There is really a lot to do in Marrakech! You will find many places of interest to visit in the city and fun activities to do in Marrakech and around ... Whether you come on weekends or to spend a week, it is impossible to get bored in the city. Red city!
In my opinion, here are the places to visit and the essential things to do in Marrakech during a short stay (between 2 and 4 days on-site).
⦁ The Majorelle garden
⦁ The medina of Marrakech
⦁ Jemaa el Fna square
⦁ The souks
⦁ Bahia Palace
⦁ The Koutoubia mosque
⦁ The Medersa Ben-Youssef
⦁ Taste Moroccan cuisine
⦁ Relax in the Hamman
⦁ Fly over Marrakech in a hot air balloon
⦁ Take a Moroccan cooking class
I will give you the details of all these visits and activities in the rest of this article and some additional ideas of things to do in Marrakech , if you are staying longer or not your first stay in the city!
WHAT TO DO IN MARRAKECH? (Places to visit)
1-The Majorelle garden:
The Majorelle Garden is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Marrakech ! But, in any case, it is the one that I liked the most! A natural breath of fresh air in a Marrakech that can be stifling!
This exceptional place was created by the French painter Jacques Majorelle. Falling in love with Marrakech in the 1920s, he built his Art Deco-style workshop there, painted blue, the famous Majorelle blue. All around, he creates a magnificent botanical garden with rare plants and species that he brings back from his travels.
The walk in the middle of some 300 species of plants (cacti, yuccas, water lilies, water lilies, jasmines, palm trees, bamboo, bougainvillea…), ponds, and fountains are charming. It really is a must-visit to do in Marrakech !
2-The medina of Marrakech:
The first thing to do in Marrakech is to take a walk in the heart of the medina! The medina is the historic center of Marrakech . This old town, almost a thousand years old, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will find stalls of all kinds, palaces and many riads! I can only advise you to get lost in this labyrinth of alleys full of life, with ocher-colored walls! There are treasures hidden there!
3-Jemaa el Fna square:
Another must-see in Marrakech : the famous Jemaa el Fna square! A place praised everywhere for its folklore: water vendors in costume, henna tattooists, snake charmers ...
Personally, I recommend that you visit it after dark for its street food stalls! You can then enjoy authentic Moroccan cuisine, delicious and straightforward... Don't hesitate to ask the locals to help you choose from the dozens of stands (not all of them are equal).
4-The souks:
North of Jemaa el Fna square, you will find the souks of Marrakech ! It's a place to see for its exceptional atmosphere, but it's also the perfect place to find souvenirs to bring back! Berber carpets, lanterns, slippers, tagines, and a thousand other wonders are hidden on these crowded stalls! But before you buy, don't forget to negotiate!
To be amazed, don't miss the dyers' souk (= the Sebbaghine souk) with its bundles of multicolored wool that dry in the middle of the alleys!
5-Bahia Palace:
Visiting Marrakech also means discovering its ancient palaces! One of the most beautiful is undoubtedly the Bahia Palace! This palace is a true masterpiece! It is no less than 8 hectares, but only a part is open to the public. The current sovereign of Morocco still receives his important guests there! You can visit some rooms and beautiful courtyards, patios, and gardens and discover the finesse of Islamic art, particularly the work of mosaics, calligraphy, marquetry, stucco ...
6-The Koutoubia mosque:
Located just next to the Jemaa el Fna square, the Koutoubia is one of the symbols of Marrakech . Its minaret, nearly 80 meters high, can be seen from all over the city! It is also a good reference point if you get lost in the medina or in the souks. For the record, I found that it looked a lot like the Giralda in Seville, and I then learned that it had actually served as a model for constructing this one! Of course, it is only possible to enter the mosque if you are Muslim. Otherwise, I advise you to take a little tour of the surrounding gardens!
7-The Medersa Ben-Youssef:
Another exciting visit to Marrakech is the Medersa Ben Youssef. It is a Koranic school located in the heart of the medina, in the Mouassine district. It is a magnificent example of Arab Andalusian architecture! The courtyard, the prayer room, and the patio are particularly worth a look! Floors, ceilings, bases, columns… are richly decorated! A real gem!
8-The palm grove of Marrakech:
La Palmeraie is another popular visit to Marrakech ! It is a large natural area with no less than 100,000 palm trees, where the essential activity is the camel ride. Or the quad ride. There is also one of the most beautiful golf courses in Marrakech , the PalmGolf Resort, whose green offers breathtaking views of the Atlas Mountains. A classic of tourist circuits in Marrakech ... There is little point in visiting it if it is not to practice one of these activities.
9-Relax at the Spa / Hammam:
If there is one enjoyable activity to do in Marrakech after a good day of sightseeing, it is to relax in a hammam! You can go to the local hammams, or you can test a spa in Marrakech, you will find some wonderful ones!
The hammam is a valid symbol; it is undoubtedly one of the world's most famous Moroccan beauty rituals! This is a traditional, boiling steam bath, saturated at 100% humidity. The hammam allows you to purify your body according to a well-established ritual. We start with a first steam bath, infused with the eucalyptus plant, intended to relax all the body's muscles and open the skin's pores. After a cool shower, we move into a second, warmer room. To eliminate dead cells and impurities from the skin, we use black soap with emollient properties, and we rub ourselves with a horsehair glove called a Kassa or loofah glove. We end with the last room, the hottest, at nearly 50 °. The alternation of cold water and superheated steam baths helps boost blood circulation, tone the skin, and purify the body by eliminating toxins.
10-Fly over Marrakech in a hot air balloon:
If you are looking for an incredible experience to do in Marrakech, I recommend the hot air balloon flight! This is clearly the activity that will leave you with lasting memories! Flying over the desert near Marrakech and watching the sunrise over the Atlas Mountains is absolutely magical!
This is definitely an activity that I recommend if you have the budget for!
11-Take a Moroccan cooking class:
A must-do activity for foodies like me Every time I travel, I try to go on a food tour or take a cooking class! However, it must be said that I love to reproduce these recipes from around the world at home to extend the trip. Moroccan cuisine is one of my favorites, generous cuisine full of flavor!
I can recommend this cooking class to learn to cook an emblematic dish, the famous tagine. You will go to the souk to find the ingredients with the chef before cooking, and then you can taste your dish. This is really an activity that I recommend if you are curious about Moroccan gastronomy!
But also :
There are many other things to do in Marrakech and places to discover, such as the Menara gardens to escape the tumult of the city for a few hours, the Saadian tombs, the El Badi Palace, or the secret garden, a magnificent recently renovated palace surrounded by exotic gardens ...
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