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Marrakech Culture & history

Our most recommended Marrakech Culture & history

From Marrakech: Day Trip to Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou

1. From Marrakech: Day Trip to Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou

Discover local village, natural landscapes, and Kasbah Ait Benhaddou fortress on this day trip from Marrakech. Travel in an airconditioned van or car and stay connected with wi-fi access as you drive. Uncover movie-magic with a stop at the Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate.  Start your day trip with pickup from your Marrakech accommodation from 7-8 AM. Hop inside a spacious and comfortable vehicle and soak up the scenery as you travel into the Atlas Mountains. Immerse yourself in local culture with a stop at the small village ofAit Ben Barka near the hilly countryside of Toufliht. Explore the area with your driver and learn about the schedule sights for your trip. Have some free time for a break before crossing the the Tizi n'Tichka pass. Stop to capture pictures of mountain peaks on the pass from 7,415 feet above sea level (2,260 meters). Continue on to the Atlas Film Studios at Ouarzazate, the largest film studio in the world which famously featured in the TV series Game of Thrones. Spend some free time to visit the studios or to explore on your own. Take some pictures of the unique rugged local landscapes in the area. After the studio, you purchase lunch at one of the best restaurants in the area, with excellent prices and stunning panoramic views.  Finally, head to the famous Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, which is recognized as a UNESCO site and one of the most extraordinary kasbahs (fortresses) in Morocco. End your day of scenic views and memories by relaxing in your comfortable air-conditioned vehicle on your drive back to your hotel in Marrakech.

Bahia & Badii Palaces & Saadian Tombs Skip-the-Line Tour

2. Bahia & Badii Palaces & Saadian Tombs Skip-the-Line Tour

Discover this medieval desert enclave's beautiful and spectacular treasures on a guided walking tour.  Stroll through the old Marrakech medina with an expert local guide as you discover an array of hidden gems. Benefit from skip-the-line access to the Bahia & Badii Palaces, then pay an optional visit to the Saadian Tombs. Begin your walking tour by passing the ruins of Sultan Ahmed El Mansour's 16th-century Grand Badi Palace. Catch a glimpse of the former affluence of this majestic city. Learn about how, at the height of its glory, the palace was considered the 8th wonder of the world. Then, continue your tour to the Bahia Palace - the jewel in the crown of Marrakech and a monument of breathtaking magnificence. Enter the monument with skip-the-line admission.  As you explore inside, find out how it was constructed in the latter part of the 19th century and took the most skilled workers and artisans 6 years to complete. Finally, pay an optional visit to the Saadian Tombs, sealed for centuries until their rediscovered in 1917. Hear about how the tombs date back to the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur. See the two main mausoleums within the enclosure, consisting of 66 tombs with 100 more lying outside the gardens.

From Marrakech: Essaouira & Atlantic Coast Full-Day Trip

3. From Marrakech: Essaouira & Atlantic Coast Full-Day Trip

Experience the bohemian vibe of Essaouira on the Atlantic coast on a full-day tour from Marrakech. Transfer by air-conditioned vehicle across west Morocco, enjoying views of the arid landscape and argan trees en route. Stop at the town of Chichaoua for coffee. Arrive in Essaouira approximately 2 hours after your departure from Marrakech. Get your 1st views of more than 6 miles (10 kilometers) of golden beaches, popular with surfers for the constant, bracing winds. Once in Essaouira you are free to explore the medina and Portuguese architecture on your own. Alternatively, meet your local guide for a 1.5-hour tour of the Skala du Port and bastion southeast of the medina.  Stroll the labyrinthine streets of the medina, hearing traditional Gnaoua Muic music on every corner. Watch artisans at work, crafting thuya wood crafts. Continue to the fishing port to see the fishermen selling their catch of the day. Taste fresh seafood over lunch in the port. Then, take a walk along the beach before your transfer back to Marrakech.  En route, stop at an argan oil cooperative to see how the Berber ladies process the traditional argan oil, known locally as “liquid gold.”

Marrakech: Bahia Palace Skip-the-Line Tour

4. Marrakech: Bahia Palace Skip-the-Line Tour

Discover the most distinctive sites of Marrakech on a 1.5hour private guided tour with a professional guide. Start the tour with a stroll through the Medina (Old Town). Then, visit the El Bahia Palace where you will enter with skip-the-line tickets. Immerse yourself in Morocco's imperial history as you explore this grandiose royal residence built for the Grand Vizier Sultan Moulay El Hassan I. The palace features fountains, pleasure gardens, extraordinary living quarters, and several shady courtyards which are closed to the public. However, visitors can enter the apartments of the Vizier's favorite concubine and the council chamber. Admire the illuminated cedarwood ceiling and tiled walls, then marvel at the expansive marbled central courtyard with its many fountains and zelliges.

Marrakech: Half-Day Historical and Cultural Tour

5. Marrakech: Half-Day Historical and Cultural Tour

Enjoy a private, half-day excursion through bustling Marrakech begins after meeting your guide in front of the Café de France, an iconic landmark on Marrakech’s main square.  Discover the majesty and vibrancy of Marrakech’s medina, beginning with a jaunt across the Jemaa el-Fnaa square to the Koutobia Mosque. Gaze at the mosque’s massive minaret, the largest in Marrakech, as your expert guide informs you of the stunning building’s history. Onwards, you’ll head towards the Saadian Tombs, sealed for centuries until their rediscovery in 1917. Marvel at the ornate carvings in a Hispano-Moorish style that frame the crypts of the 16-century royal family.  Afterwards, head to the equally ornate Bahia Palace, a 19th-century royal dwelling intended to be the most splendid palace of its time. Gaze at the elaborately-painted ceilings, manicured gardens replete with fruit trees, and elaborate stucco patterns adorning almost every surface of the building. To cap the tour off, you’ll wander through the buzzing souks, with their wide array of local artisans and craftspeople, your guide showing you insider tips about the best stalls.  The tour ends back at the Jemaa el-Fnaa square, where hundreds of locals meet every day to enjoy the storytellers, musicians, snake charmers, acrobats, jugglers, and performers of each and every sort.

Marrakech: Overnight Sahara Tour to Zagora & Ait Ben Haddou

6. Marrakech: Overnight Sahara Tour to Zagora & Ait Ben Haddou

Discover Ouarzazate and Zagora on this 2-day trip from Marrakech. Visit the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou fortress and admire stunning views of the Atlas mountains. Ride camel through the Sahara during the sunset. Savor a local dinner and breakfast and stay overnight in a tent at the Zagora dunes.  Day 1: Begin with early-morning pickup from Marrakech. Travel through the dessert sandstone city of Ouarzazate. Stop at the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, where you will have free time to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue to the verdant Draa Valley, which is well-known for its amazing ksour and kasbah. Head to Zagora and make your way to the windswept dunes for a sunset camel ride. Make camp at a campsite in the Zagora dunes and enjoy a hearty dinner of local flavors. Day 2: Wake early morning for a typical Berber breakfast before watching the sunrise from the back of your camel in the dunes. Board the bus and take the road back to Marrakech through the High Atlas Mountains.

From Marrakesh: Essaouira Guided Day Trip

7. From Marrakesh: Essaouira Guided Day Trip

Discover the Atlantic city of Essaouira on a full-day guided tour from Marrakech. Following pickup from your accommodation in Marrakech and along the way, stop to take pictures of goats climbing argan trees and visit an argan oil cooperative to learn how this healthy oil is produced. Upon arrival at Essaouira, follow your guide and explore Essaouira’s most important monuments, such as the old fish market and seaport, the old medina where the labyrinth of streets is lined with heavy wooden doors and whitewashed houses. See the 16th-century ramparts of Essaouria from where you'll be able to see astonishing views of the Atlantic Ocean. After the guided tour of the city, you will have free time for lunch at a place of your choice as well as time to relax on the beach.

Marrakech: 2-Day Zagora Desert & Kasbah Ait Benhaddou Tour

8. Marrakech: 2-Day Zagora Desert & Kasbah Ait Benhaddou Tour

Explore Ouarzazate and Zagora on a 2-day trip from Marrakech. Visit the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou and admire the Atlas Mountains. Ride a camel to the campsite and savor a local dinner and breakfast. Stay overnight in a private tent at the Zagora dunes. Choose from a tour with a standard or a luxury tent. Day 1: Atlas Mountains, Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, and Zagora Following pickup from your hotel or riad in Marrakesh, begin by crossing the high atlas mountains via the Tizi N’ Tichka pass. Stop at the UNESCO world heritage kasbah fortress of Ait Ben Haddou where you will have free time to visit this Heritage Site. After a lunch break, continue to the verdant Draa Valley, which is well-known for its amazing kasbah fortresses. Head to Zagora and make your way to the windswept dunes. Watch the sunset while riding a camel to the campsite in the Zagora dunes. Delight in a delicious local dinner. Spend the night in a private standard or luxury tent under the stars. Day 2: Zagora, Draa Valley, and Ouarzazate On the second day, wake up early to enjoy a spectacular sunrise view followed by a typical Berber breakfast. You can then opt to take part in a camel trek journey back to meet your driver. Drive back to Marrakech through the High Atlas Mountains.

Marrakech: 3-Hour Biking Tour

9. Marrakech: 3-Hour Biking Tour

In the Medina of Marrakech it is not always easy to find your way. This is why it is best to have a biking guide to show you the best places of the area, making you feel like the area is yours. Just biking through Marrakech itself will make you feel like a sultan as you discover the inside of this ancient and imperial city. Biking along the medieval red-clay city walls in particular is sure to make your Marrakech visit an extraordinary experience. Throughout your tour you will pass by various monuments and interesting buildings which might be worthwhile to explore in depth once you have finished your first exploration of the city. At the conclusion of your experience, you will return to your point of origin.

From Marrakech: Imperial Cities of Morocco 3-Day Tour

10. From Marrakech: Imperial Cities of Morocco 3-Day Tour

Join a 3-day tour from Marrakesh that covers the highlights of Morocco's historic imperial cities of Fez, Rabat, Chefchaouen, and Casablanca. Travel in the comfort of a private vehicle, benefit from the undivided attention of your local guide, and spend 2 nights in a comfortable hotel. Day 1: Marrakech – Béni Mellal – Azrou - Ifran – Fez Depart Marrakech and cross the Atlas Mountains, in a green environment populated by baboon monkeys. Surrounded by colorful fields and hills, the road leads to the dam of Beni Mellal. Stop to make beautiful photos in the cedar forest, then drive to one of the world’s cleanest and most fascinating cities, Ifrane, known in Morocco as “Little Switzerland.” Enjoy a quick city tour around Fez before heading to your half-board hotel for the night. Day 2: Fez – Chefchaouen Following breakfast at your hotel, get ready to continue your visit by the labyrinthine streets of Fez and explore the oldest medina of Morocco built in the 7th century with its Souks, palaces, mosques, Koranic schools, and Mellah. Travel through the mountains of Rif to the beautiful Berber city of Chefchaouen. Accompanied by your guide, spend your time exploring the whitewashed streets of Chaouen, animated by the beautifully dressed locals. Spend the night in a local riad. Day 3: Chefchaouen – Rabat – Casablanca - Marrakech Head to Rabat to explore the capital of Morocco and the residence of the king. Visit the Hassan Tower with its mausoleum of King Mohammed V. Then it’s on to Casablanca for a visit to the majestic Hassan II mosque, the largest mosque in the world.

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Frequently asked questions about Marrakech

What top attractions are a must-see in Marrakech?

What are the best day trips and excursions from Marrakech?

The best day trips and excursions from Marrakech are:

Essaouira

Other Sightseeing Options in Marrakech

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What people are saying about Marrakech

Overall rating

4.2 / 5

based on 4,112 reviews

Very enjoyable tour.Tour Guide was excellent....The weather was awful but despite that the guide managed to get us to all the places with so much facts and history .All delivered very passionately. Sorry cannot remember the name of the guide.

We had a few issues with the bus breaking down but that wasn’t their fault. The guide and driver still got us to our destination and we had a great day.

Great experience. Tour guide was very informative with excellent English.. it's a long day but well worth it. Would highly recommend this tour.

The trip was really good organized, the guide was excellent, very kind and helpfull. Also the lunch was prepared (must pay extra).

Great Trip, very friendly and safe driver! Recommending it 100%