25 Best Things to Do in Marrakech (Local Expert Picks)

The best things to do in Marrakech are exploring the medina's souks and Jemaa el-Fna square, visiting the Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Madrasa and Saadian Tombs, walking through Jardin Majorelle, and trying a hammam and a cooking class. With more time, add a sunrise balloon flight, a Palmeraie camel ride or a day trip into the Atlas Mountains. Most monuments charge about 50–100 MAD (€5–10) to get in.

Marrakech is compact. Most of its main sights lie within the 19 km of ochre ramparts around the medina, and you can reach them on foot from any riad. This list is ordered roughly as a local guide would plan a first visit: the historic core first, then gardens and museums, then activities and short trips. Fees are the 2026 rates for foreign adults. They change often, so treat them as approximate. At the time of writing €1 buys about 10.5–11 MAD.

Historic Medina: Monuments and Landmarks

1. Jemaa el-Fna square. This is the heart of the city, and UNESCO lists it as a masterpiece of oral heritage. Visit twice: in the late morning for orange-juice stalls and herbalists, and after about 6 pm when the food stalls and storytellers take over. Our guide to Jemaa el-Fna and its common scams explains how to enjoy it without being overcharged.
2. Koutoubia Mosque. The 12th-century Almohad minaret is 77 m tall and still the height limit for the medina. Only Muslims may go inside, but the gardens on its southwest side are free and are at their best at sunset.
3. Bahia Palace. This 19th-century vizier's palace has about 8,000 m² of zellige, carved cedar and painted ceilings. It is open 9:00–17:00, and entry is now around 100 MAD. Arrive at opening, because tour groups fill the courtyards by 10:30.
4. Ben Youssef Madrasa. The largest Quranic school in Morocco, restored in 2020. It has 130 student cells around a marble courtyard. It is open 9:00–19:00 and costs 50 MAD.
5. Saadian Tombs. These 16th-century mausoleums were sealed off and only rediscovered in 1917. The Chamber of the Twelve Columns usually has a queue, so go early. Entry is roughly 70–100 MAD.
6. El Badi Palace. The vast ruins of Ahmed al-Mansour's palace, where storks nest on the walls. The terraces give one of the best free views over the Kasbah quarter once you are inside. Entry is about 70–100 MAD.
7. The Mellah. The old Jewish quarter has the restored Lazama Synagogue and the Miaara cemetery. It gives useful context for Marrakech's mixed history.
8. Le Jardin Secret. A restored riad garden in the souks, with a working 16th-century khettara water system. The tower has views over the medina rooftops. Entry is about 100 MAD.
9. Maison de la Photographie. A small private museum of Moroccan photographs from 1870 to 1960, with a rooftop café that is quieter than the ones on the square.

Souks, Crafts and Food

10. Get lost in the souks. Souk Semmarine, the spice square at Rahba Kedima, the dyers' lane and the blacksmiths' quarter each specialise in one trade. Before you buy anything, read our haggling tips and fair-price benchmarks for the souks.
11. See the tanneries at Bab Debbagh. Go with a guide or in the morning. Ignore anyone who says there is a "Berber tannery festival today".
12. Eat a tanjia. Marrakech's own dish is beef or lamb slow-cooked for hours in a clay urn in the embers of a hammam furnace.
13. Take a cooking class. A market visit followed by tagine and bread-making is the quickest way to understand the cuisine. See our list of Moroccan dishes worth tasting before you go.
14. Drink mint tea on a rooftop at sunset. From the terraces around Jemaa el-Fna you can watch the call to prayer roll across the city.

Gardens, Museums and the New Town

15. Jardin Majorelle. The cobalt-blue garden that Yves Saint Laurent restored. Tickets are sold online only, and the garden alone costs around 170 MAD. Check the timings in our Majorelle tickets and hours guide.
16. Musée Yves Saint Laurent. Rotating haute-couture exhibitions next to the garden. It is closed on Wednesdays.
17. Menara Gardens. A 12th-century olive grove and reservoir with the Atlas behind it on clear winter days. The grounds are free.
18. Cyber Parc and Guéliz. A free shaded park between the medina and the French-built new town, which has galleries, cafés and fixed-price shops.

Experiences Worth Booking

19. Hot air balloon at sunrise. Flights of about 45–60 minutes over the Jbilet plains, usually rising to 800–1,000 m. Our balloon price and safety guide covers what to expect.
20. A traditional hammam. This can be a 20 MAD neighbourhood bathhouse or a 600 MAD spa ritual with black soap and a kessa scrub.
21. Quad biking and a camel ride in the Palmeraie. The palm grove is 15–20 minutes from the medina and makes an easy half day.
22. A guided medina walk. A licensed guide saves time in the maze of about 600 alleys and keeps the touts away. Our guided walking tour of the medina and souks takes 3–4 hours and costs from €25 per person.

Easy Escapes from the City

23. Agafay Desert. A stony desert about 40 km southwest (45 minutes' drive), popular for sunset camel rides and dinner at a camp.
24. Ourika Valley or Imlil. Berber villages and waterfalls in the High Atlas, 60–65 km away (1–1.5 hours).
25. Essaouira or Ouzoud. Atlantic ramparts or 110 m waterfalls, both about 2.5–3 hours each way. Compare them in our round-up of day trips from Marrakech.

When to Go and How to Plan Your Days

Three full days is enough for the medina, the gardens and one experience or day trip. Most monuments close at 17:00–19:00. Friday midday prayers slow down the souks, and opening hours are shorter during Ramadan. Petit taxis inside the city should run on the meter. Short medina hops cost about 15–30 MAD by day, and a 50% night surcharge applies after 20:00.

Plan Your Marrakech Experiences

If you only book one thing, make it a guided walk on your first morning. It gets you oriented and makes the rest of the trip easier. All the activities in this list, from medina walks to balloon flights and cooking classes, are in our Marrakech experiences collection. Each includes free riad pickup, a licensed local guide, and a choice of private or small-group format. Message us on WhatsApp and we can fit them around your dates.