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Sightseeing Overview
Marrakech is more a city of colors, sounds and smells than of any great monuments. The labyrinth streets of the souk are an assault to the senses and they can also be very frustrating – it’s not a city to get anywhere in hurry. However, the area is surprisingly compact and part of the fun is to wander, never knowing what surprises you might stumble upon. A guide is not necessary and since the 1999 introduction of the tourist police you’re far less likely to get hassled into taking a guide – something that soured visits to Marrakech before this time. Any visit will center on the medina and square of Jemaa-el-Fna, the heart of the city. Many of the attractions are within walking distance of the square, with the rest being just a short taxi ride away. The Koutoubia Mosque is the main place of worship in the city and entry is forbidden to non-Muslims. However, the architecture can be appreciated from the grounds, which are open to everyone. The city’s three medina-based museums, each with their own unique style, are well worth a slow meander around.

When Marrakech becomes too intense, havens of tranquility can be found in the many lush public and private gardens surrounding the city. Most of the main sights are very popular with tourists and suffer the problems associated with crowds, particularly around Jemaa-el-Fna and the souks, where careless tourists can be easy prey for the occasional pickpocket.

Tourist Information
Délègué Règional du Tourisme (ONMT)
Place Abdel Moumen ben Ali, avenue Mohammed V, Guéliz
Tel: (044) 436 239/131. Fax: (044) 436 057.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1200 and 1500-1830.


Passes
There are no dedicated tourist passes in Marrakech.

Key Attractions:

Jemaa-el-Fna (Place of the Dead)
The great square of Jemaa-el-Fna is the center of medina life both day and night. By day, it is a market and gathering place with stalls lining half the massive square and selling fresh orange juice, nuts and dried fruit. From lunchtime onwards, there is a scattering of entertainers and sales people but it is at dusk that it really comes into its own. At 1700, a clatter of carts announces the arrival of the food stalls, which cook up every variety of vegetables, fish and meat. By 2100, it is hard to move for the mass of performers of every kind, including snake charmers, singers, musicians, story tellers and acrobats. The healers and fakirs with pots of herbs join them, ready to dispense cures for any ailment imaginable. The crowds are mainly Moroccans; this is not a spectacle just for tourists. It offers a glimpse of Marrakech life that has changed little since medieval times. Visitors should take plenty of loose change, as the performers do expect a couple of Dirhams worth of appreciation in addition to applause. A few of the fairground-type shows let the audience themselves take part, while some of the more colorful characters will pose for a photo – expect to pay a small charge for each of these.

Jemaa-el-Fna is surrounded by cafés and restaurants, perfect places to escape the hustle and bustle by relaxing with a mint tea, coffee or light meal. Café Argana, Café de France and Café Glacier all have roof terraces with wonderful views, although they are slightly more expensive than the rest of Marrakech’s cafés.

End of Triq el Koutoubia, rue Mouassine, rue Souk Smarine or rue Riad el Kedim
Opening hours: Always open but most lively between 1700 and 2300.

Majorelle Garden and Museum of Islamic Art
Privately owned and maintained by the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, this botanical garden was created in the 1920s by French artists Jacques and Louis Majorelle. Within the walls, the perfectly manicured gardens, complete with pools, giant cacti, bamboo, coconut and banana trees, are offset by the blue wash that covers the paths, pavilions and garden walls. Only Yves Saint Laurent could get away with painting plant pots and various walls in children’s paintbox colors, but the overall effect is stunning and totally unique. An extremely tranquil place if the bustle of Marrakech becomes too much. The Majorelles’ old studio is now the Museum of Islamic Art.

Entrance in side street off avenue Yacoub el Mansour
Tel: (044) 301 852.
Website: www.jardinmajorelle.com
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1200 and 1400-1700 (winter); daily 0800-1200 and 1500-1900 (summer).
Admission charge for garden and museum.

Sa’adian Tombs
One of the most visited sites in Morocco, the Sa’adian Tombs were only accessible via the mosque next door so survived in pristine condition until ‘rediscovered’ and opened to the public in 1917. The entrance is signposted down a thin passage surrounded by tourist stalls, a short walk from Jemaa-el-Fna. The enclosed garden inside is overlooked by two separate mausoleums, with over 100 mosaic-decorated graves scattered around. The principal structures of the tombs were built by Sultan Ahmed El Mansour for himself and his family and date from the late 16th century. There are 66 members of the Sa’adian royal family buried here altogether, along with a number of retainers and some much older graves whose identity has been lost. Within the mausoleum, the rooms are richly decorated, with magnificent domed ceilings, ornate stalactite plasterwork, intricate carving and marble pillars. Visitors should expect long queues unless they visit early to avoid the rush.

Rue de la Kasbah
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 0830-1145 and 1430-1745.
Admission charge.

El Badi Palace
This once magnificent palace, whose name means the ‘incomparable’, was built by the Sa'adian king, Ahmed Al Mansour, in 1578. It was one of the finest in the world, with 360 rooms sumptuously decorated in marble, gold, onyx, ivory, cedar wood and semi-precious stones, surrounding a vast central courtyard of pools, fountains and sunken gardens. It was the venue for parties of global extravagance. In 1696, however, the Alaouite Sultan Moulay Ismael moved the capital to Méknes, stripping the palace of anything valuable and leaving the towering mud walls to decay. Little remains of its glory days and the ruins of the battlements surround a vast empty space where the once sumptuous gardens and palace rooms stood. Today the main attraction is the nesting storks that have made their home here. Two weeks every summer it comes to life as the main venue for the National Festival of Popular Arts. In one corner (for an additional entrance fee) is the 12th-century minbar (pulpit) from the Koutoubia Mosque.

Bab Berrima, off place des Ferblantiers
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1200 and 1430-1745.
Admission charge.

Koutoubia Mosque
From any approach, the first sight of Marrakech is of the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, which dominates the skyline and is a great landmark when sightseeing. Marrakech’s tallest building, it dates from the 12th century and was one of the earliest great monuments that created the classic Moroccan design. Each façade and each arch on the square minaret is different. Originally, it was covered in plaster with each tier decoratively painted, obscuring the intricate carvings of the stonework. Suggestions to restore it have been met with protests, as many believe that restoration will detract from its beauty. The architecture can be admired at close quarters from the vast, if slightly unkempt, surrounding gardens. These also contain the remains of Almoravid Palace and the excavations of an earlier mosque that was demolished because it was not correctly aligned with Mecca.

Avenue Mohammed V
Opening hours: Mosque and minaret closed to non-Muslims; gardens always open to all.
Free admission to the gardens.

The Souks and Tanneries
The main souks are found through an arch to the north of the Jemaa-el-Fna. Although they can seem overwhelming, they are not too difficult to find your way around. Each section has its own specialty – robes, slippers, spices and jewelry. The medicinal lotions and potions are particularly interesting, especially those to ward off Jinn (souls without bodies) that are responsible for a whole range of ills! Even if you’ve no intention of buying anything, the souks are worth a visit simply to soak up the atmosphere.

Although not comparable to those in Fez, the tanneries with their leather dyeing workshops and giant pots of colorful dye are worth a visit. Historically, the dyes were made using everything from pigeon guano to pomegranates, from barks to berries, but now most are made using chemical pigments. The process itself and the equipment used, however, have not changed for centuries. Numerous different skins are colored here, including cow, goat and camel, and then stretched out to dry. The majority of work is crafted by local artisans then sold in the Marrakech souks. There are plenty of unofficial guides near Bab Debbagh willing to take visitors on a 15-minute tour of the tanneries for a tip.

Souks off Jemaa-el-Fna
Tanneries Bab Debbagh (Tannery Gate)
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800.
Free admission, tip for guided tours.

Further Distractions:

Menara Gardens
With its backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, it is no surprise that the Menara Gardens are one of the most photographed places in Morocco. It is also a popular place among locals for picnics. The best time to come is late afternoon (or evening if it is light enough) when most of the tourists have left. More a working farm than a garden, the Menara was laid out in the 12th century by the Almohads. Around 30,000 olive trees are set around a magnificent water pool, which is filled with fish. They regularly leap above the surface to the surprise of passing walkers. The well-kept pavilion house, the menzeh, was built much later in 1870. The first-floor open balcony offers a wonderful view over the large expanse of water towards the mountains.

Avenue de la Menara, 2km (1 mile) east of the medina
Opening hours: Daily 0500-1830.
Free admission to gardens, picnic pavilion admission charge.

Museums
Marrakech has several excellent museums, all set in historic buildings and offering fine, well-displayed collections of local crafts and fine arts. The Musée Dar Si Saïd (Museum of Morocco) is the official collection of fine carpets, carvings, jewelry, musical instruments and arms, housed in the 19th-century home of royal chamberlain, Sidi Said. The route through the museum flows into one grand room after another, with some peaceful walled gardens complete with fountains in which to relax. Nearby, the Musée Tiskiwin is a beautiful riad containing the private collection of folk crafts belonging to Dutch expatriate, Bert Flint. It is a small, homely museum with a rather random collection of artifacts but it is charming nonetheless. Despite being around the corner from the Musée Dar Si Saïd, the entrance is poorly signed and it is easy to get lost.

In the heart of the souk, the Musée de Marrakech (Museum of Marrakech) is another magnificently restored 19th-century mansion, built by the Menebha family and now displaying fine art, carpets, jewelry, furniture, ceramics, textiles and manuscripts. It is easily combined with a visit to the beautiful Ben Youssef Medersa, a former Koranic school, where the walkways and rooms are intricately decorated with stucco, tiles and carved cedar and set around a central pool. A little further along the same road is the Koubba el Badiyin, interesting because it is the only surviving structure of the city’s founders – the Almoravids. It is possible to buy a combined ticket for the museum, Medersa and Koubba el Badiyin.

Musée Dar Si Saïd
Off rue Dar Bahia, near Bahia Palace
Tel: (044) 389 564.

Musée Tiskiwin
8 rue Dar Bahia, near Bahia Palace
Tel: (044) 389 192.

Musée de Marrakech
Ben Youssef Medersa
Koubba el Badiyin
Place Ben Youssef (in the souks)
Tel: (044) 390 911/912.

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