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Voykit pocket guide · Morocco
Marrakech
مراكش
Marrakech is a morning-and-evening medina: souks and palaces before 11:00, indoors or in a courtyard at midday, the square after sunset — and the riad meets you at a named gate, because taxis cannot reach the door.
Marrakech's sights sit inside a few square kilometres, but the medina is a maze that taxis cannot enter, the sun is hard from May to September, and touts work every corner. The trips that go wrong lose the first evening looking for the riad, walk the souks at noon in July, or accept a stranger's help with directions. Four walking clusters cover a first visit; the High Atlas and Essaouira are trips away from one kept bed.
- Country
- Morocco
- Local name
- مراكش
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · Oct · Nov · Dec
- Time zone
- Africa/Casablanca
- Stay
- 2 days: Jemaa el-Fnaa + souks, Bahia and Saadian Tombs in the morning
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MAD
- Money
- Cash for souks, taxis, stalls and small cafés; cards in hotels, larger restaurants and some shops. Carry MAD 10–200 notes and coins for tips and toilets; big notes rarely get change.
- Daily spend
- Budget MAD 250–450 excl. bed · Mid MAD 450–1,000 excl. bed · High MAD 1,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Install an eSIM before you fly, or buy a tourist SIM at the airport or a carrier shop in Gueliz (passport needed).
- Emergency
- Police (city) 19 · Ambulance and fire 15 · Gendarmerie (outside cities) 177
- Plugs
- 220 V, 50 Hz; two-round-pin sockets (type C and E). Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Not fixed but expected: MAD 5–10 for small services, about 10% in restaurants without a service charge, MAD 20–50 for a porter, MAD 100–200 for a day guide.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; use bottled or filtered water. Ice in established restaurants is usually factory-made.
- Toilets
- Cafés, restaurants, hotels and museums; carry MAD 2–5 coins and tissues.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Mint tea | MAD 10–35 |
| Tagine or couscous, sit-down meal | MAD 60–120 |
| Orange juice at a stall | MAD 4–8 |
| Petit-taxi ride within Gueliz or across the medina edge | MAD 15–40 |
| Airport bus 19 to Jemaa el-Fnaa (check) | MAD 30 |
| Tourist SIM or eSIM, about a week | MAD 100–200 |
| Museum or palace entry | MAD 70–100 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK)
- RAK to the medina: a pre-booked riad car or a petit taxi from the rank to the nearest gate, 15–30 minutes — the risk is the last 200 metres of lanes with bags at night.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Marrakech train station (Gare de Marrakech (ONCF)) | Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, Tangier (via Casablanca), Safi and El Jadida connections | Petit taxi 10–15 min, MAD 15–30 |
| Marrakech bus station (Gare routière (Bab Doukkala)) | Essaouira, Agadir, Ouarzazate, Casablanca and CTM long-distance routes | Petit taxi 10 min; or walk 20 min from the square |
| Supratours bus stop | Essaouira, Agadir and connections to trains | Petit taxi 10–15 min |
| Grand taxi ranks (Gare des grands taxis) | Ourika, Imlil, Ouzoud, Essaouira and other regional destinations | Petit taxi 10 min |
| Menara Airport | International and domestic flights | Petit taxi or riad car 15–30 min; bus 19 to Jemaa el-Fnaa |
Typical fares
- Menara airport → medina gate, petit taxi
- MAD 70–150, 15–30 min
- Airport bus 19 → Jemaa el-Fnaa
- about MAD 30 (check)
- Petit taxi across the medina edge
- MAD 15–40 on the meter
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster; take a petit taxi between them. The medina has no metro and few street signs; the biggest time cost is finding the riad in the lanes.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside the medina, souks and around the square |
| Petit taxi | MAD 15–40 on the meter | Between clusters, to Gueliz, at night |
| Grand taxi | Per seat or per car; agree first | Regional trips: Ourika, Imlil, Essaouira |
| Horse-drawn carriage (calèche) | MAD 150–250 for a short loop (agree first) | A slow ride around the walls |
| Bus and BRT | MAD 4–6 per ride | Gueliz, airport line 19, Palmeraie |
| Bicycle | Rental MAD 80–150 a day | Palmeraie and Gueliz mornings |
| Rented car or scooter | MAD 300–500 a day for a car | Day trips only |
| Private driver or riad car | MAD 70–150 airport; MAD 800–1,500 a day trip | Airport, day trips, first arrival |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Short petit-taxi rides are cheap when the meter runs; agree the fare first if the driver refuses.
- Late at night
- No metro; petit taxis run late but thin out after midnight. Ask your riad to call one for your last night.
See and do
01Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk
The square changes at sunset: juice carts give way to food stalls, musicians and storytellers. Go for the atmosphere; eat carefully.
Hours: best Sunset to 21:00 · Price: Free; dinner MAD 50–120 · Time: 1.5–2 hHours: best Sunset to 9:00 PM · Price: Free; dinner MAD 50–120 · Time: 1.5–2 h
02Bahia Palaceقصر الباهية
Painted ceilings, marble courtyards and small gardens; go at opening before the tour groups.
Hours: best Opening (about 09:00) · Price: About MAD 70 · Time: 45–60 minHours: best Opening (about 9:00 AM) · Price: About MAD 70 · Time: 45–60 min · 31.6216, -7.9839
03Saadian Tombsمقابر السعديين
Marble-columned royal tombs sealed for two centuries; short, so pair it with Bahia and El Badi.
Hours: best At opening · Price: About MAD 70 · Time: 20–30 min · 31.6176, -7.9892
04El Badi Palaceقصر البديع
A vast ruined palace with a sunken courtyard, storks and a roof walk; go early to avoid the sun.
Hours: best Before 11:00 · Price: About MAD 70 · Time: 45–60 minHours: best Before 11:00 AM · Price: About MAD 70 · Time: 45–60 min · 31.6182, -7.9868
05Ben Youssef Madrasaمدرسة ابن يوسف
The most photographed courtyard in the medina: cedar, plaster and tile in one small space.
Hours: best At opening · Price: About MAD 50–70 · Time: 30–45 min · 31.6316, -7.9863
06Jardin Majorelleحديقة ماجوريل
A painter's garden of cobalt blue, cactus and bamboo; the queue is the risk, so buy a timed ticket.
Hours: best At opening · Price: About MAD 170–200 · Time: 1–1.5 h · 31.6417, -8.0030
07Le Jardin Secretالحديقة السرية
A restored palace garden with a tower view over the medina; calmer than the souks.
Hours: best Mid-morning · Price: About MAD 80–100 · Time: 45 min · 31.6318, -7.9885
08Souks and Rahba Kedima
The shopping core of the medina: lamps, leather, spices and pottery. Go in the morning, buy slowly, bargain politely.
Hours: best 09:30–11:30 · Price: Free; purchases extra · Time: 2–3 hHours: best 9:30 AM–11:30 AM · Price: Free; purchases extra · Time: 2–3 h
09A hammam and mint tea on a terrace
The local reset: steam, a scrub and a terrace tea at the end of a hot day.
Hours: best Afternoon · Price: MAD 150–500 · Time: 2 h
10A day trip: Essaouira, the Ourika Valley or Agafay
The best break from the medina: the sea, the mountains or the desert edge.
Hours: best Weekdays, leave by 08:30 · Price: MAD 500–1,200 on a group tour · Time: Full dayHours: best Weekdays, leave by 8:30 AM · Price: MAD 500–1,200 on a group tour · Time: Full day
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Essaouira | CTM or Supratours bus, about 2.5–3 h; grand taxi or private car about 2.5 h | Full day or better overnight |
| Ourika Valley | Grand taxi or car 1–1.5 h | Half or full day |
| Agafay Desert | Car 40–50 min | Half day or overnight |
| Imlil and Toubkal | Grand taxi or car 1.5–2 h | Overnight or multi-day trek |
| Ouzoud Falls | Car or tour 2.5–3 h | Full day |
| Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate | Car over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, 3.5–4 h | Overnight |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jemaa el-Fnaa night food stalls | Grills, harira soup, snails · Jemaa el-Fnaa | MAD 50–100 | Budget |
| Mechoui alley (roast lamb stalls) | Mechoui (roast lamb) by weight · Medina, near Rahba Kedima | MAD 60–120 | Budget |
| Sandwich and msemen stalls | Msemen (flat pancakes), sandwiches, olives · Medina lanes | MAD 10–35 | Budget |
| Harira stalls | Tomato-and-lentil soup with dates · Medina, Ramadan evenings | MAD 5–15 | Budget |
| Nomad | Modern Moroccan plates on a rooftop · Rahba Kedima | MAD 200–350 | Mid-range |
| Café des Épices | Salads, tagines and tea · Rahba Kedima | MAD 80–160 | Mid-range |
| Al Fassia (Gueliz) | Tagine, mechoui and pastilla · Gueliz | MAD 250–450 (check) | Mid-range |
| Café Clock | Camel burger, cooking classes, storytelling nights · Kasbah | MAD 120–220 (check) | Mid-range |
| Riad restaurants with a set menu | Multi-course Moroccan dinner · Medina | MAD 500–1,200 | Splurge |
| Hotel fine dining in Hivernage | French and Moroccan tasting menus · Hivernage | MAD 800–1,800 | Splurge |
| Palace-hotel dinner shows | Dinner with a show · Medina and Palmeraie | MAD 700–1,500 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | MAD 100–200 dorm bed · MAD 300–600 double | Medina lanes (Mouassine, Bab Doukkala) | Hostels, family guesthouses |
| mid | MAD 800–1,800 | Medina riads, Kasbah and Riad Zitoun | Boutique riads, guesthouses |
| splurge | MAD 3,000–12,000+ | Palace hotels, Hivernage, Palmeraie villas | Grand hotels, luxury riads |
| mid | MAD 600–1,500 | Gueliz | Business hotels, apartments |
Per room per night in dirhams, 2026 estimate; Christmas, Easter and holidays add 30–100%.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Salam / Bonjoursa-lam / bon-zhoor |
| Thank you | Shukranshook-ran |
| No, thank you | La, shukranla shook-ran |
| How much is this? | Bsh-hal hada?bish-hal ha-da |
| Too expensive | Ghali bzzafga-lee bez-zaf |
| Meter, please | Compteur, s'il vous plaîtkom-ter seel voo play |
| Without meat | Bla lhambla lham |
| The bill, please | L-hsab, afakel-h-sab a-fak |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in the medina; a light scarf is useful. Beachwear stays at the pool.
- Greetings: Say 'salam' or 'bonjour' first; a handshake or a hand on the heart is normal. Never use the left hand to pass food or money.
- Mosques: Most are closed to non-Muslims, including the Koutoubia. Do not try to enter or photograph worshippers.
- Haggling: Expected in the souks; be polite, stay relaxed, and do not start if you do not want to buy.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people; performers and vendors on Jemaa el-Fnaa expect a tip for a photo.
- Ramadan: Do not eat, drink or smoke in public spaces in daylight in the fasting month; restaurants for visitors stay open.
- Tea: Accepting tea is polite but is often the start of a sales talk: accept only if you are ready to look, and decline politely otherwise.
Red lines
- Do not take photos of women or performers on Jemaa el-Fnaa without asking; expect a tip.
- Most mosques, including the Koutoubia, are closed to non-Muslims: look from outside.
- Ramadan: do not eat, drink or smoke in the street in daylight.
Scams and watch-outs
- A stranger says the lane ahead is closed and offers to show you a 'shorter way': it leads to a shop or a demand for money.
- Henna or a snake on your shoulder on Jemaa el-Fnaa is followed by a demand of MAD 100 or more: refuse before it starts.
- Taxi drivers who say the meter is broken quote several times the fare: say 'compteur' once and take the next taxi.
- 'Government-approved' shops and tanneries that offer a 'free tour' mark up prices sharply.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover or a day before the mountains. Skip: Majorelle and the museums: a half-day each.
- 08:308:30 AMBahia Palace at opening
- 09:459:45 AMSaadian Tombs
- 10:3010:30 AMEl Badi ruins before the sun
- 12:3012:30 PMLunch on a shaded terrace, then a rest
- 16:004:00 PMSouks and Rahba Kedima
- 17:305:30 PMTea at Café des Épices
- 18:306:30 PMJemaa el-Fnaa at dusk and dinner on the square
2 days
The usual Marrakech stay. Skip: The tanneries and a second museum on the same day.
Day 1 — palaces and lunch
- 08:308:30 AMBahia Palace
- 09:459:45 AMSaadian Tombs
- 10:3010:30 AMEl Badi Palace
- 12:3012:30 PMLunch, then the riad courtyard
- 17:005:00 PMKoutoubia gardens
- 18:306:30 PMJemaa el-Fnaa at dusk
Day 2 — souks, gardens and a hammam
- 09:009:00 AMBen Youssef Madrasa
- 10:0010:00 AMLe Jardin Secret
- 11:0011:00 AMSouks and Rahba Kedima
- 13:001:00 PMLunch at Nomad or Café des Épices
- 16:004:00 PMHammam and mint tea
- 19:307:30 PMDinner in Gueliz at Al Fassia (book)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Morocco (Moroccan National Tourist Office): www.visitmorocco.com/
- Marrakech Menara Airport (ONDA): www.onda.ma/
- Wikivoyage — Marrakech: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Marrakech
- Wikitravel — Marrakech: wikitravel.org/en/Marrakech
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Marrakechمراكش
Emmenez-moi à cette porte, s'il vous plaît
Please take me to this gate
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- قصر الباهيةBahia Palace
- مقابر السعديينSaadian Tombs
- قصر البديعEl Badi Palace
- مدرسة ابن يوسفBen Youssef Madrasa
- حديقة ماجوريلJardin Majorelle
- الحديقة السريةLe Jardin Secret
Most embassies are in Rabat, not Marrakech. Save your own embassy's 24-hour line below.
Give the driver the name of the nearest medina gate and your riad's phone number: street numbers do not help in the lanes.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/marrakech). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.