Marrakech is a beautiful and exotic city full of fantastic shopping areas, scenic mountain beauty and truly delicious cuisine. A trip here brings something for absolutely everyone. For history lovers there are museums galore, as well as various landmarks and monuments. For shoppers, there are lively and hectic shopping areas where haggling is expected and bargains lie on the various stalls and inside the many souks. For nature lovers Marrakech is an excellent base from where you can easily enjoy the Atlas Mountains.
Here are just some of the best tourist attractions in Marrakech:
The Medina
The Medina is the Old City and is the reason a lot of people visit Marrakech. It is a wonder of colours, smells and sights and will leave your senses truly overwhelmed. Expect gorgeous narrow alleyways, hundreds of loud and friendly stall holders selling their wares and various souks full of wonders. Just remember when you go to buy, you must be ready to haggle. It is expected here and if you don’t haggle, you’ll be paying a pretty penny more than every other tourist because the sellers always start at the highest price ready for you to knock them down. If you’re not confident working your way around the area, consider booking yourself onto one of many Marrakech day trips on offer, where local experts can guide you through this bustling maze.
Djemaa El Fna
Djemaa El Fna is the centre of Marrakech and is the place you will get to see true Moroccan culture at its best. Expect snake charmers, that stalls, performers, storytellers, fortune tellers and various other local people looking to spark your interest. This place is like Covent Garden on drugs, so get ready to have your attention grabbed continually during a visit to this area. If you don’t like being in the hustle and bustle of this busy place but love to people watch, escape to a nearby rooftop garden and sip on a mint tea watching the crazy scene from above.
Koutoubia Mosque
Koutoubia Mosque is visible throughout Marrakech and is a building you will have probably seen in many promotional pictures of the city. It’s only 77 metres tall (due to building restrictions) but can still be seen from afar due to its striking four domes. Getting inside the mosque isn’t possible if you aren’t muslim, but walking around it is still pretty amazing.
Medersa Ben Youssef
Medersa Ben Youssef is a school of learning and is the largest theological college in Morocco. Many people visit the school because the building is so beautiful inside. With inscriptions, ancient ceilings and traditional decoration, it is certainly worth a visit during your tour of the city.
Saadian Tombs
The Saadian Tombs were built in the 16th century and hold the remains of the Saadian dynasty. It’s a haunting and interesting place with various mausoleums placed within a wild and active garden. Here you can see some really deep history of Morocco, seeing ancient inscriptions and evidence of 15th and 16th century Marrakech.
Marrakech Museum
The Marrakech Museum isn’t your average museum and holds quite an interesting selection of exhibitions from modern art to local tiles and fabrics, as well as some ancient relics and ornaments. A lot of people don’t actually visit the museum for it’s contents, but more for its famed building. The Dar Menebhi is a stunning combination of North African and Portuguese architecture and contains enough detail and beautiful furnishings to make it worth a visit.
Almoravid Koubba
This attraction is the oldest monument in Marrakech and its original use is still disputed to this day. It is a simple shape and has a really gorgeous ceramic interior. It was one of the only thing that survived the attack on the city by Almohad conquerors, so is worth a visit purely for its visual and historical appeal.
Menara Gardens
Outdoor green space is difficult to come across in Marrakech, so the gardens within the city are treasured and certainly worth a visit. They also make a refreshing change from the intense bustling city streets. The Menara Gardens are a wonderful place to explore and relax. Take a picnic, blanket and enjoy the rare treat of peace and quiet offered here.
