25 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN MARRAKECH

Although Marrakech is not the capital of the country, it is probably the most famous city in all of Morocco and the ideal place to start getting to know the culture of our African neighbors. They call it the pink city because of the color of the chaotic alleyways of its medina, but the green and blue of the Majorelle gardens, or the indescribable multicolored palette of the lively Jemaa-el-Fna Square are also present. Marrakech was the starting point of our trip through Morocco and in this post we will tell you the best 25 things to see and do in Marrakech.

* Do not leave until you reach the end of the article. There we put some of useful information to help you plan your trip.

1. Start big wandering around the Jemaa el-Fna square, the heart of the medina of Marrakech. It could be considered as the pure essence of the city, a place full of life, a hotbed of characters, vendors, makeshift restaurants, fruit stands and shows (more or less) flashy. Tip: to fully appreciate this place, it is best to climb to a rooftop at sunset (the Café Glacier is very good) and enjoy the show while you drink a mint tea.

Something that unfortunately still exists are animals in exhibits like monkeys and snakes. No, don't take pictures with them 🙁

2. Make a free tour Hand in hand with a local guide, it is one of the best ways to get to know this mysterious city. At the end do not be a rasca and leave a good tip, that the guides work hard! Ours (Karim) told us a thousand things about the city ... The tour lasted about 4 hours and we found it super complete! You can book it here.

3. The minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque It is the most famous icon in Marrakech. With its 77 meters high, it conquers the sky of the city and becomes the objective of the tourist cameras at any time of the day. Although access is reserved for Muslims (apparently the only great mosque that can be visited in Morocco is that of Casablanca), it is well worth it just to see it from the outside impresses. Curiosity: the Giralda of Seville is inspired by this minaret.

4. You will not have to go far to have the best views of this emblematic tower. In the back extends the Parc Lalla Hasna, with a fountain in the middle of the walk that lines up with the mosque. For us, the panorama is one of those that are not forgotten.

5. Another thing to do in Marrakech is to visit the Saadian tombs, where the members of the Saadí dynasty (and their servants) rest forever. In particular, do not miss the room of the twelve columns, with the tombs of Ahmad Al-Mansur (Sultan from 1578 to 1603) and members of his family. The twelve columns carved in marble in an exquisite way are crowned with a wonderful wooden dome. The entrance costs 70 dirhams, we went around 13 and we had to queue, we think it is better to go in the afternoon.

Koutoubia from the Parc Lalla Hasna

6. The Madrasa Ben Youssef It is one of the essential visits of Marrakech. Madrasas are Muslim schools where the Koran is studied, but also other subjects of general culture. This is the most important in the country, and its architecture and decoration must be impressive. We say "must" because we could only see it from a terrace in front, since it was in the middle of a reform project that until mid-2020 (we already have an excuse to return to Marrakech).

7. Cross the Bab Agnaou Gate, one of the old entrances that were distributed by the Marrakech wall. For us it's the prettiest, but hey, it's not the only one: other interesting doors are Bab the Jedid, Bab Doukkala Y Bab el Khemis. Curiosity: the ancient city is surrounded by a wall that still stands today and measures almost 20km!

8. Get to know the Bahia Palace It was built at the end of the 19th century with the idea of ​​creating, nothing more and nothing less, than the most beautiful palace in the world. We do not know if it was achieved ... what we can say is that it is one of the best things to do in Marrakech. It is a complex of more than 100 rooms full of details, paintings, tiles, stained glass and marble. And not by chance is considered by many as one of the great masterpieces of Moroccan architecture. The ticket is worth 70 dirhams (€ 7 approx).

9. Another interesting palace in the old part of Marrakech is the El Badi Palace. At first glance it may seem that they are "only ruins" but, as they say, they are "very charming ruins". Of course, in its good times it had to be much more amazing since, they say, it had more than 300 rooms, all decorated with luxury materials and styles of the time. The only bad thing is that the entrance, which like almost everything in the city, is worth 70 dirhams.

10. Take off all fears and get lost in the souks (markets) of the medina of Marrakech. Formerly the streets were grouped by the genre of products, as in Medieval Europe with the guilds, in this way there was the blacksmith's souk, that of spices, that of carpets ... Nowadays it is rather a tangle of stalls With souvenirs for tourists, although if you go a little to the north, you can see more authentic shops and workshops. Arm yourself with patience, dust off your bargaining technique and if someone tells you to follow him to the Berber market (or somewhere ...) don't go! We using the app of Maps.me We knew where we were at all times.

Bahia Palace

11. Take advantage of your stay to stay in the traditional style: in a riad. They are small hotels with several rooms distributed around a central courtyard. They are usually super nice, cozy, with the typical Moroccan architecture and decoration that… I don't know about you, but it freaks out! By the way, if you have no budget problems (lucky!) You can stay in one of the most beautiful luxury hotels in the world: Mamounia. We settle for being in the Riad Basma And it was a success: well located, with rich breakfasts and a mistress who is a love (and speaks great Spanish!).

12. The Marrakech palm groveWith its more than 100,000 palm trees, it can be a curious place on your trip. Although if you are going to visit more areas of Morocco, we think it is not worth getting there, you will get fed up with palm trees!

13. Did you know that Marrakech has a Jewish quarter? We talk about Mellah, the place where many of the Jews who had to escape from Spain found refuge after the expulsion decreed by the Catholic Monarchs. Here you can visit the Al Azama synagogue or the Jewish cemetery. No doubt an original and alternative visit to do in Marrakech.

14. If after so many places, mosques, alleys, souks and hustle, what the body asks for is a dose of healthy relaxation, a very good point to visit is the Majorelle garden, botanical gardens full of local and exotic plants. And when we say full it is like this: apparently they have more than 300 different species ... a whole green oasis! Curiosity: it was created in 1919 by the French painter Jacques Majorelle, a lover of Marrakech and in 1980 the designer Yves Saint Laurent acquired it, also attracted by this place. We went on a Saturday morning and we were left without entering: the queue was in-men-sa (thanks Instagram), so we decided to move on. The price of the garden is 70 dirhams and that of the annex museum is 100 dirhams. If you want to do both visits, it is best to go to the museum box office where there will be fewer people (be careful because here you can only buy the museum tickets or the combined museum + garden, but not the garden alone).

15. The name says it all: Secret Garden It is a secret corner (less and less, the truth :-p) in the center of the medina of Marrakech. Walking around here is like taking a breath of fresh air, though ... after passing through the box (50 dirhams), an expensive tad for what it is. We did not climb the tower (35 extra dirhams) but we did go to the terrace where there is a cafeteria and we could enjoy good views.

Jardin Secret

16. If you close your eyes and think of Marrakech, it is likely that picturesque corners of the medina come to mind ... But Marrakech has a more modern area: we talk about Guéliz neighborhood. It is a good alternative if you are looking for new and quality accommodation, there are also avenues, shops, shopping centers and coffee shops with a more western style. By the way, here are the beautiful buildings of the train station and the Royal Theater.

17. Have an orange juice, a tea or whatever you want in Give Cherifa, the oldest riad in the medina of Marrakech. It is a real past (and not as expensive as you might believe: drinks for € 2-3, food for € 8/16).

18. One of the corners we liked most in Marrakech was the Rahba Kedima Square, in the old spice souk. Although the market is not as local as it could be a while ago, it has an ambient that engages. Also around the square are some of the best terraces in Marrakech, such as Nomads or Café des Épices.

19. If you are passionate about photography or get caught in a bad weather day, the House of Photography It is a good place to hang out. Here you can stroll among photo exhibits that portray the Morocco of the 19th and 20th centuries. Plus: there is a pretty cool cafe on the terrace. Price: € 3 approx. The area is somewhat away from the most commercial heart of the medina, so you can enjoy a pleasant and less touristy walk.

20. Approach until Quoubba Almoravide, the last building that remains standing from the time of the Almoravids, founders of the city in 1062 and characterized by a religious puritanism and a rather austere art. We contemplate it from the terrace of Jad Jamal (we have a very rich tea), it is best to climb before sunset to enjoy this moment, and you will hear the call to prayer from the Ben Youssef mosque, right next door.

Rahba Kedima Square

21. Book a lunch or dinner at Amal, a restaurant that not only serves exquisite dishes, but also does a commendable social work, giving work to women in disadvantaged situations (widows, divorced, orphaned ...). Here we recommend more restaurants to eat in Marrakech well and cheaply.

22. To end the day in the best way, nothing better than taking a relaxing bath and getting a massage in a traditional hammam. There are many scattered throughout the city, but if you want to book the experience in advance you can do it here.

23. Do you have more time available? Visit Essaouria! This fishing village is one of the most beautiful and picturesque corners of the Coast of Morocco and, although it is ideal to spend several days there, there are day trips from Marrakech that can fit your itinerary.

24. Another day trip from Marrakech is the one that takes you to know the Ouzoud waterfalls, where you can take a refreshing bath. To get there you have the option to rent a car (in two hours you arrive) or sign up for a tour (better option if you are not going to do more roadtrip).

25. And, of course, since you are in Morocco, why not take advantage of it to get to know one of the most extraordinary places in the world: Sahara desert? There are many multi-day tours that take you to the desert of Merzouga or Zagora, with other stops along the way, such as the famous Kasba de Ait Ben Haddou.

Sure we forget others things to see and do in Marrakech, but these are a good start to know the essentials of the city. If you have been and think something is missing or you know original places to visit, leave us a comment!