book a private hammam with scrub and massage at a spa or riad.
3.Dinner in the Agafay Desert
Desert camps serve dinner by firelight with the Atlas silhouetted in the distance.
4.Sunrise balloon flight
Float over palm groves and villages as the sun lights up the High Atlas.
5.Jardin Majorelle at opening
See the blue studio and cactus garden in the morning light before the crowds arrive.
6.Calèche ride
Take a horse-drawn carriage from the Koutoubia around the ramparts in the early evening, agreeing the price first.
Sights couples love
Garden · Gueliz
Jardin Majorelle
Book the first slot of the day and pair it with the YSL Museum a few steps away.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Art
- Nature
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
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
Experience · Plains outside Marrakech
Sunrise hot-air balloon flight
Choose an operator that publishes its licence and safety record, and keep the next morning free in case wind cancels the flight.
- Time needed
- Half a day including transfers
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
Where couples should stay
$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and food lovers
Medina (Jemaa el-Fnaa)
Most visitors stay in a riad inside the 12th-century walls, within ten minutes' walk of Jemaa el-Fnaa. Lanes such as Riad Zitoun el-Kedim and Riad Zitoun el-Jedid run south from the square towards the Bahia Palace, and the souks fan out to the north. Cars cannot reach most riads, so porters with carts meet guests at the nearest street.
- Good
- Walk to the main sights and souks; Atmospheric riads with roof terraces; Stays at every price
- Watch out
- Noisy, crowded lanes with scooters; Confusing to navigate, with touts offering unwanted help
- Nearby
- Jemaa el-Fnaa, Koutoubia Mosque, Bahia Palace, Souk Semmarine
Romantic day trips
- Imlil and Toubkal National Park (About 1.5 hours by car) — The village of Imlil, at about 1,740 metres in the High Atlas, is the trailhead for Jbel Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak at 4,167 metres.
- Ourika Valley (About 1.5 hours by car) — A green river valley in the Atlas foothills lined with riverside restaurants, ending at the village of Setti Fatma, where a scramble leads up to a series of waterfalls.
- Essaouira (About 2.5–3 hours by bus or car) — A breezy Atlantic port with a UNESCO-listed walled medina, the Skala de la Ville sea ramparts lined with old cannons, a fishing harbour where you can choose fish for the grill and a long, windy beach popular for kitesurfing.
- Ouzoud Falls (About 2.5–3 hours by car) — Morocco's tallest waterfalls drop about 110 metres in tiers into a red-rock gorge, with olive trees, viewpoints and Barbary macaques along the paths.
- Agafay Desert (About 45 minutes by car) — A rocky stone desert of bare hills south-west of the city, with views of the Atlas, where camps run camel rides, quad-biking and dinners under the stars.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Tagine, Tanjia marrakchia and Couscous. If you have a sensitive stomach, stick to bottled water and freshly cooked or peeled food.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Marrakech romantic?
Marrakech is a classic romantic escape: candlelit riad courtyards, hammams, rooftop dinners facing the Koutoubia and desert sunsets in Agafay. Book a riad with a roof terrace and plan at least one evening outside the city.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Marrakech?
Rooftop sunset: Watch the light fade over the medina and the Atlas from a riad or café terrace as the call to prayer sounds.
+Where should couples stay in Marrakech?
Medina (Jemaa el-Fnaa): Riads, souks and the main square inside the old city walls.