15 ESSENTIAL places to see in MARRAKECH
In this new article we show you what for us are the 15 essential places to see in Marrakech, the main attractions of the city and that you can not miss in Marrakech, one of the most important cities in Morocco and North Africa.
In fact, it has become one of the most visited and popular places to travel today, for many, like us, is the first contact with Morocco and the African continent.
In Marrakech you find everything one can expect from this celebrated city, chaos, hustle and bustle and authenticity. A perfect place to experience Morocco and its culture.
Marrakech is home to some of the most beautiful and interesting places in the country. If you’re looking for things to see in Marrakech or places to photograph, here are some of our favorite spots in this amazing city.
15 Must-see places to see in Marrakech
One of the best ways to visit the palaces, markets, squares and its labyrinthine streets, is with the Free tour of Marrakech, you will discover the secrets of the Medina and its main attractions with a guide in English.
1. Jemaa el-Fnaa
The Jemaa el-Fnaa square is one of the most popular markets in the whole continent of Africa and is a place visited by both locals and tourists. Its wide open space contrasts with the maze of narrow streets that surround it. In the square you can find all kinds of food stalls and other products.
The square is especially beautiful at dusk, you can take amazing pictures from any of the many cafes that surround it. The restaurants around the square are absolutely stunning and the Moroccan food is delicious Viajes a Marrakech
2. Koutoubia Mosque
The Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakech, it was built around 1150, its minaret dominates the skyline of the city with its 65 meters high. At night it is illuminated, it is a perfect place for a visit after dinner.
3. Madrasa Ben Youssef
The Ben Youssef Madrasa is a madrasa attached to the Ben Youssef Mosque. It houses some of the most beautiful examples of art and architecture in Morocco.
This school of the Koran was once the largest in North Africa, it is currently not in operation, unfortunately on our visit to Marrakech was under construction and we could not enter inside.
4. Museum of Marrakech
Being the Ben Youssef Madrasa under construction we decided to enter the nearby Museum of Marrakech and it was a pleasant discovery.
Although it is a museum, a little poor by the way, its real attraction is the Mnebhi palace where the museum is located, although the whole palace in general we liked a lot, what stands out most of it, is its central courtyard, you can spend a good time admiring its beauty without blinking.
The visit to the museum of Marrakech is a must, the entrance to the museum costs 50 Dhs (4.5 €) per person.
5. Majorelle Garden, a must-see in Marrakech
These botanical gardens were designed in the 1920s by French artist Jacques Majorelle. It is a perfect place to visit, take some nice pictures and take a break from the busy streets of Marrakech.
It is important to know that there are quite long queues, we went early in the morning, its opening hours are from 8:00 to 17:30 or 18:00 depending on the time of the year, the entrance costs 70 Dhs (6,3€) per person.
6. The Medina, unpredictable things to see in Marrakech
The Medina is a place where the markets and souks are located, it would be the old quarter of the city, with endless mazes of souks where they sell everything, this is the best place to shop, but remember to bargain well because they will always try to pay more than the real value.
The best way to discover the Medina and the souks, is to do the free tour of Marrakech with an English speaking guide, we recommend it.
Another of our recommendations in the Medina, is to walk around it without direction and get lost in its narrow streets, you will find authentic places away from tourists.
7. Bab Er Robb Gate
Bab Er Robb is one of the nineteen gates of Marrakech, was built in the twelfth century and is very close to the Saadian Tombs and the Badi Palace.
8. Saadid Tombs
These tombs of the sixteenth century are located in a small place, with three rooms with corpses of about sixty members of the Saadi dynasty, outside the building is a garden with tombs of soldiers and servants. The tombs are decorated with wood, tiles and stucco.
It is one of the most popular places to visit in Marrakech, although it was one of the least appealing to us, be sure to arrive early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds. The entrance fee is 10 Dhs (0.9€) per person and its opening hours are from 8:00 to 16:45.
9. Bahia Palace
The Bahia Palace will give you an idea of what life was like for the very rich in 19th century Marrakech. It is said that the site was originally built as a harem residence by Si Ahmed ben Musa.
It is another must-see in Marrakech, lavishly decorated interiors, a tiled courtyard and stunning gardens. The opening hours are from 9:00 to 17:00 and the entrance fee is 10 Dhs (0,9€) per person.
10. The Badi Palace, A must-see in Marrakech
Although it is really just the remains of a palace, the site remains one of the most important and beautiful places to visit in Marrakech. The original building was built by the Saadian King Ahmad al-Mansur in 1578 and took more than 25 years to build.
The opening hours are from 9:00 to 17:00 and the entrance fee for the whole complex is 20 Dhs (1,8€) per person.
11. Hotel La Mamounia, must-see in Marrakech
The hotel La Mamounia is a 5-star hotel that mixes Moroccan friendliness with the luxury of a palace in an area of eight hectares.
The entrance to the hotel is free, although there are some forbidden areas for people who are not staying at the hotel, you just have to say that you are going to have a tea or coffee at the bar and they will let you in. Strolling through the gardens and exploring the interior of the hotel is very entertaining.
12. Menara Gardens
Located west of Marrakech and overlooking the Atlas Mountains are the Menara Gardens.
Built in the 12th century as olive, palm and fruit orchards, the gardens are now a peaceful escape and attraction for tourists and locals alike. It features a large swimming pool and a pavilion that was formerly used by the sultan and his family as a summer residence.
13. The Terraces, a must-see in Marrakech
After a day strolling through Marrakech, take a tea, a drink or dinner watching the sunset in one of the many terraces that are in Marrakech is a must. Here is a photo of the Nomad restaurant.
You will have no problem to find terraces, there are many offers in this regard and all overlooking the medina or the Atlas Mountains, in a next post we will talk about many of them.
In Marrakech the distances are relatively short, to move around the Medina you have to walk, the streets are so narrow that only pedestrians, bikes, motorcycles and any other type of transport can fit.
For longer distances there is the option of cabs and buses, but although the latter are really cheap they are so crowded that you will prefer to walk or take a cab.
In Marrakech there are two types of cabs: the small ones (petit cab) and the big ones (grand cab). The small ones are used to move around inside the city and the big ones will be the best option if you want to go out of Marrakech.
Although the cabs have a taximeter we did not get any cab driver to activate it, so we had to negotiate before getting in, all the trips we made cost us between 20 Dhs (1.8 €) or 30 Dhs (2.7 €) so this is the approximate price.
Where to stay in Marrakech
The best places to stay in Marrakech are in the Medina, where many of its buildings have been converted into hotels and riads, this is the option that most tourists choose when visiting Marrakech.
There are also some charming hotels on the outskirts of the city, with luxury amenities and facilities and a very good value for money, but if what you want is to live an authentic experience in Marrakech you have to stay in a riad.
We stayed at the Riad La Calèche and is the one we recommend, everything is perfect, the decor, the room, the breakfast and of course the staff. The price of accommodation varies greatly depending on the dates, we hired it through Booking.com in advance and it cost us 30 € per night.
Where to eat in Marrakech
In Marrakech there is a lot of choice and all kinds of restaurants, from traditional Moroccan food to fusion food at a very good price, one of the restaurants we liked the most was the Roti d’or, very close to the Jamaa el Fna square. If you have a sweet tooth, in the Medina you will find many pastry shops with typical Moroccan sweets.
How many days to dedicate to the city
To visit the places we named in this post of the essential places to see in Marrakech, with two or three days you will have enough, if the stay is longer, it is best to do some of the excursions or tours that can be done from Marrakech.
Excursions from Marrakech
Marrakech is perfect to use as a base for excursions or tours of one or several days. Here is a list of the most famous ones:
-Excursion to the Ouzoud Waterfalls
-Excursion to Essaouira
-Excursion to Ouarzazate
-Excursion to Ourika Valley
-Marrakech Desert Tours 3 Days
-Excursion to Casablanca on your own
We did two excursions, one to Casablanca and the other to the desert of Merzouga. To Casablanca we went by train early in the morning and returned in the afternoon, the train from Marrakech to Casablanca round trip cost us 95 Dhs (8,6€) each and it takes 2 and 1/2 hours each way.
The excursion to the desert of Merzouga for 3 days and 2 nights we booked it at the same Riad La Calèche, it cost us 3500Dhs (350€) per person. There is the option of going directly to Fez from the desert instead of returning to Marrakech.
How to get from the airport to the accommodation
Marrakech Menara International Airport is not far from the city center, it is only 6km away.
There are several options to get to the accommodation, the one we chose was the private transfer to the hotel that we had hired from Spain for 14 €, for us, this is the best option.
And so far the article of the must-see in Marrakech. If you have any questions, need our help or want to add any place to this list, leave us a comment or send us an email and we will help you as much as possible.
