With kids · Marrakech · Morocco
Marrakech with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Acp, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Children usually love Marrakech's sights and sounds — the acrobats and musicians of Jemaa el-Fnaa, camel rides in the Palmeraie and Agafay, and gardens such as Majorelle — but the medina's crowds, scooters and heat need planning. A hotel or riad with a pool makes a big difference. Top picks: Jemaa el-Fnaa, Jardin Majorelle and Menara Gardens. Families usually base themselves in Hivernage.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Hivernage
- Rainy-day options
- 0
- Busiest months
- April
Best things to do with kids
Landmark · Medina
1.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. UNESCO recognised its living traditions in 2001 as a masterpiece of intangible heritage.
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
Garden · Gueliz
2.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. Cacti, bamboo and bougainvillea surround pools and fountains, and the former studio houses a museum of Amazigh (Berber) arts.
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
- Book ahead
- Entry is by timed ticket bought online, and slots sell out in high season; book a few days ahead.
- Iconic
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Art
- Nature
Garden · Hivernage
3.Menara Gardens
West of the medina, the Menara Gardens are Almohad-era olive groves around a large 12th-century reservoir, with a green-roofed 19th-century pavilion reflected in the water and the High Atlas behind it on clear winter days.
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
Palace · Kasbah
4.El Badi Palace
Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur's 16th-century palace was stripped of its marble and gold a century later, leaving vast ruined walls, sunken gardens and pools where storks nest on the ramparts. The 12th-century carved minbar from the Koutoubia mosque is displayed inside.
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 · Avenue Mohammed V
5.Cyber Park
Arsat Moulay Abdeslam, an 18th-century royal garden on Avenue Mohammed V, is now a public park of orange and olive trees, fountains and shaded benches; its nickname comes from the internet kiosks added in the 2000s.
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
Palace · Medina
6.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. The vast marble courtyard and the harem quarters are the highlights.
Arrive at opening; tour groups fill the courtyards by late morning.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for families, luxury and nightlife
Hivernage
Hivernage is a leafy district of large hotels with pools and gardens, nightclubs and restaurants, close to the Menara Gardens and the city's conference centre. It suits families and travellers who want space and a pool, with the Koutoubia and Jemaa el-Fnaa about 15–20 minutes away on foot.
- Good
- Hotels with pools and gardens; Short walk or taxi to the medina; Nightlife nearby
- Watch out
- Generic resort feel; Little traditional character
- Nearby
- Menara Gardens, Koutoubia Mosque, Jemaa el-Fnaa
Family travel tips
- Carry small children in a sling or carrier rather than a stroller in the medina's uneven, crowded lanes.
- Check riad plunge pools and open roof terraces for safety before booking with toddlers.
- Moroccans are very warm towards children; expect people to chat with them and offer sweets.
- Sightsee in the morning and late afternoon and rest through the heat of the day, especially from May to September.
- A short camel ride in the Palmeraie or Agafay is easier with young children than a long Sahara trip.
Day trips for families
- 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.
- 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.
When to go with children
The best months overall are March–May and October–November. April is the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Marrakech good for kids?
Children usually love Marrakech's sights and sounds — the acrobats and musicians of Jemaa el-Fnaa, camel rides in the Palmeraie and Agafay, and gardens such as Majorelle — but the medina's crowds, scooters and heat need planning. A hotel or riad with a pool makes a big difference.
+What can kids do in Marrakech?
Jemaa el-Fnaa, Jardin Majorelle, Menara Gardens, El Badi Palace and Cyber Park.
+Where should families stay in Marrakech?
Hivernage: Resort hotels, pools and nightclubs between the medina and Gueliz.