Things to Do in Marrakech
Marrakech rewards wandering, but a little structure helps. Here's what's actually worth your time, grouped by type so you can build a day around what you like.
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Unmissable sights
These are the attractions that come up on almost every list of things to see in Marrakech — for good reason. Give yourself more time than you think you need; the Medina doesn't move quickly, and that's part of the appeal.
Jemaa el-Fna
The main square, and the heart of the Medina. Food stalls, storytellers and snake charmers appear as the afternoon turns to evening — see our full guide to visiting at every hour.
Koutoubia Mosque
Marrakech's tallest landmark and the model for Seville's Giralda tower. Non-Muslims can't enter, but the gardens around it are open and free.
Full visitor guide →Bahia Palace
A 19th-century palace built around courtyards of carved cedar and zellige tilework. Go early to avoid tour groups.
Full visitor guide →Individual attraction guides
Bahia Palace
Full visitor guide.
Majorelle Garden
Tickets, tips, best time.
El Badi Palace
Ruins, storks, ramparts.
Le Jardin Secret
A quieter Medina garden.
Saadian Tombs
A hidden royal necropolis.
Koutoubia Mosque
The city's tallest landmark.
Musée de la Photographie
Historic images & rooftop café.
Gardens & palaces
When the souks get overwhelming, Marrakech's gardens are the reset button. The Majorelle Garden is the famous one — cobalt-blue villa, cactus garden, small Berber Museum — and it's genuinely worth the entry fee, but it does get busy, so early morning is best. Le Jardin Secret, tucked inside the Medina itself, is a quieter alternative with two contrasting garden styles and a good rooftop view. For something wilder and free, the Cyber Park near the Koutoubia is a pleasant place to sit with a coffee.
The El Badi Palace is worth a stop for its scale alone — now mostly ruins, but the storks nesting on the walls and the sunken orange groves make it atmospheric rather than sad.
Hands-on experiences
Some of the best things to do in Marrakech aren't sights at all:
- Hammam. A traditional steam-and-scrub bath. Local public hammams are inexpensive and authentic; spa hammams in riads are gentler on first-timers.
- Cooking class. Most start with a trip to a local market, then a few hours learning tagine and bread in a riad kitchen.
- Rooftop sunset. Book a rooftop café near the Medina an hour before sunset for views over the rooftops to the Koutoubia and, on a clear day, the Atlas Mountains.
- Souk shopping. Treat it as an activity in itself rather than a means to an end — see our guide to the Medina and souks for how bargaining actually works.
If you only have half a day
Suggested route: Start at the Koutoubia gardens, walk through to Jemaa el-Fna, cut into the souks toward the Musée de la Photographie, then finish with mint tea on a rooftop overlooking the square as the afternoon light turns golden.
Common questions
How many days do you need in Marrakech?
Two full days covers the essentials. Three to four lets you add a day trip — see our day trips guide — without feeling rushed.
Is the Medina walkable?
Yes, and it's the best way to see it, though the lack of a clear grid makes a phone map or a guide useful for your first day. Most of the major sights are within a 20-minute walk of Jemaa el-Fna.