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Marrakech was founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids and has been a capital more than once since. The old city still sits inside long ochre ramparts, and its medina is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Reddish-pink walls, courtyard houses called riads, and a street plan that was never meant for cars give the centre a character you notice within minutes of arriving.
It is also a working city of hundreds of thousands of people, with a modern district, a university and a busy airport. Visitors who spend time in both halves, the medina and the newer streets, get the fuller picture. The snow-capped High Atlas is visible from many rooftops on clear winter days, and it is close enough for a day trip.
Best time to visit
Spring and autumn are the easiest seasons: warm days, cool evenings, and enough time outdoors to enjoy the gardens and the square after dark. Winter days are often sunny and pleasant, but nights can be properly cold, and many riads are not well heated, so pack a jumper.
July and August are very hot. If you come then, plan sightseeing for the morning and late afternoon, and use the middle of the day for a museum, a hammam or a long lunch. Dates for Ramadan move through the year; the city is quieter by day and lively after sunset during that month.
Getting there and around
Marrakech Menara airport has direct flights from many European cities and a domestic network. Trains from Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier arrive at the station in the new town, a short taxi ride from the medina. Long-distance buses and shared taxis also serve the city.
Inside the walls, walking is the main way to get around, and the lanes are narrow enough that you will often share them with scooters, handcarts and bicycles. Many riads sit on streets cars cannot enter, so ask your host where the nearest drop-off point is and whether someone can meet you there. Petit taxis cover shorter trips in the city; agree how the fare works before you set off, or ask for the meter to be used.
Neighbourhoods
The medina
The historic core, with the souks north of the square, the Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs to the south, and hundreds of riads in between. Expect to get lost at least once.
Jemaa el-Fna and the Koutoubia
The great square sits at the medina's edge, and the Koutoubia Mosque, whose minaret dates from the 12th century, stands a few minutes' walk to the west. The square changes through the day, from juice stalls and snake charmers to food stalls and musicians after dark.
Gueliz
The new town laid out under the French protectorate: wide avenues, galleries, cafés and the train station. It is the easier base if you want a less compressed feel.
Top things to do
Souks and craft quarters
North of Jemaa el-Fna the souks split by trade: leather, metalwork, lanterns, spices, dyed wool. Bargaining is normal. Smile, take your time, and walk away if the number is wrong.
Bahia Palace
A 19th-century palace of painted cedar ceilings, zellige tilework and quiet courtyards.
Saadian Tombs
Royal tombs from the 16th century, walled up for generations and rediscovered in the early 20th.
El Badi Palace
The ruins of a late 16th-century palace, now a large open space where storks nest on the walls.
Ben Youssef Madrasa
A former Quranic school with a carved courtyard, one of the clearest views of Saadian-era craftsmanship.
Majorelle Garden
A garden made by the painter Jacques Majorelle, later owned by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. The Yves Saint Laurent Museum is next door.
A day in the mountains
The Ourika valley and the village of Imlil, the usual starting point for Toubkal, are within reach of the city. Toubkal is the highest peak in North Africa. The Agafay stony desert is closer still.
Food to try
Tanjia
A Marrakech speciality: meat slow-cooked in a clay jar, traditionally left in the embers of a hammam furnace.
Tagine and couscous
Tagine is on every menu. Couscous is traditionally a Friday dish, so it is easiest to find then.
Pastilla
A flaky pie of spiced meat, usually chicken or pigeon, dusted with sugar and cinnamon.
Square-side stalls
Grilled meats, harira soup, and snail broth are the staples at the evening stalls on Jemaa el-Fna. Check the queue and pick a busy one.
Itinerary
One day
Morning at Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs, lunch near the souks, then the afternoon in the souks and Ben Youssef Madrasa. End at Jemaa el-Fna as the lights come on.
Two days
Add Majorelle Garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in the morning of day two, an afternoon at El Badi, and a hammam in the evening.
Three days
Leave the third day for the Atlas: Ourika valley or Imlil, with a lunch in the mountains. Alternatively, drive out to the Agafay desert for sunset.
Practical tips
Dress modestly in the medina, especially inside religious or historic buildings. Most active mosques are closed to non-Muslims, though you can look at their minarets from outside.
Keep small notes for tips and small purchases. Agree a price before you take a service, and be polite but firm about declining unsolicited guides. Photographing people, especially at craft stalls and on the square, usually works better with a word first.
