If you've already read my Essaouira Travel Guide, you've probably noticed that after I visited this city, I continued my Moroccan trip in Marrakech. The peace and quiet of Essaouira gets traded for one of the busiest city's of Morocco, Marrakech! I've spend about 6 days in and around this city and I loved every part about it. So if you're planning on visiting Marrakech, let me give you all the tips you need to know!
As most people already know, Morocco can be very hot during the summer! Even I knew and I still made the mistake by going in June. The temperature was around 45°C every day and let me tell you, exploring a city in this heat is quite hard! However, thanks to the dry air, it didn't feel this hot. So if Marrakech is on your bucket list, the best time to visit is definitely Autumn and Spring, preferably May and September as there is less rain.
How to get there?
If you're coming from another country, you'll probably go by plane. Marrakech has a big airport located about 3 km from the center. Once you've arrived at the airport, the easiest way is to just grab a taxi towards the center, the price will be between 150 and 500 dirhams, depending on the time you're taking it. A cheaper way which takes a little more time is by taking the bus, and only costs 30 dirhams. My friend and I took the bus from the center to the airport and except for the bus being a little too late, everything went great!
If you're arriving from another city in Morocco, Marrakech is easily reachable by bus from many other cities such as Fez and Essaouira. I talked about this in my previous guide about Essaouira, so have a look at that one as well! The city also has a big train station! The train from Casablanca to Marrakech, passes lots of other cities such as Tangier, Rabat and Fes.
If you're interested in going by bus to Marrakech, have a look at my guide about Essaouira, where I tell you everything you need to know
The easiest way of getting around outside the medina of Marrakech is by taxi. Everywhere you go, you will see taxis and most of the time they will just stop right in front of you to ask you if you need one. The prices are pretty affordable, so if you want to go somewhere outside of the city, I recommend just taking one.
A cheaper way is taking the bus but most of the busses driving in the center are old and really crowded, something you'll probably want to avoid when it's really hot outside.
Keep in mind that in the medina, only motorbikes and bicycles are allowed. Everything in the medina is within walking distance, so this is probably the easiest way! That's why I also recommend looking for a traditional riad in the medina to stay at!
Best places to stay
As Marrakech has so many places to stay, I focused here on the places where I stayed or where people I know stayed! However, one thing I recommend is that you should really stay in a riad, since it gives you the best authentic experience!
This place really feels like a little paradise, especially because it has the highest rooftop of the medina, which gives you an amazing view! They have a small restaurant on the rooftop and the pool makes the hot temperatures more pleasant. Even though this is a hostel, they also offer private rooms!
Again located in the medina, this riad is also a great place to stay! I didn't stay here myself, but we met some people that were staying here and had breakfast here one morning. They enjoyed their stay and we loved the breakfast!
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To make it a little easier for you, I also checked for some other riads that had great reviews, so maybe you prefer staying at one of these?
Again located in the medina, this riad will give you a luxury experience during your stay in Marrakech! They also have a pool, perfect for the Moroccan temperatures.
Another great riad with some great reviews! They don't have a pool but their great service makes up for that! This accommodation also has a restaurant, where you can enjoy some traditional food.
During your time in Marrakech, you won't be able to avoid Jemaa El-Fna, the main square of the city! Even though I gave you some great restaurant recommendations, think about having dinner here! There are tons of barbecue stands and it will probably be hard to say no to one of the sellers of the smoothy stalls.
Another main highlight of Marrakech is the Bahia Palace that dates back to the 19th century and is an architectural marvel! A ticket only costs 10 dirham.
This highlight was probably one of my favorites! The bright blue color of the architecture is beautiful and definitely worth a visit! A ticket will cost you 150 dirham.
A great alternative to Jardin Majorelle is Jardin Secret, located in the middle of the medina! The architecture and colors of this highlight are really pretty, perfect for your Instagram pictures! A regular tickets costs 100 dirham.
The second oldest Jewish Quarter of Morocco is located in Marrakech! Again the architecture here is beautiful. We also visited the synagogue for only 10 dirham, which was again very pretty on the inside! So just wander through the streets and enter some of the little stores.
Last but not least, the medina of Marrakech. You obviously need to visit this. Wander through the maze of little streets and alleys, visit as much shops as you can and don't get hit by one of the motorbikes. The medina has several quarters such as the one where they sell olives, the butchers, the bakeries... really interesting to see everything!
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Experiences in and outside of Marrakech
If you've read my previous travel guides, I'm sorry, but here I am again with my recommendation to do a guided tour. Obviously I do one in every city I visit, but this time I really really recommend it. As I said above, the medina has many little quarters all dedicated to one profession, which is really nice to see. If you've never been here and you're just strolling down the streets, you probably won't see everything. So a guide is really interesting here as he/she will take you to all of the little gems of the medina. Underneath you can find the link to the tour we did, our guide was wonderful!
If you have some time do travel around Marrakech, you should do that! We booked a two-day trip to the desert and loved it. The trip isn't private which makes it so much fun, we met so many people and the camping experience in the middle of the desert was so much fun, especially the beautiful sunrise and the starry sky (we even saw the milky way!). Our guide made some stops at lots of great places such as Aït Ben Haddou and lots of amazing viewpoints from the Atlas Mountains. We went to camp located in the Zagora desert by camels. There are many offers online to book a tour, so depending on the time you have, you can stay more days. This is the tour we booked, which was really nice!
If you look for recommendations on TikTok, Instagram or you ask a local guide, everyone will recommend going to Café des Épices! We had some dinner here and it was great!
This place is operated by a Belgian-Moroccan couple, so obviously we needed to test this place out. We made a last minute reservation for a group of 12 (!!) people and they were very flexible about it. They usually don't serve alcohol, but they went to buy rum in one of the supermarkets to make us all mojito's. We also had the best pastilla here, a traditional moroccan dish.
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Jemaa Al Fna - Groupe L'Adresse - Cafe & Restaurants Marrakech
We didn't have dinner here but just went here to have a drink on the rooftop overlooking Jemaa El-Fna. The ambiance here was really good, a local band was playing traditional music but in a really interacting way, which was a really good experience. And the food that was passing us, looked great!
This place is located outside the medina and a little more expensive (still afordable) than others, but it gives you a very nice fine dining experience! The chefs work in a central, open kitchen in a contemporary dining room.
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Maison Reine Mediterranean Rooftop Restaurant And Conceptstore
Lastly there is Maison Reine, which will give you another affordable fine dining experience. This restaurant is perfect for vegetarians!
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More questions?
If you have any more questions, you want more recommendations or you want me to help you to plan your next trip to Essaouira, don't hesitate to contact me! <3
Whenever I'm traveling outside of Europe I'll always buy an eSIM! It saves you a lot of time trying to find a good sim once you've arrived and you won't risk losing the one you have now.
Welcome to my world of wanderlust! Based in Belgium, with experiences living in Barcelona and Puerto Rico and of course travels to lots of other destinations! My travel philosophy? Immerse myself in everything a destination has to offer, from its breathtaking landscapes to its amazing culture. As a young enthusiast with a passion for discovering new places, I try to bring a fresh perspective and give you an authentic experience. Trust me to curate your next adventure, blending hidden gems, local flavors and insider tips for a journey you'll never forget. 🌎✈️🧳
