Marrakech travel guide

• A UNESCO-listed medina that is still a working city rather than a museum.
• Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, Ben Youssef Madrasa and the Koutoubia within walking distance of each other.
• Riads — courtyard houses converted into small hotels — are a genuinely distinctive way to stay.
• Atlas mountain valleys, Ourika and Imlil, an hour or two from the city.
• Agafay stone desert and Sahara routes for overnight camps.

March to May and September to November

Spring (March – May)

20-28°C, gardens at their best, ideal for walking the medina.

Summer (June – August)

Regularly 38-45°C. Riads with pools and early starts only; rates drop.

Autumn (September – November)

Our pick — warm, clear and quieter than spring.

Winter (December – February)

Mild days at 18-20°C but genuinely cold nights. Check your riad has heating.

During Ramadan, daytime dining is limited and the rhythm of the city changes; evenings become the main event.

Jemaa el-Fna

The main square: calm by day, full of food stalls and performers after sunset. Agree any photo or performance payment in advance.

Bahia Palace

19th-century palace with the best tilework in the city. Go at opening to avoid tour groups.

Saadian Tombs

Small, ornate and often queued — early morning is much better.

Jardin Majorelle and the YSL Museum

Timed tickets, sells out. Book online rather than queuing in the sun.

Ben Youssef Madrasa

Restored religious college and the most photographed courtyard in Marrakech.

Souks

Leather, lanterns, spices and rugs. Haggling is expected and should stay good-humoured; walk away freely.

Atlas day trip

Ourika Valley, Imlil or the Three Valleys with a driver — a cool contrast to the city heat.

Medina (riads)

The classic choice: courtyard houses, quiet inside, noisy lanes outside, no car access to the door.

Gueliz (new town)

Modern hotels, wide streets, cafés and taxis. Easier for less confident travellers.

Hivernage

Larger resort hotels with pools, walking distance to both the medina edge and Gueliz.

Palmeraie

Resorts among palm groves outside the city — relaxed but taxi-dependent for everything.

Agafay desert lodges

An hour out, for one night of desert camp for travellers not going all the way to the Sahara.

• The medina is walking only in most places — bags need to be carried or wheeled from the nearest vehicle drop.
• Arrange an airport transfer through your riad; the last stretch is a walk with a porter and it saves a stressful arrival.
• Petit taxis are metered by law; agree on the meter or a price before setting off.
• Save your riad's location offline — GPS in the medina is unreliable and lanes are unmarked.
• For the Atlas or the desert, hire a driver rather than self-driving. Mountain roads are narrow and slow.

Need a vehicle at the other end? Our car rental page explains how driver requirements, deposits and insurance excesses usually work abroad.

• Riads are small, often 5-10 rooms, with very different standards. Read recent reviews for air conditioning, heating and Wi-Fi.
• Rooftop terraces are a major part of the experience — check the riad has one.
• A pool is small comfort in a riad; for real swimming, Hivernage or Palmeraie hotels are better.
• Ask whether the riad includes airport pick-up and a porter to the door. The good ones do.
• Tourist tax is collected per person per night at the property.

We can shortlist properties against your budget and travel dates — see how our hotel booking service works.

• A licensed guide for the first half day in the medina pays for itself in orientation alone.
• Book Jardin Majorelle online for a fixed entry time.
• Cooking classes and hammam experiences are consistently well reviewed and easy to fit into a short stay.
• A Sahara overnight from Marrakech is long — two nights minimum, or choose the Agafay desert instead for a single night.

See our tours and experiences page, or tell us what you want to see and we will build the day around it.

Morocco's entry requirements depend on your nationality and residence

First-time visitors

Four nights: guided medina morning, palaces and gardens, souk afternoon, one Atlas day trip.

Families

Hivernage or Palmeraie for a pool, with shorter medina visits in the morning and afternoons out of the heat.

Couples

A small riad, a rooftop dinner, a hammam and one night in an Agafay desert camp.

Longer Morocco trips

Marrakech with Essaouira on the coast, or a Sahara loop through Ait Benhaddou and the Dades valley.

• Dress modestly — covered shoulders and knees. It reduces unwanted attention as well as being respectful.
• Unsolicited 'help' with directions in the medina usually ends in a request for payment. A polite, firm no is fine.
• Carry small dirham notes for taxis, tips and the souks; cards are not widely accepted in the medina.
• Haggle calmly and be willing to walk away — it is a normal part of the transaction, not a confrontation.
• Drink bottled water and be sensible with raw salads and ice on a first visit.

• Arriving late at night without a pre-arranged transfer and riad directions.
• Booking July or August without a pool.
• Agreeing to a photo with a snake handler or monkey in Jemaa el-Fna without agreeing a price first.
• Attempting a Sahara overnight in one night — the driving distance does not allow it.
• Expecting cards to work in the souks.

Riad, per night

Roughly $60-$160 for a well-reviewed mid-range riad, often including breakfast.

Petit taxi across town

$2-$5 on the meter.

Medina dinner

$8-$25 per person, more at rooftop restaurants.

Atlas day trip with driver

$45-$90 per person depending on group size and inclusions.

Indicative planning ranges only. Actual prices move with season, exchange rates and availability — ask us for a current quote for your dates.