Marrakesh, Morocco Destination Guide
Section 1: Intro to the Destination
Marrakech is a mixture of new and old and an explosion of colors and flavors. It offers an exceptional gastronomy, amazing architectural sites, museums and nightlife. It is easy to navigate, either by taxi or on foot, so you can simply explore the history of the city in every corner.
Which of the Following Phrases Best Describes this Destination?
Historic, Outdoorsy, Colorful
What’s the Destination Known For?
Architecture: get lost in the Medine, wander around the main city squares, and explore the unique designs of the constructions in Marrakesh
Food: couscous, tagine and a great variety of sweets. Try the local markets around the city and explore the flavors of Marrakesh.
Art: there are several museums, palaces, and tombs to explore the local and historical art of Morocco.
Getting There
Location: Menara, 40000, Morocco
Located about 20 minutes southwest of the center
Visa: no visa required for US citizens, tourist visas will be given upon arrival.
Train: there is no train station at the airport
Bus: You may take public bus 11, which runs every 20-30 minutes, to the central square of Djemaa el-Fna, in the old city.
Taxi: A taxi ride will cost about $20. Please agree on the fare with your driver before you begin the journey. The trip will take around 20 minutes.
Car rental services at the airport: Avis, Budget, Hertz and Shark Limousine
Ridesharing: Carpool World; Rideguru
Shuttle Bus: every 20 minutes
Main Central Station: Marrakesh Train Station
Location: Avenue Hassan II, Marrakesh
You can buy online tickets through ONCF, the official train ticket website
Local Etiquette
Tipping: 10% for all service based occupations
Greeting: say hello whenever you start a conversation with someone; it’s good to learn the basics of Darija (Moroccan Arabic)
Gestures: during Ramadan you mustn’t eat or drink in public; do not drink alcohol in public spaces
Words/Phrases to know:
Hello – Salam
Please – min fadlika
Thank you – Shokran
Yes – Ah
No – La
Goodbye – B’slama
Do you speak English? – katehdr belinglizya?
I don’t understand – mafhemtš
Everything is good - Hamdoulillah
Cheers! – Besseha
Weather
Spring:
High: 71F / 22C
Low: 55F / 13C
Summer:
High: 84F / 29C
Low: 66F / 19C
Fall:
High: 95F / 35C
Low: 75F / 24C
Winter:
High: 66F / 19C
Low: 53F / 12C
Elevation: 1,530 ft / 466 m
The best month for swimming is July, the average sea temperature is 84F. The wettest month of the year is November (40.6 mm of rain).
The weather is best between March and May, with the sunshine lasting between 9-10 hours. Fantastic months for warm weather and not so many crowds would include August and October In winter, it will be chillier overall but still quite sunny throughout the 7 hour day.
How to dress: wear scarves so you can easily cover your shoulders and chest in some specific places; wear light colored clothes to save you from the heat; skip long pants in the old Medina as the streets might be wet and messy.
Getting Around
In-city transportation:
Buses: frequent and cheap but they can get crowded. The central bus station is Place El Mouarabitene. Bus number 8 takes you to the train station; number 10 to the central bus station.
Taxi: it is the most efficient transportation in the city. There are two types of taxis: Grand Taxis (old Mercedes cars that carry 6 people for a fixed fare), and Petit Taxis (a little more expensive but you will be travelling alone).
Bikes: rent a bike for the day!
Caleche: these popular horse-drawn carriages are a different and special way to move around the city.
Walking: it’s possible to walk around the city with little hassle; wear comfortable shoes as the streets are badly paved.
Section 2: What to See, Do, and Eat
Breakfast
Deli, French, Café
$$
Location: Place du 16 Novembre, Marrakech Plaza
Times: Sunday to Saturday 7:00-24:00
Casual dress
Fun Fact: you will come here after visiting the Majorelle Garden
Best dish: cakes and sandwiches
Moroccan, Café, Mediterranean
$$
Location: 47 Batouil, Kasbah
Times: Sunday to Saturday 9:00-23:00
Casual Dress
Fun Fact: it’s located in front of the Saadien Tombs
Best dish: bruschettas and omelets
Moroccan, Café, Mediterranean
$$
Location: 224 Derb Chtouka, Marrakesh 40000
Times: Sunday to Saturday 9:00-23:00
Casual Dress
The food is very traditional to Morocco. You can also take advantage of one of the cooking courses.
Best dish: Camel burger
Brunch
African, Moroccan
$
Location: Rue Allal Ben Ahmed
Times: Sunday to Saturday 8:00-10:00, 11:30-15:30
Casual Dress
The restaurant is a non-profit association dedicated to the empowerment of women through culinary skills
Best dish: egg with khlii or white cheese
European, Vegetarian
$
Location: 8A Rue Ibn Roch, Essaouira 44000
Times: Monday to Saturday 10:00-18:00
Casual dress
This restaurant has partnered with Yooafrique, to create a natural and healthy diet
Best dish: pasta salads and fresh pressed juices
African, Moroccan
$
Location: 6 Dabachi Kennaria, Marrakech 40040 Marruecos, 40040 Marrakesh
Times: Tuesday to Sunday 12:00-22:00
Casual Dress
Known for its cozy atmosphere and cheap, delicious meals
Best dish: Tajine, pizza
Lunch
French, Moroccan
$$
Location: 15, Souk Charifia Sidi Abdellaziz
Times: Sunday to Saturday 12:00-24:00
Casual Dress
On the tables, wide-brim straw hats are provided to protect from the blazing sun.
Best dish: Tagine and chocolate desserts
Mediterranean-Moroccan
$$, $$$
Location: Douar Abiad
Times: Tuesday to Sunday 12:00-23:00
Casual Dress
The dishes are prepared with vegetables and herbs from their own gardens
Best dish: tagine of ginger chicken
French brasserie and International
$$, $$$
Location: Angle Boulevard El Mansour Eddahbi
Times: Sunday to Saturday 8:00-24:00
Formal dress
The restaurant was originally built as a café at the Post Office
Best dish: Steak Tartare
Dinner
Moroccan
$$$$
Location: 1 Derb Assehbe
Times: daily 12:00-23:00
Formal Dress
Cooking workshops to learn traditional Moroccan dishes
The location is beautifully located around the pool courtyard at the hotel.
Best dish: Tagine
Italian and Moroccan
$$
Location: 17, Derb Cherkaoui, Rue Douar Graoua
Times: Tuesday to Sunday 19:30-23:00
Neat Casual dress
The tables are arranged around a water fountain under the orange trees in the courtyard
Best dish: Pigeon pie and tagine
Moroccan, Mediterranean
$$
Location: 1 Derb Aarjane, Marrakesh Medina
Times: Sunday to Saturday 12:00-23:00
Neat casual dress
The restaurant has been running a guest “Nomadic Chefs Program” since October 2014, to introduce Marrakesh to some very talented individuals
Best dish: lamb burger
Other
Café, bakery
$$
Location: 175 Rue Mohamed El Beqal
Times: daily 7:00-21:00
Casual dress
New cakes and sweets are designed and inspired by new fashion trends
Best dish: macarons and cakes
French, Bar
$$
Location: 68 Rue de la Liberté
Times: Monday 16:30-24:00; Tuesday to Sunday 18:00-2:00 am
Formal dress
Known for their large selection of wine
Best dish: tapas and wine
Cafe, Moroccan
$
Location: Avenue Golf
Times: daily 8:00-20:30
Casual Dress
There are more than 200 sweets daily available
Best dish: figs, orange-flower water
Top things to See and Do
This is one of the most visited sites in Morocco. French painter Jacques Majorelle created this garden for more than 40 years.
Main Attraction: Berber Museum, exhibiting ornaments and jewels, costumes and finery from the Berber culture, and the gardens, that cover over 2.5 acres of exotic plants, cacti, and trees.
Location: Rue Yves Saint Laurent
Time Open: daily 8:00-17:30
Price: garden 70 Dhs; museum 30 Dhs
The main square of Marrakesh where executions took place around AD 1050. The name means “assembly of the dead”. Unesco declared the square a masterpiece, as it brings musicians, tattoo artists and sellers together during the day, and at night it becomes more crowded, with story-tellers, magicians and food-stalls.
Main Attraction: walk around the square to discover the market
Location: Place de Marché Animée Jemaa
Time Open: daily 6:00-3:00am
Price: free
Other: be aware of pickpockets
A palace surrounded by gardens in the heart of Marrakech. It was built at the end of the 19th century and it was considered the greatest palace of its time. It has 8,000 sqm.
Main Attraction: the library, the harem and the multicolour vitrage
Location: Rue Riad Zitoun El Jedid
Time Open: daily 9:00-16:30
Price: 10 Dhs per person
The museum shows a fine collection of haute couture clothing and accessories that were created for over 40 years by the designer Yves St Laurent.
Main Attraction: the building resembles woven fabric and has a 150-seat auditorium with a library, bookstore and a terrace café.
Location: Rue Yves St Laurent
Time Open: Thursday to Tuesday 10:00-18:00
Price: 100 Dhs
The tombs were built by Saadian Sultan Ahmed Al Mansour Ed Dahbi, who imported Italian Carrara marble and gold to make a mausoleum at the Chamber of the 12 Pillars
Main Attraction: the mausoleum
Location: Rue de la Kasbah
Time Open: daily 9:00-16:45
Price: 10 Dhs
Parisians Patrick Menac’h and Marrakshi Hamid Mergani were both collecting vintage Moroccan photography, so they decided to open a museum to show the collections. There are more than 4500 photos, 2000 glass negatives and 80 documents from 1870 to 1950.
Main Attraction: the exhibition and the rooftop terrace
Location: 46 Souq El Fassi
Time Open: daily 9:30-19:00
Price: 40 Dhs
This palace was home to the defence Minister Mnebhi, during 1894-1908. After the independence, the palace was seized by the state and became a girl’s school. In 1997, Omar Benjellou Foundation reopened the building as the Marrakech Museum
Main Attraction: the collection of Moroccan art forms and the interior decoration
Location: PI ben Youssef
Time Open: daily 9:00-19:00
Price: 50 Dhs
On this day the city celebrates the crowning of King Mohammed VI with a public holiday. They celebrate with fireworks, parties and parades.
Location: around the city
Date: July 30
Price: free
How to best experience it: walk around the city and enjoy!
A unique festival in the mountains of Marrakeah, with the aim to introduce an international festival scene to a new territory.
Main Attraction: music, dancing, surf, yoga and swimming
Location: Fellah Hotel, Km 13 Route de l’Ourika, Canal Zarraba
Date: September 14-16
Price: 140-200 USD for a 3-day pass
How to best experience it: go to the Terrace to try the new cocktails; go to the Secret Garden for the champagne bar and wellness activities; try the Moroccan street food.
Nightlife
A decadent villa where Marrakesh’s hipsters come to flirt
Main Attraction: the belly dancers
Location: Avenue Echouhada Hivernage
Time Open: Monday to Sunday 19:00-3:00 am
Price: $$
This restaurant and bar is a 1920s hideaway
Main Attraction: the great variety of cocktails
Location: Avenue Echouhada Hivernage
Time Open: Monday to Sunday 18:00-2:00 am
Price: $$
Jackets are recommended for men and elegant evening wear for women
Known for its all-white modern decoration and live music
Main Attraction: live jazz and groovy DJ sets on the terrace
Location: 3, Rue de la Liberté Guéliz
Time Open: Monday to Saturday 11:30-1:00 am
Price: $
Hidden Gems
Ride a camel in the Palmeraie sunset and explore the berber culture
Main Attraction: Camel ride
Location: based upon which tour your pick
Time Open: 2 hours before sunset; duration of tour: 3 hours
Price: around $40.00
Located on the outskirts of the city there is just land and land of cactus, where you can wander around and explore. There are more than 150 varieties.
Location: Cactus Thiemann, Km 10 Route de Casablanca
Time Open: daily 9:00-16:00
Price: 150 Dhs
Other: highly suggest making an appointment before going out there.
