Marrakech, High Atlas & Sahara
Marrakech
The Red City: souks, palaces and gardens at the foot of the Atlas.
Founded in 1070 by the Almoravids, Marrakech gave its name to the whole country in many languages. Its pink-walled medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site and its main square, Jemaa el-Fna, is famous worldwide for storytellers, musicians and open-air food stalls.
Beyond the medina you will find the modern districts of Gueliz and Hivernage, the Palmeraie palm grove and, on clear days, the snowy High Atlas on the horizon — just 90 minutes away by road.
Highlights
The beating heart of the city; quiet in the morning, a theatre of food stalls and music after sunset.
Landmark 12th-century minaret about 77 m high. Only Muslims may enter, but the gardens are open to all.
19th-century palace with painted ceilings, zellige courtyards and gardens.
The cobalt-blue garden created by Jacques Majorelle and the museum dedicated to Yves Saint Laurent.
Former Koranic school with spectacular carved cedar, stucco and tilework.
Ornate 16th-century royal necropolis rediscovered in 1917.
Things to do
- Food & marketsEvening food stalls of Jemaa el-Fna — Try harira soup, grilled meats and snail broth; agree the price before sitting.
- Crafts & souksThe souks — Leather, lanterns, carpets and spices along Souk Semmarine and the dyers’ souk. Bargaining is expected.
- Hammam & wellnessTraditional hammam — From neighbourhood bathhouses to luxury spas offering black soap and kessa scrubs.
- DesertAgafay desert — Stony desert about 40 km away for sunset dinners, camel rides and quad tours.
- Monuments & medinasCooking class — Learn tagine and pastries in a riad or a dedicated cooking school.
- Mountains & trekkingOurika Valley day trip — Berber villages and the Setti Fatma waterfalls, about an hour away.
Where to stay
Choose a riad in the medina for atmosphere (cars cannot reach most doors), Gueliz or Hivernage for modern hotels and restaurants, or the Palmeraie for resorts with large pools.
La Mamounia
LuxuryLegendary palace hotel since 1923, on the edge of the medina with vast gardens.
- Address
- Avenue Bab Jdid, 40040 Marrakech
- Phone
- +212 524 388 600
- [email protected]
- Website
- mamounia.com
Royal Mansour Marrakech
LuxuryUltra-luxury estate of private riads built by Moroccan master craftsmen.
- Address
- Rue Abou El Abbas Sebti, 40000 Marrakech
- Website
- royalmansour.com
- Booking
- Through the official website
La Maison Arabe
RiadRiad-style hotel in the medina, known for its cooking school.
- Address
- 1 Derb Assehbé, Bab Doukkala, Marrakech
- Phone
- +212 524 387 010
- [email protected]
- Website
- lamaisonarabe.com
Contact details come from the hotels’ official websites or consistent public listings. We are not paid for listings. Always confirm prices and conditions directly with the property.
Getting there
Marrakech-Menara airport (RAK) is about 6 km from the centre. Trains run from Casablanca (about 2 h 40), Rabat and, with a change, Tangier. CTM and Supratours buses connect all major cities.
Local tip
Only accept help from official guides (they carry a badge). If someone says a road is "closed" in the medina, politely keep walking — it is a classic way to lead visitors to a shop.