Marrakech Travel Guide

Marrakech Sightseeing Overview

Marrakech is one of Morocco's four Imperial Cities, along with Méknes, Fes and Rabat. It was founded around 1062 by the Berber Almoravids and soon became the capital of an Islamic empire that reached from central Spain to West Africa.

The rule of Yousef Ben Tachfine blessed Marrakech with its legendary walls, several mosques, fine gardens and palaces. The Almoravid conquest of southern Spain led to an exchange of culture investing this remote desert enclave with the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Andalucia, something that it has retained a feel for to this day.

The architectural influence of the Almohads was strong. Many of the city's best-known landmarks, such as the mosques Koutoubia and El Mansour, date from their conquest, as do the vast mud walls that encase the medina.

Morocco was colonized by the French in the early 20th century. French influence lingers on in the wide boulevards of Guéliz and its few remaining art deco villas, most notably landscape painter Jacques Majorelle's stylish cobalt blue retreat in the Jardin Majorelle. But the most significant legacy of this colonial rule is the French language, which is still spoken by all educated Moroccans.

After WWII, a vast array of pleasure-seekers, ranging from the glamorous to the distinctly insalubrious, left their mark on Marrakech. Winston Churchill, Yves Saint Laurent and the Rolling Stones rubbed shoulders with American beat writers, hippies and a new breed of curious visitors anxious to see what all the fuss was about.

Any visit to Marrakech will center on the medina and the buzzing square of Jemaa el Fna. The soul of the city is the nearby Koutoubia Mosque, the main place of worship in Marrakech. Like all Marrakech mosques and zaouias (saint's shrines), entry is forbidden to non-Muslims. However, the Koutoubia's architecture can be appreciated from the grounds, which are open to everyone.

The labyrinth souks north of the Jemaa el Fna are a wake-up call to the senses and require sharp navigational skills - Marrakech is not a city that lends itself to hurried traveling. However, the main area, packed with artisans and shops, is surprisingly compact, and part of the fun is to wander, never knowing what surprises you might stumble upon.

Marrakech's five medina-based museums are in converted palaces and historic mansions, each with its own strengths and architectural style and well worth a slow meander around.

When Marrakech becomes too intense, havens of tranquility can be found in the many lush public and private gardens both in and outside the city. The Jardin Majorelle in Guéliz is a welcome escape, and the Palmeraie (palm grove) northeast of the medina offers upscale relaxation at spas, clubs and villa resorts.

Marrakech Tourist Information

Office National Marocain du Tourisme (ONMT)
Place Abdel Moumen Ben Ali, Avenue Mohammed V, Guéliz
Tel: (0524) 436 179.
Website: www.visitmorocco.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1200 and 1500-1830.

Marrakech Sightseeing

There are no dedicated tourist passes in Marrakech.

Marrakech Sightseeing

There are no dedicated tourist passes in Marrakech.

Key Attractions in Marrakech, Morocco

Jemaa el Fna (Place of the Dead)
Jemaa el Fna square is the center of medina life both day and night as a gathering place and unofficial stage for street theater. For more than a millennium, the Jemaa el Fna's daily bill has featured acrobats, henna tattoo artists, storytellers, belly dancers, musicians, snake charmers and potion sellers. Mint sellers and carts selling dried fruit and freshly squeezed orange juice make way at dusk for 100 makeshift barbecue restaurants and troupes of entertainers vying for attention. Visitors should take plenty of loose change, as the performers do expect a couple of Dirhams worth of appreciation and some of the more colorful characters will pose for a photo for a small charge. That said, this is not a spectacle just for tourists; the crowd is mostly Moroccan. Jemaa el Fna is surrounded by cafés and restaurants, perfect places to escape the hustle and observe the proceedings with a mint tea, coffee or light meal. Café Argana, Café de France and Café Glacier all have roof terraces with wonderful views, although they are slightly more expensive than other local cafés.

Intersection and end point of Triq el Koutoubia, Rue Mouassine, Souk Smarine and Rue Riad Zitoun el Kedim
UNESCO site: Y.

Saadian Tombs
One of the most visited sites in Marrakech and in Morocco, the Saadian Tombs were discovered and opened to the public in 1917. The entrance is signposted inside the main gate to the Kasbah, a short walk from Jemaa el Fna. The principal structures of the tombs were built by Sultan Ahmed el-Mansour and date from the late 16th century. An enclosed garden is overlooked by two separate mausoleums, with over 100 mosaic-decorated graves scattered inside lavishly decorated chambers and outside in the courtyard (where most of the royal wives and concubines ended up). The mausoleum reserved for the sultan and his favorite sons boasts magnificent domed ceilings, gilded stalactite plasterwork, intricate carving and marble pillars. There are 66 members of the Saadian royal family buried here, alongside chancellors and royal advisors and some much older graves whose identity has been lost. Visitors should expect long queues unless they visit early to avoid the rush.

Rue de la Kasbah
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1145 and 1430-1745.
Admission charge: Y.
Disabled access: Y.

Majorelle Garden and Museum of Islamic Art
Given by the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent as a gift to the city of Marrakech, this botanical garden was created in the 1920s by French artists Jacques and Louis Majorelle. Perfectly manicured gardens, with pools, giant cacti, bamboo, coconut and banana trees, stand out against the bright-blue wash that covers the villa and garden walls, with splashes of lemon yellow and emerald green on planters, doors and furnishings. A must-see, both for the garden and a peek inside the Majorelles' old studio, which now houses Yves Saint Laurent's collection of local arts and antiques in the Museum of Islamic Art.

Entrance in side street off avenue Yacoub el Mansour
Tel: (0524) 301 852.
Website: www.jardinmajorelle.com
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1800 (May-Sep); daily 0800-1730 (Oct-Apr).
Admission charge: Y.
Disabled access: Y.

El Badi Palace
This once magnificent palace, whose name means the 'incomparable', was built in 1578 by the Midas of Marrakech, Saadian sultan Ahmed el-Mansour. Its 360 rooms were once sumptuously decorated in marble, gold, onyx, ivory, cedar wood and semi-precious stones, surrounding a vast central courtyard of pools, fountains and sunken gardens. This was the venue for parties of extreme extravagance until the sultan died, the capital was moved to Meknès and the palace was stripped of anything valuable. Little remains of its glory days and the ruins of the battlements surround a vast empty space where sumptuous gardens and palace rooms once stood. Today the main attractions are the nesting storks that have made their home here and (for an additional entrance fee) the original 12th-century marquetry minbar (pulpit) inlaid with silver and gold and painstakingly restored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Every summer it comes to life as the main venue for the National Festival of Popular Arts, and recently it has served as a venue for lounge and electronica music festivals.

Bab Berrima, off Place des Ferblantiers
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1145 and 1430-1745.
Admission charge: Y.
Disabled access: Y.

Koutoubia Mosque
From any approach, the first sight of Marrakech is of the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, which dominates the skyline and is a handy reference point for lost travelers. Marrakech's tallest building dates from the 12th century and is the prototype for Moroccan design, with each facade and archway on the square minaret carved with a different architectural flourish. Originally, it was covered in plaster with each tier decoratively painted, but a 1990s restoration opted to leave the stonework exposed. The architecture can be admired at close quarters from the recently renovated gardens, where you can glimpse the foundations of an 11th-century Almoravid mosque demolished because it was not correctly aligned with Mecca.

Avenue Mohammed V
Opening hours: Mosque and minaret closed to non-Muslims; gardens open sunrise-sunset.
Admission charge: N (gardens).
Disabled access: Y.

Marrakech souks
Marrakech appeals to all five senses and the sixth besides - you'll need to trust your intuition to find your way through the labyrinth of souks (market streets) with carpet dealers lying in wait around every corner. The main souks are found through an arch to the north of the Jemaa el Fna. Each section has its own specialty - slippers, spices, lamps and jewelry. The medicinal lotions and potions are particularly interesting, especially those to ward off Jinn (souls without bodies) held responsible for a whole range of ills. Avoid any 'unofficial guides' who offer their services: the whole point of the souks is getting lost, catching glimpses of handicrafts in progress, and finding bargains to boot. Touts may offer to guide you to the tanneries to the northeast of the souks, but this 'attraction' is better avoided. The local leather-tanning setup involves toxic chemical dyes and an unholy stench, and is a favorite haunt of local glue-sniffers - hardly picturesque. The dense central souks offer far more appealing sights to fill an afternoon, and even if you've no intention of buying anything, they're worth a visit for the ambience.

Off Jemaa el Fna
Opening hours: Daily approximately 0900-1900.

Bahia Palace
The 19th-century Bahia Palace still functions as a royal residence where the king entertains, but dozens of rooms are open to the public to see how the royals lived, including the former residence of the Grand Vizier's four wives and his royal harem of 24 concubines. These rooms are decked out floor to ceiling with an eye-popping combination of stuccowork, mosaics and intricately carved and painted woodwork.

Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jedid, near Place des Ferblantiers
Tel: (0524) 389 564.
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs and Sat-Sun 0830-1145 and 1430-1745, Fri 0830-1130 and 1500-1745.
Admission charge: Y.
Disabled access: Y.

Menara Gardens
With its backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, it is no surprise that the Menara Gardens are one of the most photographed places in Morocco. It is also a popular place among locals for picnics. The best time to come is late afternoon when most of the tourists have left. More a working farm than a garden, the Menara was laid out in the 12th century by the Almohads. Around 30,000 olive trees are set around a magnificent reflecting pool, filled with fish that leap above the surface to the surprise of passing walkers. The well-kept picnic pavilion, the menzeh, was built much later in 1869. The first-floor open balcony offers a wonderful view over the pool and the mountains beyond.

Avenue de la Menara, 2km (1 mile) east of the medina
Opening hours: 0530-1830.
Admission charge: N (Y for the picnic pavilion).
Disabled access: Y.
UNESCO site: Y.

Further Distractions

Ben Youssef Medersa, Musée de Marrakech and Koubba el Badiyin
In the heart of Marrakech's souks, the sublime Ben Youssef Medersa is a former Koranic school where the main courtyard is a wonder of stucco, mosaics and marble surrounded by balconies of exquisite carved cedar and relatively austere dorm rooms where students lived, memorised scriptures, crammed for tests in Islamic law, and prepared simple hot-plate meals. A visit here can be combined with a trip to the Musée de Marrakech (Museum of Marrakech), a magnificently restored 19th-century mansion built by the Mnebhi family that now displays carpets, jewelry, furniture, ceramics, textiles and manuscripts. Across the square in front of the Ali ben Youssef Mosque is the Koubba el Badiyin, the sole surviving structure of the city's Almoravid founders other than the mud-brick city walls. A combined ticket gives same-day access to the Medersa, museum, and Koubba el Badiyin.

Place ben Youssef (in the souks)
Tel: (0524) 441 893.
Opening hours: Medersa daily 0900-1800, museum and Koubba daily 0900-1900.
Admission charge: Y.
Disabled access: Y.

Musée Dar Si Said
Marrakech has several excellent museums, all set in historic buildings and highlighting collections of local arts and crafts. Just north of the Bahia Palace along Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jedid you'll notice signs pointing the way to Musée Dar Si Said. This former mansion of 19th-century royal chamberlain Sidi Said now houses a notable collection of daggers, carved doors, musical instruments and mysterious kitchen implements. The route through the museum flows through maze-like entry rooms, a courtyard and upstairs to the magnificent domed wedding chamber and top-floor kitchen.

Off Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jedid, near Bahia Palace
Tel: (0524) 389 564.
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 0900-1200 and 1500-1800.
Admission charge: Y.
Disabled access: Y.

Musée Tiskiwin
Near the Musée Dar Si Said is a beautiful double riad containing the private collection of folk crafts belonging to Dutch collector Bert Flint. This small, dusty, and appealingly quirky museum leads visitors on a journey from Tuareg artifacts of the Sahara to the talismanic Berber adornments of the Atlas Mountains. Despite being around the corner from the Musée Dar Si Said, the way is poorly signed and it is easy to get lost en route; follow the signs on Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jedid instead.

8 Rue Dar Bahia, near Bahia Palace
Tel: (0524) 389 192.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1230 and 1500-1730.
Admission charge: Y.
Disabled access: Y.