Architectural masterpieces, forgotten tombs, exotic gardens and intoxicating souks. Marrakech is bursting at the seams with cultural gems waiting to be explored.
Vestnik Kavkaza reported earlier what makes Morocco’s Essaouira so popular among tourists. Here are 10 of the best things to do in Marrakech according to Wanderlust.
Souks of Marrakech
The bustling souks of Marrakech are a must for those wanting to shop for city’s most authentic local handicrafts. These intoxicating, vibrant and colourful markets sell everything from crockery and spices to leather belts and ornate metal lamps. The main souks in the medina are Souk Semmarine, Souk El-K and Souk Nejjarine, which all thread out from Marrakech’s main market square, Jemaa el Fna. Try visiting at 10am or slightly earlier for a slightly calmer experience, and don’t be afraid to haggle.
Jardin Majorelle
Jardin Majorelle is an exquisitely cultivated botanical garden with a striking electric-blue villa at its heart. The property and land belonged to French landscape painter Jacques Majorelle a century ago, but more recently it was the home of fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent and partner Pierre Bergé, who preserved the artist’s vision for the site. The villa has now turned into the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Art, dedicated to telling the story of Morocco’s Berber traditions, with costumes, crafts, jewellery and more.
Ben Youssef Madrasa
Hidden within the medina of Marrakech is Ben Youssef Madrasa, a historic college that reopened in 2022 after five years of refurbishments. The former school was founded in the fourteenth century but received its decorative treatment in 1565 during the Saadian empire ruling. The highlight of the school is its sixteenth-century courtyard: an Islamic architectural masterpiece with beautifully carved wood and stone, thousands of geometric tiles and a shallow pool. Visitors can also roam the 132 rooms surrounding the patio, which once used to house up to 900 students.
Yves Saint Laurent Museum
The Yves Saint Laurent Museum is just a short walk from the fashion designers’ former home, Jardin Majorelle. Even the architecture of the building is a work of art, with the exterior a playful mix of curved and straight lines, and its brickwork pattern cleverly imitating woven fabric. Inside, the main exhibition hall displays many of Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic designs, including the Mondrian Dress and the Safari Jacket. Garments are rotated frequently to keep the exhibition fresh, and are accompanied by photographs, moving images, sketches and more.
Le Jardin Secret
Open for the first time to the public in 2016, Le Jardin Secret is a sacred place. The architecture surrounding the gardens originated more than four centuries ago, with the riad-style walls rebuilt during the nineteenth century. Its courtyard is split into two distinct gardens: the exotic garden and the Islamic garden, the latter restored to what it is thought the layout would have looked like when the palace was rebuilt. Spend time wandering the emerald-tile footpaths to examine the various plants and trees and experience each heavenly corner, then head to the rooftop patio and admire the view from above while sipping on a Moroccan mint tea.
Bahia Palace
Translating in Arabic as ‘brilliance’, the Bahia Palace is a nineteenth-century building adorned with paintings, mosaics and stuccos. The palace was built by the Grand Vizir of the Sultan Si Moussa in the 1860s for his personal use, and later expanded by his son Abu Bou Ahmed, who was behind much of the property's beautification. After Morocco gained independence from the French in 1856, it became a palace for King Hassan II, who then passed it back to the Moroccan Ministry of Culture to be preserved. With 150 rooms and an outstanding 1,500-square-metre Cour d'Honneur (courtyard), the historical landmark is now open to the public.
Saadian Tombs
There are many traces of the Saadian dynasty evident around the city, but one of the most well preserved is the Saadian Tombs, located bedside the Kasbah Mosque. The existing necropolis was expanded by the Saadian Sultan Ahmed Al Mansour Ed Dahbi in the sixteenth century, when the tombs underwent an extravagant upgrade with Italian marble and decorative plasterwork. It was later walled up by Alaouite Sultan Moulay Ismail and forgotten about for more than two centuries, until 1917, when it was rediscovered through an aerial survey of Marrakech. Visitors can now explore the main mausoleums as well the garden chambers – the final resting place of many Saadian royals, including Al Mansour.
Dar Si Said Museum
Now home to a museum dedicated to carpet weaving, Dar Si Said was once a palace built for Si Said, brother of the Grand Vizier Bou Ahmed, who lived at Bahia Palace. The nineteenth century structure has a stunning riad-style courtyard, and eye-catching interior, with the wedding chamber being a particular highlight. Although the architecture is certainly the star of the show, the museum's artefacts offer a fascinating insight into the heritage of Moroccan and Berber carpet weaving – a thousand-year-old craft – with more than 400 carpets on display and sourced from regions around the country.
Dar El Bacha Museum
Built in 1910, this riad-style palace was once the home to Thami El Glaou, the Pasha of Marrekech. Dar El Bacha palace (meaning ‘House of the Pasha) was recently restored and reopened as the Museum of Confluences in 2017, inviting visitors to admire its architecture, and exhibitions on arts, crafts and history. The courtyard contains orange trees and fountains, while the building is a visual feast, with colourful zellige tiles, crafted wooden ceilings and chequered monochrome floors. The palace is also known for its historic café Bacha Coffee Room, where you experience the best of Morocco’s legendary coffee culture.
Marrakech Museum
The Marrakech Museum can be found in yet another palace, Dar Mnebhi. The former stately home was built more than a century ago by Mehdi al-Mnebhi, whom it's named after. It was later seized by the family of Thami El Glaou, before becoming a school for the girls in the 1950s. Today, the museum is just another example of Islamic architecture built by Morocco’s wealthy elites during the early twentieth century, with its Andalusian-style inner courtyard, stain-glass windows and enormous chandelier contributing to its beauty. Meanwhile, the museums collections include pottery, paintings and historic documents, as well as contemporary art exhibitions.
