The 12 Best Things to do in Marrakech

Marrakech is a place that always leaves me feeling inspired. It’s colourful, chaotic and full of life, and each time I go I fall in love with it a bit more.

I love that you can easily walk around the city, so it doesn’t take long to get between the main sights. It can be a bit overwhelming at times, but there’s a rooftop on nearly every corner, so there’s plenty of places to stop at if you need a break along the way.

I’ve visited the city several times now, so I’ve put together this guide to the best things to do in Marrakech, based on everything I’ve loved on my trips.

I’ve also included my top tips on how to make the most of each place, like what time to get there to avoid the crowds, and things you absolutely need to book in advance.

The cobalt blue Art Deco villa at Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, with bright yellow window frames, a green-arched veranda, and an exterior staircase, surrounded by towering cacti, agaves, and palm trees.

Planning your trip to Marrakech

✈️ Getting there: Fly into Marrakesh Menara Airport. I’d recommend arranging a transfer with your accommodation for ease. Cars can’t drive through the medina so someone from your Riad will meet you at the transfer when you arrive to take you to where you’re staying.

🚗 Getting around: Marrakech is very walkable, but there are taxis and Uber too.

⛵ Things to do: My favourite place in Marrakech is Jardin Majorelle, a botanical garden full of exotic plants. Shopping in the souks is a must, and a guided tour is a great way to get your bearings.

🏨 Where to stay: Choose a Riad over a hotel – traditional Moroccan houses built around a courtyard. I’ve stayed in four – Riad 72, Riad Botanica, Riad NayaNour and Riad L’Atelier, and I’d recommend them all.

📱Offline map – Signal can be patchy in the medina, so download Maps.me which can be used even without phone reception.

💵 Cash is king – Lots of places in Marrakech only accept cash, so make sure you have some available. There’s cash points in the airport, and a few in the city.

Best things to do in Marrakech

1. Jardin Majorelle

Jardin Majorelle is a botanical garden designed in the 1920s by French artist Jacques Majorelle, who spent years curating a collection of plants and flowers from around the world.

After falling into disrepair, the gardens were purchased by Yves Saint Laurent, and you can also visit the YSL Museum next door, which is home to many of his iconic designs.

I’ve visited Jardin Majorelle three times now and it still amazes me every visit. It’s such a peaceful place in the middle of a pretty chaotic city, and it’s a must do on your trip to Marrakech.

It’s a really popular spot, so you absolutely need to book your tickets in advance. I’d recommend choosing the first slot of the day at 8:30am, and actually getting to the entrance by 8am, because people start queueing from then.

If you’re into photography, being there at opening is the only real way to get a decent shot before it gets overrun.

The cobalt blue villa and fountain at Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, framed by tall cacti, prickly pears, and palm fronds, with a bright yellow window accent on the upper floor.

GET YOUR TICKET

Opening Hours

Monday – Sunday: 08:30 – 18:30

Getting there

Jardin Majorelle is in the Gueliz neighbourhood, the new part of Marrakech. It’s a 10 minute walk from Jemaa el-Fna (the main square), or you can get an Uber for 50 MAD/£4.00/$5.50.

2. Explore the souks

To really get to know Marrakech, you need to be in the souks. These maze-like markets are located within the medina walls and sell just about anything you can imagine.

My favourite pieces to buy in the souks are ceramics – they have the most beautiful plates, cups and homeware pieces. There’s also incredible spices, leather bags, lamps and even handwoven rugs that they’ll ship back to your home for you.

The souks are the beating heart of Marrakech life, and they do get extremely busy. It can feel pretty overwhelming at first but the more you lean into it, the more you’ll enjoy it.

Narrow cobblestone alley in the Marrakech medina lined with shops displaying colorful woven handbags and baskets, with shoppers and a cyclist passing under a slatted wooden roof as sunlight streams through.

If you prefer to find your feet in the souks with a local, a walking tour is a great way to get your bearings, and to find the best places to shop.

When I first visited Marrakech, the owners of my Riad took me on a quick tour of the souks and it helped me feel confident when I went out again on my own.

If you need a rest, head to Place des Épices (spice square). It’s surrounded by rooftop cafés so it’s a great spot to grab a coffee and catch your breath. My favourites are Nomad and Cafe des Epices.

Whilst you’re in the square, pay a visit to Herboriste Avicenne, a brilliant herb shop where you’ll find lots of traditional Moroccan spices.

Phone signal can be pretty patchy in the narrow streets of the souk, so download Maps.Me beforehand. It’s an offline map that works even when you don’t have signal.

3. The Deserted Photo Booth

Whilst you’re in the souks, pay a visit to the Deserted Photo Booth for a really fun way to document your trip.

It does what it says on the tin, it’s a photo booth, there’s props if you want to use them, and you can choose whether you want your picture in black and white or colour.

I went by myself to document my solo trip to Marrakech and it’s such a lovely way to remember my adventure!

A hand with dark red nail polish holds up a black-and-white photo booth strip showing four playful portraits of a woman with long dark hair in a striped top, captioned 'Deserted Photo Booth' in red with Arabic script above. The background is softly blurred in warm reds and golds.

4. Visit Bacha Coffee

Bacha Coffee is a luxury coffee shop located inside the historic Dar el Bacha palace.

There’s over 200 types of coffee on offer here, and the menu comes inside a gigantic book that would take you forever to properly read. If you’re overwhelmed by it, I’d recommend the caramel coffee and the comté croissant, which were both delicious.

Alt text: Bright indoor café with a glass ceiling and ornate patterned walls, where a large potted palm sits in the center of a tiled floor surrounded by seated guests. A server in a white uniform and red hat takes an order while pastries and tea tins line the wooden counter behind him.

Table setting at Bacha Coffee with a gold teapot, cup of black coffee, and two croissants on a white plate garnished with greens and cheese. A small bowl of whipped cream, a spice jar, and a menu labeled “Bacha Coffee Menu” sit on a tray printed with “Marrakech Bacha Coffee,” against a detailed floral tile wall.

The coffee comes with a vanilla bean grinder and Chantilly cream. Try the coffee on its own first, and then add both depending on your preferences.

The cafe itself is beautiful, with high ceilings, tiled floors, and beautifully decorated rooms. It’s a whole experience that’s well worth doing.

Unsurprisingly it’s a very popular spot, and the queues are long. I’d recommend arriving about forty-five minutes before opening time to avoid waiting hours for a table.

Opening Hours

Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00 (closed Mondays)

Getting there

Dar el Bacha is near the Mouassine neighbourhood in the medina, about a 10 minute walk from the main souks.

5. Stay in a riad

Riads are traditional Moroccan houses built around a central courtyard, usually with a plunge pool in the middle.

You could easily walk past one on the street, but the small doors down hidden alleyways open up to a sprawling space behind. It always blows my mind how they fit so much in.

I always choose a Riad over a hotel in Marrakech, and that’s for two reasons – the hospitality and the affordability.

Rooftop terrace with a small rectangular pool surrounded by lounge chairs and tall woven umbrellas, overlooking a sunlit cityscape with palm trees and distant mountains. Neutral-toned walls and desert plants frame the space, creating a calm setting for relaxing above the bustling streets. — Riad 72

The team really look after you when you’re staying in a Riad, and because there’s usually only a few rooms, it feels as though you’re staying with family.

I don’t think I’ve had better breakfasts than the ones I’ve enjoyed on the rooftop of a Moroccan Riad. There’s pastries, eggs, cheese, honey, nuts, bread, and freshly poured Moroccan tea, and lots of it.

Even when I’ve travelled to Marrakech on my own, they bring out a full spread that’s impossible to finish.

And secondly, because there’s so many Riads in the medina in Marrakech, you can easily find one to suit your budget. So you can stay somewhere beautiful for a lot less than what you’d spend on a hotel.

You can stay in a hotel anywhere in the world, but a Riad is such an authentic Moroccan experience, so don’t miss the chance to stay in one.

Overhead view of a Marrakech riad courtyard with a blue-tiled pool featuring a star motif, a black-and-white striped umbrella shading a rattan sofa with an orange throw, black-and-white patterned floor tiles, and a blossoming citrus tree reaching up past a wrought-iron balcony. — Riad Botanica

Riad courtyard in Marrakech with a small turquoise-tiled plunge pool, framed by white horseshoe arches, carved wooden doors, sheer curtains, and a flowering bougainvillea climbing one wall. — Riad NayaNour

My Marrakech Riad recommendations

I’ve stayed in four Riads in Marrakech, and I’ve loved each one for different reasons:

Riad 72 – Has a rooftop terrace and swimming pool, spa and a great restaurant
Riad Botanica – Boutique feel with six bedrooms around a plunge pool, and a rooftop
Riad L’Atelier – Small but beautifully designed with a great rooftop
Riad NayaNour – Large rooms, a great rooftop and a really friendly team

6. Saadian Tombs

The Saadian Tombs are a 16th-century burial site where Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur and his ancestors are buried.

They were actually sealed up for centuries as an attempt from the new Sultan to get rid of the legacy of the Saadian dynasty, and they were only rediscovered in 1917, still in a very good condition.

The main thing to see here is the Chamber of the Twelve Columns, which is where Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur and his family are buried. It’s a beautiful, ornate room, with large marble pillars.

Moroccan mausoleum entrance with carved stucco, marble columns, and a green-tiled roof, set into a terracotta wall above a courtyard of tiled tomb markers.

Opening Hours

Monday – Sunday: 09:00 – 17:00

7. El Badi Palace

El Badi Palace was built in the late 16th century by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (the same one buried in the Saadian Tombs) as a display of his wealth and power.

It was a grand palace at the time, but today it’s mostly in ruins, as most of the gold and expensive materials were stripped and used to build other palaces, but it’s still a really interesting place to visit.

I think the most beautiful part is downstairs, and I’d recommend visiting first thing in the morning for the nicest light, and the fewest people!

Ruins of El Badi Palace in Marrakech, with towering weathered ochre rammed-earth walls flanking a sunken chamber lined with patterned mosaic tile floors, and a stork's nest perched atop a distant tower.

Tickets

You can buy tickets online or at the entrance.

Adults are 100 MAD, or 30 MAD if you’re a Moroccan resident. It’s 30 MAD for children aged 7-13, or 10 MAD if they’re a Moroccan resident.

Opening Hours

Monday – Sunday: 09:00 – 17:00

Tips for visiting

El Badi Palace is an easy walk from the Saadian Tombs, so I’d recommend doing both in one morning.

8. Admire the views from a rooftop

Marrakech is a rooftop city. Most of the riads, cafés and restaurants have terraces with views over the medina, and they’re the perfect calm spot to soak in the atmosphere.

My favourite Marrakech rooftops

I’ve visited lots of Marrakech rooftops over the years and these are the ones I’d recommend:

Bustling Marrakech rooftop restaurant at golden hour, with dozens of ornate Moroccan lanterns hanging from a slatted pergola, rattan chairs around small tables filled with diners, and a distant view of the Atlas Mountains on the horizon.

El Fenn is my absolute favourite. It’s great for sunset, the cocktails are really good and the bar snacks are delicious. You don’t need to book if you’re just going for drinks (you do need to book for the restaurant), but it gets really busy around sunset, so get there early.
DARDAR is the spot for sunset, but you’ll need to book months in advance if that’s the time you want. Otherwise, book the 4-6pm slot – there’s usually a DJ and the atmosphere is brilliant.
Café des Épices and Nomad are opposite each other on Place des Épices. Neither serve alcohol, but they’re both really cool spots for food with a view over the spice square.
Kabana is great for cocktails at sunset with a view over the Koutoubia Mosque, and it gets really vibey in the evenings.
Odette is pricey but beautiful. I loved sitting there listening to the call to prayer, and it’s near the Saadian Tombs so you can easily combine the two.

Marrakech rooftop café with a rustic reed-and-wood pergola, woven hanging lantern baskets, black wire chairs at small dining tables, and a view across to Café des Épices and the bustling square below. — NOMAD

Image 1: "Marrakech rooftop terrace with red-and-white striped umbrellas shading a long banquette piled with pink and striped cushions, colorful mosaic-tiled side tables, and a hedge-lined view toward the Koutoubia Mosque in the distance. — El Fenn

9. Bahia Palace

Bahia Palace was built in the 19th century for Si Moussa, the Grand Vizier to the Sultan (basically the Sultan’s representative in government).

It was later passed to his son, Ba Ahmed, who expanded the palace to make room for his four wives and large harem.

Bahia Palace is much newer than El Badi Palace, and a lot better preserved. You can wander through the sprawling courtyards and grand rooms and get a real sense of what life would have been like when Ba Ahmed and his family lived there.

Sunlit Moroccan palace courtyard with a white tiered fountain, checkered tile basin, geometric floor tiles, and a turquoise-and-yellow arcaded gallery with green-tiled roof.

Opening Hours

Monday – Sunday: 09:00 – 17:00

Getting there

Bahia Palace is in the southern part of the medina, within walking distance of Badi Palace. Do them together as a half day.

10. House of Photography

The House of Photography (or Maison de la Photographie if you’re searching on a map) is a collection of thousands of photographs that tell the story of life in Morocco from 1860-1960.

I didn’t actually know this existed until my most recent trip to Marrakech, and I’d now say it’s a must do on your trip.

It’s an amazing insight into Moroccan culture, with photographs of people, bustling streets, souks, and everyday life in Marrakech and across the country.

There’s also a beautiful rooftop cafe which is well worth a visit for a coffee with amazing views of the Atlas mountains.

Interior courtyard of a Marrakech riad gallery with a small green-tiled fountain, terracotta floor tiles, potted papyrus plants, and large black-and-white portrait photographs displayed on the white walls. Two visitors browse the exhibition, and an open skylight reveals an ornate wrought-iron balcony above

Tickets

You can only get tickets on the door, but you can pay with card and cash.

Adults are 80 MAD, or 50 MAD if you’re a Moroccan resident. Children under 15 go free.

Opening Hours

Monday – Sunday: 09:30 – 19:00

Getting there

The Photography Museum is in the medina, round the corner from Medersa Ben Youssef, so I’d recommend visiting them together.

11. Medersa Ben Youssef

Medersa Ben Youssef is a former Islamic school, originally built in the 14th century, where teaching focused on Islamic law, religious studies and the Quran.

The grand courtyard of the Ben Youssef Madrasa in Marrakech, with a long rectangular reflecting pool at its center, marble-paved floors, and walls covered in elaborately carved stucco, cedar woodwork, and geometric zellige tilework. A horseshoe-arched prayer hall entrance sits at the far end beneath a clear blue sky.

It’s a beautiful place that’s been incredibly well preserved – you can even see the dormitories where the students would have slept.

This is one of the most popular things to do in Marrakech, and it gets very busy. I’d recommend getting there about 8:45am to queue up before it opens at 9am. That way you should be first in line and you can enjoy it without huge crowds.

Interior wall of the Ben Youssef Madrasa in Marrakech, layered with intricately carved stucco, Arabic calligraphy bands, a small latticed wooden window, and a base of vibrant geometric zellige tilework in blue, green, and ochre.

View through a scalloped horseshoe arch into the courtyard of the Ben Youssef Madrasa, revealing finely carved stucco walls, a star-patterned zellige tile dado, and a marble-paved floor.

Tickets

You can buy your ticket online or at the entrance. At the entrance you can only pay with cash.

Adults are 50 MAD, or 20 MAD if you’re a Moroccan resident. Children under 12 are 10 MAD.

GET YOUR TICKET

Opening Hours

Monday – Sunday: 09:00 – 19:00

Getting there

Ben Youssef is in the medina, a few minutes’ walk from the Photography Museum, so I’d recommend visiting them together.

12. Le Jardin Secret

Le Jardin Secret is a botanical garden and former palace that dates back to the 16th century. It’s made up of an exotic garden and an Islamic garden, both with distinct styles and full of plants from all over the world.

It’s one of my favourite places to visit in Marrakech because it’s so peaceful, but it’s actually located in the middle of the medina, tucked behind a door you’d easily walk past without noticing.

There’s a café inside the gardens, but I’d recommend heading a couple of minutes down the road to Hyuna House Café instead. They do delicious cakes and pastries that offer something a bit different from your typical Moroccan menu. It’s also got a lovely rooftop.

Elevated view of a sunlit Marrakech garden courtyard with an octagonal pavilion at its center, surrounded by lush citrus trees, palms, and terracotta walls, with a few visitors seated inside the pavilion

Tickets

You can buy your ticket online or at the entrance. At the entrance you can only pay with cash.

Adults are 50 MAD, or 20 MAD if you’re a Moroccan resident. Children under 12 are 10 MAD.

Opening Hours

Monday – Sunday: 09:30 – 19:30 (opening hours change slightly throughout the year so check online before you go).

Getting there

Le Jardin Secret is in the medina, a short walk from the main souks.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Marrakech?

Three or four days is the perfect amount of time in Marrakech. This gives you enough time to see the main sights, explore the souks, enjoy a few rooftops, and have a slower morning at your Riad without feeling rushed. If you’ve got longer, take a day trip to the Atlas Mountains or the Agafay desert.

Is Marrakech safe for solo female travellers?

I’ve travelled to Marrakech as a solo female and felt safe the whole time. The souks can be busy with people trying to get you to buy things from their stalls, but you can simply say “La shukran” which means no thank you. Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country, so dressing modestly is respectful, and helps avoid any unwanted attention.

What’s the best time of year to visit Marrakech?

March to May and September to November are the best months to visit Marrakech. The weather’s warm but not unbearable, and the city feels comfortable to walk around. During the summer months it can be over 40°C!

Do you need cash in Marrakech?

It’s good to have cash in Marrakech. Although more places accept card now, most stalls in the souks, smaller cafés, and taxis will only take cash. The Moroccan dirham is a closed currency, which means you can only get once you’re in Morocco. There are cash points at the airport and a few in the city.

Is Marrakech worth visiting?

Marrakech is definitely worth visiting. It’s one of my favourite cities in the world and I know I’ll continue to go back. It’s chaotic, but so full of life and energy, and the people are so friendly and welcoming.

The 12 Best Things to do in Marrakech

Planning your trip to Marrakech