Marrakesh: tours, squares and the Atlas
Around 1070, Abu Bakr ibn Umar established Marrakesh as the Almoravid dynasty's capital. The city also goes by the name Red City.
Marrakech tours
UNESCO added the old town of Marrakesh to its World Heritage List in 1985. The city walls run for many kilometres around the medina. The Almoravids constructed these defences during the twelfth century to protect the city.
The Morocco tour through the Sahara, Fes, Marrakech and Chefchaouen lasts 12 days and includes a licensed guide throughout, overland transport, camel trekking at the Erg Chebbi dunes, an overnight stay at a Merzouga desert camp and guided city tours in all destinations.
Jemaa el-Fna
Jemaa el-Fna plays a central role in the cultural life of Marrakesh. Its triangular space sits at the entrance to the medina, with restaurants, stalls and public buildings around it. Residents and people from elsewhere gather in the square. Its performers include poets and storytellers alongside Berber musicians, Gnaoua dancers, senthir players and snake charmers. In 2008, UNESCO recognised the square's cultural space through inscription on its representative list for humanity's intangible cultural heritage.
Atlas day trips
The Atlas foothills lie to the east of Marrakesh. Toubkal rises to 4,167 metres. The mountain stands 63 kilometres south of Marrakesh and can be seen from the city. Some 30 to 60 km south of Marrakesh, depending on the village, the Ourika Valley is home to Berber communities who speak Shilha.
The Ourika Valley day trip from Marrakech with Berber villages lasts 8 hours and includes return transport, a guide for the day, botanical garden entry, an alabaster workshop visit, a pottery village walk, visits to a sheikh's house and a watermill, and a traditional costume session with photos.
The private day trip to the Atlas Mountains and Ouzoud Falls from Marrakech lasts 10 hours, with private vehicle transport, an English speaking driver and guide, photo stops and flexible itinerary adjustments included.
Palaces, gardens and the Koutoubia
The Koutoubia's name, also rendered as Bookseller's Mosque, recalls the book trade in the neighbouring souk. Its minaret reaches about 77 metres from ground level to the tip of the finial. The Bahia Palace has around 150 rooms set around courtyards and riad gardens. Jacques Majorelle began creating his garden in 1923, developing it over nearly forty years. He admitted the public to the garden in 1947. Majorelle's former studio now houses the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts, while the nearby Yves Saint Laurent Museum opened in 2017.
Markets and cooking
Marrakesh's 18 or so souks employ tens of thousands of craftspeople. Moroccan mint tea is known locally as atay.
The cooking class and market visit in Marrakech lasts 3 hours and includes a guided neighbourhood and market walk, all fresh ingredients and groceries, a welcome mint tea, practical cooking instruction and a full meal shared with the host family.
Transport and climate
Air services to the city use Marrakesh Menara Airport. Rail connections from Marrakesh station run to Casablanca and northern Morocco. Average winter temperatures are 12 °C, while summer averages range from 26 to 30 °C.
Frequently asked questions
When was Marrakesh founded?
Around 1070, Abu Bakr ibn Umar established Marrakesh as the Almoravid dynasty's capital.
Where is Jemaa el-Fna?
Its triangular space sits at the entrance to the medina, with restaurants, stalls and public buildings around it.
How far is the Ourika Valley from Marrakesh?
Some 30 to 60 km south of Marrakesh, depending on the village, the Ourika Valley is home to Berber communities who speak Shilha.
What is inside the Majorelle Garden villa?
Majorelle's former studio now houses the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts, while the nearby Yves Saint Laurent Museum opened in 2017.
Where do trains from Marrakesh go?
Rail connections from Marrakesh station run to Casablanca and northern Morocco.
