13 of the best things to do in Marrakech

1. Practice haggling in the souks

Antique doors selling for £100,000, handmade Berber blankets, colourful leather slippers, small hand-carved ornaments, fragrant spices…. you can find everything and anything in the souks of Marrakech.

Getting lost in this maze of streets and alleyways, and trying your hand at bartering (it’s expected!), is the best way to experience this essential part of Marrakech. Plus, it’s a great way to talk to local people and learn more about their way of life.

Souk Semmarine is the main pathway through the markets, and where you’ll find many of its finest fabrics. It branches off in all directions with highlights including Spice Square, Souk el Attarine (brass lanterns and lamps) and Souk Nejjarine (handcrafted wood items).

2. Admire the architecture at the Medersa Ben Youssef

This 14th-century Islamic school is an Instagram dream, decked out in intricate tilework, pretty arched doorways and carved wood. Completed in 1565, it was a school for religion, philosophy and medicine for some 400 years before it became a historical monument for the city.

Look out for the gorgeous calligraphic inscriptions carved into plaster, usually part of a Quranic verse or poetry.

3. Take a walk in the Jardin Majorelle

If you want a little respite from the chaos of the city, head to the Jardin Majorelle. Famed for its cobalt blue paint and tranquil picturesque ponds, it’s a refreshing break from the dust and heat of the main streets.

Quiet walkways wind through ponds, exotic trees and plants. Created by Jacques Majorelle, a French painter, over a 40-year period, it was first opened to the public in 1947. In 1980, it was bought by Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent and it has remained a sanctuary of tranquillity in the centre of Marrakech ever since.

4. Photograph the Koutoubia Mosque

One of Marrakech's most recognisable landmarks is closed to many tourists. Lucky, then, its exterior is incredibly photogenic.

Built in the 12th century during the Almohad dynasty, the mosque is a masterpiece of Moroccan architecture, with intricate designs and beautiful details. Its stunning 77m (253ft) minaret dominates the skyline, visible – and easily heard during the five daily calls to prayer – from all across the city.

While you can’t enter the mosque unless you’re Muslim, there are plenty of places to photograph the building, including the Koutoubia Gardens.

5. Embrace the chaos of Jemaa El-Fnaa

Just like the city itself, Marrakech’s UNESCO-listed Jemaa El-Fnaa square has two very different sides.

The blistering heat keeps things more subdued in the daytime, as market stalls, storytellers and snake charmers secure their places for the day. By night the square really comes to life, resembling more of an impromptu carnival than a public square.

You’ll find food stalls, games and music, as well as seemingly spontaneous shops laid out on rugs in the street, each hawking piles of new trainers, beautiful lanterns and trinkets galore.

6. Discover haute couture at Musée Yves Saint Laurent

You don’t have to be a fashionista to enjoy the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, which celebrates the legendary French designer, Yves Saint Laurent.

Built next to his beloved Jardin Majorelle, the museum is as much a masterpiece as the iconic haute couture garments within – the terracotta-coloured building was inspired by flowing fabric and North Africa.

Inside are thousands of Yves Saint Laurent’s most iconic looks, accessories, sketches and personal items. It's fascinating and inspiring, even if you don’t think fashion’s your thing.

7. Explore the beautiful Bahia Palace

Not all of the beautiful Bahia Palace is open to visitors, but the parts that are accessible bring more than enough wow-factor.

A series of riads and courtyards make up this late 19th-century complex, each seemingly more beautiful than the last. Features to look out for include the zouak painted wood ceilings in the Small Courtyard, the shiny Italian Carrara marble flooring of the Grand Courtyard and the thousands of colourful zellige tiles that seem to fill every other blank space.

8. Escape the bustle in Le Jardin Secret

This restored 16th-century garden in the heart of the medina is a wonderful surprise for anyone wandering in from the busy Rue Mouassine. Two lush, immaculate gardens, one filled with exotic plants and the other with fruit and olive trees, fill the inner courtyard of a 400-year-old riad.

Seek shade among the trees, admiring the green geometric tiles, then visit the museum inside the riad to learn about the unique medieval irrigation system that keeps this quiet oasis so verdant.

9. Get scrubbed and smoothed in a hammam

The hammam is a place where locals go to socialise – but also to get scrubbed within an inch of their lives.

The goal here is to open up your pores in various steam rooms, then scrub yourself as hard as you can with an exfoliating glove and gooey savon noir soap to get rid of dead skin cells and dirt. Argan oil is the finishing touch, and will leave your skin incredibly soft.

Traditional hammams are strictly segregated for men and women, but tourist hammams tend to be more relaxed, less painful and usually include a massage at the end.

10. Adventure to the Atlas Mountains

One of the best things to do in Marrakech? Leave it in search of sweeping views, tiny hamlets and long hikes in the nearby Atlas Mountains.

There are hundreds of day trips* departing the city, with common stops including the Agafy Desert (camel rides includes) the Ourika and Tahanaout valleys, and women’s cooperatives to learn about argan oil production.

If you have time to travel further, you can reach the Sahara Desert on a three-day trip.* As well as visiting places like Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate and Todra Gorge, you’ll spend a night in the desert under the stars at a Berber camp. Tours usually cost around £85pp and include breakfast, dinner, accommodation, transport and activities such as camel rides.

11. Experience traditional Moroccan music and art

Art and music play a huge part in Moroccan culture, and Marrakech itself has a history of attracting well known artists and musicians. Highlights of the year include the National Festival of Popular Arts and the International Film Festival.

If you’re going to make the day trip to Essaouria (more on this soon), time your visit with the three-day Gnaoua and World Music Festival in July. Gnaoua culture originates in ancient African Islamic culture but is very much an integral part of Moroccan tradition today. The festival incorporates all Gnaoua styles, including Gnaoua fusions with jazz, blues, hip hop and reggae.

12. Learn about leather making at the tanneries

Although the pungent smell of the tanneries borders on the obnoxious, there is something very authentic about a visit to witness this practice that’s remained unchanged for hundreds of years.

Expect a local to insist on showing you around (for a fee). These guides are generally worth the money, but the leather shop they take you to at the end is a little overpriced, so bargain hard.

13. Go on a day trip to Essaouira

The seaside town of Essaouira is just about doable on a day trip from Marrakech, at roughly two hours by car and about three hours by bus.

The town itself is incredibly laidback and wonderfully picturesque. The Portuguese influence can be seen in its beautifully whitewashed buildings, bright blue boats and ancient seafront fortifications.

Although Essaouira is naturally increasing in popularity it still retains its charm as a bohemian coastal town rich in culture and history, and doesn’t feel particularly touristy.

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