Marrakech Travel Guide, Best Things to Do & Must See

Marrakech Travel Guide: Overview of all the sights, monuments, tourism, things to do and tourist attractions during your visit to Marrakech. One of those places that you have to visit once in your life when you travel Morocco is Marrakech, and the imperial city is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in the country. Combining culture and history with modernity, Marrakech enchants every traveler who visits it.

What to see and do in Marrakech

Jamaa El Fna Square

The Jamaa el Fna square is one of those essential places to see in Morocco, and certainly in Marrakech. It is the nerve center of the city and no matter where you come from or where you want to go in Marrakech you will surely pass near the square or directly by it. From Jamaa el Fna different roads lead to various points of the city, and is one of the best landmarks of Marrakech.

The Jamaa el Fna Square captivates everyone who comes, the bustle that lives in it leaves no one indifferent. Declared a World Heritage Site, it is worth getting lost among its stalls, watch the comings and goings of the locals and experience the transformation it undergoes throughout the day. Contemplate it and enjoy its hustle and bustle is one of the best things to do in Marrakech for free. If we prefer we can relax an orange juice in one of its cafes and taste the pastries of some of its stalls. Jamaa el Fna will make us fall in love!

One of the best times to observe the change that occurs in the square is at sunset. We recommend looking for a café with a rooftop terrace and enjoy the sunset from there, while the snake charmers gather their gear and the food vendors begin to set up their stalls.

Koutoubia Mosque

The most important mosque in Marrakech is the Koutoubia Mosque, besides being one of the essential places to see in Morocco. For several centuries it was one of the largest mosques in the Islamic world, its construction was completed in 1158 and it is really impressive. It probably reminds you of the Giralda of Seville, and it served as a model for its construction in 1184.

Although the entrance is forbidden to non-Muslims, approaching the mosque to admire its huge minaret of 77 meters and its architecture, is one of the things to do in Marrakech. It is located in the Jemaa el Fna Square and is undoubtedly one of the great monumental landmarks of the city.

Do you know what its name means? “Mosque of the booksellers” and is due to the fact that in the past there were numerous bookstalls surrounding the entire mosque.

Medersa Ben Youssef

The great school of Marrakech, the Medersa Ben Youssef is one of the essential places to see in Morocco and in Marrakech. This group of buildings is one of the largest and most beautiful emblems of Arab-Andalusian architecture in Morocco. The Medersa Ben Youssef was built by Sultan Abou al Hasan in the fourteenth century but during the different centuries has been rebuilt and enriched later by the Saadian dynasty.

It is now a museum and is one of the most recommended visits to do in Marrakech, to learn more about Arab culture and the Muslim religion, as it tells us how the Medersa worked in ancient times. If you are wondering what a Medersa is, in the Arab culture it is a school. Here for centuries the Koran, sciences and Islamic values were taught, and it housed more than 900 students.

The Medersa Ben Youssef, in the five centuries it was in operation, became the most important Islamic school in Marrakech and Morocco, until it ceased to be so prominent in 1960. If we really want to enjoy the Arab architecture, in the Medersa Ben Youssed we can spend hours to delight us with its decorations, its mosaics and its sculptures, it is an architectural jewel!

Also, if we visit the Medersa Ben Youssef, we can not miss the mosque that is very close and has the same name.

The souk, Market

As in many of the cities of Morocco, the souk is one of those places that must be seen on any trip. In the case of Marrakech, its souk is really impressive and undoubtedly one of the must-see spots in the city. Getting lost among its stalls, bargaining and buying precious handicrafts are some of the best things to do in Marrakech. The souk of Marrakech is in the Medina and can be reached from the Jamaa el Fna Square, going through a myriad of narrow streets full of small food stalls and shops. We recommend wandering aimlessly through the narrow streets (always with caution) and get carried away by its chaotic atmosphere.

Here you can buy many objects and souvenirs of your trip to Marrakech, it is divided into parts: stalls and shops of dyers, lamps, carpets, pottery … and much more!

The souk is the heart of Marrakech and its medina, with the permission of the Jamaa el Fna square, and the colors of its stalls, the different smells given off by the aromatic herbs, soaps and food, and the bustle will captivate you! Bargaining (and sometimes even losing your temper a bit) in the souk is a must do in Marrakech.

Saadid Tombs

One of the must-see places on any trip to Marrakech are the Saadid Tombs, a treasure that was hidden for years in the beautiful Moroccan city and today is one of the most visited monuments of Marrakech. The Saadid Tombs date back to the late sixteenth century but it was not until the early twentieth century when they were rediscovered.

The Saadian Tombs is one of those places where you can escape from the bustle of the city of Marrakech and where you can admire the beauty of this mausoleum built by the Saadian dynasty. The tombs are located in different rooms and gardens, and in them are located more than 60 members of the Saadian family, in addition to their servants and servants, as well as other nobles of the court. However, the most important building not to be missed is the Main Mausoleum, where the body of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur and his family is buried.

Visiting the Saadian Tombs will surely transport you to an emblematic place in Spain and its architecture will remind you of this impressive complex. At the time of the construction of the Saadid Tombs, the sultan asked the craftsmen and builders who had been expelled from Granada to take part in the construction of the mausoleum. The architecture and decoration is therefore reminiscent of the Alhambra in Granada.

Jewish Quarter or Mellah

Another of the places to see in Marrakech in 3 days is the old Jewish quarter or Mellah. It is also located in the Medina, like the souk, and its labyrinthine streets are one of the least visited areas of the medina but really interesting. Currently, few Jews live in their reddish houses, but from the sixteenth century until the twentieth century this suburb hosted one of the largest Jewish communities in the country, mainly by Jews who had been expelled from the Iberian Peninsula and other European countries.

Strolling through its streets is one of the best things to do for free in Marrakech. Walking through them transports us to another era, and even today you can appreciate the Hebrew essence of the neighborhood. And did you know that in its little shops you can find real bargains? Its souk is not as well known as the main one in Marrakech, but in the little shops of the Mellah you can find handicrafts at really good prices. Being a not so touristy area, they do not take advantage of the prices and you are sure to find some treasure! From jewelry to creams and perfumes to aromatic herbs, in the Jewish quarter of Marrakech, you will also find everything.

Another place not to be missed is the Jewish cemetery, one of the most impressive places in the neighborhood.

Majorelle Gardens

To escape from the chaotic city of Marrakech and take a break from the hustle and bustle of its souk and alleys, there is no better place to go than the Majorelle Gardens. These gardens are a breath of tranquility and peace in the midst of so much chaos. They are located very close to the Jamaa el Fna square, in the European quarter of Marrakech and getting lost in the gardens is one of the things to do when visiting the city.

Many travelers visit the Majorelle Gardens not only to breathe its peaceful atmosphere, but also attracted by its beauty and history. They were designed by the French painter Jacques Majorelle in 1924 but it was not until several decades later that this oasis of palm trees and fountains was built in the middle of Marrakech. After several years in oblivion, the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent bought them and today is one of those secret places to see in Marrakech.

They are not as well known or visited as the Menara Gardens, the huge gardens of Marrakech. However, it is worth taking the time to stroll among hundreds of different species of plants, get caught by the blue color of its architecture and relax in this small oasis.

Menara Gardens

Many travelers say that the most romantic place in the city of Marrakech are the Menara Gardens, where many Moroccan couples come at sunset to enjoy the scenery.

They are the best known gardens of Marrakech and one of the most famous in Morocco, built in 1870 and a large extension. The highlight of the gardens is the huge olive grove that we can find, in addition to the artificial pond that presides over it and hundreds of palm trees that surround it.

The Menara Gardens are located on the outskirts of the city, and visiting them is a good option if you have time. During the weekends is when more people visit them, and there are many Moroccan families who go there to enjoy a quiet day away from the city.

Bahia Palace

Located in the south of the medina, in the old Jewish quarter, another of the places to see in Marrakech is the Bahia Palace. It is a palace complex that was born with the intention of being one of the most impressive architectural works of Morocco. It was built in the late nineteenth century and has an area of over 8,000 square meters, divided into different buildings, rooms and gardens.

As a curiosity, the Bahia Palace is desolate, and is that all the furniture and decoration of the rooms of the palace were plundered on the death of the vizier who ordered its construction. However, despite visiting empty rooms, it is worth visiting on a 3-day trip to Marrakech to imagine the splendor that came to have and admire the beauty of its ceilings.

The Palm Grove of Marrakech

If we have time during our trip, another of the things to do in Marrakech in 3 days is to visit the Palm Grove. It is located away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and shows a more relaxed side of Marrakech, as well as the desert!

The Palm Grove of Marrakech has more than six thousand hectares and is one of the largest in the world. Its origin is surrounded by legends and mysterious stories, although the best known is that it was created by the founder of the city of Marrakech, Youssef Ben Tachfine, and his army. According to the story, his soldiers camped in a vast plain, and as they spat out the seeds of the dates they ate, they were buried, giving birth to this immense palm grove.

Today it has become one of the most luxurious corners of Marrakech and there are numerous residences and palaces in this area, as well as hotels and golf courses. One of the best things to do in the palm grove of Marrakech is to enjoy the scenery and its spectacular sunsets, with the Atlas Mountains on the horizon.

Excursions & Desert Tours

One of the best excursions you can do from Marrakech for an authentic Moroccan experience is to go to the desert. Admiring the vastness of the horizon while surrounded only by giant golden sand dunes is one of the best things to do in Morocco, and well worth the effort to get there from Marrakech.

Merzouga is the gateway to the Erg Chebbi Dunes, one of the most impressive deserts in Morocco, and unforgettable experiences can be enjoyed there. The best? Watching sunset and sunrise from the top of the dunes, being impressed by the beauty of the color of the sand as the sun begins to give off its first rays or when it hides; seeing the starry sky and discovering beautiful constellations; or exchanging cultural secrets with the Berbers are magical things!

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