Marrakech sights and landmarks guide

Despite being only the third largest city in Morocco after Rabat and Casablanca, exotic Marrakech is one of the most exciting destinations in North Africa. Once a stop on the caravan routes, Marrakech has acquired the fame of being a city where you can find anything, a merchant paradise where precious objects litter the stalls of the bazaar. Although much has changed since then in Marrakech, the city has retained its aura of mystery. The old town is the living proof of the city’s history. Modern technology is just as much at home in Marrakech as colonial houses and traditional Arabic dwellings, but luckily, these very different aspects are not mixed. The medina still looks like a place out of a tale from the Arabian Nights, while Ville Nouvelle, or Gueliz, the modern neighborhood is a bustling anthill of stores and businesses. This Marrakech Sights Guide will help you discover some of the city’s wonders.

Marrakech Sights Guide – Architecture and Notable Buildings

The medina or the old city of Marrakech is the kind of neighborhood with cramped, winding streets, ornate arcades and little shops that makes you spend all day wandering. The heart of the medina is Djemaa El-Fna, a square that has been for ages the meeting point of local artists. There are people who make a living in the square, like the musicians beating their drums and playing their flutes for some spare change, countless merchants selling fruit, delicacies and hand-made items, snake-charmers and henna artists.

To regale your nose (and eyes), go to one of the many souks or markets where you can find every possible spice, fruit or vegetable on the continent. Be careful when bargaining, though, foreigners are likely to be charged more than locals.

There is plenty of traditional Islamic architecture to be admired in Marrakech. Koutoubia Mosque is the most beautiful mosque in the city. Located in Dejamaa El-Fna, Koutoubia offers an impressive sight at night when it is so beautifully lit that it can be seen even from Gueliz. The Saadian Tombs are a must-see for any amateur historian. Discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, this mausoleum is an example of Moroccan art at its finest.

Marrakech Sights Guide – Parks and Museums

If you want to take a short break from the anthill that is the medina, spend a few quiet hours in Majorelle Garden, a peaceful oasis of green. The garden is home to thousands of plant species from across the globe, and also to the Museum of Islamic Art. If the works of art displayed here have caught your interest, you should pop back to Djemaa El-Fnac and visit the Dar Si Saïd Museum, established in a breathtaking serai and hosting masterpieces of Moroccan art.

El Bahia Palace is more recent than other historical buildings in the city. The palace was built in the 19th century and parts of it are still inhabited by members of the royal family. This Marrakech Sights Guide recommends that you visit the palace’s Harem Courtyard, you might even recognize it from a few films that were shot at the palace.