Southern Morocco rewards a first visit with two very different bases. In Marrakech you get the storytellers and food of Jemaa el-Fna at night, souks of brass, leather and spice, carved palaces and madrasas, the cobalt blue of Jardin Majorelle, and the Atlas Mountains on the skyline. Essaouira, about 2.5 hours away by road on the Atlantic, swaps that buzz for sea wind, 18th-century ramparts, a working fishing port and long beaches for surfing and kitesurfing.
This page starts with our ranked picks for a first trip, best first, each with a practical tip on timing, tickets or etiquette. Below them you will find every sight we cover in Marrakech and Essaouira, city by city, with opening notes and checked entry fees where we have them, then answers to the questions travelers ask most.
The 18 best things to do in Morocco
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- 1Marrakech
Watch Jemaa el-Fna come alive at dusk
Jemaa el-Fna, the triangular square at the entrance to the medina, has been a symbol of Marrakech since the city was founded in the 11th century, and UNESCO lists its cultural space as intangible heritage of humanity, first proclaimed in 2001. All day and well into the night it fills with storytellers, poets, Gnaoua dancers, Berber musicians, henna artists, fortune tellers, water sellers and stalls of fruit and traditional food. As evening falls, people gather to eat local dishes and watch the shows under bright lights, and it becomes the meeting point for locals and visitors alike. Come once in daylight to get your bearings, then return after sunset for dinner.
Tip: Keep your phone and wallet zipped away in the crowds, since pickpocketing and bag snatching are common in the medina.
Sources: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage; Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office); UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeMeals and drinks paid separately; choose a menu and confirm the total before ordering. - 2Marrakech
Lose yourself in the souks around Souk Semmarine
The souks of the medina are a maze of lanes grouped by trade, where both Amazigh and Arab craftsmanship fill the stalls. Souk Semmarine, once a market for fabrics and woolen yarn, is still lined with furnishing fabrics and traditional clothing, and the nearby kissariat show off caftans, djellabas and jabadors. Keep wandering to the Attarine souk, known for brass and copper work, the Dyers' Souk, where wool and silk are dipped in vats of color, and Rahba Kedima, a small square famous for its spice stalls. Tanners and leatherworkers fill other lanes with babouche slippers, and haggling is part of every purchase.
Tip: If you want a guide, hire one with an official badge, since people posing as guides often approach visitors in the medina.
Sources: Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council; Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office); UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficePublic market lanes; purchases paid separately. Ask before photographing merchandise or people. - 3MarrakechBook ahead
Step into the cobalt blue of Jardin Majorelle
French painter Jacques Majorelle created this garden in 1931 around his Art Deco studio, designed by architect Paul Sinoir, and filled it with rare trees and plants gathered from five continents: bamboo, palms, cacti, flowering pots and water plants. In 1937 he invented the intense ultramarine now known as Majorelle blue, painted his garden with it, and opened it to the public in 1947. His former studio now houses the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts, opened in 2011, with more than 600 objects from the Rif to the Sahara. Next door, the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech, opened in 2017, is devoted to the designer's work.
Tip: Buy timed tickets only on the garden's official ticket site and as early as you can, since there are no sales at the gate, and note that the Yves Saint Laurent museum closes on Wednesdays.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Fondation Jardin Majorelle; Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech (official)Standard nonresident adult; garden only: MAD 170 (about $17) · Timed tickets sold online only. Garden-only ticket excludes the separate museums.Last verified
- 4Marrakech
Wander the courtyards of the Bahia Palace
The Bahia Palace was built in two phases over 8 hectares in the second half of the 19th century. It began as the house of Si Moussa, a chamberlain and later grand vizier, and from 1894 to 1900 his son Ba Ahmed bought neighboring houses and joined them into a true palace. Its name means the brilliant one, probably a nod to Ba Ahmed's favorite wife. You walk through four main courtyards, gardens and salons decorated by Moroccan craftsmen with marble, zellij tilework, carved wood, stained glass, stucco and painted cedar ceilings from the Middle Atlas. In 1912 it became the residence of the French Resident General.
Tip: Visiting hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., so plan it for the morning and pair it with the nearby Mellah and El Badi Palace.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication; Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism CouncilForeign adult: MAD 100 (about $10) · Foreign adult ticket; separate resident and child tariffs. Check exceptional closures before visiting.Last verified
- 5Marrakech
Admire the carved halls of Ben Youssef Madrasa
Ben Youssef Madrasa, one of the largest Quranic schools in the Maghreb, was built by the Saadian sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib in 1564 and 1565, as inscriptions over the entrance and in the prayer hall record. Its square plan covers 1,680 square meters, with 130 student rooms on two floors around a central courtyard that opens onto the prayer hall. Walls are covered in rich geometric and floral decoration, and the harmony of its architecture and materials makes it one of the finest buildings in the city. It was restored by the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs after a royal visit to the old medina in 2017.
Tip: It is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., later than the state-run palaces, so it makes a good late-afternoon stop; head upstairs to see the old student rooms.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Moroccan Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs; Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and CommunicationForeign adult: MAD 50 (about $5) · Buy at the official entrance counter while online sales are unavailable.Last verified
- 6Essaouira
Walk the sea ramparts at Skala de la Ville
Essaouira's medina, on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 2001, is a rare fortified town of the mid 18th century, built to European military plans. Its seaward bastion, the Sqala de la Kasbah, went up in 1765 at the northwest tip of the medina to defend the town from the sea: a two-level platform with rooms below for arms and ammunition, and a row of 16th-century Spanish cannons still pointing at the Atlantic. From the walls you look out to the Purpuraires Islands, a nature reserve where rare Eleonora's falcons breed between April and October, while marquetry workers shape thuya wood in workshops at the foot of the bastion. The walls also played Astapor in Game of Thrones.
Tip: Come late in the day to watch the sun drop into the Atlantic, and bring a warm layer for the wind that Essaouira is known for.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Essaouira (Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council); Visit Essaouira (Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council); Moroccan National Tourist Office; Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office)Check current access at the entrance; the Sqala du Port ticket is not a general ramparts pass. - 7Marrakech
Look up at the Koutoubia minaret
The Koutoubia is one of the most impressive monuments in Marrakech and one of the finest mosques of the western Islamic world. It is in fact a double sanctuary: the first mosque opened in 1157, and the second, with its minaret, was built a year later on the orders of the ruler Abd al-Mu'min. The cut-stone minaret rises 77 m, with an inner ramp leading to the top, and its sober carved reliefs and bands of white and green ceramic tiles inspired both the Hassan Tower in Rabat and the Giralda in Seville. Often called the lighthouse of Marrakech, it is the landmark you will steer by in the old city.
Tip: It is an active mosque, so admire it from the outside and its gardens, dress modestly, and be especially respectful during Ramadan.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office); UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeExterior and surrounding gardens only. This itinerary does not include entry to the mosque. - 8Marrakech
See the Saadian Tombs' Hall of Twelve Columns
The Saadian Tombs, the royal necropolis of the Saadian dynasty, lie in the Kasbah quarter and were rediscovered in 1917 by the fine arts and monuments service. Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib laid out the core in 1557 for the tomb of his father, Muhammad al-Shaykh, founder of the dynasty, and was buried here himself in 1574. Ahmad al-Mansur buried his mother here in 1591, enlarged and embellished the complex, and now rests in the Hall of Twelve Columns, beside the Mihrab Hall and the Hall of Three Niches. The tombs are faced with marble and zellij in a refined style that blends Marinid and Andalusian influences.
Tip: Visiting hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the tombs sit in the Kasbah quarter near El Badi Palace, so see both in one morning.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication; Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council)Foreign adult: MAD 100 (about $10) · Foreign adult ticket; allow time for queues at the smaller viewing areas.Last verified
- 9Essaouira
Watch the catch come in at Essaouira's port
Built around 1770 under Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah, Essaouira's port is still an important shipyard and a busy fishing harbor. When the trawlers return, fish is sold at auction in the big hall while gulls circle for scraps, and fishermen mend their nets beside the stalls of fresh fish. Grill restaurants by the harbor serve sardines, sea bream, swordfish, sole and crab with salads, and the produce could hardly be fresher. At the harbor gate stands the Sqala du Port, built in 1764: a fortified platform of two long wings meeting at a right angle, armed with bronze cannons from the Iberian peninsula.
Tip: The port is liveliest when the boats return and the fish goes to auction, so ask your riad what time the boats are due in.
Sources: Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council; Visit Essaouira (Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council); Visit Essaouira (Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council); Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and CommunicationPublic port access is free; obey working-area restrictions and do not obstruct crews. - 10Imlil
Spend a day in the High Atlas at Imlil
The Atlas Mountains fill the horizon south of Marrakech, and a day among them is the easiest escape from the medina. Imlil, a traditional Berber village at about 1,740 m, is about 1 hour 30 minutes by road from the city, past villages and river valleys. Its cobbled lanes, earth houses and farming terraces make a good base for a walk, and it is the usual starting point for climbing Jbel Toubkal, at 4,165 m the highest peak in North Africa, a guided ascent that takes two days. Toubkal National Park protects the heart of the range between the N'Fiss and Ourika valleys, and the Ourika Valley, about an hour from Marrakech, is another popular day out.
Tip: Hire a professional guide for any hike beyond the village, carry water and sun protection, and check that your travel insurance covers trekking.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office); Moroccan National Tourist Office; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office - 11Essaouira
Wander Essaouira's medina from Bab Marrakech
Essaouira was founded in 1765 by Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah, who wanted a royal port on the Atlantic, and laid out on a European plan by Cornut. Its medina covers about 30 hectares inside walls with six monumental gates, and through the 18th and 19th centuries it was a leading trading port linking Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa with Europe, home from the start to Amazigh, Arab, African and European people of Muslim, Christian and Jewish faiths. Enter through Bab Marrakech, whose 19th-century bastion, once a powder store, is now an art gallery with an open-air stage on its roof. In the lanes you pass old consular houses and the minaret of the Ben Youssef mosque.
Tip: For the history behind the walls, add the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah Museum, which covers the town's crafts and music; it is closed on Tuesdays.
Sources: Visit Essaouira (Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council); Visit Essaouira (Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council); Moroccan National Tourist Office; Essaouira Provincial Tourism CouncilPublic approach and surrounding lanes only; no access to a private or ticketed interior implied. - 12Marrakech
Explore the ruins of El Badi Palace
El Badi, the palace of the incomparable, was built between 1578 and 1603 with the richest materials of its age, including gold, onyx and Italian marble. Its Andalusian-influenced plan is almost perfectly symmetrical and was raised on solid brick vaults by an architect whose name is lost, probably from Granada. Today it is a vast ruin. The inner gardens, once called the gardens of desire, survive as an immense esplanade of sunken pools planted with orange trees, framed by the palace remains and high walls where many storks nest. It is one of the clearest traces of the Saadian dynasty in Marrakech.
Tip: Visiting hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; look up at the walls for the storks' nests.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and CommunicationForeign adult: MAD 100 (about $10) · Foreign adult ticket. Exposed grounds call for water and sun protection.Last verified
- 13Marrakech
Find calm in Le Jardin Secret
Le Jardin Secret, in the Mouassine district of the medina, stands on the site of a Saadian palace from the second half of the 16th century. In the mid 19th century a kaid built a new palace here that kept the old layout, and later owners lived in it until 1934, after which it fell into disrepair. The idea of restoring it took shape in 2012, and it opened to the public eight years later. Today there are two gardens: an exotic garden of plants from around the world and an Islamic garden in a four-part layout restored to its likely 19th-century plan. Look for the original water channels, fed by the city's old khettara tunnels from the Atlas.
Tip: Opening hours change through the year, with the earliest closing in November and December, and the tower needs its own ticket and is closed to children under 6.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Le Jardin Secret (official); Le Jardin Secret (official); Le Jardin Secret (official); Le Jardin SecretStandard adult; garden only: MAD 100 (about $10) · Standard garden admission; the tower costs extra. Reconfirm seasonal hours, especially during Ramadan.Last verified
- 14Marrakech
Scrub up in a traditional hammam
The hammam, a steam bath, has always been Morocco's typical wellness ritual, and the medina of Marrakech still has plenty of them alongside its palaces, markets and mosques. A session is all about scrubbing and soaping with local products: black soap, ghassoul clay, henna, rose water, herbs and green clay, with a rough kessa glove to exfoliate the skin deeply, then time to rest and relax in the warmth. You can choose a traditional collective hammam, the everyday kind used by locals, or a spa in one of the city's hotels for a more private first try. Either way, it is a restful way to end a long day in the souks.
Tip: Ask your hotel or riad which hammam suits a first visit, and check what the scrub and products include before you go in.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office); Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council) - 15Marrakech
Walk the Mellah and Place des Ferblantiers
The Mellah, the historic Jewish quarter of Marrakech, was founded in 1558 under the Saadian ruler Moulay Abdallah, with two entrance gates. Its lanes hold a spice souk, a jewelry souk and a fabric souk, old wooden buildings, and two synagogues, Neguidim and Alazma, and Jewish culture and heritage remain visible from shop to shop. At Place des Ferblantiers, metalworkers turn tinplate into all kinds of unusual objects. A restoration program begun in 2014 has renewed souks, houses and walls. The quarter sits on the south side of the medina near the Bahia and El Badi palaces, less than ten minutes on foot from Jemaa el-Fna along Rue Riad Zitoun.
Tip: Time your visit for the jewelry souk's auction, held at 4:30 p.m.
Sources: Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism CouncilPublic-lane walk; shop purchases separate. Respect residential entrances and ask before photographing people. - 16Essaouira
Surf or kitesurf on Essaouira's windy bay
Essaouira's wide sandy beach runs along the bay beside the town, sheltered from the most powerful Atlantic waves by the Mogador Islands just offshore. The constant wind that shapes the town makes it one of Morocco's most popular spots for surfing, kitesurfing and windsurfing, and you can also rent a sand yacht and race along the hard sand. Beaches around the town carry the Blue Flag label, and more lie along the coast at Chicht, Sidi Kaouki, Azrou and Tafedna for swimming, camel treks and water sports. If you would rather stay on land, the beach makes a long, easy walk.
Tip: Many Moroccan beaches have little or no lifeguard cover and strong currents, so book lessons and rentals with an established school and avoid swimming in isolated spots.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office); Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office); Moroccan National Tourist Office; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeBeach walk, not a swimming or water-sports booking. Follow local flags and conditions. - 17Essaouira
Ride out to the beach at Sidi Kaouki
Sidi Kaouki is a small village and long beach about 20 km south of Essaouira, around 30 minutes by road, reached by the N1 toward Agadir. Its trade winds and breaking waves have made it a favorite of windsurfers and surfers, professionals among them, while everyone else comes for the wide, open sand and the scenery behind it. Camel and horse rides along the beach are a popular way to explore, and the long shoreline is just as good on foot. It makes an easy half day or full day out of Essaouira when you want more space than the town beach offers.
Tip: Arrange your ride back before you set out, since Sidi Kaouki is a small village 20 km from town.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council; Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office); Moroccan National Tourist OfficePin marks the village starting point. Arrange return transport; swimming and paid activities are not included. - 18Essaouira
Browse the art galleries of Essaouira's medina
Essaouira has long been a city of art. When the sultan founded it, he brought in people of every origin, many of them artists, and painting became its great strength. The first art gallery, Frédéric Damgaard, opened in 1988, run by a Danish specialist in Islamic art who had encouraged local painters since 1969, and Espace Othello and Galerie la Kasbah followed as meeting places for painters, sculptors and calligraphers. Our art walk starts on Rue Laalouj; from there the medina lanes are full of galleries and studios, where you might find a painting show, a children's workshop, an Arabic calligraphy lesson or sculpture made from recycled metal.
Tip: April is the busiest month on the town's cultural calendar, with music and art festivals, so check this year's dates if you travel in spring.
Sources: Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council; Moroccan National Tourist OfficePublic-lane walk; enter galleries only when open and check any exhibition admission separately.
Every sight, city by city
Avenue de l'Istiqlal market walk
A central medina street connects everyday shopping with the quieter lanes branching away.Entry: Public-street walk; purchases separate. Shop hours vary, especially during religious holidays.Bab Doukkala and northern medina
The northern gateway starts a walking route toward the medina's shops and art lanes.Entry: Public-street walk. Respect residents and avoid entering buildings without permission.Bab Marrakech medina approach
An eastern medina entrance helps orient the walk between the coach terminal and old town.Entry: Public approach and surrounding lanes only; no access to a private or ticketed interior implied.Essaouira beach walk
A long beach south of the medina offers room for a windier coastal walk.Entry: Beach walk, not a swimming or water-sports booking. Follow local flags and conditions.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsEssaouira fishing port
Fishing boats and working quays show the harbor's everyday role beside the old town.Entry: Public port access is free; obey working-area restrictions and do not obstruct crews.Place Moulay Hassan lunch area
The square between medina and harbor provides a convenient break for lunch.Entry: Meals paid separately; the pin marks a dining area, not one restaurant.Rue Laalouj art walk
Medina lanes around Rue Laalouj link art spaces and shops near the historic defenses.Entry: Public-lane walk; enter galleries only when open and check any exhibition admission separately.Sidi Kaouki village and beach walk
The village starts a coastal walk along a broad beach south of Essaouira.Entry: Pin marks the village starting point. Arrange return transport; swimming and paid activities are not included.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSidi Kaouki village lunch area
A village lunch keeps the coastal outing together before the return to Essaouira.Entry: Meals paid separately; confirm an open option and return pickup before beginning the beach walk.Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah Museum
Objects and displays introduce Essaouira's local history inside a former town house.Entry: MAD[fee] for a foreign adult; current tariff unverified. Closed Tuesday; confirm exceptional hours.. Closed TuesdaysSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsSkala de la Ville and Kasbah ramparts
Sea-facing defenses along the medina give a different viewpoint from the port tower.Entry: Check current access at the entrance; the Sqala du Port ticket is not a general ramparts pass.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSouthern medina dinner area
Restaurants around the southern medina keep the evening meal close to the harbor district.Entry: Meals paid separately; choose an open restaurant and confirm seafood prices before ordering.Sqala du Port
The port fortification frames views back toward the harbor and sea-facing medina.Entry: Foreign adult ticket for the port fortification, separate from the Kasbah ramparts.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsBahia Palace
Courtyards and decorated rooms make this palace a useful introduction to Marrakech craftsmanship.Entry: Foreign adult ticket; separate resident and child tariffs. Check exceptional closures before visiting.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsBen Youssef Madrasa
A former madrasa centers on a courtyard framed by intricate carved and tiled surfaces.Entry: Buy at the official entrance counter while online sales are unavailable.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsCyber Park Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Planted paths beside Avenue Mohammed V provide a shaded break near the medina edge.Entry: Public garden; check gate hours locally. Do not rely on working public internet facilities.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsEl Badi Palace
Large open courtyards and surviving palace walls contrast with Bahia's decorated interiors.Entry: Foreign adult ticket. Exposed grounds call for water and sun protection.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsGueliz lunch area
The newer city's broader streets provide a lunch base between garden visits.Entry: Meals paid separately; select a restaurant on arrival rather than treating the district pin as a booking.Hivernage dinner area
Dinner in the newer hotel district finishes a day of gardens and museum visits.Entry: Meals paid separately. Check menus and reserve if you have a particular restaurant in mind.Jardin Majorelle
Planted paths and blue architectural details make this garden a separate outing from the medina.Entry: Timed tickets sold online only. Garden-only ticket excludes the separate museums.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsJemaa el-Fna dinner area
The square and surrounding lanes offer an evening meal base after the medina sights.Entry: Meals and drinks paid separately; choose a menu and confirm the total before ordering.Koutoubia exterior and gardens
The minaret anchors a garden walk near the southern edge of Jemaa el-Fna.Entry: Exterior and surrounding gardens only. This itinerary does not include entry to the mosque.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsLe Jardin Secret
Enclosed gardens and water channels offer a slower stop within the busy northern medina.Entry: Standard garden admission; the tower costs extra. Reconfirm seasonal hours, especially during Ramadan.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsMaison de la Photographie
Historic photographs and documents introduce Moroccan daily life beyond the palace and market circuit.Entry: Standard adult ticket also covers the Marrakech Music Museum; this route visits the photography collection only.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsMellah lanes from Place Mellah
Market streets near the southern palaces offer a slower walk through the Mellah district.Entry: Public-lane walk; shop purchases separate. Respect residential entrances and ask before photographing people.Menara gardens
Olive grounds and a broad pool offer open views outside the compact medina streets.Entry: Garden walk only; pavilion admission is separate and not included in this stop. Check current gate hours.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsPlace des Ferblantiers lunch area
This square connects the southern palace district with places to pause for lunch.Entry: Meals paid separately; the pin marks the square, not a particular restaurant.Rahba Kedima lunch area
The spice-square area provides a central lunch break between the northern medina sights.Entry: Meals paid separately. The pin marks Placette Arrabha, not an individual cafe.Saadian Tombs
Royal burial chambers reward close attention to carved details and carefully patterned surfaces.Entry: Foreign adult ticket; allow time for queues at the smaller viewing areas.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSouk Semmarine
Textile stalls and connecting market lanes suit an unhurried browse on the return south.Entry: Public market lanes; purchases paid separately. Ask before photographing merchandise or people.Yves Saint Laurent Museum Marrakech
Fashion displays beside Majorelle add a different focus to a morning outside the medina.Entry: Separate timed ticket; closed Wednesday. Check the exhibition program for your date.. Closed WednesdaysSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsQuestions travelers ask
What are the best things to do in Morocco for a first trip?
For a first trip based in Marrakech and Essaouira, start with Jemaa el-Fna at dusk, the souks, Jardin Majorelle, the Bahia Palace and Ben Youssef Madrasa. Add the Koutoubia, the Saadian Tombs and El Badi Palace, then a day in the High Atlas at Imlil. On the coast, walk Essaouira's sea ramparts, watch the fishing port at work, explore its UNESCO-listed medina and galleries, and ride out to the beach at Sidi Kaouki.
Sources: Moroccan National Tourist Office; Moroccan National Tourist Office; Visit Essaouira (Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council)How many days do you need in Morocco?
Morocco's national tourism office suggests about 3 days for Marrakech and 2 for Essaouira. With the road between them taking about 2.5 hours, that makes a relaxed week for a first trip. Add a day if you want a trip into the High Atlas or the Ourika Valley. If you have longer, the same office suggests 3 days for Ouarzazate and the kasbah country of the south, a separate trip across the mountains.
Sources: Moroccan National Tourist Office; Moroccan National Tourist Office; Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office)When is the best time to visit Morocco for sightseeing?
For Marrakech, the tourism office recommends March to May and September to November: summer is very hot, while winter days are mild and evenings cool. Essaouira works all year thanks to its mild, sunny climate, with spring and autumn ideal and summer the liveliest season on the coast. Check the dates of Ramadan before you book, since they move every year and shop and restaurant hours can change during the month.
Sources: Moroccan National Tourist Office; Moroccan National Tourist Office; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeWhich attractions in Morocco should you book ahead?
In Marrakech, the one to plan is Jardin Majorelle: timed tickets for the garden, the Museum of Berber Arts and the Musée Yves Saint Laurent are sold only on the garden's official ticket site, and tickets from other sellers are not valid. State-run monuments such as the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs also sell tickets through the culture ministry's online service. For hot air balloon flights, book only with licensed operators, and arrange Atlas treks with a professional guide.
Sources: Fondation Jardin Majorelle; Visit Marrakech (Marrakech-Safi Regional Tourism Council); Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeHow do you get around Marrakech and Essaouira?
Inside the medinas, walk: the lanes are narrow, and a horse-drawn carriage ride is a classic way to see more of Marrakech. For longer hops, Marrakech taxis are orange; agree the fare first or check the meter is running, and be careful with ride-hailing cars, which may be unlicensed. Between the two cities, coaches and cars cover the road in about 2.5 hours, and Marrakech is on the national rail network that serves Morocco's main cities.
Sources: Moroccan National Tourist Office; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Moroccan National Tourist OfficeWhat should I know about money and safety in Morocco?
The currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD), a closed currency that is hard to exchange outside Morocco, so get it on arrival from ATMs, banks or exchange offices. ATMs are widespread, and Visa and Mastercard work in most hotels and some restaurants and shops; pay in dirhams elsewhere. In the medinas, watch for pickpockets and bag snatchers, and use only guides with an official badge, since fake guides often approach visitors.
Sources: Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office); UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office