Things to do in Marrakech, Morocco

20 Things to do in Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is a city in the Kingdom of Morocco. There are so many things to do in Marrakech and it is easy to spend several days here.  Here are the top twenty things to do in Marrakech.

1. Street Food Tour

Street food is at the very heart of most cultures, but it can be difficult to know what food is best to eat.  I love to take food tours for this reason.  It is also a great way to meet a local and learn more about the food and other aspects of the local culture.  There is a really great evening street food tour in Marrakech with Marrakech Food Tours.  The tour is from 6:00 pm-9:30 pm and costs $65 and is worth every cent.  Meet in the ‘big square’, then sample tanjia, oven-roasted lamb, including a sheep’s eyeball if you dare(!), olives, savory crepes and Moroccan soup, sardine burgers, fried donuts with sweet orange blossom syrup and mint tea, snail soup, couscous and finish it off with slices of orange sprinkled with cinnamon, almond cookies and a date or avocado smoothie.  This is a jam-packed tour.  Start hungry and finish full with a deeper insider’s knowledge and understanding of Marrakech food culture.

2. Jemaa el-Fnaa

Casually called “the Big Square”, this is the heart of Marrakech. During the day you can wander around the fruit and juice stalls or enjoy lunch and people watching in one of the many restaurants here.  Favorites include the upper terraces of Café Kessabine and Tagine Darna.  At night, food stalls are set up and you can get cheap meals here.  There are storytellers, acrobats, dancers spinning their hat tassels, lamp sellers, water sellers in traditional costumes, a ring bottle game where you can test your skills at putting a ring on the end of a ‘fishing rod’ over a bottle (much more difficult than it sounds), and more.  Beware of the snake charmers (reputedly the snakes have their mouths sewn shut so they only live for a few days) and monkeys on chains.

3. Language and Culture Class

You can’t learn a language in three hours, but you can learn a few useful phrases, gain an insight into Moroccan culture and meet some really lovely people.  I recommend taking a language and culture class with Creative Interactions.  The Arabic language lesson with the teacher Halima introduces a lot of useful phrases and vocabulary and she teaches in a hands-on, interactive, fun way.  Knowing how to say “No, thank you.” in Arabic proves very useful in the souks (markets), as people actually take notice of it much more than the same words in English!  The language lesson is followed by a demonstration on making a tajine (which you eat) and of course mint tea (made with several kinds of mint and other herbs and LOTS of sugar).

4. Hammam

No trip to Marrakech is complete without going to a hammam (a public bath/ spa), which is an essential part of Moroccan culture; the hammam is often the center of social life where gossip is exchanged, marriages are arranged, etc.  There are many different standards and styles, from a public bath frequented by locals to a high-end spa.  Some riads or hotels even have their own private hammams.  A basic option for men is Aya Hammam Pour Homme and when I went there at 9:30 pm there were only Moroccans there.

A hammam is much more than just a bath. At the public baths, you should bring your own materials, which you can buy cheaply in the market, but private hammams will supply (or have for sale) the necessary supplies.  The process starts by thoroughly washing with soap from buckets of water.  Then an attendant will scrub you (hard!) and then give you an oil massage before finishing with more soap, shampoo and relaxing in a cooler room to cool down.  There is no better way to relax and unwind after a hard day of sightseeing and shopping!

5. Moroccan Cooking Class

Eating Moroccan food is a great way to experience Marrakech, but learning how to cook some of the delicious food means you can take the tastes of Morocco home with you and cook it yourself.  There are several places in Marrakech that offer or arrange cooking classes, and most of them focus on cooking tajines, which is the most common Moroccan cuisine.  We arranged a class through Ateliers d’Ailleurs to cook chicken pastilla (they have many other options too, including tajine) because we wanted to learn something more unusual.  This is a sweet/savory filo ‘pie’ traditionally made with pigeon, but perfectly great with chicken.   For 69 euros, our 5-hour lesson included a translator (Hofsa) and a cooking class in a local home with Aicha.  We cooked red soup; sesame dome-shaped cookies; spongy, yeasty crepes with butter and honey; the ubiquitous mint and herb tea; and of course, chicken pastilla, which is savory but topped with cinnamon.  We also got to talk with Hofsa and Aicha for five hours and learn many interesting things about Marrakech and Moroccan culture that we wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity to learn.  Highly recommended!

6. Majorelle Garden (Jardin Majorelle)

This large garden was created by the French Orientalist artist, Jacques Majorelle and features a Cubist villa.

7. Sandwich Tour

For a food tour that is a little out of the ordinary, Marrakech Food Tours’ Walk the Kasbah Sandwich Tour (6:00pm-8:30 pm; $45) is a great insight into how other cultures have influenced Moroccan food.  Try sandwiches using traditional Moroccan foods like chicken, minced beef and liver skewers and others with minced beef and liver cooked in the spleen.  Walk through the Jewish Quarter around the kasbah then taste Spanish-inspired sandwiches before moving on to French delicacies such as delicious millefleur and fusion yogurt with pomegranate syrup.

8. Shopping in Souks (markets) in the Medina (old town)

There is nothing quite like the souks of Marrakech.  They are a tangle of tiny alleys; a kaleidoscope of crafts and color and chaos.  Don’t bother with a map or Google Maps- they don’t work here. Take a leap of faith that you will find your way out again, surrender to being lost and enjoy the experience.  As you wander through the maze, you will pass donkeys pulling wooden carts; women in fleece gowns and plain hijabs; and old men in hooded djellabas (traditional cloaks) squatting in doorways.  You will hear the piercing cry of the afternoon call to prayer wailing from a nearby mosque throughout the day and the clanging of hammers on softened steel.  You will smell fresh herbs and the bitter smell of nearby tanneries.  There are handicrafts for everyone – handbags, slippers, jewelry, brass lamps, leather poufs, felt bowls, mint for tea, patterned tiles, handwoven carpets, and much, much more.  Bargaining is essential.  And when you are finished and ready to get out – just ask one of the shopkeepers (not someone in the streets) for the “Big Square” and they will direct you to Jemaa el-Fnaa, an easy reference point.

9. The Secret Garden (Le Jardin Secret)

A hidden oasis in the middle of the souks, this is the perfect spot to relax, have a mint tea or coffee and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.  There are actually two gardens inside courtyards – the exotic garden, which has plants from around the world, and the Islamic garden, which is laid out in four geometric parts according to set ‘rules’, symbolizing Muslim control over the ‘wild disorder of nature’.  There is an innovative irrigation system, a shady pavilion in the middle, and a terrace with a café.  It costs 50 dirhams and is open 9:30am to 5:30 pm (Nov-Jan)/ 6:30 pm (Feb, Mar, Oct)/ 7:30 pm (Apr-Sep).  You can climb the corner tower for an additional 30 dirhams for views over the medina and into Bulagari’s private home.

10. Koutoubia Mosque (Mosquee Koutoubia)

The mosque is open daily 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (free), but non-Moslems cannot enter.  If you are not Moslem, it is still interesting to walk around outside; it is very photogenic.

11. Stay in a Riad

A riad is a traditional Moroccan home centered around an internal courtyard, and many have been restored and are now small, intimate hotels.  This is the perfect way to fully experience Marrakech.  Many have rooms furnished with local handicrafts, a terrace where breakfast is served with views over the rooftops of Marrakech, and lovely courtyards to sit and relax.  Some even have private hammams.

12. Bahia Palace (Palais Bahia)

This nineteenth-century palace, open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, has a series of stunning tiled rooms with ornate wooden ceilings and a beautiful courtyard garden.  It also has frequent tour groups, so go early to enjoy the rooms and garden peacefully.

13. Handicrafts workshop

After seeing all the handicrafts in the souks, participating in a workshop in which you learn how to do one of the handicrafts is a wonderful way to experience Moroccan culture, meet local people, and gain an appreciation for all of the hard work and expertise that goes into their creation.  One option is to take a 5-hour workshop (organized by Ateliers d’Ailleurs; 69 euros including a translator; 3-hour options also available) in making mosaic tiles (zelig).  In this workshop, learn how to trace different shapes on to tiles, cut tiles into shapes, trim the tile edges, put tiles together into a shape, and then pour concrete/ plaster on top.  The end result – a small square patterned mosaic tile you made yourself – is the perfect takeaway souvenir from Marrakech. Workshops in other handicrafts can also be arranged.

14. Museum of Marrakech (Musée de Marrakech)

This museum has a small collection of ceramics, jewelry, and art, but it is the building itself that is the main reason to go there.  The collection is housed in a beautifully tiled palace that used to be the home of Mehdi Mnebhi, who was the defense minister for Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz at the turn of the last century.  The highlight is the spectacular paved courtyard with an enormous brass lantern hanging in the middle.  The museum is open daily 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (30 dirhams) and if you go first thing in the morning, there is a good chance you will have it to yourself.

15. House of Photography (Maison de la Photographie)

This small gallery is housed in a traditional home and the wonderful collection of vintage Moroccan photos is displayed on the walls of each room.  Be sure to stop at the lovely rooftop terrace for lunch or a mint tea while enjoying the views over part of the medina.  It is open 9:30 am to 7:00 pm daily (40 dirhams).

16. Bab Agnaou

Bab Agnaou is an enormous 12^th-century gate (one of the nineteen gates of Marrakesh).  It used to be the entrance to the royal kasbah in the southern part of the medina and is a beautiful way to enter the Jewish quarter.

17. Café des Epices

In the middle of the souk, this café is the perfect spot to take a break from shopping and enjoy a pistachio brownie and mint tea while watching the basket sellers below from the second-floor window.  It’s open daily from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm.

18. Yves Saint Lauren Museum (Musee YSL Marrakech)

Yves Sant Laurent spent a lot of time in Marrakech, recharging his creative energies.  This recently-opened museum in the modern part of town commemorates his connection to Marrakesh and his fashion legacy.  It has many famous pieces from his collections including the pea coat, the Mondrian dress, and the safari jacket.  The museum is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (5:00 pm during Ramadan) and costs 100 dirhams.

19. El Badi Palace (Palais El Badi)

The remains of this 16th-century palace, with the enormous garden walls & ornamental orange orchard still standing, is an interesting walk through Marrakech’s history.

20. Saadian Tombs (Tombeaux Saadiens)

The tombs from the Saadian dynasty (1524-1659) are beautiful. The highlight is the Hall of Twelve Columns with twelve ornate carved marble columns and tiled walls and floors.  You will need to line up to see inside this hall.  The tombs are open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (6 euros) and lines can be shorter early and late in the day, before and after the tour groups.  There is a lovely small garden here too. The tombs are down a tiny unmarked street just after the Moulay El Yazid Mosque, on the left.  Across the street from the tombs is Nid’Cigogne Café, which has a rooftop terrace with a great view of the nearby mosque and an enormous stork nest.

How to Reach Marrakech, Morocco

Book cheap flights and hotels here.

How To Book Your Stay When Visiting Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech hotels – If you are planning to visit Marrakech then you must be wondering where to stay in Marrakech or the best hotels in Marrakech or the best accommodation in Marrakech. Stay options to suit your budget are available at Marrakech and can be easily booked. For best accommodation – hotels in Marrakech we suggest checking out our favorite sites to book here. We always use these sites to book our stay. Marrakech hotel booking can be done through HotelsCombined or  Booking.com to save huge and get best deals on booking your stay in Marrakech.

Tours/Activities available in Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech points of interest are many and if you are wondering what to see in Marrakech or what to do in Marrakech, then look no further. Marrakech attractions pass are available for the best Marrakech tours. You can now book tours in Marrakech as well as activities in Marrakech. Plan the best places to visit in Marrakech and experience Marrakech, Morocco.

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