# Marrakech

A huge red medina, the Jemaa el-Fna square, palaces and gardens, and the Atlas an hour and a half away. Allow three nights and patience with the noise.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/morocco/marrakesh · Revisado: 2026-11-11

## How do you get there from Spain?

The most practical way is by plane: there are direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other cities, with Ryanair, Vueling and Royal Air Maroc, of about two hours. Marrakesh-Menara airport is about 6 km from the medina; bus 19 drops you at Jemaa el-Fna for about 30 dirhams.

If you prefer the ferry, the Tarifa to Tangier Ville ferry takes around an hour and the Algeciras to Tangier Med one an hour and a half. From Tangier, the Al Boraq high-speed train reaches Casablanca in a little over two hours and there you connect with the conventional train to Marrakesh. Count on a whole day of travel.

You need a passport: the national ID card is not valid. The Foreign Ministry asks that it be valid for more than six months on entry. No visa is needed for tourist stays of up to 90 days (checked in November 2026).

## What is the medina like?

A walled labyrinth where cars cannot enter but motorbikes can, and very fast. You get around on foot. The main streets have names; the side streets do not, and your phone often loses its way. Have your riad marked on an offline map.

You will be offered help non-stop: "the square is that way", "that's closed today", "I'll walk with you". These are the fake guides. They are not dangerous, but they end up asking for money or taking you to a shop. A calm "no, thank you" and carrying on walking is enough. If you want a guide, make sure they are official and accredited, and hire them through the riad.

## Money, haggling and tips

The currency is the dirham (MAD) and it cannot be obtained outside Morocco: withdraw from cash machines in the city or change euros on arrival. Hotels and restaurants of a certain standard accept cards; the souks, taxis, stalls and many entrances, cash only. In the souks you always haggle, without hurry and with good humour. If you are not interested in something, don't ask the price. Tipping is customary: about 10% in restaurants and coins of 10 or 20 dirhams for small services.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Classic film locations
- Cerca: Imlil and Toubkal (a 55.1 km), Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate (a 103.4 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Jemaa el-Fna Square and the Koutoubia** (2 h · Everyone · Free): What it is
Jemaa el-Fna is the great square of the Marrakesh medina and has been the centre of the city for centuries. It is not a monument: it is a public space that changes throughout the day, with vendors, musicians, storytellers and food stalls. That is why UNESCO proclaimed it in 2001 a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage and in 2008 included it on its list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Next to it rises the minaret of the Koutoubia, the city's great mosque.
What you see through the day

Morning and midday. The square is almost empty and in the sun. There are orange-juice stalls, water-sellers in their red costume, snake charmers and men with chained monkeys. Those monkeys are a species protected by Moroccan law: do not pay to have your photo taken with them.
Afternoon. Musicians, dancers, storytellers, magicians and sellers of traditional remedies arrive, forming circles, the halqas, around themselves.
At dusk. Dozens of numbered food stalls are set up, with long tables and charcoal smoke. It is when there are most people.

From the café terraces around the square you see it from above, especially at sunset.
The Koutoubia
The Koutoubia's minaret is about 77 m tall. The mosque was founded by the Almohad caliph Abd al-Mumin; the present one was built between 1158 and 1195, and the minaret was finished towards the end of that period. At night it is lit up. It is an active mosque and non-Muslims cannot enter: it is seen from outside and from the gardens around it, with a rose garden to the west and south. The September 2023 earthquake opened cracks in the minaret; it reopened after works in March 2024. It is five minutes' walk from the square.
Eating at the stalls
The food stalls are numbered and have menus with prices. Choose one with locals, ask the price of each dish before ordering and do not accept what they put on the table without asking for it. Eating here is an experience, not a quiet place: if you prefer to sit down, Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha, in a nearby alley, serves mechoui lamb at midday.
When to go
At dusk, an hour before sunset: you see the square fill up and the stalls being set up. Come back for a while in the morning to see it empty. In July and August, at midday, nobody can stand it.
Price and rules
The square is free. What costs money are photos: the charmers, the musicians, the women who do henna and the water-sellers ask for money if you take a photo or stop at their circle. Carry coins and decide beforehand how much you will give. If you do not want to pay, do not take close-up photos.
Safety and tips
It is a place with lots of people, especially at night: watch your wallet and phone. You will be offered guiding to your riad or to a shop: say no and keep going. The women who offer to do you a henna tattoo may start without asking; pull your hand away if you don't want it. Next to the square is the Jemaa el-Fna Intangible Heritage Museum, of the National Foundation of Museums, if you want to understand what you are seeing.
Getting there
All the medina's paths end here. From Gueliz, by petit taxi, ask for "Jemaa el-Fna" or "Koutoubia". The square is pedestrian: taxis drop you next to the Koutoubia. From the airport, bus 19 stops nearby.
With children
Children are amazed by the music, the circles and the stalls, but at night there are lots of people: take them by the hand or in a carrier. A pushchair makes slow progress through the crowd. Keep them away from the snakes and monkeys.
- **Medina Souks** (2 h 30 · Without hurry and with cash · Independently · free): What it is and what you see
North of Jemaa el-Fna square begins the maze of the souks, the commercial heart of the medina. It is not a market, but a network of covered streets and alleys, each with its own trade: textiles here, copper there, wood or leather further up. The natural entrance is Semmarine street, the main artery, which leaves the square towards the north with ceramics, fabrics, kaftans, pashminas, antiques, rugs and jewellery.
From there, each souk has its speciality:

Souk el Attarine, the left fork of Semmarine: copper and brass lanterns and lamps, mirrors, candelabra, silver teapots, spices and perfumes.
Souk Smata, about 10 minutes north-west of the square: babouches, the leather slippers.
Souk Cherratin, in the north, 15 or 20 minutes away: leather bags, purses and wallets.
Souk Chouari, to the north-east, about 20 minutes away: cedar and thuya objects, carved lattices and furniture.
Souk Haddadine, that of the blacksmiths, about 25 minutes away: lanterns, copper trays, wrought-iron furniture and teapots, often made in front of you.
Souk Kimakhine, to the north-west: traditional instruments, such as the guembri, the bendir, the darbuka or the oud.

When
The souks open every day. On Friday morning, the day of prayer, many shops open later or close until after midday, especially in Cherratin, Chouari and Kimakhine. To shop calmly, go between 9:00 and 11:00: there are fewer people, and in the craft souks, such as Haddadine or Chouari, more work is seen in the workshop on weekdays. Jemaa el-Fna square, by contrast, is best at dusk, from 17:00 onwards.
Getting there
On foot, from Jemaa el-Fna, which is the reference point for everything. Cars do not enter the medina, but motorbikes do, and fast: walk at the side of the street. The main streets have names and the side ones do not, and your phone often loses signal, so have your riad marked on an offline map.
Price
Walking around is free. In the souks you always haggle, without hurry and with good humour, and you pay in cash, in dirhams. If something does not interest you, do not ask the price.
Practical tips
You will be offered help at every step: "the square is that way", "that's closed today". They are fake guides who end up asking for money or taking you to a shop. A calm "no, thank you" is enough. If you want someone to show you the souks, hire an official guide through the riad.
With teenagers, the souks are a good lesson in haggling: set a budget and let them negotiate. With small children, the crowds and the motorbikes on Semmarine tire them soon; better a short morning and a rest at Le Jardin Secret. If you get lost, ask for Jemaa el-Fna or the Ben Youssef madrasa, in the north of the medina.
- **Ben Youssef Madrasa** (45 min · Everyone · General admission 50 DH): What it is and why it matters
The Ben Youssef madrasa was for four centuries the great Quranic school of Marrakesh, where mostly theology students from outside the city lived and studied. It was founded by the Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan around 1350, next to the old Ben Youssef mosque, from which it takes its name. The Saadian sultan Abdallah el-Ghalib rebuilt and extended it in 1564–1565, and the building you see is essentially his. It has been a protected monument since 1916 and is part of the Marrakesh medina, a World Heritage site since 1985.
After a restoration decided in 2017, it reopened to the public in April 2022. Unlike mosques, which in Morocco cannot be visited if you are not Muslim, the madrasa is open to everyone.
What you see

The courtyard. It is the heart of the building: a marble courtyard with a long pool in the centre, surrounded by walls decorated from top to bottom. Below, zellige; in the middle, plaster stucco from a quarry at Asni, near Marrakesh, carved on the spot; above, Middle Atlas cedar in beams, lintels and cornices.
The prayer hall. At the back of the courtyard, with local pink marble columns and, at the mihrab, white marble columns that perhaps came from Carrara.
The students' cells. The building is square, with an upper floor and 132 student rooms. Some sources say it housed up to 900 students. Look into one: they are tiny.

Tour it slowly and in silence: the charm is in the details of the stucco and wood, and in the light that enters the courtyard.
Hours and price
Open every day from 9:00 to 19:00. Entry costs 50 DH for adults and 10 DH for under-12s; groups of more than 20 people pay 30 DH per person. At the moment tickets are only sold at the ticket office: online sales are under maintenance. Carry cash just in case. Allow about 45 minutes.
Guided visits are booked with the madrasa itself by phone, on +212 524 38 41 12, or by email through its website.
Getting there
It is on Rue Assouel, in the north of the medina, about 15 minutes' walk from Jemaa el-Fna across the medina souks. Very close is the Almoravid dome, which was restored together with the madrasa. No cars enter the medina: arrive on foot. If you get lost in the souks, ask for "Medersa Ben Youssef", which everyone knows.
When to go
First thing, at 9:00: the courtyard with few people is something else, and the light comes in low. From mid-morning the groups arrive. It is a good visit for the hot hours, because inside it is cool.
With children and accessibility
It is a short visit, which children find surprising for the water in the pool and the small cells. The marble floor is slippery. The cells on the upper floor are reached by narrow stairs. Ask at the ticket office about wheelchair access to the courtyard.
Rules
Although it is not a mosque, it is a religious building: shoulders and knees covered, and do not touch the stucco.
Nearby
In the same north of the medina is Le Jardin Secret, for a break in the shade. For lunch, Café des Épices and Nomad, in the spice square. For sleeping nearby, Riad Yasmine.
- **Majorelle Garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum** (1 h 30 · Everyone, with a pushchair · Paid entry, online only): What it is
The Majorelle Garden is the garden that the French painter Jacques Majorelle created in Gueliz, the new town of Marrakesh, around his studio, painted an intense blue that now bears his name. Decades later it was bought and restored by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, who saved it from a property development. Today it is a botanical garden of cacti, palms, bamboo, bougainvillea and ponds with water lilies, with that blue on walls, pots and fountains.
In the grounds and next door there is more to see, each with its own hours:

The garden, the main visit.
The Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts, in the former blue studio: jewellery, textiles, weapons and objects of Amazigh culture from all over the country.
The private garden of the Villa Oasis, the house where Saint Laurent and Bergé lived.
The Yves Saint Laurent Museum Marrakech, in a building of its own on the same street, devoted to the couturier.

Hours
Open every day:

Majorelle Garden: from 8:00 to 17:30; last entry at 17:00.
Museum of Berber Arts: from 8:30 to 17:00; last entry at 16:30.
Private garden of the Villa Oasis: from 8:00 to 16:30; last entry at 16:00. Closed on Wednesdays.

The Yves Saint Laurent Museum has its own website and its own hours: check them there.
Tickets
Tickets are only bought online, at tickets.jardinmajorelle.com, the only official website. Those sold elsewhere may not be valid, and they are not sold at the door. There are tickets for the garden alone, for the garden with the Berber museum and combined with the Yves Saint Laurent Museum; the price changes depending on the combination and nationality, and you see it when you book. Book a few days ahead in high season.
Allow an hour to an hour and a half for the garden and the Berber museum; half an hour more for the Villa Oasis and another hour for the Yves Saint Laurent Museum.
When to go
At 8:00, when it opens. By mid-morning the groups arrive and the paths, which are narrow, fill up: it is hard to take a photo without people. The first-thing light is also the best for the blue. In summer, too, at that hour it is still pleasant.
Getting there
It is in Gueliz, on Rue Yves Saint Laurent, outside the medina. From Jemaa el-Fna it is about 20 minutes by petit taxi, depending on traffic: ask for "Jardin Majorelle" and agree the price or ask for the meter. If you go by car, park in the surrounding streets, with an attendant.
With children and accessibility
The garden and the museums are accessible for people with reduced mobility, and it works well with a pushchair. With small children it works as a short walk: the ponds, the colour and the shade. Don't let them touch the cacti.
Nearby
In the same Gueliz area you have Al Fassia Gueliz for Moroccan cooking, and Riad Yasmine if you sleep in the north of the medina. To return to the centre, Jemaa el-Fna is a short taxi ride away.
- **Bahia Palace** (1 h · Everyone, with a pushchair in the courtyards · General admission 100 DH): What it is and why it matters
The Bahia Palace is a large residence of the late 19th century in the south of the medina, near the Mellah. It was built in two phases over about 8 hectares in the second half of the century. The main part was built between 1894 and 1900, when Ba Ahmed, son of Si Moussa and grand vizier of the sultan, extended his father's residence by joining several houses. In 1912, with the protectorate, it became the residence of the French resident-general in Marrakesh.
It is not a palace to take in at a glance, but a succession of courtyards, rooms and inner gardens that grew as neighbouring houses were bought. That is why it is toured like a maze.
What you see
The palace has four main courtyards, decorated with marble, zellige, stucco, carved wood and stained glass, with fountains and planted gardens.
You pass from one courtyard to another through corridors and rooms. In the salons, look up: the carved and painted wooden ceilings are the finest thing in the palace. In the courtyards, notice how the marble of the floor, the zellige of the dados and the stucco of the arches combine, and the coloured stained glass in some doors and windows.
The rooms are empty of furniture: what you see is the architecture and the decoration.
Hours and price
Entry costs 100 DH for foreign adults and 50 DH for foreign children aged 7 to 13; 30 and 10 DH for Moroccans and residents, who enter free on Fridays and on the first days of national and religious festivals. Tickets are sold at the Ministry of Culture's online ticket office and at the ticket window. The ministry's website gives hours of 9:00 to 17:00; confirm the last-entry time at the door.
Allow an hour.
When to go
At 9:00, when it opens. Organised groups arrive mid-morning and the courtyards, above all the small rooms, fill up quickly. First thing the light comes softly into the courtyards and it is quiet. Avoid midday in summer: the open courtyards give little shade.
Getting there
It is on Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jdid, in the south of the medina, about 15 minutes' walk from Jemaa el-Fna. Very close is the El Badi Palace: the two visits link well in a morning. By petit taxi, ask for "Palais Bahia" and they drop you near the entrance.
With children and accessibility
The courtyards are flat and wide, and toured well with a pushchair; between some rooms there are steps and high thresholds. Children enjoy looking for the next courtyard. Ask at the ticket office about wheelchair access.
Guides
At the entrance there are usually guides offering their services; official ones carry accreditation. A guide explains who lived in each part of the palace, which is hard to understand without signs. If you want to hire one in advance, you have it at official medina guide.
Nearby
If you sleep in the quieter Kasbah and Mellah area, the palace is a walk away. For lunch, Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha, near Jemaa el-Fna, serves mechoui at midday. At the luxury end, La Mamounia and Royal Mansour are to the west.
- **El Badi Palace** (1 h · Everyone · General admission 100 DH): What it is and why it matters
El Badi Palace was the great reception palace of the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur. Works began shortly after his accession to the throne, in 1578; according to the chronicler al-Ifrani it was finished in 1593, although the sultan went on embellishing it until his death, in 1603. Marble was used, some of it brought from Italy, as well as gold, onyx and zellige. Its name is usually translated as "the incomparable".
It did not last long. After al-Mansur's death it was abandoned, and around 1707–1708 the sultan Moulay Ismail had it dismantled to take its materials to Meknes, his new capital. What remains are the rammed-earth walls, the empty pools and the layout of the complex. The September 2023 earthquake damaged it, and it reopened in October of that year.
What you see

The great courtyard. It measures about 135 by 110 m. In the centre is a pool of about 90 by 22 m and, around it, four sunken gardens. Stand at one end to get an idea of the scale.
The pavilions. On the sides of the courtyard there were four pavilions; the western one was the throne room, the Qubbat al-Khamsiniya. To the south, behind the southern pavilion, were the baths.
The underground passages. Beneath the palace run vaults and channels that fed the fountains. Ask at the entrance which part is open.
The Koutoubia minbar. In one room of the palace is displayed the 12th-century wooden pulpit of the Koutoubia mosque, an Almoravid work.
The storks. They nest on top of the walls: look for them in spring.
The terraces. Climb to the top of the walls: from above you see the whole layout of the palace, the medina and, on clear days, the Atlas.

The palace is also used as an exhibition space, and for years hosted the National Festival of Popular Arts of Marrakesh.
Hours and price
Entry costs 100 DH for foreign adults and 50 DH for foreign children aged 7 to 13; 30 and 10 DH for Moroccans and residents, who enter free on Fridays and on the first days of festivals. It is bought at the Ministry of Culture's online ticket office or at the ticket window. The website gives hours of 9:00 to 17:00; confirm at the entrance whether the minbar room has a supplement and what time the last entry is.
Allow an hour.
When to go
First thing or late in the afternoon. The courtyard is enormous and has no shade: at midday, especially in summer, the sun beats on the ground and the walls. The low afternoon light on the red rammed earth is the best for photos from the terraces.
Getting there
It is in the south of the medina, in the Kasbah area, about 15 minutes' walk from Jemaa el-Fna and a few minutes from the Bahia Palace. Link the two in one morning: first the Bahia when it opens, then El Badi. By petit taxi, ask for "Palais El Badii".
With children, teenagers and accessibility
Children like the size and the storks. The ground is uneven earth, with steps and high walls: watch them up top. With a pushchair you can tour the courtyard; to climb the walls there are stairs.
- **Le Jardin Secret** (45 min · Everyone · General admission 100 DH): What it is
Le Jardin Secret is an old medina palace, on Rue Mouassine, with two restored gardens inside its walls. After years in ruins, it was recovered and opened to the public as a garden: today it is one of the few green, quiet spots inside the medina, a few minutes from the souks.
It has two different gardens:

The Islamic garden, the large one: a courtyard divided in four by paths and water channels, following the traditional riad garden model.
The exotic garden, smaller, with plants brought from other parts of the world.

Around the gardens are the palace's pavilions and a tower from which you see the medina above the rooftops.
Hours
Open every day. The hours change with the season:

January to March: from 9:30 to 18:30.
April to September: from 9:30 to 19:30.
October: from 9:30 to 18:00.
November and December: from 9:30 to 17:30.

Last entry is half an hour before closing. During Ramadan and religious festivals the hours change: on the festival at the end of Ramadan it opens from 14:30 to 18:30. Check the website before going on those dates.
Tickets and price

Garden: 100 DH. Reduced rate of 80 DH up to age 24 and for groups of 15 or more; 50 DH for Moroccan citizens. Free for under-12s.
Tower: 40 DH extra; 30 DH reduced. Under-6s cannot go up.

Reductions require ID. The garden ticket includes access to its two cafés, the Café Sahrij and the Café Menzeh, which serve tea, juices, sandwiches and homemade cakes. Allow about 45 minutes, more if you sit down for a drink.
For groups there are guided visits with booking.
Getting there
It is at number 121 Rue Mouassine, in the heart of the medina, about 10 minutes' walk from Jemaa el-Fna through the souks. It is a good break between the medina souks and the Ben Youssef madrasa, which lies to the north. There are no cars in the medina: arrive on foot.
When to go
Mid-morning or at midday, when the souks overwhelm: it is when shade and water are most appreciated. First thing, at opening, it is emptier. In summer, the tower at midday gets a lot of sun.
With children
It is a stop designed for catching your breath: shade, water, benches and a café where children can eat something. Under-12s enter the garden free. The tower has stairs and under-6s are not allowed. With a pushchair you can tour the gardens.
Nearby
For lunch, in the same area, Café des Épices, with a terrace over the spice square, and Nomad, with a rooftop. For sleeping in the medina, El Fenn or, on a small budget, Equity Point Marrakech.
- **Agafay Stone Desert** (5 h · Families and anyone without time for Merzouga · Excursion with transport): What it is
Agafay is a stone desert about thirty kilometres from Marrakesh, in the first foothills of the High Atlas. There are no sand dunes: it is a semi-desert of white and ochre hills covered in stones, with the Atlas in the background, snow-capped in winter. Because of its proximity it has filled with tented camps that offer lunches, dinners, nights under the stars and activities. It is the way to have an afternoon in the desert without doing the two days of road to Merzouga.
If what you are looking for is dunes, this is not your place: for that you have to go to Merzouga.
What the excursion is like
The usual thing is to spend half a day: you arrive mid-afternoon, do an activity, watch the sunset over the hills with the Atlas behind, have dinner at a camp and return to Marrakesh at night. You can also go for lunch, or sleep at the camp.
An example with published prices: Scarabeo Camp, which has two camps in Agafay, The Stone Camp and Les Roches Noires, publishes its 2026 rates for The Stone Camp in dirhams:

Lunch: 450 DH per person (225 DH for children aged 4 to 10), with Moroccan salads, barbecue and dessert, drinks extra.
Dinner: 550 DH per person (275 DH for children aged 4 to 10), with salads, two tagines and semolina.
Dromedary ride with a handler, 30 to 40 minutes: 300 DH per animal, for one adult and one child.
Other activities with a guide: quad from 550 DH an hour, horse from 1,150 DH an hour for one person, a 3-hour walk from 950 DH for one or two people, stargazing with an astronomer.
Transfer from the medina or Marrakesh airport: 550 DH per vehicle each way for 1 to 4 people.
Night in a suite with half board: from 2,350 DH for one person.

Meals are booked 48 hours ahead by email, and the booking is confirmed with a 25% deposit. The activities are provided by outside companies: cancelling with less than 48 hours' notice is charged in full.
Getting there
It is about 30 km south-west of Marrakesh, along the Tameslouht road. Without a car, the usual thing is the transfer the camp arranges or an excursion from Marrakesh. If you go on your own by car, the camp sends you a map to get there.
Before booking, check the Spanish Foreign Ministry's travel advice: it advises against travelling to the province of Al Haouz, which begins on the outskirts of Marrakesh, so check with the camp which municipality it is in and where the transfer passes through.
When to go
From October to May. In summer the daytime heat is strong and the excursion is done only at dusk. In winter the days are good, but as soon as the sun sets it gets very cold: bring a coat for dinner. Sunset is everyone's hour; to watch it calmly, arrive an hour early.
With children
It is one of the easiest excursions with small children from Marrakesh: a short journey, open space, dromedaries and meals at half price for ages 4 to 10. Quads have minimum ages depending on the provider: ask when booking. Bring a hat, sun cream and a warm layer for the night.
What to bring

Closed shoes: the ground is stone.
A hat, sunglasses and sun cream.
A coat for after sunset.
Cash in dirhams for tips and extras.
- **Ourika Valley** (8 h · Families with children who walk · Excursion or taxi for the day): What it is
The Ourika valley is the High Atlas valley closest to Marrakesh: it starts about 30 km south-east of the city and follows the Ourika river towards the mountains. It is inhabited mostly by Chleuh-speaking Berbers, and despite being so close it keeps a good deal of traditional mountain life: mud-brick villages on the slopes, orchards beside the river and terraced fields. The name comes from a Masmuda tribe already cited by medieval chroniclers.
It is the simplest day trip from Marrakesh to see the Atlas: river, greenery and, at the end of the road, a trail to waterfalls.
What to do, from bottom to top

Tnine Ourika. The village at the entrance to the valley, with the traditional weekly Monday souk.
The gardens. Along the way there are several gardens that can be visited: the ANIMA garden, a botanical and sculpture garden created by the Austrian artist André Heller; the Timalizene mountain garden, with mostly native species, and an organic garden of aromatic and medicinal plants.
The saffron. At the Ourika saffron farm the best time is from late October to mid-November, during the harvest.
Tafza. In this village of potters, a Berber ecomuseum shows old photos, ceramics, jewellery and rugs.
Setti Fatma. The last village the paved road reaches and the starting point for mountain excursions.

The climb to the Setti Fatma waterfalls
The most popular excursion in the valley climbs from Setti Fatma following a mountain torrent to a series of seven waterfalls.
The trail is not a stroll: you have to cross the river, scramble over rocks and use your hands in some places. Bring closed shoes with a good sole, not sandals. In the village guides offer to take you up: it is not compulsory, but it helps to find the good way; agree the price beforehand. If you want to reach the upper ones, allow half a day.
Getting there

With a driver or an excursion. The most common. Day excursions leave in the morning from Marrakesh and stop at a village or garden before Setti Fatma. If you prefer to go at your own pace, a private driver takes you and waits for you.
By grand taxi. You can hire a grand taxi for the whole day; agree the price and the wait before setting off.
By car. The road is paved as far as Setti Fatma. Leave the car in the village and continue on foot.

When to go
From March to June and from September to November. In summer the valley is cooler than the city, but set off early. In winter the water comes down cold and the waterfall trail may have ice.
If it has rained in the Atlas or a storm threatens, do not climb to the waterfalls or go near the river: floods are sudden. The Spanish Foreign Ministry warns of flash floods in the Atlas area in the rainy season.
With children
With children who walk, the walk along the river and the first waterfall work well, holding hands on the rocky parts. With small children or a pushchair, stay in the village, by the river, and in the valley's gardens.

## Dónde comer
- **Café des Épices** (Café, Medina, Rahba Kedima, €€). Qué pedir: a spiced coffee or a salad on the rooftop.
- **Nomad** (Restaurant, Medina, Rahba Kedima, €€). Qué pedir: Agadir squid with cumin or the crunchy cauliflower and fennel salad, on the rooftop.
- **Al Fassia Gueliz** (Restaurant, Gueliz, €€€). Qué pedir: pigeon pastilla, tagine or couscous, after the Moroccan starters they serve at the beginning.
- **Le Marocain, at La Mamounia** (Restaurant, Next to Bab Jdid, €€€€). Qué pedir: the traditional Moroccan cooking of chef Rachid Agouray, for a special night.
- **Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha** (Takeaway, Medina, Souk Ablouh, €). Qué pedir: mechoui lamb by weight, with bread, cumin and salt, or the tanjia.

## Car-free: The best way to see Marrakesh
The medina is toured on foot and a car only gets in the way. You arrive by plane, take bus 19 or an agreed taxi and do not need wheels again until you leave the city.
Presupuesto orientativo: 70–120 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **La Mamounia** (Spa hotel): The city's great historic hotel, up against the wall. You walk out to the Koutoubia and come back to a garden of olive and orange trees.
- **El Fenn** (Small hotel): A large riad full of colour and art, five minutes from the square and with a gate that taxis can reach.
- **Riad Yasmine** (Small hotel): A small riad with a green pool in the courtyard. Quiet, away from the noise of the square and a walk from everything.
- **Equity Point Marrakech** (Hostel): A big hostel inside a riad, near the square. It is hard to find the first time: let them know if you arrive at night.
### Servicios
- **Airport Bus 19**: Menara · Jemaa el-Fna · station · 30 MAD · every 20 min from 6:00 to 21:30
- **Marrakesh Railway Station**: ONCF · trains to Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier and Fez · Gueliz
- **CTM and Supratours Buses**: Essaouira, Ouarzazate and the south · ticket on their website or at the ticket window
- **Official Medina Guide**: Accredited · hire through the riad · half a day or a full day

## Luxury: Palaces with gardens, a step from the square
Marrakesh has some of the most celebrated hotels in Africa. What you pay for is silence, garden and shade five minutes from the noise.
Presupuesto orientativo: 400–1.500 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in style
- **La Mamounia** (Spa hotel): The city's great historic hotel, up against the wall. You walk out to the Koutoubia and come back to a garden of olive and orange trees.
- **Royal Mansour Marrakech** (Spa hotel): Every room is a three-storey riad with its own rooftop. For when the trip is the celebration.
- **El Fenn** (Small hotel): A large riad full of colour and art, five minutes from the square and with a gate that taxis can reach.
### Servicios
- **Official Medina Guide**: Accredited · hire through the riad · half a day or a full day
- **Private Driver to the Atlas and the South**: Car with a driver · Imlil, Aït Ben Haddou, Merzouga · book at the hotel

## Backpacking: Hostel in a riad and dinner in the square
Marrakesh is cheap if you eat where the locals eat and get around on foot. What is expensive are the monument entrances, which add up quickly.
Presupuesto orientativo: 30–45 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're backpacking
- **Equity Point Marrakech** (Hostel): A big hostel inside a riad, near the square. It is hard to find the first time: let them know if you arrive at night.
- **Hostel Laksour** (Hostel): Small and central, in the Laksour district, between the square and the Koutoubia.
### Servicios
- **Airport Bus 19**: Menara · Jemaa el-Fna · station · 30 MAD · every 20 min from 6:00 to 21:30
- **Marrakesh Railway Station**: ONCF · trains to Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier and Fez · Gueliz
- **CTM and Supratours Buses**: Essaouira, Ouarzazate and the south · ticket on their website or at the ticket window
- **Official Medina Guide**: Accredited · hire through the riad · half a day or a full day

## With young children: Gardens, shade and a pool at the riad

With under-sixes Marrakesh works in short doses: a visit in the morning, a nap at the riad and the square as evening falls. The medina, at that age, tires and overwhelms quickly.

### What works best
Majorelle Garden: flat paths, fish and shade

Le Jardin Secret: water, orange trees and benches in the middle of the medina

Agafay: a short camel ride with an adult alongside and the sunset

### Where to sleep
A riad with a pool or basin, even if it is cold in winter

A hotel in Gueliz or Hivernage if you need a taxi at the door

### Where to eat
Mild tagines, couscous and bread almost everywhere

Orange juice from the square's stalls, freshly squeezed

### Keep in mind
A pushchair is no use in the medina: narrow streets, steps and motorbikes; bring a baby carrier

From June to September midday exceeds 35 °C: nothing in the sun between 12 and 17

There is no official minimum age for the camel; many operators put small children in front of an adult: ask before booking

### Qué hacer with young children
- Majorelle Garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum
- Le Jardin Secret
- Agafay Stone Desert

## As a family: A city enjoyed at two speeds

With children of different ages, alternate: medina and palaces in the morning, garden or pool at midday and the square at night, when it changes completely.

### What works best
Jemaa el-Fna at sunset, with dinner at a stall

The Bahia Palace and El Badi, with large courtyards and storks

The Ourika valley, river and waterfalls an hour and a half away

### Where to sleep
A riad with a family room near a gate with taxis

A hotel with a pool in Gueliz if you travel in summer

### Where to eat
Café des Épices, with a terrace and simple dishes

The numbered stalls in the square: choose one with lots of locals

### Keep in mind
Petit taxis carry three passengers at most; with five, two taxis or a grand taxi

In the Ourika the waterfall trail has rocks: closed shoes

Fake guides address the parents: a "no, thank you" and keep going

### Qué hacer as a family
- Jemaa el-Fna Square and the Koutoubia
- Majorelle Garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum
- Bahia Palace
- El Badi Palace
- Le Jardin Secret
- Agafay Stone Desert
- Ourika Valley

## With teenagers: Haggling, getting lost and seeing the desert from afar

To a teenager Marrakesh gives something they don't have at home: the souk as a haggling game, the square at night and the feeling of being very far away two hours by plane.

### What works best
The souks, with a budget in dirhams and permission to haggle

Agafay, camel and sunset facing the Atlas

The terraces of El Badi, with the whole medina below

### Where to sleep
A riad with a rooftop, where they can spend the afternoon

Equity Point, if they already travel with some independence

### Where to eat
Chez Lamine's mechoui, by weight and with your hands

The square at night, trying stall after stall

### Keep in mind
Palaces get boring if you string them together: one a day is enough

In the square, beware of charges for photos of musicians and animals

The phone loses signal in the medina: agree a fixed meeting point

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Jemaa el-Fna Square and the Koutoubia
- Medina Souks
- El Badi Palace
- Agafay Stone Desert
- Ourika Valley

## Consejos

### Go out early and rest at midday
The palaces open in the morning and at nine there are few people. From two to five, riad and pool, especially from May to September.

### Ask the taxi price before getting in
Petit taxis have meters, but many do not switch them on. Ask for it or agree the price before setting off.

### Go to the square twice
In the morning there are juices and little life. From sunset it fills with food stalls, musicians and storytellers.

### Carry small notes
They will ask you for change everywhere. The 20 and 50 dirham notes solve almost everything.

### Beware of Fridays and Ramadan
On Friday at midday, prayer time, some souk businesses close. In Ramadan, expected from 8 February to 9 March 2027, many medina restaurants open only at night.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Do I need a passport to go to Marrakesh?
Yes. The national ID card does not allow entry to Morocco. The passport must be valid for more than six months on arrival. No visa is needed for tourism of up to 90 days.

### How many days do you need?
Three nights for the medina, the palaces and Majorelle without rushing. Five if you want a day trip to the Atlas or the Agafay desert.

### Can you pay by card?
In hotels, good restaurants and shops in Gueliz, yes. In the souk, taxis, the square's stalls and many entrances, cash only.

### Is it safe?
It is a very touristy city with a lot of police. What bothers people are fake guides, charges for photos and the odd bag-snatch in the square at night. Carry your phone and wallet inside your clothes.

### Can non-Muslims enter the Koutoubia?
No. The Koutoubia, like almost all the mosques in Morocco, is reserved for Muslims. You see it from outside and from its gardens.

### How should I dress?
Light clothing that covers shoulders and knees is the most comfortable and least conspicuous in the medina. In hotels and by the pool, as anywhere.

### How long does it take to the Merzouga desert?
It is about 550 km and between 9 and 10 hours by car over the Tizi n'Tichka pass. It is not a day trip: it is three days minimum.