The 10 Best Activities in Marrakech

Marrakech, also known as the red city, is an ancient town founded in 1071 in central Morocco. Here, you'll find a wide range of activities to do during your stay. So, whether you join one of the guided tours or explore on your own, you'll discover the history, culture, and natural scenery of this magical place.

If you don't know what to see and do in Marrakech, you can take a camel ride through the Palmeral, sample the local cuisine, and learn how to make some dishes in a cooking class. You can also lose yourself in the historic center, go shopping in the souks, and even visit the desert. I'll tell you all about it below.

The Palmeraie de Marrakech is the perfect place for camel rides. This small oasis with more than 100,000 palm trees will surprise you with its beautiful landscape and calm, desert atmosphere. If you book a tour of the Palmeraie de Marrakech, keep in mind that you will travel by car to the Palmeraie for approximately 10 minutes. There, you will climb onto the back of a camel and enjoy unique views for about an hour .

You will see a series of dry riverbeds, beautiful desert areas, some local villages, and hundreds of palm trees bordering the city. Without a doubt, it is the perfect setting for taking the best photographs. You will also learn about Berber culture and enjoy traditional mint tea in the shade of the trees.

A special feature of these camel rides is that you can dress in Tuareg clothing. This is traditional Moroccan clothing worn to protect against the desert sun. In fact, this clothing, combined with the sandy trails, will provide the perfect backdrop for taking the best photos.

Useful information

• Price: the average price for this activity is approximately €20 per person.
• Duration: this camel ride usually lasts 1 hour.
• Advantages: you will ride a camel through a small oasis covered with palm trees and admire the beautiful landscape.

Whether you plan to spend a day or more in Marrakech, as you can see, Marrakech has a lot to see and do, and your itinerary should include a tour of the Medina or old town, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This will allow you to immerse yourself in the history and culture of the so-called red city.

Although you can do this on your own, it is best to book a tour of the Medina. This way, you won't run the risk of getting lost in the narrow but picturesque streets of the Medina. Whichever option you choose, you won't have to worry about what to see and do in the Medina of Marrakech, as there are many places of interest concentrated there. For example:

• The Bahia Palace: this is a 19th-century building with mosaics, paintings, and gardens.
• The Koutoubia Mosque, dedicated to the worship of Islam in Marrakech.
• The Saadian Tombs: built in honor of the parents of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in the 16th century.
• The souks or traditional markets.

Useful information

• Price: the cost of the tour of the Medina usually starts at €26 per person.
• Duration: the activity usually lasts approximately 2 hours.
• Advantages: you will discover the history and culture hidden in the old town of Marrakech.

One of the best things to do in Marrakech is to visit the Majorelle Garden. It is a small oasis that has been carefully tended by human hands to offer an important botanical collection, several species of birds, and a small sample of Moroccan architecture.

You can explore it on your own and gradually discover the hidden gems it houses, but I recommend booking a tour of the Majorelle Gardens so you don't miss any of its treasures, such as:

• The cactus collection: with around 60 different species.
• The palm tree collection: with a large family of local palm trees and others brought from the Canary Islands, the Pacific, Africa, the Mediterranean basin, and India.
• The bamboo forest: with a long stretch of bamboo brought from Asia.
• The aquatic plant pond: where you will see beautiful water lilies and some lotus flowers.

You will have access to the Berber Museum, whose exhibits will help you learn about part of the city's history, the Memorial dedicated to fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, the Boutique, and the Café Majorelle. In addition, you can visit the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, dedicated to the iconic French fashion designer.

Useful information

• Price: the price of a tour of the Majorelle Gardens is €77 per person. General admission costs an average of €14 per person.
• Hours: the tour lasts 4 hours. Opening hours are from October to April from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., from May to September from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and during Ramadan from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Advantages: you will enjoy a peaceful space surrounded by beautiful natural scenery while learning about botany, history, and fashion.

Traveling to the so-called red city and not discovering its desert areas would be like never having visited it. Therefore, you should include a one-day tour of the Marrakech desert in your itinerary . You'll be able to enjoy all the wonders of this beautiful place. To be precise, this activity takes place in the Agafay Desert, approximately 40 minutes from Marrakech by car, as this is the closest desert to the city. It is a small oasis with an arid and desolate landscape.

If you book this excursion to the Agafay Desert from Marrakech, you will travel with a guide-driver, who will tell you about the history of the place and share some anecdotes. Upon arrival, you will enjoy an amazing desert setting, take photos, and relax while drinking traditional mint tea in a haima.

In addition, the guide will take you on a camel ride through the desolate moors of the Agafay Desert. You will see a different view of the place: stone dunes, the High Atlas Mountains, and, if you are lucky, you will see the wildflowers that occasionally grow there.

Useful information

• Price: the price of the Marrakech desert tour starts at €34 per person.
• Duration: the excursion lasts one day.
• Advantages: you will enjoy an amazing desert landscape with stone dunes and the High Atlas Mountains as a backdrop.

If you plan to explore Marrakech over two or more days, you should include an aerial experience in your itinerary. This could be a hot air balloon ride with a professional pilot, allowing you to discover the best panoramic views of the city in all its splendor.

Keep in mind that if you book a balloon ride, this activity usually takes place at sunrise or sunset. Upon arrival at the designated destination for the experience, you will receive flight instructions from the pilot. You will also see how the staff inflates the balloon. You will reach an altitude of around 1,371 meters and fly through the skies of Marrakech for approximately four hours. You will be amazed by the majestic desert views, the palm grove, and other open landscapes of both the city and its surroundings.

This experience is ideal if you have traveled to Marrakech with children, as they will have fun while learning about the history of the Medina, some monuments, and Muslim culture in general, thanks to the guide's commentary. In addition, you will be able to take aerial photographs with incredible perspectives.

Useful information

• Price: the price of this activity is around €238 per person.
• Duration: the activity usually lasts approximately 4 hours.
• Advantages: you can see the city of Marrakech from a bird's eye view and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the sunrise or sunset.

Booking a bath in a traditional hammam spa is a good idea, whether you plan to stay in Marrakech for one to seven days, or even longer. You can relax and get away from the characteristic hustle and bustle of the streets of the Medina for a few hours. For this experience, you will be picked up at your hotel door and taken to one of the city's hammams. These are usually Les Bains de l'Alhambra, Les Bains de Marrakech, Sublima Spa, among others.

When you arrive at the hammam , you will feel like a local. You will be able to experience firsthand one of the activities of Muslim culture, which for centuries has been part of the social life of the inhabitants of this part of the world.

You will receive the traditional treatment, which consists of a sauna, an exfoliating eucalyptus soap bath, and a massage with Moroccan argan oil. All this is accompanied by the customary mint tea, which you have probably been drinking since your first day in the city.

Useful information

• Price: the cost of this activity starts at €56 per person.
• Duration: the experience in the Marrakech hammam usually lasts approximately 2 hours.
• Advantages: you will relax and pamper your skin in a hammam while discovering the traditional Turkish bath.

The souks of Marrakech are located in the Medina, so you can't miss them when visiting the historic center. However, this picturesque labyrinth of shops deserves a little more time to visit. Therefore, it is best to book a tour of the souks of Marrakech, the so-called mecca of haggling, and purchase some products.

You won't have to worry about finding your way around Marrakech and the narrow streets of its souks, as the guide will take you to see the stalls that make them up. You'll discover the places with the best deals and learn how to haggle like a local.

As you immerse yourself in the souks, you will see a wide range of products: slippers, a variety of carpets, Moroccan fashion, leather bags, ceramics, jewelry, lamps, argan oil, caftans, and other handicrafts. You will also find vegetables, fruits, street food, spices, and more. In addition to the information about the history of the place provided by the guide, you will have the opportunity to talk to the merchants to learn about the culture of this part of the world. You will also see artisans working in their shops.

Useful information

• Price: this guided tour of the souks of Marrakech usually costs approximately €27 per person.
• Duration: the activity lasts around 3 hours.
• Advantages: you will explore the souks of Marrakech with a guide, with enough time to buy some local products.

If you like adventures on wheels, then during your stay in Marrakech you can't miss booking a quad bike tour in Marrakech. You will travel through the mountainous terrain, allowing you to discover amazing natural contrasts.

This type of activity starts at the door of your hotel in Marrakech. There, you will be picked up and taken by car to the outskirts of the Palmeral, a transfer of approximately 10 minutes. The guide will then teach you the basics of driving a quad bike.

You will drive along a series of rocky trails and desert plateaus to a beautiful hill. From there, you will enjoy a breathtaking view where the color of the desert sand blends with that of the palm trees. You can also stop to refresh yourself by drinking mint tea with the locals in a Berber village.

Useful information

• Price: the cost of this adventure starts at €26 per person.
• Duration: this tour usually lasts approximately 2 hours.
• Advantages: you can explore some of Marrakech's desert plateaus and rocky trails on a quad bike in a lively guided adventure.

If you are a fan of Moroccan food, you cannot miss the opportunity to sample the exquisite cuisine of Marrakech. Better still, learn how to prepare traditional local dishes in the company of a professional local chef. These activities take place in the chef's home kitchen, which is usually located in the Medina area. But first, you'll take a stroll through the local market to purchase the necessary fresh ingredients, herbs, and spices.

You'll prepare an appetizer, main course, and dessert. All of these are traditional recipes usually offered in Marrakech restaurants and enjoyed daily by locals. You can also suggest Moroccan dishes that you like to the expert. For example, the following dishes are often featured in this culinary experience:

• Tajine or chicken, lamb, or vegetable stew.
• Pastela, a pie that combines the sweet taste of puff pastry with a savory filling and an exquisite cinnamon aroma.
• Couscous: a dish made with wheat semolina, which is part of Berber cuisine.
• Zaaluk, which is a salad of lettuce, tomato, tuna, and onion.

Another option if you want to discover these and other delicacies of Moroccan cuisine is to book a gastronomic tour.

Useful information

• Price: the activity costs around €42 per person.
• Duration: the culinary experience generally lasts 4 hours.
• Advantages: you will learn the secrets of Moroccan cuisine, prepare some traditional dishes, and take a stroll through a local market.

Leave selfies behind during your stay in Marrakech and make the most of the magical settings of this ancient city. Let a professional capture your trip in pictures by taking a photo tour of the tourist destinations that interest you.

Once you meet up with the photographer in the city center, the adventure will begin. You'll explore the Medina with its mosques, the narrow streets of the souks, and the enormous Djemaa El-Fna square, which will serve as the backdrop for each photograph. You can also select the destinations you like best in advance. For example, a trip to the palm grove or the Marrakech desert.

Whatever destinations you visit, the photographer will give you lots of ideas on how to make the most of the reflections and shadows created by Marrakech's natural light. They will also find the best angles for you, ensuring you get some incredible photos.

Useful information

• Price: the price of this photography tour is around €227 per person or groups of up to 20 people.
• Duration: the activity is usually planned to take approximately 3 hours.
• Advantages: you will receive incredible professional photographs in digital format, which you can share on your social media and keep as a souvenir of your trip.