Everything you need to know about visiting Marrakesh

As one of Morocco’s four imperial cities, Marrakesh is also known as the red city. A city break with a twist, Marrakesh is growing in popularity and a place that is known to inspire creatives. I visited here for four days on a freelancer retreat, and was blown away by the beauty of the city.

I’ve never visited anywhere like Marrakesh. In all honesty, I was slightly nervous about visiting Marrakesh – I was expecting chaos, noise and basically overwhelming my (very sensitive) nervous system. I was ready to feel overwhelmed, claustrophobic and panicked. But that couldn’t have been further from the truth for me. I loved the sounds, waking up to the call to prayer, the smells, the colours – the souks felt less chaotic than I was imagining, and it proved to me that you should never judge a place before you visit.

If you’re planning a trip to Marrakesh, you can find your complete 4 day itinerary here. And keep reading for your full guide to visiting the Red City!

Traveling to Marrakesh – is it safe?

One of the biggest comments I had when visiting in February 2026 was, is it safe to go? and Aren’t you nervous about going solo?

Overall, I felt safe the whole time I was there – whether I was out solo, or with the group I met up with there. There were times in the souks where you felt like you were being hassled to buy, but I just kept saying no thank you and walked away.

Like when you visit any major city, be vigilant of pickpockets, but overall I felt safe (and I’m an anxious girlie at the best of times!). When you’re out and about, dress conservatively – I mainly wore maxi dresses or linen trousers – and respect the local customs and culture.

As always, double check your governments up to date travel safety info before visiting

Where to Stay in Marrakesh

I stayed at Outsite Marrakesh, which is designed for digital nomads. Whilst I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that specific hotel, the location was brilliant.

Staying within the Medina in one of the many Riads is a great way to experience Marrakesh. Some recommendations include;

• Riad El Youssoufi
• Riad Adika & Spa
• Les Jardins Mandaline
• Riad Diana
• Riad Matham

Things to do in Marrakesh

Le Jardin Secret

This garden is a calm oasis hidden in the centre of the souks, and is an Islamic Garden filled with quiet spots, exotic plants and flowers, and telling the history of the city.

It’s a great place to land at lunch time, as you can sit in one of the two restaurants, one is within the garden itself, and the other is up on the tower, giving a perfect view over the whole garden.

Jardin Majorelle

Hop in a taxi and head to Jardin Majorelle and the YSL museum. This garden is famous for its cobalt blue buildings and blend of both Art Deco and Moorish influences. The garden is known for inspiring Yves Saint Laurent, and in 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé purchased the Jardin Majorelle to save it from destruction at the hands of hotel developers.

Now it is a calm oasis, offering creative inspiration and a beautiful place to take photos.

This is a really popular place to visit so don’t be like me and miss out on getting a ticket! Book your tickets in advance on the website, and if you want to get photos without many people there, opt for the 08:30am time slot!

Dar El Bacha Museum

Dar El Bacha is in the heart of the Medina, and is an absolutely stunning museum filled with a large collection of art objects and other works typical of Morocco (calligraphy, manuscripts, Berber carpets, etc.).

The building used to be a palace, and is absolutely stunning – walls covered in the most beautiful tiles. It is truly a breathtaking museum.

Inside you’ll also find ‘Marrakesh’s most beautiful cafe’. Now, I didn’t have a coffee here because the wait time at 09:30am was three hours. Instead, I went into the Bacha Coffee shop, where I had some of the most incredible service of my life as I bought some coffee beans to bring home. If you’re a coffee lover, it’s worth coming just to visit the shop alone.

Street Food Tour of Marrakesh

One of my favourite evenings in Marrakesh was the food tour we went on. Taken around the city by two local guides, we were taken down hidden alleys with the best shakshukka you’ll ever eat, to pop up kitchens set up around the souks, and places you wouldn’t think to stop at.

It was over two hours of walking and eating and I can’t explain how full I was by the end. It was so brilliant to try all of these delicious foods, but also to learn more about the food culture of Morocco – especially during the month of Ramadan.

Shopping in the souks

You can’t come to Marrakesh and not head into the souks to go shopping! There are some absolutely beautiful things in here, and it’s definitely an experience.

I knew I wanted to buy a new basket bag, and was nervous to actually by as bartering isn’t a skill I really have. I read in Lonely Planet that the best way to start is to half what they offer and work it from there, to a price where you’re happy to pay. I found that really useful, and feel like I didn’t get ripped off for what I bought!

An evening in the Desert – is it worth it?

One of the experiences that was included in the trip I bought was an evening in the desert where you went quad biking, camel riding and had a meal with entertainment and a fire show.

It sounds really good but honestly, I would not recommend this at all.

For starters, I don’t feel comfortable with camel rides ethically, and felt uncomfortable being a part of it.

The quad biking ended in disaster for us – two of the girls I was with crashed badly. Luckily they walked out of the incident (shaken, badly bruised and a broken finger), but it was chaos and very badly organised. There was no health and safety, and it was only okay really because there happened to be a doctor who was in our group and able to help and administer first aid.

We were late to the meal for obvious reasons, so we were eating and missed 90% of the entertainment, and three people in our group got food poisoning that night. Overall not great or something I would recommend.

Also, it wasn’t a proper desert as it was very rocky and green with very little sand and proper roads. Basically it didn’t look like the pictures on Get Your Guide!

If you are looking for a day trip from Marrakesh, a friend did this one which goes into the Atlas Mountains and she recommended this wholeheartedly!

Ben Youssef Madrasa

Nestled in the heart of the Medina is Ben Youssef Madrasa – an architectural and artistic gem that reflects the history of authentic Moroccan art.

Where to eat in Marrakesh

Marrakesh is filled with culinary delights, and is a great place to go if food is a highlight of your holiday! Here are some of the places we ate on the trip

Le Jardin

This beautiful restaurant is a gem hidden behind a tiny door in the Medina. The space is beautiful – it’s like sitting in a large garden terrace with plants and trees filling the space.

Offering traditional Moroccan cuisine and an incredible range of mocktails, you won’t be disappointed. We shared hummus and bread to start, which was delicious, and then for starters, I had Zucchini fritters withgoat cheese and coriander. This was lovely, but one I’d recommend sharing as it got a bit samey. My main course was incredible though – I had the Traditional Kefta Tagine with Eggs. It arrived in a traditional tagine, which just looked wonderful, and inside was basically like a shakshukka but with lamb meatballs in. Love love love. For dessert, I had the lemon tart which was fresh, tangy and the perfect palette cleanser.

We ate here on our first night, and I think it was the perfect way to start the trip!

NOMAD

If you’re looking for a modern take on traditional Moroccan cuisine, then head to Nomad.

This restaurant just feels boujie and oozes style and elegance. With views overlooking the Medina and the spice square, it’s a little rooftop oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city below.

We went here for lunch, and because the menu is quite light, it’s perfect for a lazy sunny afternoon. I had the Braised Aubergine with mushroom, chickpeas, zaalouk and green chermoula. Not only did it look beautiful, it also tasted delicious. What I love about Moroccan cuisine is that it isn’t spicy, but it is so packed with flavour and spices.

For desert I had Amlou Tiramisu. As a tiramisu superfine, I was excited to try this, however for me it fell a little flat. It wasn’t super sweet and didn’t have that coffee flavour hit that I was looking for.

Cafe Des Epices

Across the square you’ll find Cafe Des Epices. It felt like Nomads slightly less boujie (but still lovely!) little brother. We managed to grab a table on the ground floor, and a perfect spot to people watch.

Along with a mocktail (virgin mojito) and a big bottle of water, I had the vegetarian sandwich. What came was more like a mezze platter; three half of a bread roll, one with hummus, one with baba ghanoush and one with roasted red pepper salad. It was fresh and tasty and the perfect light lunch.

Folk

For our final evening we took a 10 minute taxi out of the Medina to Folk for an evening of delicious food and entertainment.

Walking inside, it feels magical with draped curtains, cosy seating areas, and a stage with traditional Moroccan music being played. Over the evening we had traditional music, a DJ, a singer, and belly dancing – so something for everyone!

The food was delicious, but the portions were huge. To start I had the burrata, which to be honest was a tad boring, but the lamb shawarma for my main and that was so tasty. It was a huge menu, and it was hard to choose what to go for!

Because we were there on a Thursday evening during Ramadan, it was a little quite, but I could imagine on a Saturday night when the place is packed, it would be a complete party vibe!

How to navigate Marrakesh Airport

After hearing things online about Marrakesh airport, I was nervous. I reality, there was no reason to be! Here’s a super super quick rundown of everything you need to know;

Arriving into Marrakesh

• Before you leave Marrakesh airport, your luggage will go through a scanner again before heading out
• There are plenty of places to change currency, but you don’t get the best rate in the airport. Go to the cash machine instead (there are plenty in the Medina as well)
• If you’re getting a taxi from the airport, head straight out, turn right and go to the official taxi booth to book your cab. Tell them where you want to go, you can pay cash or card, and will be sent to a specific taxi.

Departing Marrakesh

• Make sure to arrive at least 3 hours before your flight, even if you’re hand luggage only
• Print your boarding pass before you get to the airport
• You must get your boarding pass stamped before going through security. Even if you’re hand luggage only, you have to queue up at bag drop to get your boarding pass stamped
• There are lots of security checks – your passport will get checked a lot and they have extra security at your gate. Not everyone will go through it, but I did have my bags and tech all checked again before boarding.

Visiting Marrakesh during Ramadan

I was really lucky to get to visit Marrakesh during Ramadan. I didn’t know what to expect, but it really added to the trip. I learnt so much about Ramadan and Islam, as people were happy to talk and share about it and I loved it.

Cafes and restaurants are still open, however smaller establishments may be shut or have different opening hours.

Out of respect, it is recommended to not eat or drink in the streets.

A lot of restaurants won’t be serving alcohol during the month of Ramadan, even places that usually do.

The most interesting thing was hearing all of the different calls to prayer, and how vibrant and alive the city came on an evening after Iftar, as people went to and from the mosques, and the real community and celebration that came.

I adored my visit to Marrakesh, and know I will be back again to explore more! If you’re looking for Marrakesh recommendations, you can find them here. And if you’re looking for more weekend break inspo, you can find my travel guide recs here. Make sure to follow along on instagram for daily travel and microadventure inspo.