Things to do in Marrakech

10 things to do during your stay in Marrakech.

Lively and exciting destination, Marrakech offers a perfect blend of culture, beautiful scenery, and fascinating architecture. The so-called “The Pearl of the South” or “The Red City”, although it is said disfigured by mass tourism, has a myriad of places of interest that will not make you hesitate twice when you have to book your plane tickets to visit Marrakech!

To help you organize your stay more easily, we have listed for you the best things to do in Marrakech. So, what should you visit in Marrakech to make sure you do not miss anything during your Marrakech tour?

Souks

Going to the souks is inevitable if you visit Marrakech. The souks are ideal for getting a good deal, but you must be willing to haggle for a good price. It’s even expected of you!

How to negotiate? As a general rule, first, halve the price offered to you and negotiate from it. Do not feel obligated to buy because you may be intimidated, but do not give up if you are not happy with the price.

the Majorelle Gardens

Surely the most beautiful garden in the city! It will seduce lovers of nature and birds of all kinds! The origin of this botanical garden goes to Jacques Majorelle, a famous French painter of the early 20th century. Discovering Marrakech, he fell in love with Morocco, its bright colors, Berber architecture, civilization and its way of life. He then resided in the “red city” and developed his botanical garden where he housed exotic plants, ponds and ceramics decorations. The garden adopted the color “Majorelle blue”, which the artist created to express the depth and intensity of the ocean. The botanical garden is considered by its creator as its main work, to which he devoted his whole life. It opened its magical gates to the public in 1947. Nowadays, the gardens of Majorelle are the property of Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint-Laurent who acquired this bit of paradise to protect and ensure its serenity. This oriental garden is to be seen without hesitation to cut off the city’s bustle and enjoy the cooing of birds and the wriggling water of the fountains …

The Saadian Tombs

Enter the Saadian tombs and discover a rich history and breathtaking ornaments!

The foundations of these tombs go back to the 16th century, and the development of this site was acclaimed according to the will of Sultan Ahmed al-Mansur Saadi.

The site became a royal necropolis in 1557 following the inauguration of the first Saadian prince.

Nevertheless, these monuments were only discovered in contemporary times, around 1917. They were then attributed to the Beaux-Arts for their restoration.

The mausoleum includes a seventy-one of Saadians, an Arab dynasty who imposed himself in Morocco from 1524 to 1659 and who took care to beautify the site throughout their sovereignty.

The monument consists of a chapel and three funerary halls. The decoration of the three pieces is inspired by the Hispano-Moorish style.

In the courtyard of the mausoleum are the tombs of Saadian soldiers near the garden of the necropolis.

Guides are at your disposal for the visit of the tombs, it is, however, possible to make this discovery by oneself.

Ourika Valley

A few hours drive from Marrakech, the Ourika Valley in the Moroccan High Atlas is a real sight to see. The temperature can drop, so bring a little sweater or jacket and take your best walking shoes.

The path in the mountain is rocky, you will cross small bridges over the rivers flowing on the slopes of the mountain. The view from the mountains is superb and well worth a day trip.

Medersa Ben Youssef

Medersa Ben Youssef, better known as the Koranic School, was built in 1565, under the orders of Sultan Abdellah Al Ghalib, belonging to the Saadian dynasty. The monument housed throughout this period Moroccan students from various formations including theology. The Médersa welcomed more than 900 students including more than 100 foreigners. Composed of a pond and a prayer room, the school was richly decorated: floral motifs, marble work, cedar decorations, etc. that it is always possible to admire today. The site was restored during the 1950s but has retained all its splendor … It is impossible to forget that the Moroccan rulers have made it the most recognized Koranic school of all the Maghreb.

Koutoubia mosque

Without a doubt, the most important religious building in Marrakech.

Why? First of all locally because Moroccans, very active, turn to her several times a day during the call to prayer.

This magnificent 12th-century Sunni mosque, whose minaret overlooks the surrounding area, is one of the must-see attractions in Marrakech. Its architecture and its ascetic decor perfectly illustrate the art of the Almohads!

During the prayer hours, do not be surprised to see Moroccans abruptly stop their current activities to turn to Koutoubia and practice their religious exercise.

Visitors cannot access the mosque, reserved for its worshipers.

Nevertheless, you can approach the latter to admire its Hispano-Moorish architecture.

Jamee- El Fna

Jamee el Fna is without a doubt a must see in Marrakech. This magical place brings together lots of surprises to everybody, you can find in this place acrobats, musicians, snake charmers, and of course an infinity of restaurants offering Moroccan street food from orange juice to grilled fish to delight you with all the local delicious specialties. Around the square, you find the alleys of the souks that takes you to the depths of the medina.

in addition to being the geographical heart of Marrakech, Jamee el Fna is also considered as a sociocultural meeting point that is inevitable during your Marrakech tour.

visit a Hammam :

Hammam is a steam bath at 50 C and saturated with 100% humidity. this steam bath allows you to relax all the muscles in your body and clean your skin by eliminating toxins from your body. We can find at least one hammam in every neighborhood. Any traditional one has at least two rooms, after a good moment of relaxing and letting your body sweat, you are now ready to receive the care that follows. do not forget to use black soap and the horsehair glove to eliminate dead skin and then boost blood circulation. wanna fight cellulite? then visit a Hammam during your Marrakech tour.

Stay in a traditional Riad :

Riad design a Moroccan house located in ancient cities, it is a typical Moroccan house that follows a specific model of architecture defining the authenticity and originality of the houses in the Moroccan old medinas which you find inside it small and hidden streets that gives you a certain exotic atmosphere inside the old districts. Today, many riads have been converted to wonderful guest houses, staying in one of them is a real charm, it gives you the opportunity to be very close to the lifestyle of Moroccans and to get to know their daily routine and why not create friendships.

Menara Garden :

Meaning lighthouse, the name Menara drives from the pavilion with its small green pyramid roof, even if there is no lighthouse in this garden, but any building that is at a high altitude is locally known as Menara. This pavilion was built in the 16th century by the Saadi dynasty and renovated in 1869.

In front of the pavilion, there is a large artificial lake surrounded by orchards and olive groves. this basin is supplied with water thanks to a very old hydraulic system that carries water from mountains.

There is without a doubt endless things to do during your stay in Marrakech. To enjoy your holidays more and more contact us and book a wonderful Marrakech guided tour, live the authenticity!