The city of Marrakech is truly unlike any other we have ever visited before. It is full of winding narrow streets, scooters here and there, cats lazily meandering about, donkeys trotting along, and people shouting from every direction. If this sounds like your nightmare, we know the feeling. But after the initial shock wares off, and you begin to get your bearings, we promise it will be easy to see why so many love this city. Read on for our top 10 favorite things to do in Marrakech!
1. Drink Mint Tea
Almost every place you go, you will be offered a mint tea. And you should graciously accept. Served out of ornate tea pots on silver trays, we fell in love with this tradition. It is made with a blend of green tea and numerous types of mint. We preferred ours sweet, with bricks of sugar.
2. Get Lost in the Medina
The streets of the medina are narrow and entangled. Around every corner is a souk overflowing with locally sourced goods, a friendly footy match amongst youngsters, or a row of homes with the most beautiful ornate entrances. It is incredibly easy – and we’d actually encourage you – to get lost in the Medina.
3. Haggle at the Souks
When visiting Marrakech it isn’t a matter of IF you’ll be buying goodies to bring home, but a matter of WHAT you’ll be spending the big bucks on. From the famed Moroccan rugs and pillow cases, to knock-off football kits and leather goods, you will be spoilt for choice. Never settle for asking price! What is the fun in that? You can almost always get any item for 50% the original tag. Happy hunting 🙂
4. Gaze at the Mosques
There is a mosque on every corner, each one more beautiful than the next. The Koutoubia Mosque is the largest in Marrakech and 100% worth a visit. The large stone tower can’t be missed from almost any point in the city. Note: Unless you are a practicing Muslim, you will not be allowed inside.
5. Wander the Gardens
Next to the Koutoubia Mosque is the stunning Parc Lalla Hasna. A massive garden with plenty of benches and fountains amongst vibrantly colored bushes of flowers. Pop a squat here and admire Koutoubia. We also really enjoyed visiting Jardin Majorelle. This botanical garden, when facing the threat of being turned into a hotel, was acquired and preserved by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. Only 70 DHS to enter, it is worth the trip if you have the time.
6. Stay in a Riad
Typical in Morocco, these small houses typically have an interior courtyard or garden. We stayed at Riad Dar Kleta and can’t say enough good things about our experience there! The interior design will leave you wanting to redesign your entire flat and the unbeatable hospitality of the family who lives there will have you booking a return trip to Marrakesh before you even leave!
7. Eat Tajine
Tajine. A staple dish in Moroccan cooking, you would be hard pressed to find a restaurant not serving it. And for good reason! With many types of meats and veg slow-cooked in a cone-shaped clay pot, our favorite variations were the fish tagine and lamb tagine.
8. Watch the Sunset Over Marrakesh
There are a number of rooftop restaurants throughout Marrakesh, perfect for watching the sunset. Our all time favorite was Atay Cafe! Other popular spots include Nomad, Cafe Des Epices, which is not to be confued with Terrasse Des Epices.
9. Take a Day Trip (or 2) Outside of Marrakesh
Want to escape the hustle and bustle of Marrakesh to explore Morocco? I know we were anxious to, and would highly suggest the trips below.
Atlas Mountains – Easy to explore in just a day, we decided on an Airbnb experience linked here. Taib was our wonderful host. He is part of an ethnic group called the Berbers, who are the original indigenous people of Morocco. During our tour we were able to see how they live in the mountains and even visit Taib’s family home to meet his family for a traditional home cooked lunch.
Essaouira – Have more time? A highlight of our trip was a two day visit to the coastal town of Essaouira. Easily accessible from Marrakesh via a 4-hour bus, Essaouira boasts amazing seafood, sandy beaches, and lovely people. Full post coming soon!
10. Honorable Mention
Like most places, there is so much to see and do in Marrakesh. These are the things we missed during out trip for one reason or another, but would have loved to have seen if we were able.
- Have a Hammam: We visited Marrakesh in April. With the weather already beginning to heat up, the thought of a hot, soapy steam-room wasn’t the most appealing. Looking back though, an escape from the hectic streets for a relaxing treatment sounds like pure bliss. We had our eyes on booking a treatment at Les Bains de Marrakech, since they also offer coed treatment rooms.
- Visit Ben Youssef Madrassa: Closed for restoration works when we visited, the Ben Youssef Madrassa is an Islamic college. It is incredibly ornate. Google photos of this place and you’ll understand why we were bummed to miss it.
- Visit Bahia Palace: In English, Bahia Palace translates to palace of the beautiful, brilliant. It boasts a 2-acre garden with tiled rooms opening up to a terrace. We unfortunately just didn’t have time for this one.
There are so many incredible things to do in Marrakech! With that being said, a spot we would consider avoiding is Jamaâ el Fnaa. The square is shoulder to shoulder full of people and everywhere you turn someone is begging for your attention. You’ll find snake charmers and monkeys in chains, which is not entertaining, just cruel.
As always, let us know if you have any questions and if you end up using any tips from the guide we would love to hear about it!
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