Marrakech was the most important city in the former Moroccan empire. The city has seen a stream of streets camel caravans, snake charmers, desert nomads and all sorts of other colourful characters of northern Africa pass through, each of which has left an indelible mark on the city.

The best place to see in Marrakech is the old quarter, the Medina. The labyrinthine streets of this historic district will treat visitors to traditional Moroccan houses, shops, restaurants and, if they gain access to them, exquisitely decorated internal courtyards which are closed off and hidden from the streets.

Inside Marrakech’s Medina, one of the must-sees is the Djemaa El-Fna. A visit to this market at night is a quintessential Moroccan experience. Stall upon stall of exotic foods and knick-knacks, snake charmers, musicians, dancers and storytellers vie for the attention of tourists, who are bombarded with all manner of sights, sounds and smells.

Right beside the Djemaa El-Fna are several souks. The souk is a traditional Moroccan market selling all sorts of wares. Visitors here can bargain for shoes, clothes, traditional Moroccan clay pots called tagines, teapots, lanterns and a whole lot more.

Les Bains de Marrakech, a bath house, or hammam, is yet another place to visit to experience an old Moroccan tradition. Here, tourists can be bathed and massaged by scrubbers following age-old traditions.

For a more relaxed Moroccan holiday experience, a day spent leisurely strolling or picnicking at the Menara Garden is highly recommended. The garden, with its orchards, groves and lake, has the snow-capped peaks of the Atlas Mountains as a backdrop. Another beautiful garden in the city is the Majorelle Garden.

Gueliz, Marrakech’s Ville Nouvelle (New City), is also worth seeing. Here, visitors will get a taste of modern Morocco with its high-end stores, cafés, restaurants and shopping centres.

Being the most important part of the former Moroccan empire, Marrakech breathes life into its history with a number of landmarks and monuments, all of which are worth seeing.

Few markets in the world will assault a person’s senses like the Djemaa El-Fna, the lively market that happens right in Marrakech’s Medina. This Moroccan landmark has been declared a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO.

Right next to the Djemaa El-Fna is a monument that should not be overlooked. The Koutoubia Mosque, with its tall minaret, can be spotted even outside the old town. The structure is best seen when it is lit up at night.

Another place to feel Marrakech’s rich heritage is the Ben Youssef Madrassa, a former Islamic school whose walls, windows, halls and doorways are exquisitely designed in beautiful Islamic aesthetics which are sure to delight photographers and snap-happy tourists.

While in the area, visitors can easily head to the nearby Marrakech Museum, which houses Arab, Jewish and Berber artefacts, and the Almoravid Koubba, the last remaining building in Marrakech which date back to the era of the Almoravids, the ruling dynasty that founded Marrakech.

One major attraction in Marrakech, discovered only in 1917, is the Saadian Tombs. The mausoleum houses the remains of yet another one of the dynasties that ruled much of Morocco from the 1500s to the 1600s.

To get an idea of how royalty in imperial Morocco lived, visitors can take a guided tour of Bahia Palace. Luxurious, grand and ornate are just some of the words that are used to describe the traditional Islamic and Moroccan architecture of this complex.

Nightlife in Marrakech is a combination of traditional restaurants, complete with traditional music and belly dancers, and the hippest and liveliest bars and dance clubs on this side of the Atlantic. But the highlight is perhaps the unique entertainment on hand at Djemaa El-Fna.  

Those looking for traditional night-time entertainment in Marrakech can head to the Medina and immerse themselves in the Djemaa El-Fna. After dining on any of the exotic dishes sold at the food stalls, visitors can treat themselves to the street performances right at the square. There are musicians, lively dancers, acrobats, snake charmers, storytellers and all sorts of curiosities which are only found in this part of the world.

For a more modern form of music and dancing, or even a chilled night out in a quiet bar, visitors can head to the lounge bars as well as the hip and happening party venues in Gueliz and Hivernage. In particular, the cafés, bars, and bistros found along Avenue Mohammed V, in the area of Place Abdel Moumen Ben Ali, are worthwhile.

Tourists can enjoy a quiet night with beer or wine at Grand Café de L’Atlas, Café du Livre or Le Grand Café de la Poste. In the posh area of Hivernage, the most popular night-time entertainment venue is Comptoir Darna. This stylish bar is the place to be seen. Visitors are encouraged to dress up and prepare to spend on drinks. Also in Hivernage are some of the most exciting dance clubs in Morocco. Located in Hotel es Saadi, Theatro is a techno club that rivals many party venues in Europe.

The tastiest and most flavourful of Moroccan dishes are widely available for tourists to sample. A good start for any visitor to Marrakech is naturally the Djemaa El-Fna. Stalls in this historic market are lined up alongside each other each, with vendors assertively trying to get tourists to grab a seat at their stall and start digging in.

Available here are meat skewers, seafood, bread, couscous, soups, fruits and salads. Visitors who want a Djemaa El-Fna dining experience but do not necessarily want to deal with the inevitable chaos can head to one of the many cafés and restaurants right in the Medina. Most of these eateries have terraces and balconies overlooking the lively crowd at the Djemaa El-Fna.

Dishes worth trying in Marrakech are traditional Moroccan concoctions which are well-loved inside and outside the country. First and foremost is the tagine. The tagine is a dish consisting of meat, couscous and/or vegetables, slow cooked in a conical clay pot. Incidentally, the clay pot itself is known as a tagine.

As a starter, a traditional harira is in order. This soup dish is made with tomatoes, flour, chickpeas, lentils, rice, eggs, onions and herbs. It can be a little heavy, which is why harira is often eaten as a snack on its own. Another dish that is not to be missed is mechoui, a whole lamb roasted on a grill.

Tea, particularly very sweet mint tea, is a popular drink in Morocco. Indeed, drinking tea is somewhat a national pastime here. Tourists are welcome to have a seat in a café in the Medina and savour the national drink.