Marrakech is the city where my husband got down on one knee at a gorgeous riad, on a sunny January morning in 2023. We spent the two weeks after that driving around the rest of Morocco, and came back to Marrakech again in 2024 just to spend more time in the city itself. This is everything we'd tell a friend before their first trip, the planning basics and where to sleep, plus what to see and eat once you're there.
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Before You Go
When to go: March through May and late September through mid-November hit the sweet spot, warm days and cool evenings. Summer climbs past 100 degrees, and winter is mild by day but drops close to freezing at night, so pack layers if you visit then.
Visa and money: US passport holders don't need a visa for stays under 90 days, just six months of passport validity left. The dirham is a closed currency, so skip exchanging it at home and pull cash from an ATM once you land, choosing dirhams over your home currency when it asks. Credit cards work at most hotels and restaurants, but the souks run on cash.
A few quick tips: Cover your shoulders and knees, especially at religious sites. Haggling in the souks is expected, start low and meet in the middle. The medina is a maze on purpose, so keep data on your phone and a general sense of which way the Koutoubia minaret is.
Where to Stay
Ultra-Luxury Icons
Royal Mansour puts you up in one of 53 private riads, each with its own courtyard and plunge pool, plus a rooftop terrace and a butler who runs everything through a private entrance. We did our hammam here, more on that below.
La Mamounia has been the grande dame of Marrakech hotels since 1923, once a winter retreat for Winston Churchill, with eight acres of gardens restored by designer Jacques Garcia.
La Sultana sits at the edge of the Kasbah with the Saadian Tombs next door, carved wood and traditional tilework throughout. It also has two excellent restaurants on site, both listed below.
Boutique Riads with Personality
Le Riad Yasmine is our place, the riad where my husband proposed on the rooftop. Just seven suites and a courtyard pool straight off Pinterest, plus that same rooftop solarium serving orange juice with Atlas Mountain views, all for around $100 a night.
El Fenn, owned by Richard Branson's sister Vanessa, doubles as an art gallery, with three pools and a rooftop restaurant and bar worth a visit even if you're not staying there.
Riad BE splits into two wings, one bright and tiled, one quieter and neutral, with cooking classes, an in-house hammam, and two small courtyard pools.
What to See
Almost everything below sits inside the medina, the walled old city at the heart of Marrakech. Expect narrow alleys and donkey carts, plus the occasional wrong turn that leads somewhere better than where you started.
Jemaa el-Fna is the main square, orange juice carts and henna artists by day, an open-air night market thick with food smoke and noise once the sun goes down. We ate dinner here more than once, and the chaos is half the fun.
Koutoubia Mosque is the tallest structure in the city, its 12th-century minaret visible from almost everywhere. Non-Muslims can't go inside, but the surrounding gardens are worth a sit.
Jardin Majorelle, the garden Yves Saint Laurent restored, is known for the cobalt "Majorelle Blue" used throughout. Tickets do sell out so be sure to book tickets online in advance for the exact date you want to visit and go right at opening to beat the crowds.
El Badi Palace is mostly ruins now, stripped for materials centuries ago, but the sunken gardens and storks nesting on the walls still make it worth the 100-dirham ticket. To take that epic photo of a "maze" surrounded by high walls, don't miss the stairs on the right of the entrance. It's easy to miss so keep an eye out for it.
El Bahia Palace, built in the 1860s and expanded by a grand vizier's son, means "brilliant" in Arabic, and the painted ceilings prove it. If you want to peacefully enjoy the small courtyard and individual rooms, go early before the tour groups arrive.
Ben Youssef Madrasa, a former Islamic school rebuilt in 1564, has some of the most detailed carved plaster and tilework in the city. Tickets run about 50 dirhams, and arriving close to opening beats the crowds in the narrow dormitory halls. The best place for photos is by the pool in the courtyard.
Le Jardin Secret hides two restored gardens just steps from the souk's chaos and crowds. Tickets run about 100 dirhams, with an extra 40 to climb the tower for a rooftop view over the medina. There are 2 cafes located in the garden so you can really take your time here.
Saadian Tombs, sealed up for centuries and rediscovered in 1917, pack an impressive amount of carved cedar and Italian marble into a small space. Expect a line, so only go here if you're into history and seeing tombs of royals.
The Souks are the easiest place in the city to find souvenirs - leather and lanterns on one side, spices and rugs on the other. Just be aware that some stalls close on Fridays, and anyone offering a free tour through the maze will expect a tip once you buy something.
What to Do
ATV riding or camel trekking in the Agafay Desert, about 45 minutes outside the city, gives you a feel for the desert without the multi-day trip to the Sahara. We spent an afternoon at Alkamar Camp enjoying a delicious lunch after ATVing. To not feel rushed and fully enjoy all the amenities I would recommend spending a night out there, and you can book it here.
Bacha Coffee, inside a 19th-century palace turned museum, pours over 200 coffees from around the world in an interior that feels like a movie set. Expect a long wait, so arrive before they even open!
A traditional hammam is worth the splurge at least once. We did ours at Royal Mansour: first a steam room, then a full-body scrub with black soap, then a rinse that leaves you cleaner than you've ever been. We booked a massage in addition to the hammam for the ultimate relaxation day. And if you plan to swim in their gorgeous pool afterward, remember to pack a swimsuit.
Where to Eat
Rooftop Dinners
Nomad reworks Moroccan classics with a lighter hand above the spice square. The lamb tagine comes with apricots and pistachios, lighter than versions we've had elsewhere. A sunset table is worth booking ahead for.
A few streets over, L'mida does something similar, a menu built for sharing under misting fans that earn their keep in summer.
Dardar leans into a party atmosphere once the sun sets, the menu swinging from tangia to poke bowls with a full bar and DJ setup for later in the night.
Live music and dancing take over by night at Le Salama, just off Jemaa el-Fna, across three rooftop levels looking down on the square. We loved all the plants at this restaurant - it felt like a garden!
La Table du Souk, La Sultana's daytime rooftop, serves lunch with views toward the Kasbah, split between traditional Moroccan plates and more casual street food.
For sunset, El Fenn's rooftop bar has some of the best Koutoubia Mosque views in the city, poured off a 30-foot marble bar as the call to prayer rolls across the rooftops.
Cafe des Epices sits right over the Spice Square, a quieter, budget-friendly stop from the same team behind Nomad. Go for golden hour, when the rooftops below turn pink and there's a proper view.
Dinner With a Show
Comptoir Darna has served Moroccan and Mediterranean food since 1999, belly dancing and live Gnaoua music building into a DJ set that runs until 3am. This was where we celebrated 2023 New Year's Eve. Folk Marrakech does a smaller version of the same idea, live bands and belly dancing that pick up as the night goes on. Nouba leans further into spectacle, an Asian-Moroccan fusion menu served in a jungle-themed dining room with singers and dancers on the floor and aerial acrobats overhead. Try to book a table near the floating stage for the best views of the performances.
Garden Restaurants
La Trattoria has served Italian food in Gueliz since 1974, candlelit tables built around a pool under a glass roof and an Art Deco bar that leans into its 1920s roots. Definitely make reservation in advance for a table by the pool for a magical experience. We sat further away and found it to be a little dark. Le Jardin Restaurant wraps Moroccan and European dishes around a lush medina courtyard near Ben Youssef Madrasa, green zellige tile and orange trees a few minutes from the noise of the souks.
Fine Dining
La Table de la Sultana serves seasonal French and Moroccan food built around local ingredients, worth dressing up for. Al Fassia, run entirely by women since 1985, is often called the best Moroccan restaurant in the city. You must order their mechoui, lamb shoulder shredded tableside, and the pigeon pastilla.
We spent two weeks exploring all of Morocco in 2023, and we came back to Marrakech again the following year for more of it. This list covers where to sleep and what to see, plus where to eat when you need a break from sightseeing. Honestly, the real pull is harder to put into words - something about the rooftops at sunset and the call to prayer rolling across the medina. Book the trip, you'll understand what we mean once you're standing on one of those rooftops yourself and drinking delicious Moroccan mint tea. We probably drank about 6-8 glasses of mint tea a day, so enjoy!
