Marrakech is one of Morocco's four imperial cities, spread across the plain of the Tensift River west of the foothills of the High Atlas. Founded by the Almoravids in about 1070, it grew into a political and cultural capital whose red earthen walls and buildings gave it the nickname the Red City. Around 929,000 people lived there at the 2014 census, and it is the capital of the Marrakesh-Safi region.
The walled medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, holds the square of Jemaa el-Fnaa, the souks, the Koutoubia Mosque and centuries of palaces, madrasas and gardens. Beyond the walls, the snow-capped Atlas makes an easy backdrop for day trips to mountain valleys, and the Atlantic port of Essaouira lies to the west. Marrakech suits couples, food and design lovers, families with older children and travellers combining a city break with the mountains. Vacation rentals range from riads, traditional houses built around a courtyard, in the medina to apartments in Gueliz and Hivernage and villas in the Palmeraie.
Staying in the medina means sleeping in a riad, a house turned inward around a planted courtyard that keeps rooms private and cool. The lanes north-west of Jemaa el-Fnaa, such as the El Ksour quarter, are full of riads used as guesthouses, with the souks a short walk away. The Kasbah quarter in the south-west, home to the Saadian Tombs, and the old Jewish quarter of the Mellah are a little calmer. Medina lanes are narrow and many are closed to cars, so arrange to be met on arrival.
Gueliz, the oldest part of the new town laid out in 1913 by the French planner Henri Prost, is today the commercial centre, with apartments, shops, galleries and cafés along Avenue Mohammed V. Next to it, Hivernage is a well-to-do district of villas and large hotels close to the medina walls. The Palmeraie, a vast palm grove north of the city, has walled villas with gardens and pools that suit families and groups wanting space.
Jemaa el-Fnaa is the heart of the old city. By day it fills with orange-juice stalls and water sellers; late in the afternoon the crowds grow and storytellers, musicians, dancers and food stalls take over. UNESCO recognised the square's traditions of oral heritage in 2001, and they are now on its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
North of the square, the souks wind through covered lanes grouped by trade, from leather, metalwork and pottery to carpets and lanterns. Some 18 souks employ more than 40,000 people in crafts. Bargaining is normal, and it helps to keep a map handy, since the lanes are easy to lose your way in. About 200 m west of the square rises the Koutoubia Mosque, whose minaret of about 77 m is the city's landmark. The mosque is active and non-Muslims are not allowed inside, but its gardens and minaret can be admired from outside. The medina's walls, built in 1122 and 1123, still ring the old city.
After the Almoravids, the Almohads took Marrakech in 1147 and built the Koutoubia, the Menara Gardens and the Agdal Gardens, whose orchards and reservoirs were fed by underground channels from the Atlas foothills. The Saadian dynasty made the city its capital again in the 16th century: the ruined El Badi Palace, begun by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in 1578, and the Saadian Tombs date from that age, and the Ben Youssef Madrasa, completed in 1564 and 1565, is an outstanding work of Moroccan architecture.
The Bahia Palace, built in the 19th century and expanded between 1894 and 1900 by the grand vizier Ba Ahmed, shows painted ceilings and courtyards. The city is also known for the tombs of its seven patron saints. In the new town, the Majorelle Garden, created by the painter Jacques Majorelle from 1923 and later restored by Yves Saint Laurent, mixes cacti, palms and bamboo around a deep-blue villa. In September 2023 a deadly earthquake struck the region, and some monuments were damaged.
The city's signature dish is tanjia marrakshia, beef cooked slowly with spices and smen, a preserved butter, in a clay jar buried in the hot ashes of a traditional oven. Other favourites include harira, a soup of lentils and chickpeas; pastilla, a filo pie with chicken or pigeon, almonds and cinnamon; and kefta and merguez grilled at the evening stalls of Jemaa el-Fnaa. Mint tea, poured from high above the glass, is offered as a welcome almost everywhere.
Morocco is a Muslim country, and modest dress is respectful, especially near religious sites; loose clothing that covers the arms and legs is the easiest choice. During Ramadan, eating, drinking or smoking in public in daytime may cause offence. Alcohol is sold only in licensed venues, and drinking it in the street is illegal. Customs and rules can change, so check current official travel advice before you go.
The Ourika Valley, about 30 km south of the city, follows a river into the High Atlas past Berber villages; from Setti Fatma, the last village on the paved road, paths climb to a series of waterfalls. Toubkal National Park, created in 1942 about 70 km from Marrakech, surrounds Jbel Toubkal, which at 4,167 m is the highest peak in Morocco and is visible from the city on clear days. The village of Imlil is the usual starting point, and the ascent normally takes two days.
The Ouzoud Falls, about 150 km north-east, drop into the gorge of the El-Abid River. To the west, the walled port of Essaouira, about 175 km away on the Atlantic coast, has a medina listed by UNESCO in 2001. Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, the earthen ksar of Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO site since 1987, guards the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech; it is a long day, and many travellers break the journey with a night on the far side of the mountains.
Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) lies about 3 km south-west of the city centre, so most stays are a short taxi ride away. Trains run from Marrakech station to Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Meknes and Tangier, and the A7 toll motorway links the city with Casablanca, about 210 km to the north, and Agadir, about 233 km to the south-west.
The medina is best explored on foot, and many of its lanes are too narrow for cars. Taxis are the simplest way to move between the medina, Gueliz and Hivernage, and a bus rapid transit line using trolleybuses opened in 2017. For the Atlas valleys, Essaouira or Aït Benhaddou, a hired car with driver, an organised tour or a rental car gives the most flexibility; mountain roads are winding, so allow extra time.
Entry rules depend on your nationality, so check official sources before you travel. The currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD).
Marrakech has a hot semi-arid climate, with long, hot and dry summers and short winters that are mild by day and cool at night. Average temperatures range from about 12°C in winter to between 26 and 30°C in summer, and summer afternoons can be far hotter than the average suggests. Rain is light, around 280 mm a year, and falls mostly in the cooler months, when snow often covers the peaks of the High Atlas on the horizon.
Spring and autumn bring warm days that suit wandering the souks and walking in the mountains. Winter days are often sunny and pleasant for sightseeing, but riads can feel cold at night, so pack warm layers. In midsummer, plan outdoor visits for the morning and evening and rest at midday. Ramadan dates move earlier each year, so check them when planning a trip.
Marrakech is known for its walled medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, with the square of Jemaa el-Fnaa, the souks and the 77 m minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque. It is also famous for riads, palaces such as the Bahia, gardens such as Majorelle, and views of the High Atlas.
For atmosphere, stay in a riad in the medina, close to Jemaa el-Fnaa and the souks. Gueliz suits travellers who want apartments, shops and cafés in the modern centre, Hivernage is a calm district of villas and hotels near the walls, and the Palmeraie offers villas with gardens and pools for families and groups.
Spring and autumn are usually the most comfortable seasons, with warm days for the souks and mountain walks. Winter is mild and often sunny by day but cool at night, while summer is long, hot and dry, so plan sightseeing for the mornings and evenings.
Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) is about 3 km south-west of the city centre, so the medina, Gueliz and Hivernage are a short taxi ride away. Many medina lanes are closed to cars, so if you are staying in a riad, ask your host where you will be dropped off and met.
No. The Koutoubia is an active mosque and non-Muslims are not allowed inside, but its 12th-century minaret and the gardens around it can be enjoyed from outside. Historic sites such as the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs show Moroccan religious and palace architecture to all visitors.
Three days cover the medina, Jemaa el-Fnaa, the palaces and tombs, and the Majorelle Garden at an unhurried pace. With five days or more you can add the Ourika Valley or Imlil in the High Atlas, and a day or overnight trip to Essaouira or Aït Benhaddou.
Modest clothing is respectful in Marrakech, especially near mosques and other religious sites, and loose clothes covering the arms and legs are comfortable in the heat. Bring a warm layer in winter, when nights are cool. During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daytime, and check current official advice before travelling.
Morocco uses the Moroccan dirham (MAD), divided into 100 santimat and often written DH. Cash is useful in the souks, at food stalls and for small taxis, and bargaining over prices is normal in the markets, so carry small notes.
Researched and written with AI assistance, then fact-checked against the sources below. Last checked .