In this guide, you will read about the unique things to do in Marrakech to turn your trip to the Moroccan lands into the best possible version.
Although it’s not the country’s capital, Marrakech has become Morocco‘s most visited city. Therefore, we can quickly call it the capital of Moroccan tourism.
The Red City, as they name it, due to the buildings made mostly of copper clay, will reveal more of a commercial part of Morocco—a place where trade and negotiations prevail.
That doesn’t mean you can’t have authentic experiences in Marrakech.
You will discover well-preserved traditions, specific dishes, beautiful places, and hospitable locals.
Best options for a last-minute trip to Marrakech
If you are on the last hundred meters with planning a vacation in Marrakech, then this list is your main help to do it quickly and efficiently:
Best experiences and tours in Marrakech:
♦ Zip-Line & Hike in the Atlas Mountains – perfect for adrenaline junkies
♦ Quadbike in the Desert of Jbilat and Palm Grove – adrenaline and a gorgeous place to see
♦ Half-Day Morrocan Cooking Class – learn how to cook tasty Morrocan dishes
♦ Atlas Mountains Full-Day Hiking Trip – best way to discover the Berber settlement on a scenic route
♦ Bicycle Tour with a Local Guide – best way to explore Marrakech
♦ Desert Safari with Dinner Show – a great experience you cannot miss
Best hotels to stay in Marrakech:
♦ Dar Rhizlane – gorgeous design & big pool
♦ Riad Kniza – beautiful riad, Moroccan architecture & amazing pool
♦ Indian Palace – superb interior design
Most of the ideas in this article are budget-friendly things to do in Marrakech.
What I use every time I travel:
- To book hotels: Booking.com
- To book tours: GetYourGuide.com
Unique things to do in Marrakech, Morocco
1. Stay in a riad
Riads are unique because most are family businesses and are hundreds of years old. They are authentic Moroccan houses available for tourists to book them.
The beautiful riads in Marrakech are like a desert oasis. From the outside, everything looks insipid and maybe even unpleasant to the eye.
But the interior will surprise you with a multitude of colors and textures.
The houses are part of the same color palette with shades of sand, but inside, there is an explosion of colors and ornaments.
Some combine the oriental style with European designs, while others are incredibly modern and Instagrammable.
You will find riads with a pool in the middle of the inner courtyard, decorated with lush vegetation and traditional objects that make you feel part of an oriental story.
We stayed in the Dar Pamela riad, located right in the heart of the medina and only a 5-minute walk from Jemaa El-Fnaa square.
It’s a riad with a beautiful courtyard, no swimming pool, and dim light in the rooms. Therefore, I recommend you check the suggestions below:
The most beautiful riads in Marrakech, depending on your budget
- low budget: Riad Naya, Riad dar El Arsa
- medium budget: Riad Adika, Ryad El Borj
- luxury: Dar Diaf, Royal Mansour Marrakech
READ NEXT: 14 amazing things to do in Fes, Morocco
2. Try Moroccan cuisine | Unique things to do in Marrakech
In general, I consider myself a big fan of Arabic dishes. I love all their combinations of rice, spices, and sauces!
But things are a little different when it comes to Moroccan cuisine. Although diverse and can be liked by many, it is not one of my favorites.
I admit I haven’t tried everything that could be tested, but that’s also because most of them are prepared with a lot of meat, and I don’t overeat.
However, I recommend not leaving Marrakech until you have tested some traditional dishes. Trying Moroccan food is one of the best things to do in Marrakech.
The most popular dishes are tagine, couscous, zalouk, harira, sheep head, pigeon pie (a big NO for me), and kefta.
To fully enjoy a perfect dining experience in Marrakech, it is best to go on a night tour of street food or a tasting tour of 3 and a half hours.
One of the most beautiful places in Marrakech is, without a doubt, the famous Jardin Majorelle botanical garden.
Located away from the chaos and bustle of Marrakech’s central square, the Jardin Majorelle is like an oasis that welcomes you with lush vegetation and bright shades of blue.
Not any blue, but blue Majorelle. The name was taken from the garden’s creator, the French painter Jacques Majorelle.
It took the artist over 40 years to reach the final form of the beautiful sanctuary.
The famous designer Yves Saint Laurent, took over the garden’s fate a little later.
He is committed to maintaining and improving one of the most beautiful places in Marrakech.
Jardin Majorelle doesn’t occupy a vast space, but on its surface lives over 135 species of plants from several corners of the world.
A house occupies the garden’s center with Art Deco influences, dominated by the blue Majorelle mentioned earlier.
Jardin Majorelle is not part of the free things to do in Marrakech, but it’s one of the best.
4. Admire the Koutoubia mosque
Marrakech’s largest and most famous mosque watches over the city next to Jemaa El-Fnaa Square.
With an age of over 800 years and a 77-meter-high minaret, the Koutoubia Mosque is an impressive and easy-to-notice tourist attraction.
Although Muslims are not allowed access inside, the mosque can be seen and admired from the outside. Its name has several variants, and two others are Kutubiya Mosque and Jami ‘al-Kutubiyah.
Even if they vary, they all mean the same thing: the booksellers’ mosque. The reason is simple: the streets around it were full of such booksellers. Even today, you can see a few stalls.
Koutoubia Mosque should be checked on the list of the most beautiful places to visit in Marrakech.
Admire it independently or learn more about it in a 3-hour tour that will take you to several hidden gems in Marrakech.
Book your favorite tour in Marrakech ⇓⇓
5. Get lost in the medina | Unique things to do in Marrakech
Are you somehow looking for a place to get lost, in the true sense of the word? Then the medina of Marrakech is the answer to your search. Or, any medina in any city in Morocco.
Medina is a universe of flavors, colors, narrow and winding alleys, street vendors, spices, leather products, and aromatic mint to prepare delicious Moroccan tea. You can’t visit Marrakech without exploring the medina.
For all these qualities, the Medina of Marrakech has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.
Like the medina in Fes, it is well delimited by some high, hundreds of years old walls. More precisely, it dates from the 12th century.
The walls stretch for a length of 18 km and are divided by 20 massive gates.
If you want to stay in a riad, you must know that they are inside the medina and that getting your luggage to the accommodation is a real challenge.
Make sure in advance that you know precisely where in the Medina’s labyrinth is where you will stay, and try to get a method of transport to get there in time.
• Visit the medina in a 3h tour with an expert guide
WATCH MY VLOG: One day in MARRAKECH | Jardin Majorelle & crowded medina
READ NEXT: 10-day Marocco itinerary -best places to visit in Morocco
6. Go to Jemaa El-Fnaa Square during the day and at night
Whether you are a fan of urban chaos or not, Jemaa el-Fna Square cannot be missing from the list of the most unique things to do in Marrakech.
Because it is practically the heart of the city, where you’ll see plenty of artisans, sellers, tourists, locals, peacocks, snakes, monkeys, and the list can continue.
I didn’t exaggerate when adding exotic animals to the list above. Unfortunately, they can be found in the Jemaa el-Fnaa market and are exploited for money.
Avoid taking photos or looking at them if you don’t want to encourage these practices. It’s a tactic they use so they can ask you later for money for the picture taken.
During the day, the market is relatively quiet. So I recommend you take a tour, then relax in a cafe next door or admire the Koutoubia Mosque.
Everything changes entirely after dark, and only then will you understand why it’s considered one of the craziest places in Morocco.
They open all the stalls with traditional products, natural juices made of oranges and pomegranates, the stalls with meats and spices, and it will be a lot of noise, dancers, shows, and oriental rhythms. Anything you can think of.
Careful! For animal lovers, it will not be an enjoyable experience to walk among the tables with the heads of sacrificed goats ready to be cooked.
So, to avoid situations that can make you sad, avoid the center of the medina and go only to where you will find souvenirs, goods, and spices.
⇒ Visit the medina on a night tour
7. Go shopping for souvenirs and spices
Shopping in Marrakech, at the stalls in Jemaa El-Fnaa, is an exceptional experience. You must follow two rules: don’t make lists at home, and be prepared for negotiation.
Negotiation is a talent that comes with practice. Don’t be embarrassed to do this because it is a standard and popular custom among Moroccans. It’s one of the top tips for visiting Marrakech.
Regardless of the object you want to buy, you can negotiate if there is no fixed price written on it. Don’t expect it to come out very cheap, though.
Sellers will try to use their persuasion skills to sell at the price they want.
What will you find in the souvenir shops in Jemaa El-Fnaa? Colorful textiles, clothing, ceramics, jewelry, leather shoes, lanterns, slippers, magnets, scarves, handbags, soaps, etc.
So, the most straightforward question with a shorter answer would have been: what can’t you find where you are going shopping in Marrakech?
8. Day trip to Ait-Ben-Haddou | Unique things do in Marrakech
Visiting Ait-Ben-Haddou is one of the best things to do around Marrakech.
The distance between the city and Ait-Ben-Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage fortified village, is a 3 h and a half drive.
Therefore, one day is enough to visit the famous ruins of the Ouarzazate province.
You can’t miss this place if you visit Morocco because you will have an impressive view and be able to admire up close a place where many successful film productions have been made.
The best known are Lawrance of Arabia, The Gladiator, Jesus of Nazareth, The Mummy, Game of Thrones, and the famous Brazilian series Clone.
9. Day trip to Ouzoud waterfall
Formed on the river El-Abid, 160 km away from Marrakech, in the Atlas Mountains, lies a corner of paradise.
A stunning place that you find hard to believe that it can be located in the aridity of Morocco.
It’s the second-highest waterfall in Africa, a splendid waterfall that forms a landscape that you can not miss.
Add Ouzoud waterfall to your list of the most unique things to do in Marrakech. Or, well, things to do around Marrakech.
There is no fee for visiting the waterfall, and if you want to see it on an organized tour, you can opt for a ten-hour tour, with pick-up from the hotel where you are staying.
10. Experience a hammam | Unique things to do in Marrakech
A hammam cannot be missing from the best experiences to try in Marrakech.
Moroccans have been going to the hammam for hundreds of years, and they say it helps them purify their body and soul.
The ritual is even more common before the Friday prayer, the most important in the Muslim world. It consists of three phases:
- phase 1 – the hot steam room, in which your pores will dilate
- phase 2 – washing with black soap made of olive oil, using an abrasive glove; they use hot water
- phase 3 – washing with cold water and massage with argan oil
The best day trips from Marrakech
It’s a beautiful valley known for its Berber towns, many plants, and the Setti Fatma waterfalls. It’s a great spot to go hiking and learn about the area’s history.
Visit the Hassan II Mosque and the Corniche. You can also enjoy the city’s chic streets, art galleries, and restaurants by the water. Casablanca has a mix of old-world Moroccan charm and modern vibes.
The Agafay Desert is only a short drive from Marrakech. It has a unique mix of dry hills and riverbeds, great for picnics, camel rides, and quad riding. With the Atlas Mountains in the background, it’s a famous place to get away from Marrakech.
You can see some of Morocco’s natural beauty on a day trip from Marrakech to the Atlas Mountains, which have beautiful landscapes, Berber towns, and calm valleys.
Some things to do are hiking, trekking, and learning about the area’s history. Ourika Valley and Imlil are popular places to visit.
A day trip from Marrakech to Fes is a unique way to see Morocco’s culture and historical sights.
Fes is a UNESCO World Heritage site with a traditional medina, souks, and buildings from the past. The tanneries, the Bab Bou Jeloud gate, and the Bou Inania Madrasa are all open to visitors.
Essaouira is a cute beach town close to Marrakech that is an excellent place to escape the city’s noise and chaos.
It’s a great place to get away from Marrakech for the day because of its ancient medina, beautiful beaches, and lively arts scene.
Agadir is a city on the coast southwest of Marrakech that is a nice change from the old-world beauty of Marrakech.
Famous for its beautiful beaches, lively markets, and lively restaurants, it’s a modern place to escape Marrakech’s old-world feel.
The UNESCO World Heritage site and the ancient kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou in Morocco is a one-of-a-kind way to learn about the country’s past and beautiful scenery.
The ksar has gorgeous views of the desert and mud-brick houses. It is often used as a setting for movies like “Game of Thrones.”
A 9-10 hour drive from Marrakech to Merzouga offers an unforgettable experience in Morocco’s iconic natural wonder, the Sahara Desert.
Upon arrival, visitors can explore the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, enjoy camel treks, visit Berber nomad camps, and create lasting memories.
In the Atlas Mountains, you can visit the Ouzoud Waterfalls, the tallest waterfalls in North Africa. You have to drive three hours to the falls, where you can hike, ride boats, and maybe even see Barbary macaques.
A day trip from Marrakech to Skoura’s Palm Oasis is a peaceful way to enjoy the lush green scenery of Morocco.
It’s only a 30-minute drive from the city, and there are many things to do, like camel rides, long walks, old kasbahs, and traditional Berber life that show off the country’s farming history.
Things to know before visiting Marrakech
The best time to visit Marrakech
It is preferable to avoid the summer and winter months if you want to visit Marrakech. The best periods for your Marrakech trip are March-May and September-November.
How to get around Marrakech
The major tourist attractions in Marrakech are located near Jemaa El-Fnaa. So, walking and getting to all the places you are interested in is straightforward.
Another great way to travel long distances is by taxi. In general, the price of a ride is negotiable.
Avoid public transport in Marrakech, especially horse-drawn carriages.
You can also reach the most beautiful places in Marrakech on a tour organized by a local guide.
How safe is Marrakech
It’s a reasonably safe city, but make sure you don’t walk alone in dark places and don’t carry valuable things.
You also have to be very careful when you buy something of value. There are quite a few scammers in Marrakech.
I do not necessarily recommend visiting Marrakech as a single woman. Try to have at least one travel partner.
Wear decent clothes that can keep you away from insistent looks and biased comments.
