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The Almoravids built Marrakech as their capital nearly a thousand years ago, and it became a meeting point for desert caravans and northern traders as well as one of the kingdom's four imperial cities. Its old walled medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is built largely of earth-toned stone and plaster, which earned it the name the Red City. On clear days, the snowy peaks of the High Atlas rise beyond the rooftops.
Jemaa el-Fnaa, the central square, is the city's stage, shifting from orange juice stalls by day to food stalls, musicians and storytellers after dark. The Koutoubia Mosque, with its tall, elegant minaret, stands close by and serves as a useful landmark. North of the square, the souks spread through a maze of lanes selling leather, lanterns, spices and carpets, leading toward the Ben Youssef Madrasa with its carved cedar and tilework. To the south, the Bahia Palace and the ruined El Badi Palace show off royal ambitions, and the Saadian Tombs hold richly decorated burial chambers.
The medina rewards slow exploration and a willingness to get lost now and then. The Dar Si Said Museum focuses on traditional crafts, and the Mellah was the historic Jewish quarter. Outside the walls, the Jardin Majorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum offer calm and color. Many visitors also take day trips into the Atlas Mountains.
WiserMap travel guideMarrakech Morocco Souks Riads and Jemaa el-FnaaPlan Marrakech: Jemaa el-Fnaa, the souks, Bahia and El Badi palaces, Ben Youssef Madrasa, Jardin Majorelle, riads, food, seasons and Atlas day trips.Read the guide
The main square of the Marrakech medina, a UNESCO-listed space that fills with orange juice stalls, snake charmers and henna artists by day and smoking food stalls, storytellers and musicians at night. Watch from a rooftop cafe at sunset. Agree on prices before photos with performers, and watch your pockets.
The largest mosque in Marrakech, with a twelfth-century minaret about 77 meters tall that served as a model for the Giralda in Seville. Non-Muslims cannot enter, but the gardens around it are open and pleasant, with views of the tower and ruins of an earlier mosque. It is lovely when lit at night.
Maze of covered market lanes north of Jemaa el-Fnaa, divided into areas for leather, lanterns, carpets, spices, slippers, metalwork and dyers. Shopping here means bargaining, so start at about a third of the asking price. Getting lost is part of the fun, but ignore unofficial guides offering directions.
Former Quranic school founded in the fourteenth century and rebuilt in the 1560s, once one of the largest in North Africa. Its central courtyard with a pool is covered in carved cedar, stucco and zellige tile, and students' small rooms surround it upstairs. Arrive at opening to see the courtyard without crowds.
Late nineteenth-century palace built for grand viziers, with a sequence of courtyards, gardens and rooms decorated with painted cedar ceilings, stucco and colorful zellige. It shows the best craftsmanship of the time over about eight hectares. It gets busy by late morning, so visit at opening time.
Ruins of a grand palace built by the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in the late 1500s, now huge red walls around a sunken courtyard with orange trees and pools, often with nesting storks on the walls. A small museum displays the restored Koutoubia minbar. Climb to the terrace for views over the medina.
Royal burial site of the Saadian dynasty, hidden for centuries and rediscovered in 1917, with richly decorated mausoleums including the Chamber of the Twelve Columns. A short line forms to view the main chamber. Visit early, as the space is small, and combine it with the Kasbah Mosque next door.
Nineteenth-century palace in the medina that houses the national museum of weaving and carpets, showing rugs and textiles from across Morocco around a garden courtyard with painted wood and tiles. It is quieter than nearby Bahia Palace. Allow about an hour, and note the painted ceilings upstairs.
Historic Jewish quarter next to the Kasbah and Bahia Palace, founded in the sixteenth century, with the restored Lazama Synagogue, a large Jewish cemetery and a covered spice market. Several streets have been restored. Pay the small entry fees at the synagogue, and dress modestly at religious sites.
Jardin Majorelle is a cobalt blue painted villa garden with cacti, palms and pools, created by painter Jacques Majorelle and later owned by Yves Saint Laurent. The nearby YSL Museum shows the designer's work. Tickets are sold online for set times, so book ahead for both and go early.
Twelfth-century olive groves around a large reflecting pool with a green-roofed pavilion, framed on clear days by the snowy High Atlas Mountains. It is a calm spot for an evening walk, and entry to the gardens is free. Go in the late afternoon for the best light on the pavilion and mountains.
The High Atlas mountains rise about an hour south of Marrakech. The Ourika Valley has Berber villages, riverside cafes and a walk to the Setti Fatma waterfalls, while Imlil is the base for treks toward Toubkal. Hire a local guide for the falls, and bring good shoes for the rocky path.
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