What to See in Marrakech: the Must-See Sights from the Medina

Planning your trip? Start with our Discover Marrakech guide: itineraries, how many days, when to come and where to begin.

Whether it's your first time in Marrakech or a return trip, this guide covers what to visit and the main things to see: monuments, museums and gardens. Wondering how many days you need or the best area to stay to reach everything on foot? You'll find both below. Looking for activities and experiences rather than sights — the "what to do" side? See our separate guide to things to do in Marrakech.

All the sights to see, and how far on foot

The big advantage of staying in the medina is proximity: most monuments are a few minutes' walk away. Here are the real walking distances from Riad Vendôme.

Monument / place	Distance	Walking time	What you'll see
Medina souks	250 m	3 min	Crafts, spices, leather, carpets — the heart of Marrakshi life
Museum of Confluences	150 m	2 min	Former Pasha's palace, contemporary art and heritage
Ben Youssef Madrasa	400 m	5 min	A jewel of 16th-century Islamic architecture
Maison de la Photographie	500 m	6 min	Moroccan photography 1870-1960, rooftop with medina views
Jemaa El-Fna Square	1 km	7 min	Storytellers, musicians, food stalls — UNESCO
Koutoubia Mosque	800 m	10 min	Iconic 12th-century minaret, gardens
Bahia Palace	1.2 km	15 min	19th-century palace, gardens and zellige
Saadian Tombs	1.5 km	18 min	16th-century royal necropolis
Jardin Majorelle	2 km	5 min taxi	Yves Saint Laurent garden, Berber museum
Menara Airport	7 km	20 min taxi	Arranged transfer: €15

Taxi rank 100 m away for more distant sites (Jardin Majorelle) and excursions.

Which area to stay in and visit everything on foot?

To string visits together without wasting time and sleep in peace, the choice of area is decisive. Dar El Bacha offers the best compromise.

Area	Jemaa El-Fna	Souks	Quiet	Note
Dar El Bacha ⭐	7 min	3 min	Very quiet	Best compromise of proximity / tranquillity
Mouassine	5 min	2 min	Medium	Very touristy, noisy in the evening
Kasbah	15 min	12 min	Quiet	Far out, taxi often needed
Mellah	10 min	10 min	Medium	Historic Jewish quarter, less charming
Bab Doukkala	12 min	8 min	Quiet	Off-centre, little of touristic interest nearby

The attractions not to miss

Jemaa El-Fna Square & souks. The beating heart of Marrakech and a UNESCO-listed site, the square is calm in the morning and comes alive at dusk: storytellers, snake charmers, Gnaoua musicians, henna artists and street-food stalls serving grilled meats, snail soup and fresh orange juice. For the best view, have a mint tea on one of the rooftop terraces overlooking the square. Right next to it begin the souks, a maze of covered lanes organised by trade — Souk Semmarine for fabrics and babouches, the dyers' souk, the ironmongers and the spice market. Haggling is expected and part of the experience. Best visited late afternoon; a 7- and 3-minute walk from the riad.

Ben Youssef Madrasa. Once the largest Quranic school in North Africa, this 16th-century college housed up to 900 students in its small upstairs cells. Beautifully restored and reopened in 2022, it is one of the city's finest examples of Islamic architecture: a central marble courtyard with a reflecting pool, walls of intricate zellige tilework, carved stucco and sculpted cedar wood. Allow about 45 minutes; it is quietest at opening time. Combine it with the nearby Almoravid Koubba and the Marrakech Museum on the same square. A 5-minute walk away.

Koutoubia Mosque. The 12th-century minaret, 77 metres high, is the tallest in Marrakech and the model for Seville's Giralda and Rabat's Hassan Tower. The mosque interior is reserved for worshippers, but the surrounding rose gardens and the floodlit minaret at night are open to all and make a lovely stroll. It serves as the city's main landmark for finding your way back to Jemaa El-Fna. Visible from the riad's rooftop, a 10-minute walk away.

Bahia Palace & Saadian Tombs. South of the medina, the Bahia Palace (late 19th century) was built for a grand vizier and unfolds over flowered courtyards, a marble grand court, painted cedar ceilings and some of the finest zellige in Morocco; allow an hour and go early to avoid the tour groups. Nearby, the Saadian Tombs hold a royal necropolis sealed in the 18th century and rediscovered only in 1917, its Hall of Twelve Columns considered a masterpiece of Saadian art. The two sit close together in the Kasbah district and pair naturally in one outing. A 15- and 18-minute walk away.

Jardin Majorelle. Created over forty years by French painter Jacques Majorelle and later saved by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, this botanical garden is famous for its cobalt-blue villa (Majorelle Blue), bamboo groves and collection of cacti from five continents. The same site houses the Berber Museum and sits beside the YSL Museum, easy to combine. Tickets are timed and sell out — book online and arrive early. A short taxi ride (5 min). Book ahead in high season.

Dar El Bacha Palace & Maison de la Photographie. A stone's throw from the riad, the Dar El Bacha Palace (Museum of Confluences) was the residence of Pasha Thami El Glaoui, who once hosted Churchill and Charlie Chaplin here; its restored patio and the elegant Bacha Coffee house, where coffee was first served in Marrakech, are highlights. A little further, the Maison de la Photographie gathers more than 8,000 vintage photographs of Morocco from 1870 to 1960 and crowns it all with a panoramic rooftop café over the medina rooftops to the Atlas. Both are within a few minutes' walk, making them the easiest first stop from the riad.

Your base in the centre of everything: Riad Vendôme

To visit Marrakech with ease, nothing beats an address in the centre of the medina. Riad Vendôme & Spa, in Dar El Bacha, puts the main monuments a few minutes' walk away, with a pool, hammam and jacuzzi to recover between visits. Discover our location or book your stay.

Tracing Jewish Marrakech? See our Jewish heritage riad & roots trips guide (Mellah, synagogue, kosher-friendly).