Marrakech (Arabic: مراكش, Berber: ⴰⵎⵓⵔⴰⴽⵓⵛ), also spelt Marrakesh, is one of the imperial cities of Morocco. Marrakech is the main tourist destination in Morocco. The city is divided into two parts: the Medina, the historical city, and the new European modern district called Gueliz or Ville Nouvelle. The Medina is full of intertwining narrow passageways and local shops full of character; it also contains the large square Djemaa El-Fna, where many hotels are located and tourists, locals and vendors congregate.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The name Marrakech originates from the Amazigh (Berber) words mur (n) wakush, which means "Land of God". It is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat, and lies near the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains and a few hours away from the foot of the Sahara Desert. Its location and contrasting landscape have made it an enviable destination in Morocco. As the country's main tourist destination, Marrakech is where many Moroccans try to become rich fast by ripping off tourists.
Once in the medina, everything can be seen on foot, though you'll be doing a lot of walking. Many tourist destinations are signposted by brown, red or green signs affixed to posts or to buildings. Bear in mind that many of these signs don't take the direct route, and some seem to deliberately send tourists via various markets or other places money may be spent. For exploring more of the city, buses and petits taxis are plentiful. Alsa run the city buses and have maps, fares and a frequency guide on their web page. Almost all buses stop at Djemaa El-Fna (the bus stop for Djemaa El-Fna is called Terminus Arset El Bilk, and it is marked on Google Maps) and Place Youssef Ben Tachfine and f…
There is much to see and do in Marrakech. An entire day can be dedicated to wandering around all the different souks, seeking out the best bargains. The city also offers several historical and architectural sites as well as some interesting museums. 1 Medina. The Medina is the old city quarter located within the sandstone city walls that give Marrakech the nickname the Red City. As an ancient hub, it contains a maze of narrow streets and outdoor marketplaces. (updated Dec 2024) 2 Djemaa El-Fna. The highlight of any Marrakech night. Musicians, dancers, and story tellers pack this square at the heart of the medina, filling it with a cacophony of drum beats and excited shouts.
1 Chez Ali Fantasia, La Palmeraie de Marrakech (10 km north of Marrakech), ☏ +212 5 24307730. Horse show, acrobats on Arabian horses firing rifles in the air, horseback acrobatics, belly dancing, etc. It takes place at night in a huge imitation of an old castle. €15. Football: 2 Stade de Marrakesh (ملعب مراكش). This is multi-use but mostly for football, with a capacity of 41,356. It's the home ground of Kawkab, who play in Botola 2 the second tier. In 2025 / 26 it hosted matches in the Africa Cup of Nations. (updated Jan 2026) The historic district of the city. The main square in the Medina is Djemaa El-Fna.
Each night in the Djemaa El-Fna rows of street stalls are set up under giant white tents. The huts targeting tourists serve similar fare and have menus printed in French, Arabic and usually English. Everyone has tajine, couscous, brochette and some variety of soups. Some have specialities like offal, egg sandwiches or special tajines. Be aware that most restaurants employ rather insistent "greeters," who are very aggressive in trying to customers for their stall. The line 'we already ate' seems to work well to get them to stop. As of 2018, the "greeters" mentioned above have changed strategies to one of harassment and insults.
Street vendors offer fresh orange juice (jus d'Orange) by the glass for 4 dirham. Try it with a dash of salt like the locals, but be wary of vendors who try to water the juice down with tap water. Also, pay attention when you buy as they offer 2 types of orange... the blood orange juice costs 10 dirham per glass and a misunderstanding on what you want to drink could occur. Confirm the price of your orange juice and pay for it before you drink.
Marrakech is a generally safe city, with police presence. However, staying alert about your surroundings and taking general safety precautions is always a good idea like everywhere. Here are some tips: Violent crime is normally not a major problem, but thefts are known to happen. Keep your money close and hidden, and avoid poorly lit streets or alleys at night. Guides offering their services should display an official badge from the local tourist authorities. In the Medina, if someone tells you a street is closed, ignore them, they are lying.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Marrakech typically sees ~39°C daytime highs and 0 rainy days.
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