AfricaMarrakech
Spice-souk haze, snowcapped Atlas peaks, and mint tea poured high.
Why visit
01 / 10The case for going
Marrakech hits every sense at once: a walled medina of dye pits, lantern workshops and the night-market smoke of Jemaa el-Fna.
An hour up the road the High Atlas flips the script, with snow-dusted Berber villages, mule tracks and valleys where the loudest thing is the river.
What to do
02 / 10Ways to spend a day
Activities €70–150 total
- 01Watch Jemaa el-Fna erupt into a food-and-music circus at dusk. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 02Hike the Ourika Valley to its waterfalls. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 03Learn a tagine from scratch in a cooking class. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 04Thread the dyers' and spice souks of the medina. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 05Cool off in the cobalt Jardin Majorelle. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 06Trek from the Berber village of Imlil into the High Atlas. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
Book activities & tickets
Spice-souk haze, snowcapped Atlas peaks, and mint tea poured high.
Where to stay
03 / 10The right base
Accommodation €30–60/night
In Marrakech
Medina
the walled old city, riads and souks
Gueliz
the modern new town, cafes and boutiques
In High Atlas
Imlil
mountain village, the Toubkal trailhead
Find a place to stay
How to get there
04 / 10Easiest way in
How to get around
05 / 10Once you land
Inside Marrakech, walk the medina and grab a grand taxi between the old town and Gueliz. For the mountains, a shared grand taxi or private driver to Imlil runs 40 to 60 EUR one way and takes about 1.5 hours.
Get around
What to eat
06 / 10Order this
Food €20–35/day
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Chicken tagine
with preserved lemon
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Tanjia
slow-cooked clay-pot beef
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Harira
tomato-lentil soup
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Mint tea
sweet poured high
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Zaalouk
smoky aubergine dip
By the numbers
07 / 10Cards on the table
Safety index
72/100
General guide, not advisory data
Best seasons
Spring · Fall
When it's at its best
Stay for
4 days
The sweet spot
Daily spend
$$
Mid-range
How to fit in
08 / 10Read the room
Get lost in the medina on purpose by day, then come back to Jemaa el-Fna at dusk when the food stalls and gnawa drummers take over. Bargain slowly over a glass of mint tea, and start the Atlas trails from Imlil early to beat the midday heat.
How to pack
09 / 10What goes in the bag
Best in Spring
Spring: warm sunny days around 20 to 28C in the city, fresh at 12 to 20C up in the mountains.
- sturdy shoes for souks and mountain trails
- light layers for warm days and cool nights
- a wide-brimmed hat for the sun
- a daypack for the Atlas day-trip
- a refillable water bottle
How to prepare
10 / 10The boring bits
Three things worth sorting before you fly.
Tomorrow's detour
One place worth the trip.
Hand-picked, one a day.