Travel Guide Pocket Marrakesh

By Helen Ranger

Lonely Planet's Pocket Marrakesh is your guide to the city's best experiences and local life - neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Plunge headfirst into the mayhem of Djemaa el-Fna, discover hidden alleyways, and admire the artistry of Bahia Palace; all with your trusted travel companion. Uncover the best of Marrakesh and make the most of your trip!

Inside Lonely Planet's Pocket Marrakesh:

Full-colour maps and travel photography throughout

Highlights and itineraries help you tailor a trip to your personal needs and interests

Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots

Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices

Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss

Convenient pull-out Marrakesh map plus over 13 colour neighbourhood maps

User-friendly layout with helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time

Covers El-Fna, Mouassine and Bab Doukkala, the Central Souqs, Riad Zitoun and Kasbah, Ville Nouvelle, Palmeraie and more

The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's Pocket Marrakesh, an easy-to-use guide filled with top experiences - neighbourhood by neighbourhood - that literally fits in your pocket. Make the most of a quick trip to Marrakesh with trusted travel advice to get you straight to the heart of the city.

Looking for more extensive coverage? Check out Lonely Planet's Morocco guide for a comprehensive look at all that the country has to offer.

eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones)

Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges

Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews

Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience

Seamlessly flip between pages

Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash

Embedded links to recommendations' websites

Zoom-in maps and photos

Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing

About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and phrasebooks for 120 languages, and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, videos, 14 languages, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more, enabling you to explore every day.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Release date: Feb 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9781837582839

Book preview

Front CoverFull Page Samplerbutton

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to Marrakesh

Top Experiences

Dining Out

Treasure Hunt

Art & Design

Spas & Hammams

Courses & Tours

Responsible Travel

Amazigh Culture

Bar Open

Country Getaways

For Kids

Four Perfect Days

Need to Know

Marrakesh Neighbourhoods

Explore Marrakesh

Djemaa El Fna & Southern Central Medina

Mouassine & Central Souqs

Kâat Ben Nahid & Bab Debbagh

Kasbah & Mellah

Bab Doukkala & Riad Laârous

Gueliz & Ville Nouvelle

Survival Guide

Before You Go

Arriving in Marrakesh

Getting Around

Essential Information

Language

Behind the Scenes

Our Writer

Welcome to Marrakesh

Prepare to be dazzled by the city that has it all. From the razzamatazz of Djemaa El Fna to museums grand and small, glorious riads, entrancing souqs, tranquil gardens, a vibrant food scene and a dash of new city glamour – once you have succumbed to the charms of the Red City, it’s hard to let go.

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Souq near Djemaa El Fna | LAYNE KENNEDY/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

1 Join the carnival at Djemaa El Fna

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PAVLIHA/GETTY IMAGES ©

1 Gawp at the superb Ben Youssef Medersa

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BURAK BUDAK/SHUTTERSTOCK © | PAVLIHA/GETTY IMAGES ©

1 Wander through Jardin Majorelle

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DEL BOY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

1 Take in the grandeur of Bahia Palace

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SAIKO3P/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

1 Discover old Marrakesh at Maison de la Photographie

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CHRIS GRIFFITHS/LONELY PLANET ©

1 Marvel at Koutoubia Mosque

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MAURIZIO DE MATTEI/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

1 Swat up on carpets at Dar Si Said

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MICHAEL BIGGS/GETTY IMAGES ©

1 Appreciate design at Musée Yves Saint Laurent

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PALEPHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

1 Explore the Saadian Tombs

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JON CHICA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Dining Out

Marrakesh’s culinary scene is one of the country’s most exciting and diverse. That said, since traditionally Marrakshis don’t eat out often, most medina restaurants are aimed squarely at the tourist market, and meals can be hit-and-miss. In middle-class Gueliz, there’s more of a local dining vibe with both Moroccan and international restaurants.

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CURIOSO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Street Food

Streetside snacking is a way of life in Marrakesh, so don’t be afraid to jump in. Busy souq workers with no time for a long lazy lunch head to a snak (street stall; pictured) to feast on peppery merguez (spicy sausage), teyhan (stuffed spleen) and brochettes (kebabs). Hot spots in the medina (besides Djemaa El Fna) include just south of Place Ben Youssef in the souqs, Rue de la Kasbah and the western end of Rue Bab Doukkala.

Riad Dadas

The dadas (cooks) who work in the medina’s riads are the unsung heroes of Marrakesh’s culinary scene. Many riads open up their courtyard or rooftop restaurant to nonguests so you can sample different cooks’ takes on Moroccan specialities. In nearly all cases, you have to book ahead because of both limited seating and so the dada can plan the menu in advance.

Best Cheap Eats

Zeitoun Cafe Always buzzing for its delicious food, overlooking Djemaa El Fna.

Marrakech Henna Art Cafe Good-value sandwiches and Berber omelettes.

Chez Kamal & Brahim A local grill stand that moonlights as a tourist restaurant.

Best Vegan & Vegetarian

La Famille Three-course menu of the freshest souq produce served under the lemon trees.

Mandala Society Innovative, organic Moroccan/Icelandic menu and fair-trade coffee.

World Storytelling Café Listen to stories over tapas, soups and vegetable dishes.

Best Global Eats

+61 Freshest ingredients in inventive dishes served in light-filled, airy surroundings.

I Limoni Excellent pasta dishes served up in this citrus-tree-shaded courtyard.

Vita Nova Good Italian dishes including home-made pasta, with a glass of wine.

Best Local Faves

Amal Center Cooking with a cause – one of Marrakesh’s top lunch spots.

Naima Superior couscous made fresh daily.

Mechoui Alley Slow-roasted lamb straight from the pit oven.

Best Modern Moroccan

L’Mida Delightful riff on local cuisine.

Terrasse des Épices Great twists on Moroccan favourites on a sunny rooftop.

Le Jardin Greenery and birdsong add to the delicious menu of classics and new ideas.

Best Riad Dining

La Table Al Badia Dinner menus concocted from what’s available in the medina souqs.

Pepe Nero Charming service and courtyard dining beside the pool with both classic Italian and Moroccan menus.

La Table du Palais Candle-lit meals under a canopy of palms.

Dining-Out Details

A Alcohol is becoming more accepted in medina restaurants, but most still don’t serve it.

A Book ahead for top-end restaurants and trendy spots, particularly in peak season (March to May and October to December).

Treasure Hunt

Marrakesh is one of the world’s great shopping destinations. The full gamut of Moroccan crafts – both traditional and contemporary – can be found here, and few travellers return from a trip empty-handed. In the souqs, haggling is the name of the game, but some medina boutiques and all the Gueliz design shops have fixed prices.

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HEMIS/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©

Souq 101

‘Souq’ means ‘market’, but when locals refer to ‘the souqs’, they mean the maze of market streets north of Djemaa El Fna and southwest of Musée de Marrakech. Prices are at their most expensive in Souq Semmarine (Leather Souq), the main thoroughfare from Djemaa El Fna, because of the high price of real estate (and tourist traffic) on the main drag. Products here often come from specialist souqs just a few streets away.

It is always better to buy in dedicated souqs, especially carpets, metalware and leatherwork. The smaller qissariat (covered markets) between Souq Smata and Souq Nejarine usually have lower-priced crafts. The streets south of Djemaa El Fna, Riads Zitoun El Kedim and Jedid can be more pleasant places to shop, but the choice isn’t quite as broad.

Best for Modern Design

Souq Cherifia Young designers pitch their claim on the upper balcony selling quirky accessories and homeware.

Different. The medina goes hipster at this fun fashion and accessories boutique.

Wafl Design Tongue-in-cheek prints, t-shirts and homewares with sassy slogans.

Best for Beauty

Aromatimri Organic essential oils, argan and prickly pear oils and face and body treatments.

Naturom Heavenly potions and lotions, all fully organic and locally made.

L’Art du Bain Savonnerie Artisanale Luxurious soapy stuff with Moroccan scents.

Best Co-op Shopping

Assouss Cooperative d’Argane Gorgeous argan oils to slather over skin, sold by a women’s cooperative.

Al Nour Delicately embroidered cotton clothing, stitched by artisans with disabilities.

Best for Carpets

Bibi Art Three-storey carpet emporium that employs its own Atlas Mountain weavers.

Soufiane Zarib Towers of carpets in a cavernous showroom, with production overseen and quality controlled by the designer.

Best for Fashion

Sissi Morocco Unique silky-soft tees featuring sepia photos of Amazigh (Berber) tribal women. (pictured)

Norya Ayron Floaty caftans in bold prints and silky fabrics so you can always feel you’re in Morocco.

Les Marrisiennes Playful prints use Moroccan icons such as babouches (leather slippers) and fez hats.

33 Rue Majorelle The best selection of local designers in the city, no question.

Worth a Trip

If you dream of kitting out your house like a Marrakesh riad, head 4km out of the central city to the industrial district of Sidi Ghanem. Here the streets are crammed with local designer factory outlets and showrooms selling modern spins on Moroccan ceramics, textiles and beauty products, as well as traditional crafts. Negotiate a taxi rate of Dh300 to Dh350 for the round trip from the medina, and pick up a map of the quarter at an open showroom.

Art & Design

Marrakesh is a city steeped in ancient artistry. Palaces are a riot of mosaics, painted wood and carved decoration; riads display intricate plasterwork and textiles. These craft traditions are kept alive by the modern artisans of the souqs and also inspire the contemporary art and design scene, well established in Gueliz and now storming through the medina.

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HOLGER LEUE/GETTY IMAGES ©

Traditional Techniques

Tour any historic monument in Marrakesh and its opulent interiors are guaranteed to inspire artistic reverence. The palaces are a riot of zellige (colourful geometric mosaic tilework), muqarnas (decorative plaster vaulting) and zouak (painted wood). Also look out for tadelakt, a satiny, hand-polished limestone plaster used in riads that is now employed in contemporary ceramics.

Contemporary Art

Trailblazing Marrakesh is the centre of Morocco’s small but growing modern-art scene. Marrakesh’s contemporary artists merge abstract with tribal art forms and Arabic calligraphy and motifs. Gueliz has become a hive of independent art galleries, and the 1-54 (Contemporary African Art Fair; 1-54.com), held at La Mamounia in February, attracts around 6000 visitors a year.

Best for Artists at Work

Ensemble Artisanal Head here for a gander at local craftspeople and artisans at work. (pictured)

Souq Haddadine The medina’s blacksmiths have their workshops here.

Best Galleries

Comptoir des Mines Galerie Gueliz’ biggest and best contemporary art gallery is inside this three-floor, art deco building.

Musée de la Palmeraie Large collection of modern Moroccan sketches, paintings and sculpture in lovely gardens.

Musée Farid Belkahia Well-curated selection of works from one of Morocco’s most lauded 20th-century artists.

Maison de la Photographie A glorious photographic journey through Moroccan landscapes and community heritage.

Dar Bellarj Old stork hospital converted into a nonprofit community art centre.

MACMA Traces the history and artistic vibrations of Morocco through photo graphy and the decorative arts.

Best Artisan Interiors

Bahia Palace It ain’t called ‘The Beautiful’ for nothing, you know.

Saadian Tombs