A First-Timer’s Guide to Marrakech

Marrakech is located about 50 miles north of North Africa’s highest peak in the Atlas Mountains and is considered a prime location because of its proximity to other key cities. Marrakech is a major economic center that is home to many mosques, palaces, gardens, and a bustling medina. A symbol of the city, and visible for miles, is the Moorish minaret of the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque. Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic & Moroccan Arabic, called Darija), French, and Amazigh (the Berber language) are the three main languages.

The official currency in Morocco is the Moroccan Dirham, and the official code is written “MAD.” Overall Marrakech is considered safe for tourists and the Moroccan government prioritizes tourist safety and boasts good security services. In Marrakech when walking in the busy souks and medinas, you should be aware of your valuables, as you should in any busy, dense, city, as petty crime like pickpocketing can occur.

Getting Around In Marrakech

From the Airport: Airport transfers can easily be arranged & paid for online ahead of time with a card using Kiwi Taxi. (In May of 2024 our cost was $24 USD for two people and four bags to get from the airport to the city).

InDrive: In town, you can use the InDrive app to get around (and it can also be used to travel between cities). It works similarly to other app-based rideshare options. You’ll still need cash for your payment, but you won’t deal with haggling or issues due to language differences since it’s all app and GPS-based, similar to Uber. InDrive is widely used in Morocco, however, it is not technically legal, so you can expect to be asked to sit in the front seat so you do not appear to be using a ride share to onlookers.

Taxis: Taxis and tuk-tuks are plentiful in town as well, but the constant haggling sucks, especially if you’re not fluent in the local languages. It is also not uncommon to agree on a price upfront but then have your taxi driver inflate the price substantially once you’re at your destination. Due to all of the above, we almost solely walked to get around in Marrakech, but if we weren’t walking, we chose to use InDrive.

Sights & Areas To Explore

Koutoubia Mosque – This mosque was designed by the famous architect Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur. He used a unique combination of Islamic and Andalusian architectural styles to create a beautiful and impressive structure. The mosque is built from red sandstone and has a large minaret that stands 77 meters tall.

The Medina – The Medina is a densely packed, ancient, walled city, dating back to the Berber Empire. It is filled with maze-like alleys where thriving souks (marketplaces) sell traditional textiles, pottery, clothing, argan products, leather goods, and jewelry.

Jardin Secret (9 am- 7 pm, daily, $100 Dirham to enter & $40 Dirham to go up the tower) – People seem to love visiting this garden, but I’ll be honest, we felt it was overpriced unless you’re really into gardens & foreign plants. I still have it on my list for you to know about it because others love it SO much. The cafe inside the garden was a nice spot to sit and relax, and surprisingly served local beers.  

Madrasa Ben Youssef– (9 am – 7 pm daily, $50 Dirham)-  This historic Islamic school is located in the heart of the medina was built in the 14th century and it is gorgeous! Visiting here was such a neat experience, we absolutely loved it. Don’t miss it, the lines can get long, but still go, it’s worth it. And if you happen to pass by and notice the line isn’t long, go then even if it wasn’t what was on the plan for that moment!

Jemaa El Fnaa -The main square is a busy gathering spot with a market, food stalls & performers. Jemaa El Fnaa has very different vibes in the morning vs mid-day vs night. It is worth it to go in both the am and pm. At night, go to one of the cafes surrounding the square that has a rooftop and enjoy the view from above. 

Cyber Park (7 am – 6/8 pm) – This very nice park with ornamental gardens dating back to the 18th century, has wifi (hence the name) and is a lovely spot to relax outside or go for a walk or run. The closing hours vary from 6 pm to 6:45 pm to 8 pm depending on the day of the week, you can check them online.

Bahia Palace (8 am – 5 pm daily, $70 Dirham) – This stunning 19th-century palace has rooms that open into beautiful courtyards, and it is full of paintings, mosaics, and gardens. The name means “brilliance” in Arabic and it was intended to capture the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan styles. Don’t fall for buying tickets online through the various tour vendors trying to sell them. They are unnecessary as you can pay with cash at the entrance; children and people with mobility limitations get in for free.

El Badi Palace (9 am – 5 pm daily, $70 Dirham) The Badi Palace was built in the 16th century and is a great example of Moroccan architecture and design. The palace which boasts a mix of Moroccan and European styles was built as a symbol of the power and weather of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, the ruler of the Saadian dynasty. I loved exploring the underground tunnels that now display art, which were once used by palace servants. Just like with Bahia Palace, don’t fall for buying tickets online through the various vendors trying to sell them. They are unnecessary as you can pay with cash at the entrance; children and people with mobility limitations get in for free.

Complexe d’Artisanat– This indoor artisanal market next to Cyber Park, is a fixed-price artisanal market with good quality items and no haggling, which is great for people like me who hate the haggling game!

Jardin Majorelle (8 am – 6 pm daily, $165 Dirham) – This garden was designed in the 1920s by French artist Jean Majorelle when Morocco was a protectorate of France. This breathtaking, photogenic, garden is over 9,000 m² and is a top favorite sight in the city for visitors. Tickets are reserved online and you should reserve your ticket very early, as soon as you know your date. I was unable to visit here because all of the tickets were sold out on the dates I was in town, and I was very disappointed.

YSL Museum (10 am – 6 pm, closed Wednesdays, $135 Dirham) – This museum is dedicated to the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent Museum. Tickets to Jardin Majorelle and YSL museum must be pre-booked online here.

House of Photography (9:30 am – 7 pm, daily, $50 Dirham)- This private collection of 8,000 photographs about Morocco, covers the time period from 1870 to 1960. I did not have time to make it to this museum during my time in Marrakech but it was on my to-do list and is really well rated. 

Dar el Bacha Palace & Musee des Confluences (10 am – 6 pm, except Monday, $60 Dirham) – The Dar el Bacha Palace is located in the medina and currently houses the Museum of Confluences. The palace dates back to the 18th century and was originally built as a residence for the Prime Minister. I did not have time to go here on my visit to Marrakech but it is well-ranked and worth a visit if you have the time. 

Restaurants & Cafes

• Bacha Coffee – Built in 1910! Go for coffee & sweet treats.
• Dardar – Amazing, fun vibe, good music, French and English menus, you should make a reservation for the rooftop online in advance, as early as you know the date you want to go, as they can get booked up pretty quickly.
• El Fenn Rooftop – A special place for sunset for drinks or food. Cozy, beautiful, nice views, can make reservations, but we were able to get in without one, may have just gotten lucky though.
• L’Mida – Chic & trendy rooftop in the Medina, make a reservation online or IG.
• Le Jardin – They have multiple locations, the one in the Medina has the most reviews, open-air dining.
• Cafe Des Epices – Casual, cute, and a sister restaurant of Le Jardin & Nomad.
• Extrablatt – Somewhat fancy sit-down cafe for any meal or for coffee, tea & sweet treats, open 8 am – 2 am.
• La Trattoria – This beautiful Italian restaurant that has a nice courtyard dining area is located in the new city and serves alcohol.
• Mamma Mia – Excellent Italian food & pizza in the new city, serves alcohol
• Jemaa El Fnaa – In the morning get fresh juices in the square, they are delicious and a fun experience. At night have dinner in the main square from the food stalls, they start opening up around 6pm and many stay open till 1-2am. Prices are clearly marked with large hanging menus, it’s legally required. 

Outings & Tours

Merzouga Desert Three-Day Trip – We LOVED this three-day adventure into the Sahara from Marrakech. The price ranges from $100-200 USD pp depending on what ad-ons you choose and if you want basic or luxury camp accommodations.

The total trip time is 3 days + 2 nights and includes transport throughout the weekend, the first night’s hotel accommodations, the second night’s camping accommodations, a visit to a Berber village, a visit to an argan oil co-op, a visit to a Berber farm and women’s co-op, sunset camel riding and sandboarding in the desert, sunrise ATV driving in the desert, a party at the camp, and 4 meals (2 breakfasts and 2 dinners).

We selected the luxury camp accommodation option because it included a private bathroom, and we really enjoyed our camp experience. It’s absolutely more of a glamping situation, our room was huge, had a queen bed and a twin bed, a private bathroom with a hot water shower and toilet, and electricity (outlets and lights, no AC). We loved the size of this Merzouga Desert group tour as the van was maxed out at 16 people, and we made some great friends. It can be reserved through Viator here.

Desert Quad Ride Marrakech – This was really fun and they let us go faster on the quads than the group on the camping weekend did. For $25-30 USD you get transportation from the city center to the outskirts of the city, two full hours of quad riding with a stop for great photos taken by our guide and a stop at a Berber house for bread, honey, olives, and mint tea. It can be reserved through Airbnb experiences here.

Night Medina Tour – This tour is neat because you go into the deeper parts of the medina, including the residential areas that most tourists don’t visit. Our guide was nice and informative and showed us parts of the medina that we wouldn’t have felt comfortable exploring on our own. It was $85 USD for a private two-person tour, but there were various options available, it can be reserved through TripAdvisor here.

Marrakech is a beautiful city filled with new experiences (and foods, and smells, and colors, and sounds) around every corner. We stayed in Marrakech for two weeks, but this list could be covered in a week if you’re on vacation and you are not balancing work and travel at the same time as we do. Have questions about Morocco in a more general sense? Then, check this post out. Happy Travels!