World City Guide

Key Attractions

Jemaa-el-Fna (Place of the Dead)
The great square of Jemaa-el-Fna is the centre of medina life both day and night. By day, it is a market and gathering place with stalls lining half the massive square and selling fresh orange juice, nuts and dried fruit. From lunchtime onwards, there is a scattering of entertainers and sales people but it is at dusk that it really comes into its own. At 1700, a clatter of carts announces the arrival of the food stalls, which cook up every variety of vegetables, fish and meat. By 2100, it is hard to move for the mass of performers of every kind, including snake charmers, singers, musicians, story tellers and acrobats. The healers and fakirs with pots of herbs join them, ready to dispense cures for any ailment imaginable. The crowds are mainly Moroccans; this is not a spectacle just for tourists. It offers a glimpse of Marrakech life that has changed little since medieval times. Visitors should take plenty of loose change, as the performers do expect a couple of Dirhams worth of appreciation in addition to applause. A few of the fairground-type shows let the audience themselves take part for Dh2 or so, while some of the more colourful characters will pose for a photo for around Dh5.

Jemaa-el-Fna is surrounded by cafés and restaurants, perfect places to escape the hustle and bustle by relaxing with a mint tea, coffee or light meal. Café Argana, Café de France and Café Glacier all have roof terraces with wonderful views, although they are slightly more expensive than the rest of Marrakech’s cafés.

End of Triq El Koutoubia, Rue Mouassine, Rue Souk Smarine or Rue Riad Z El Kedim
Transport: All local buses that enter the medina come through Jemaa-el-Fna, including bus 1, 2, 3, 11 or 14.
Opening hours: Mid-morning until late night.

Majorelle Gardens and Museum of Islamic Art
Privately owned and maintained by the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, this botanical garden was created in the 1920s by French artists Jacques and Louis Majorelle. Within the walls, the perfectly manicured gardens, complete with pools, giant cacti, bamboo, coconut and banana trees, are offset by the blue wash that covers the paths, pavilions and garden walls. Only Yves Saint Laurent could get away with painting plant pots and various walls in children’s paintbox colours, but the overall effect is stunning and totally unique. An extremely tranquil place if the bustle of Marrakech becomes too much. The Majorelles’ old studio is now the Museum of Islamic Art.

Entrance in side street off Avenue Yacoub El Mansour
Transport: Bus 4 from Avenue Mouahidine; petit taxi or calèche.
Opening hours: Daily 0800–1200 and 1400–1700 (winter); daily 0800–1200 and 1500–1900 (summer).
Admission: Dh20 (gardens); Dh15 (museum); children and animals are not admitted.

Saadian Tombs
One of the most visited sites in Morocco, the Saadian Tombs were only accessible via the mosque next door so survived in pristine condition until ‘rediscovered’ and opened to the public in 1917. The entrance is signposted down a thin passage surrounded by tourist stalls, a short walk from Jemaa-el-Fna. The enclosed garden inside is overlooked by two separate mausoleums, with over 100 mosaic-decorated graves scattered around. The principal structures of the tombs were built by Sultan Ahmed El Mansour for himself and his family and date from the late 16th century. There are 66 members of the Saadian royal family buried here altogether, along with a number of retainers and some much older graves whose identity has been lost. Within the mausoleum, the rooms are richly decorated, with magnificent domed ceilings, ornate stalactite plasterwork, intricate carving and marble pillars. Visitors should expect long queues unless they visit early to avoid the rush.

Rue de la Kasbah
Opening hours: Wed–Mon 0900–1145 and 1430–1730.
Admission: Dh15.

El Badi Palace
This magnificent ruined palace, whose name means the ‘Incomparable’, was built by the Saadian king, Ahmed Al Mansour, in 1578. It was one of the finest in the world, with 360 rooms sumptuously decorated in marble, gold, onyx, ivory, cedarwood and semi-precious stones, surrounding a vast central courtyard of pools, fountains and sunken gardens. It was the venue for parties of global extravagance. In 1696, however, the Alouite Sultan Moulay Ismael moved the capital to Méknes, stripping the palace of anything valuable and leaving the towering mud walls to decay. The palace retains an unspoilt charm, however, and the nesting storks in its uppermost walls are testament to its serenity. It is used for two weeks every June as the main venue for the National Festival of Popular Arts. In one corner (for an additional Dh10 entrance fee) is the magnificent 12th-century minbar (pulpit) from the Koutoubia Mosque.

Bab Berrima, off Place des Ferblantiers
Opening hours: Daily 0830–1200 and 1430–1830.
Admission: Dh10.

Koutoubia Mosque
From any approach, the first sight of Marrakech is of the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, which dominates the skyline and is a great landmark when sightseeing. Marrakech’s tallest building, it dates from the 12th century and was one of the earliest great monuments that created the classic Moroccan design. Each façade and each arch on the square minaret is different. Originally, it was covered in plaster with each tier decoratively painted, obscuring the intricate carvings of the stonework. Suggestions to restore it have been met with protests, as many believe that restoration will detract from its beauty. The architecture can be admired at close quarters from the vast, if slightly unkempt, surrounding gardens. These also contain the remains of Almoravid Palace and the excavations of an earlier mosque that was demolished because it was not correctly aligned with Mecca.

Avenue Mohammed V
Transport: Bus 1.
Opening hours: Mosque and minaret closed to non-Muslims; gardens always open to all.
Admission: Free (gardens).

The Tanneries
The sights and smells in the Marrakech tanneries, with the leather dyeing workshops and giant pots of colourful dye, make a visit there absolutely unforgettable. Historically, the dyes were made using everything from pigeon guano to pomegranates, from barks to berries, but now most are made using chemical pigments. The process itself and the equipment used, however, have not changed for centuries. Numerous different skins are coloured here, including cow, goat and camel, and then stretched out to dry. The majority of work is crafted by local artisans then sold in the Marrakech souks. There are plenty of unofficial guides near Bab Debbagh willing to take visitors on a 15-minute tour of the tanneries for a tip of around Dh25.

Bab Debbagh (Tannery Gate)
Opening hours: Daily 0900–1800.
Admission: Free (tip of Dh25 for guided tour).