The 8 Best Activities to Do in Marrakech

An ideal year-round destination that rarely sees temperatures under 20°C, Marrakech is an ancient, sun-drenched city tucked under a sparkling blue sky. With the snow-capped Atlas Mountains as a glittering white backdrop, the centuries-old walled Medina, ornate mosques, ancient palaces built in terracotta stone and peaceful verdant gardens, it’s small wonder that this ravishing metropolis is known as the Red City. After all, this is where legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent – once known for his monochrome designs – was tempted into a world of colour.

The timeless heart of ever-changing Marrakech, the Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site crammed with red-hued, flat-roofed houses and palaces lining a spider’s web of narrow alleys. One of its most popular attractions is the extraordinary Medersa Ben Youssef, an Islamic school built in the 14th century; with every inch covered in patterned mosaics, carved wood, Arabic calligraphy and sculpted plaster, it’s a monument to peerless Islamic design. However, much of the Medina is gloriously colourful and secular, with a myriad of labyrinthine souks where anything from embroidered silk slippers to hand-tooled leather bags are noisily haggled over, and where residents still do their daily shopping – you’ll see them bargaining over fresh produce, vast bunches of herbs and fragrant piles of spices.

Staying in a riad – a traditional Moroccan house built around a garden – is one of the top activities to do in Marrakech. Typically found in the old Medina, these centuries-old residences are lined by thick, neutral-coloured walls that keep out heat and street noise, but inside they are far from plain. Open-plan in structure and liberally adorned with colourful tiles and mosaics, they centre on an open-air courtyard where marble fountains are surrounded by date palm trees, plants and flowers. Many have now been transformed into luxury hotels, with public rooms on the ground floor, guest rooms and intricate balconied wooden alcoves above, and rooftop terraces offering panoramic views over the Medina. To immerse yourself in the full riad experience, stay at Marrakech Riads Angsana Heritage Collection and enjoy the charms of six lavishly ornate riads, a spa and al fresco plunge pool.

Musée Yves Saint Laurent is in Guéliz – one of Marrakech’s coolest districts – and is part of a new generation of museums bursting onto the city’s cultural scene. Opened in 2017 and housed in a sleek 21st-century take on traditional Moroccan adobe architecture, the displays reveal a sublime collection of Saint Laurent’s divine haute couture outfits, his preparatory sketches and stylish images taken from his extensive archives.

• Rue Yves Saint Laurent, Marrakech 40000
• Admission starts at 170DH (€16); pre-book tickets online; the best option also includes entry to the neighbouring Jardin Majorelle
• Open Mon–Tue and Thur-Sun 10am-6:30pm; last entry 5:30pm
• Bus 15 from Djemma el-Fna

Marrakech activities are not limited to sightseeing, however. The city is also a well-being destination dedicated to taking care of your holistic health in traditional hammam baths and serene palm-dotted gardens.

Jardin Majorelle

A visit to the breathtaking Jardin Majorelle is one of the most popular activities to do in Marrakech. Created by French artist Jacques Majorelle in the early 1920s and lovingly nurtured by him for 40 years, the garden was planted with exotic botanical specimens from across the globe. Its beauty was hidden behind high walls and preserved by winding pathways leading past sky-blue villas and pavilions successfully blending Art Deco and Moorish architectural styles. Even more intriguingly, the Jardin Majorelle was rescued from developers by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé, who bought it in 1980, moved into Jacques Majorelle’s former home, the Villa Oasis, and opened this magical estate to the public.

• Rue Yves Saint Laurent, Marrakech 40090
• Admission starts at 170DH (€16)
• Open daily 8:30am–6pm; last entry 5:30pm. Pre-book tickets online; the best option also includes entry to the neighbouring Musée Yves Saint Laurent
• Bus 15 from Djemma el-Fna

Musée de la Palmeraie

Often happily free of crowds, the Musée de la Palmeraie opened in May 2011 and combines beautiful formal plantings with the best of contemporary Marrakech artworks. The oils and watercolours, sculptures and intricate examples of Arabic calligraphy are exhibited in a series of terracotta-red adobe exhibition halls surrounded by swaying palm trees. The three themed gardens include a tranquil Andalusian water garden inspired by the Moorish patios of the Generalife in Granada, Spain, and a cactus garden designed with all manner of spiky plants to emulate a spaghetti Western film.

• Off Route de Fès, Dar Tounsi, Marrakech 40060
• Admission 40DH (€4)
• Open 9am–5:30pm daily
• Bus 17 or 26 from Bab Doukkala

Le Jardin Secret

Privately owned and recently restored to its original beauty, Le Jardin Secret (The Secret Garden) is another treasure combining Moorish and Moroccan inspirations. Laid out over two interconnecting courtyards, this oasis of meditative calm sits in the middle of Marrakech’s hectic Medina. As in the majority of Islamic gardens, water is a central feature, so you can wander among the palm trees, rosemary hedges and fern-like jacarandas to the gentle tinkling of fountains as they cascade into ornamental ponds. Climbing up to the rooftop watchtower gives you stunning views over the grounds, laid out in precise geometrical rules as required in the Quran to prove that Islam can master the chaos of nature.

• Rue Mouassine, Medina, Marrakech 40030
• Admission 100DH (€10)
• Opening times vary seasonally but are roughly 9:30am–6:30pm daily
• Any bus to Djemma el-Fna and then a short walk through the Medina

One of the best activities to do in Marrakech is cleansing in a traditional hammam. Dating back to ancient Roman times, these were originally public bath houses used by people for physical and mental regeneration and still play a significant role in Moroccan culture. The age-old ritual involves moving through a series of ever-hotter steam rooms and culminates in a vigorous scrubbing and soaping down with local products like ghassoul clay from the Atlas Mountains, rose water or black soap infused with olive oil. There are several public hammams in the city, or you can book a Marrakech sojourn at the refined Sofitel Marrakech Palais Imperial & Spa to luxuriate in a private steam bath and indulge in a North African skin purification using olive-rich soap.

There’s no better way to get to know the city than through local expertise; take advantage of insider knowledge and book Marrakech guided tours or join a Moroccan cookery class.

Get to know the winding alleys and grand thoroughfares of Marrakech aboard a vintage motorbike. A sidecar tour is an exhilarating way to peek into the secrets of the Medina, as well as interesting neighbourhoods like Art Deco-inspired Guéliz or attractions such as the Musée de la Palmeraie on a bespoke jaunt through the Red City.

Djemma el-Fna is the sprawling, frenetic square that has laid at the very heart of Marrakech life since the 11th century. Tucked into the Medina, today it is a colourful daily carnival packed with snake charmers, acrobats and dance troupes who compete with raconteurs and fortune tellers for your attention. This magical theatre gets going by mid-morning but really ramps up after darkness falls, when exotic Berber musicians join the party. By night, local residents promenade about the brightly illuminated plaza packed with food stalls selling Moroccan dishes such as harira soup, kebabs, grilled fish and slow-cooked tagine stews. If you've got a sweet tooth, try chebakia – honey-drenched sesame biscuits – and round off your al fresco feast with khoudenjal ginger tea infused with cardamom and cinnamon.

You’ve tasted the street food at Djemma el-Fna, now learn how to cook some of these spicy, flavoursome dishes for yourself. There are many such classes in Marrakech, so look for one based in the Medina, with a local chef who can lead you around the souks to buy fresh ingredients for your dishes and teach you about subtle Moroccan spicing. Most courses offer menus of traditional Berber dishes including tagines, couscous, salads and flatbreads – and of course the highlight is sitting down to eat your efforts, perhaps in a riad courtyard accompanied by traditional mint teas or regional wines.

As well as all the activities to do in Marrakech itself, you can discover the beauty of the Sahara Desert around the city on camel safaris, take hot-air balloon trips over the snow-dusted Atlas Mountains at sunrise, trek up to the spectacular Ouzoud Falls or visit sun-baked, centuries-old Berber villages like Tanaghmeilt. Booking a guided Marrakech tour with a local operator also means that money will feed back into the community, so discover the best time to go to Marrakech and plan your getaway today!