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Shopping in Marrakech requires either a lot of restraint or at least two extra suitcases, especially when it comes to home decor. Fortunately, many design shops, like Corinne Bensimon, which has three locations in Marrakech, are able to ship worldwide. This showroom is a favorite of local expats, who love Bensimon’s chic, minimalist takes on lamps, linens, and ceramic objects made by Moroccan artisans using native materials.

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Marrakech

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In this Marrakech travel guide, find the best hotels, restaurants, and things to do, whether you're looking for a luxury trip in Marrakech or something unique.

Marrakech Travel Guide: Hotels, Restaurants & Things to Do | PRIOR

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Marrakech has attracted visitors for nearly a millennium, from the camel caravans that brought gold and salt from the Sahara, to the artisans who helped build the city’s palaces and mosques, to Europe’s bohemians, who came to soak up the sun and lifestyle. Today, visitors still come for the beguiling souks, which are home to some of the best artisans in the world, but also for the sunny climes and the laid-back vibes.

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Only in Marrakech

The unique curiosities that make Marrakech tick. 

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Where to Stay

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There is no greater showcase for traditional Moroccan craft than the palatial Royal Mansour, a 12-acre property of stand-alone riads and expansive gardens within the ancient city walls, commissioned by King Mohammed VI. It took more than a thousand of the country’s top craftspeople to build; the rumors are that the king’s team had the workers completely tear apart and redo anything not deemed unconditionally flawless. The lobby alone is a dizzying, spectacular mix of zellige mosaics, carved cedarwood, and intricate plasterwork. Guests stay in three-story riads with one, two, or three bedrooms, all complete with rooftop terrace and private butler. This is as close as it gets to living like Moroccan royalty. More recently, the property added a giant swimming pool, surrounded by gardens, palm groves, and seven private bungalows. Another reason to stay here is the opportunity to sign up for a special tour exclusive to the Royal Mansour: a ride in a sidecar to visit the surreal palace of eccentric perfumer Serge Lutens, which is normally impossible to access.

Royal Mansour

There is no greater showcase for traditional Moroccan craft than the palatial Royal Mansour, a 12-acre property of stand-alone riads and expansive gardens within the ancient city walls, commissioned by King Mohammed VI.

There’s the Ritz in Paris, the Pierre in New York, and Raffles in Singapore — and in Marrakech, there’s La Mamounia, perhaps one of the world’s most legendary historic hotels. The property comprises 207 rooms in the heart of the city, in a 20-acre oasis of lush, centuries-old gardens and orange and olive groves. For decades after it opened in 1929, it was the place to stay in Marrakech; everyone from Winston Churchill (a fabulous leopard-print bar off the lobby is named after him) to Hollywood A-listers have stayed here. La Mamounia is in some ways a destination all on its own and attracts locals and expats as well; even if you don’t stay here, it’s worth having a long lunch or drinks in the garden. Despite its iconic status, the hotel continues to update and evolve: In 2009 there was a full and much-lauded makeover by Jacques Garcia that added even more dark jewel tones and a sensual ambience to its public spaces. More recently, during the pandemic, there was a fastidious refurbishment overseen by Parisian architects Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku, which included the addition of several new restaurants, two overseen by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and the Salon de Thé by Pierre Hermé.

La Mamounia

There’s the Ritz in Paris, the Pierre in New York, and Raffles in Singapore — and in Marrakech, there’s La Mamounia, perhaps one of the world’s most legendary historic hotels.

Almost 20 years ago, the former Paris-based theater director and events manager Thierry Teyssier transformed a 19th-century kasbah (fortressed Berber village) located between the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara into a 14-room hotel called Dar Ahlam, or “House of Dreams.” It is in fact a dream. Even today, no other hotel in Morocco has been able to surpass Dar Ahlam’s mix of luxury and wonder. Teyssier’s background in theater inspired his hospitality philosophies: Never repeat a moment, and anything is possible (especially when you have 100 employees tending to a maximum of 30 guests). Every meal at the property is served in a different surprise location, from breakfast in the hotel’s expansive organic garden — landscaping was in part designed by Louis Benech, who was also charged with a revamp of the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris — to dinner under the stars on rippling sand dunes at the hotel’s desert camp. Even arriving can be an adventure if guests have the time: In 2015, Teyssier launched the Memory Road project, a curated 4x4 road trip starting from Marrakech with five diverse stopovers (from a remote mountain village in the middle of a lush palm grove to a tented camp in the Sahara) on the way to Dar Ahlam.  

Douar Oulad Cheik Ali, Skoura, Ouarzazate

Dar Ahlam

Almost 20 years ago, the former Paris-based theater director and events manager Thierry Teyssier transformed a 19th-century kasbah (fortressed Berber village) located between the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara into a 14-room hotel called Dar Ahlam, or “House of Dreams.” It is in fact a dream.

When visiting Marrakech for the first time, it’s preferable to be within walking distance of the medina, but for those who are looking for some seclusion, staying a few days in La Palmeraie, a fashionable residential neighborhood within a vast centuries-old date-palm forest, about a 20-minute drive north of the city, can be just the right thing to do. And if you stay in La Palmeraie, it’s smart to book a room at the boutique hotel Jnane Tamsna, a complete and stylish universe (the name means “big garden”) on its own, overseen by an elegant and knowledgeable hostess, Meryanne Loum-Martin. One of the first to build a property in the area, Loum-Martin has seen it all and is an incredible resource, especially with anything design-related. Jnane Tamsna — with its 24 unique rooms spread over five houses, acres of gardens, clay tennis courts, and five pools — was opened in 2001, and its tasteful, eclectic interiors are just as evocative and relevant now as they were then. For Loum-Martin, the property is a work in progress, and over the years she’s edited and refined every detail. Her husband, the ethnobotanist Gary Martin, does the same with his ambitious landscaping, which competes with the Jardin Marjorelle, including everything from organic vegetable beds to a fragrant garden exploding with angel’s-trumpets and climbing jasmine.

Jnane Tamsna

When visiting Marrakech for the first time, it’s preferable to be within walking distance of the medina, but for those who are looking for some seclusion, staying a few days in La Palmeraie, a fashionable residential neighborhood within a vast centuries-old date-palm forest, about a 20-minute drive north of the city, can be just the right thing to do.

For many years, the talented Marrakech-based Swiss architect Romain Michel-Ménière has helped create the interiors of some of Marrakech’s most stylish spaces, from the wildly popular restaurant Nomad to the cultish Riad Mena, so when he finally decided to launch his own project, he came up with something truly extraordinary. After buying 17 acres in a tiny Berber village in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, he turned to his friends Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty of Studio KO, the Paris- and Marrakech-based design team behind the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. They drew a sketch, nothing more, but Michel-Ménière evolved that original drawing into what became a minimalist version of a Berber village, with several one-story adobe-like structures, artful (and eco-friendly) gardens of wild grass, and a 50-foot pool partly obscured by olive groves. Since opening in the spring of 2017, Berber Lodge has attracted a young, creative crowd to its nine rustic-chic rooms, designed with a mix of custom wicker furniture, Berber bridal chests, and midcentury furniture from Michel-Ménière’s personal collection. He can typically be found on-site, booking a massage for a guest or overseeing the menu at the hotel’s restaurant, which serves Mediterranean-meets-Moroccan dishes like a chicken tagine with caramelized pears and sesame.  

Province al Haouz، Route du Barrage, Marrakesh 42312

Berber Lodge

For many years, the talented Marrakech-based Swiss architect Romain Michel-Ménière has helped create the interiors of some of Marrakech’s most stylish spaces, from the wildly popular restaurant Nomad to the cultish Riad Mena, so when he finally decided to launch his own project, he came up with something truly extraordinary.

Way before the medina’s boutique riads became a must-do on the world’s travel bucket list, Jean-Noël Schoeffer became a godfather of sorts to the early bohemians that Marrakech so bewitched. His eclectic, lived-in riad, Dar Rbaa Laroub — better known locally simply as Riad Jean-Noël — has always had the allure of a rambling family home, calling to those looking for a place to escape the ordinary. Some guests stayed for years. With jungly courtyards and a natural flair for interiors, each of the seven rooms brings richness to the experience — claw-foot tubs, leather-lined window seats, ceilings adorned with zouaq (traditional, intricately hand-painted designs often inlaid with gold leaf) — while remaining one of the most affordable retreats in town, with single rooms from just 70 euros per night.

Dar Rbaa Laroub

Way before the medina’s boutique riads became a must-do on the world’s travel bucket list, Jean-Noël Schoeffer became a godfather of sorts to the early bohemians that Marrakech so bewitched.

In 2022, El Fenn celebrates its 20th birthday, having grown from an intimate five-room riad to one of the Red City’s most talked-about hotels. Celebrated for a design concept where jewel-bright tadelakt plaster walls, cedarwood ceilings, and hand-stitched camel-leather floors meet midcentury modern furniture and a museum-worthy art collection, these are the rooms that launched a thousand photo shoots. A major extension and revamp during the 2020 lockdown updated the 13 interconnected riads, and there’s much to love about this latest incarnation: a colonnaded garden with marble-tiled terrace, a rooftop pool, seasonally inspired craft cocktails (think beet bourbon sour), and a plant-forward menu infused with local ingredients like rose water, argan oil, and preserved lemons.

El Fenn

In 2022, El Fenn celebrates its 20th birthday, having grown from an intimate five-room riad to one of the Red City’s most talked-about hotels.

Opened just before the Covid-19 pandemic shuttered the doors on most of Marrakech’s small riads, Riad Sakkan makes a statement in a crowded marketplace. The 12-room riad is reassuringly true to place, but not necessarily in expected ways. Theirs is a tribute to contemporary Moroccan craftsmanship that goes bold on modern homewares, from natty, spice-hued striped blankets woven in 100 percent Atlas wool by Anajam Home, to hydraulic concrete tiles by Popham Design, to organic toiletries by local brand Botanika, and they’re happy to share shopping lists. While wallowing in their inky-blue plunge pool or admiring a starlit sky from a romantically intimate dinner, guests get to ponder the new wave.

Riad Sakkan

Opened just before the Covid-19 pandemic shuttered the doors on most of Marrakech’s small riads, Riad Sakkan makes a statement in a crowded marketplace.

When Claudia Amadeo and Mauro Violini began renovating their six-room riad, they wanted to inject a bit of Milano style into the experience. (Amadeo had spent years in fashion PR and came to Marrakech originally as a buyer.) Clean geometric lines, terrazzo floors, a plunge pool inlaid with brass tiles, and a sleek fireside hangout in the courtyard add up to a bold move away from Morocco’s traditionally more-is-more approach to decor — but it works, giving the space a refreshingly light and airy vibe. And unexpected extras like Mauro’s private Italian suppers (by reservation only) are a welcome treat after one too many tagines.

Numa Marrakech

When Claudia Amadeo and Mauro Violini began renovating their six-room riad, they wanted to inject a bit of Milano style into the experience.

It’s easy to tell when a hotelier loves hotels. It’s evident in every carefully considered detail, from the themes of the rooms to the lovingly collected treasures that grace them. Serene and dreamy, Philomena Schurer Merckoll’s riad is an ode to Marrakech and the people, past and present, who love it. From various artworks, including textile and paint pieces by Laurence Leenaert and a tapestry by Louis Barthélemy, to arrangements by local floral designer Yassab, playlists by local DJs, and Merckoll’s signature clementine martini, it’s little wonder Mena has become the darling of the art and design set for a low-key weekend spent mixing with the city’s creative wunderkinds.

Riad Mena & Beyond

It’s easy to tell when a hotelier loves hotels.

Cocooned within a 19th-century Arab-Andalusian mansion owned by French aristocrat Leonard Degoy, these are among the city’s most elegant and sophisticated rooms. Degoy was inspired by life at his family’s château, and he combines French sensibility and Moroccan architectural detailing with seamless precision — mixing family photos and heirlooms, antique furniture, and colonial rattan loungers with decadent touches like the twin-tubs bathroom in the junior suite, artfully manicured lawns, and orange-tree-lined patios. Adored by out-of-towners for serious relaxation, it’s also beloved by well-heeled Marrakech expat residents for a glamorous staycation. Note: Tarabel is strictly for the over-16s.

Tarabel

Cocooned within a 19th-century Arab-Andalusian mansion owned by French aristocrat Leonard Degoy, these are among the city’s most elegant and sophisticated rooms.

This 17th-century Saadian townhouse is about as intimate as a riad can get, with just four rooms and lots of living space. It was originally conceived as textile designer Valerie Barkowski’s home — her trademark hand-embroidered linens adorn every bed — and it retains that air, complemented with personal touches like her gold-lined bowler-hat pendant lamps and charpai daybeds imported from India for a snooze, or a massage offered on the roof terrace. Meanwhile, her cook dreams up seasonal, organic Moroccan dishes you’re not likely to find on restaurant menus, like sardines stuffed with mint. The arrival of a new spa, featuring Barkowski’s natural Moroccan beauty rituals, adds a welcome splash of at-home decadence.

Dar Kawa

This 17th-century Saadian townhouse is about as intimate as a riad can get, with just four rooms and lots of living space.

Riad BE is a wonderfully quirky riad that doesn’t shy away from making use of what it’s got. It’s not unusual in Morocco to see houses that have evolved over the decades to mix traditional zellige (hand-cut glazed tiles) with concrete and high-gloss porcelain tiles, which could easily fall on the wrong side of kitsch. But here at BE — a two-riad property, one flamboyant and festive, the other more pared back and understated — careful design and additional layers of traditional Moroccan textiles, pottery, basketwork, and raffia lanterns arranged around cooling courtyard pools make a blend that works to dazzling effect. A shout-out to their hammam, too, which nails authentic comfort just right.

Riad BE

Riad BE is a wonderfully quirky riad that doesn’t shy away from making use of what it’s got.

Once the central axis of a Caidal palace, Jasper Conran’s sexy little riad retains a stately air thanks to impeccable proportions, acres of white plaster, and lavish styling. In it find Conran’s own collection of antiques and artworks, carefully combined with candy-striped Moroccan textiles, intricately carved mashrabiya (cedarwood panels), cut-glass mirrors from Fez, and traditional brass lanterns that come together in a sumptuous celebration of his trademark style. They’ll also mix a perfect dry martini at the bar before presenting one of chef Bouchra’s now-legendary traditional Moroccan feasts.

L’Hotel Marrakech

Once the central axis of a Caidal palace, Jasper Conran’s sexy little riad retains a stately air thanks to impeccable proportions, acres of white plaster, and lavish styling.

There’s an otherworldliness to the Riad Jardin Secret that recalls a bygone era — an uncomplicated time when the very best places had a barefoot, rustic charm and the beauty of imperfection was left to work its magic on a world-weary soul. There’s no air-conditioning, TVs, or plunge pools, no bar or restaurant luring folks from outside. But there is birdsong, breakfast served whenever, an artists-in-residence studio, and a shady, overgrown courtyard and dusky-pink roof terrace — both idyllically peaceful spots for idling around, doing as the Parisian owners suggest: reading, sketching, and dreaming.

Riad Jardin Secret

There’s an otherworldliness to the Riad Jardin Secret that recalls a bygone era — an uncomplicated time when the very best places had a barefoot, rustic charm and the beauty of imperfection was left to work its magic on a world-weary soul.

With views of the surrounding Atlas Mountains above and groves of orange and lemon trees below, this idyllic retreat, about 30 minutes outside Marrakech, is a nice place to unwind after a few hectic days in the medina. The hotel was built in the Berber tradition, using rammed-mud walls, and its environmental credentials stand up: There are solar panels for underfloor heating, a water-recycling system, and an innovative biodigester that provides electricity and compost for the hotel and the village. The simple interiors are decorated with rugs, lanterns, pottery, and hand-carved furniture sourced from nearby villages. The property comprises 41 rooms spread out over the main building, gardens, and newly built retreat. There is a series of terraces, gardens, and courtyards where guests can dine at communal wooden tables or relax with a book and a pot of Moroccan tea. There’s also a secluded swimming pool and spa with treatments using native ingredients from a nearby organic garden. If guests do feel like leaving the peaceful property, the hotel is an ideal base for trekking through the Ourika Valley. 

Kasbah Bab Ourika

With views of the surrounding Atlas Mountains above and groves of orange and lemon trees below, this idyllic retreat, about 30 minutes outside Marrakech, is a nice place to unwind after a few hectic days in the medina.

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This desert town is blooming with greenery, from private courtyard gardens tucked deep into the medina  to the intoxicating Jardin Majorelle, now part of the Yves Saint Laurent foundation.

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Eat & Drink

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A nice respite from the busy souks, Le Jardin (another Laftimi spot) is literally a green oasis, with oversize banana trees offering shade, bright green walls, and green zellige tile floors. The kitchen serves classic mains like chicken tagine with olives, grilled lamb with eggplant and parsley, and grilled octopus, plus vegetarian-friendly plates like a roasted carrot salad with pistachios and mint. The upstairs terrace is lovely for dining, though it can get very hot in the summer. There’s also a small produce market at the café’s entrance. 

Le Jardin

A nice respite from the busy souks, Le Jardin (another Laftimi spot) is literally a green oasis, with oversize banana trees offering shade, bright green walls, and green zellige tile floors.

This Art Deco brasserie, housed in a former post office in the Gueliz district, is a great way to spend an afternoon. With its wooden ceiling fans, leather banquettes, and wicker chairs, the colonial-style café has served as a hub for both locals and travelers for almost a century. (It reopened in 2005 after being closed for a little over a decade.) The kitchen serves classics like salade Niçoise, grilled sardines, and roast chicken, plus there is a nice selection of Moroccan wines. 

Corner of Boulevard El Mansour Eddahbi and Avenue Imam Malik

Grand Café de la Poste

This Art Deco brasserie, housed in a former post office in the Gueliz district, is a great way to spend an afternoon.

Several years ago, Cassandra Karinsky, an Australian native of many trades and talents (she is also a rug dealer and stylist), teamed up with Sebastien de Gzell of Nomad to open this bright and breezy space. Their all-day café, decked out in midcentury lighting, marble-topped tables, and whitewashed walls, serves Australian café fare with Mediterranean and Asian flavors. Order the smoked trout salad with quinoa, the vegetable curry, or the chicken schnitzel sandwich, but make sure to save room for a slice of the fig polenta cake. 

Several years ago, Cassandra Karinsky, an Australian native of many trades and talents (she is also a rug dealer and stylist), teamed up with Sebastien de Gzell of Nomad to open this bright and breezy space.

Casablanca native chef Aniss Meski studied in France and then worked in Montreal for a decade before moving back to Marrakech to open this restaurant and deli. Mouton Noir (“Black Sheep”), which opened just before the pandemic, serves a wide-ranging menu of elevated fast food, like chicken fingers with labneh and habanero and grilled shrimp burgers, as well as updated classics like duck served with cherry vinegar and pistachios.  

Mouton Noir

Casablanca native chef Aniss Meski studied in France and then worked in Montreal for a decade before moving back to Marrakech to open this restaurant and deli.

In 2014 Laftimi joined forces with restaurateur Sebastian de Gzell to open this multistory restaurant with great views of the Place des Épices spice market from its rooftop terrace. The menu features international and vegetable-friendly dishes: a shaved cauliflower and fennel salad; calamari with a sauce of cumin, anchovy, and harissa, served with braised eggplant; and the signature spiced lamb burger with harissa-spiked mayonnaise. Don’t skip the date cake. Make reservations in advance, and keep in mind that no alcohol is served here. 

Nomad

In 2014 Laftimi joined forces with restaurateur Sebastian de Gzell to open this multistory restaurant with great views of the Place des Épices spice market from its rooftop terrace.

Nomad 

This old-school institution is set within an opulent 17th- and 18th-century palace in the medina that was renovated by the late expat designer Bill Willis — famous for championing Moroccan craftsmanship back in the 1970s. The interior, with its massive colored-glass lanterns, marble fountains, and velvet banquettes, is an enchanting backdrop for enjoying traditional Moroccan fare like couscous and tagines. Book dinner at one of the tables that surround the pool and order the Moroccan tasting menu to take it all in. 

Dar Yacout

This old-school institution is set within an opulent 17th- and 18th-century palace in the medina that was renovated by the late expat designer Bill Willis — famous for championing Moroccan craftsmanship back in the 1970s.

A few years ago, French jewelry designer Stéphanie Giribone opened her restaurant in a leafy courtyard fragrant with citrus trees. You need to dine early here because the menu is short — just a few vegetarian dishes, a salad, a pasta, and a focaccia pizza, made from the freshest local produce. The café also has a small boutique that sells objects from eye-shaped mirrors to brightly glazed ceramics designed by Giribone herself. 

La Famille

A few years ago, French jewelry designer Stéphanie Giribone opened her restaurant in a leafy courtyard fragrant with citrus trees.

Laftimi’s latest restaurant is an all-day affair located in the Gueliz district. The loftlike dining room (with an open-air kitchen) is decked out with zellige-tile mosaics, red lacquered chairs, and hanging woven basket lights. It’s an ideal spot for larger parties, which can share a variety of plates family-style, like the quinoa and shrimp salad and the sardine rillettes on toast. There are also dishes like falafel, lamb shank, and fish tagine. (This is the first spot of Laftimi’s that serves alcohol.) 

Le Kilim

Laftimi’s latest restaurant is an all-day affair located in the Gueliz district.

For authentic home-cooked couscous that’s a favorite with locals and visitors alike, head to Naïma, an unassuming spot in the medina with only five or six tables and an open kitchen. There’s no menu, so just ask for chicken couscous (one platter is big enough for two to share) and a glass of mint tea. 

Naïma Couscous

For authentic home-cooked couscous that’s a favorite with locals and visitors alike, head to Naïma, an unassuming spot in the medina with only five or six tables and an open kitchen.

Kamal Laftimi, who as a teenager worked his way up the ranks in local restaurants, opened this spot in 2007, marking the beginning of his culinary empire. This rooftop terrace, with excellent views of the Koutoubia Mosque and the Atlas Mountains beyond, is always bustling with diners lingering over traditional Moroccan food like mezes, couscous, and tagines as well as more fusion-style dishes like harissa lobster ravioli. For those looking for a break from Moroccan fare, there are Western standards like hamburgers and Caesar salad as well. Don’t miss La Pâtisserie by Terrasse two floors below, which offers fresh baked goods as well as a concept store stocked with local products from tablewares to argan oil. 

Terrace Des Espice

Kamal Laftimi, who as a teenager worked his way up the ranks in local restaurants, opened this spot in 2007, marking the beginning of his culinary empire.

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In recent years, a younger generation of Moroccans have stepped out of the shadows of the city’s expat creative scene and are making their own mark in art, fashion, and food.

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A newer, independent art space, MCC Gallery opened about three years ago in the medina but then moved last year into a bigger space in Sidi Ghanem, the city’s industrial zone. It launched there with a major inaugural show of the young Fez-born multidisciplinary artist Amine El Gotaibi, announcing their new mission statement to champion art from Africa and its diaspora. 

MCC Gallery

A newer, independent art space, MCC Gallery opened about three years ago in the medina but then moved last year into a bigger space in Sidi Ghanem, the city’s industrial zone.

Those with an interest in Moroccan textiles should visit Dar Si Said, officially the National Museum of Weaving & Carpets, in the medina. Formerly an opulent 19th-century residence with a lovely garden and an intricately decorated wedding chamber, it’s as curious for its preserved historical interiors as it is for its carpet collection.  

Dar Si Said

The Confluences Museum, opened in 2017, is located in a grand palace with ornate zellige surfaces and hand-painted ceilings that was once the home of Thami El Glaoui, pasha of Marrakech in the first half of the 20th century. Displayed throughout many of the rooms are historical Islamic objects related to the sciences and anthropology. 

The Confluences Museum

The Confluences Museum, opened in 2017, is located in a grand palace with ornate zellige surfaces and hand-painted ceilings that was once the home of Thami El Glaoui, pasha of Marrakech in the first half of the 20th century.

Thanks to a boom of new cultural institutions, in the past few years Marrakech has evolved into a vital international hub for contemporary design and art, with a particular focus on dynamic African artists. One of the leaders of this movement — and well worth a drive outside the city — is the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (MACAAL), which was officially launched in 2018 along with the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair. MACAAL is now one of two museums on the continent committed entirely to contemporary African art. Spearheaded by the Lazraq family of real estate developers, the not-for-profit institution has grown out of their impressive private collection, amassed over the past four decades, which includes works by 20th-century painter Moulay Ahmed Drissi and large-scale photographs from the late photographer Leila Alaoui.

 Museum of African Contemporary Art AL Maaden

Thanks to a boom of new cultural institutions, in the past few years Marrakech has evolved into a vital international hub for contemporary design and art, with a particular focus on dynamic African artists.

Museum of African Contemporary Art AL Maaden

The Yves Saint Laurent Museum, just a few minutes away from the Jardin Majorelle, has generated an extraordinary amount of global acclaim over the past few years. Designed by acclaimed Paris- and Marrakech-based Studio KO, the building is faced with simple red bricks to create a uniquely minimalist and textured façade that evokes woven fabric. Featured inside is a small but substantial exhibition of YSL gowns, an auditorium, an excellent bookshop specializing in fashion and Morocco, and a temporary exhibition space that typically features the work of Moroccan artisans or artists who have inspired Saint Laurent’s designs. 

Yves Saint Laurent Museum

The Yves Saint Laurent Museum, just a few minutes away from the Jardin Majorelle, has generated an extraordinary amount of global acclaim over the past few years.

Yves Saint Laurent Museum 

Marrakech is home to one of the world’s most celebrated house museums, though perhaps it’s more appropriate to call it a “garden museum”: the endlessly inspiring Jardin Majorelle. It was originally conceived by French painter Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s, who planted both native and exotic botanical specimens in the almost 100,000-square-foot space. In the 80s, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought the garden to rescue it from an impending real estate development project. (The couple had bought Majorelle’s villa, which they renamed the Villa Oasis, in 1974.) This shady retreat full of ponds, palms, cacti, bamboo, bougainvillea, and countless birds makes for an idyllic afternoon escape. 

Jardin Majorelle

Marrakech is home to one of the world’s most celebrated house museums, though perhaps it’s more appropriate to call it a “garden museum”: the endlessly inspiring Jardin Majorelle.

Jardin Majorelle 

Nathalie Locatelli has been a longtime influential force in promoting up-and-coming Moroccan photographers from her gallery, a converted apartment in an Art Deco building in Gueliz. She’s helped nurture young photographers, including Yasmina Bouziane and the late Leila Alaoui, who was known for her portraits of refugees and migrants across the region.

Galerie 127

Nathalie Locatelli has been a longtime influential force in promoting up-and-coming Moroccan photographers from her gallery, a converted apartment in an Art Deco building in Gueliz.

Another house museum worth visiting is the Farid Belkahia Museum, which opened in 2015. The foundation is in the La Palmeraie district, in Belkahia’s home and studio, where he, one of postcolonial Morocco’s most important modern artists, lived and worked for nearly 30 years. He is known for his paintings, metalwork, and leatherwork, all of which are on display here.  

Farid Belkahia Museum

Another house museum worth visiting is the Farid Belkahia Museum, which opened in 2015.

This 16th-century Islamic madrasa (college) is an awesome display of Moroccan and Andalusian design, architecture, and craftsmanship. It was a boys school until the 1960s and opened to the public about two decades later. After entering through a narrow hallway, visitors pass into a giant courtyard with a pool decorated with zellige mosaics, cedarwood friezes, and arabesque stucco arches. Stroll through the upper floors, which housed the students’ dormitories.

Ben Youssef Madrasa

This 16th-century Islamic madrasa (college) is an awesome display of Moroccan and Andalusian design, architecture, and craftsmanship.

This ancient palace (El Badi means “The Incomparable” in English), built in 1578 by the Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, was once home to 300 rooms decorated in gold, marble, turquoise, onyx, crystal, and other precious materials of the day. Visitors today will need to use their imagination to envision it in all its former splendor. The pool is often empty, and there are storks’ nests, but if you climb the ramparts at night, when the palace is lit by candles, the setting is quite magical. It’s no surprise then that it has been used for a Dior fashion show as well as for the large-scale installation of El Anatsui’s fabric pieces.  

El Badi Palace

This ancient palace (El Badi means “The Incomparable” in English), built in 1578 by the Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, was once home to 300 rooms decorated in gold, marble, turquoise, onyx, crystal, and other precious materials of the day. Visitors today will need to use their imagination to envision it in all its former splendor.

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Guides > Marrakech > What to Do

Carpetbagging HERO 

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Carpetbagging

Berber tribes have been weaving rugs for a millennium, and still top most visitors’ wish list of what to bring back home. Choosing the right one (or two) can be overwhelming. Here’s a primer with all the tricks and tips of the trade. 

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Where to Shop

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Morocco was especially strict during Covid lockdowns, leaving Marrakech without tourists for months at a time. It was devastating for many, but at the same time, it spawned a new movement in the city, with locals starting projects for themselves, rather than for tourists. Those projects are now among the most interesting spaces in the city, with MORO, a light-filled shopping complex exclusively selling products by Moroccan makers, as a prime example. MORO was created in 2020 when Mohcyn Bousfiha, an interior architect, and Mouad Bousfiha, an engineer and entrepreneur — who had previously collaborated on a natural skincare line called the Moroccans — decided to take over the lease of an old hotel property next to the Jardin Majorelle. The result is an all-day boutique shopping experience that includes a small courtyard with a pool, vegetarian café, yoga studio, textile workshop, and hotel suites. Trees grow through the center of the store, where you’ll find everything from glitzy jewelry by the Moroccan brand Zagora to, naturally, scented candles from the Moroccans.  

MORO

Morocco was especially strict during Covid lockdowns, leaving Marrakech without tourists for months at a time.

Guides > Marrakech > Where to Shop > Slider > all

Guides > Marrakech > Where to Shop

Marrakech has attracted visitors for nearly a millennium, from the camel caravans that brought gold and salt from the Sahara, to the artisans who helped build the city’s palaces and mosques, to Europe’s bohemians, who came to soak up the sun and lifestyle. Today, visitors still come for the beguiling souks, which are home to some of the best artisans in the world, but also for the sunny climes and the laid-back vibes.   


Shopping in Marrakech requires either a lot of restraint or at least two extra suitcases, especially when it comes to home decor.