Best Marrakech Activities

Marrakech is a fantastic and exciting city, perfect for adventurers. Today’s blog is all about the best Marrakech activities including the souks, hiking Mount Toubkal and taking a tour into the desert. But first, where should you stay?

Where to stay in Marrakech

If you are looking for ideas on where to stay in Marrakech, I really recommend that you stay in a Riad. a Riad is a traditional Moroccan style house that has a courtyard. Riad’s give you a great cultural experience often including a mint tea greeting ceremony and Moroccan food such as cous-cous on the evenings. I stayed in Riad Dar Zaman, which is close to the entrance of the souks. The staff were phenomenal – me and my mum were so well looked after.

If you are looking for a more luxurious setting then you might like to consider one of the top hotels in Marrakech such as the Oberoi or the Four Seasons.

Best Marrakech Activities

Walking Tour of the City

Marrakech is a walkable city, but be warned – it is very easy to get lost, especially in the souks! I once got sucked into the souk and didn’t come out for another 2 hours! This is why I recommend a local guide or a walking tour. The city is very walkable and most walking tours will include Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian Tombs, and Bahia Palace. For the walking tours that you book on Viator and Get Your Guide, they don’t include entrance tickets, so you need to take a bit of extra cash to get in the main monuments. It’s one of the best Marrakech activities.

Marrakech Museum and Ben Yousef Madrasa Old Qur’anic School

Two of the most impressive buildings that I visited were the Marrakech Museum and Ben Yousef Medersa Old Qur’anic School. Marrakech Museum has a stunning tiled courtyard and fountain and is a prime example of late 19th-century and early 20th-century Moroccan architecture. It houses a collection of historical Moroccan architecture including costumes, jewellery, pottery and weaponry. Ben Yusef Madrasa is the Old Qur’anic School that dates back to the 14th Century and is a beautiful Arabic school with calligraphy lined walls. Both of these destinations are extremely Instagrammable!

Shopping in the Souks

The souks of Marrakech are a fantastic cultural experience, and getting lost in them is all part and parcel of visiting Marrakech! So relax and enjoy the different areas of the souk – the spice souk, the gold souk and the shoe souk. Remember to haggle hard as the initial price that you are given will be over-inflated.

Jardin Marjorelle

Marjorelle gardens in Marrakech are amongst the most stunning and colourful gardens in the world. Enjoy a relaxing stroll while you admire the bright green flowers and cacti against a bright blue architectural backdrop.

Marrakech Desert Tour

From Marrakech, it is possible to do one of the Marrakech Desert tours. You can book a trip from Marrakech to Merzouga which will allow you to experience a Moroccan camel trek and also gives you the chance to see Moroccan’s beautiful sandy dunes. You can book a Marrakech Desert tour from 2 days to 5 days, so it can fit in with a longer or shorter itinerary.

Hiking Mount Toubkal

One of the most famous treks in Morocco is hiking Mount Toubkal, which is also doable as a short trip from Marrakech. Depending on how much time you have and how much hiking you want to do, it is possible to do a 2 day, 3 day or 5 day Mount Toubkal tour from Marrakech.

Further Destinations

If you are interested in further travel from Marrakech I would also recommend Fez, Chefchouhen and Casablanca.

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