15 Things to Do in Marrakech and Around

The medina's best moments come from mixing its big landmarks with its smaller, stranger corners rather than rushing between headline sights. Start by simply getting lost in the souks — the medina isn't laid out for easy navigation, and that's part of the experience. From there, work through the landmarks: the carved cedar ceilings of the Bahia Palace, the quiet grandeur of the Saadian Tombs (rediscovered only in 1917 after being sealed for centuries), and the intricate tilework of the Ben Youssef Madrasa, once one of the largest Islamic colleges in North Africa. A traditional hammam is worth an afternoon too — it's a proper Moroccan scrub, not a spa treatment, and a good way to rest between walking days.

The Majorelle Garden is the standout, with its cobalt-blue villa and dense bamboo groves restored by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé after they bought the property in 1980, and it remains one of Marrakech's most photographed spots for good reason. The garden also houses a small Berber Museum on-site, showcasing jewelry, textiles, and everyday objects from Morocco's Amazigh communities, which gives the visit some cultural weight beyond the plants and the blue paint. Pair it with the nearby Yves Saint Laurent Museum or the Museum of Confluences if you want a quieter, air-conditioned break from the medina's heat — both sit close enough to the garden to fold into the same morning without extra travel time. Entry tickets to the Majorelle Garden are timed and often sell out on busy days, so booking online in advance or arriving right at opening is worth the extra planning.

Jemaa el-Fna at sunset is the clearest answer — climb to a rooftop café for mint tea with a view of the Koutoubia Mosque's minaret, then head down as the food stalls light up, since it's a completely different square after dark than in the afternoon. Storytellers and musicians still perform nightly here, a tradition UNESCO recognized as a Masterpiece of Oral Heritage. In the souks, spend time learning to tell ras el hanout from the dozen other spice blends on offer, and seek out a home-style tagine away from the main tourist strip, where the flavor difference is usually worth the extra walk.

The Ourika Valley is the easiest, a short drive into the Atlas Mountains foothills offering a change of scenery and cooler air for a half-day trip. Further afield, the UNESCO-listed kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou makes a full-day round trip, or a natural stop if you're continuing toward the desert rather than looping back. Closer to town, the rocky plains of the Agafay Desert make an easy sunset excursion without the multi-day commitment of the Sahara. Most of these fit easily into a Marrakech stopover on a longer desert itinerary — ask us to build a day or two of city time into any of our southern Morocco tours.