Best Things To Do In Marrakech
1. Bahia Palace
The construction of the palace lasted more than a decade and was completed by the great vizier of Sultan Abdelaziz Si Moussa. In the late 19th century, the palace fell into the hands of Abu Bou Ahmed, a black slave turned vizier who gave the building its present appearance.
The palace is spread over 8 hectares and houses 150 rooms that overlook different courtyards and gardens. The most interesting part of the Bahia Palace is the harem of the 4 wives and 24 concubines of Abu Bou Ahmed.
The name of the palace means in English the beautiful. Several theories exist around its meaning: it could be in reference to the palace or to the vizier’s favorite woman, the translation would be in this case «The Palace of Beauty».
2. The Saâdian Tombs
The Saâdian Tombs are among the most visited places in Marrakech. They were opened to the public in 1917, the year of their discovery.
These tombs date from the end of the 16th century and are located in a closed garden, which can be accessed through a small corridor.
You can discover in this same garden, more than 100 tombs decorated with mosaics where servants and warriors of the Saadian dynasty are buried there.
3. Médersa Ben Youssef
A medersa is a building used as a college or Coranic school. These institutions specialize in theological studies.
The Ben Youssef Madrasa was built to serve the students of the mosque of the same name, located next to the madrasa.
The Médersa Ben Youssef, is not only the most important but also the largest in Morocco. Commissioned by Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib, its construction was completed in 1565. It has 130 rooms that have accommodated up to 900 students.
4. The Majorelle Garden
The Majorelle Garden was created in 1924 by Jacques Majorelle, a French painter who settled in Marrakech in 1919.
Initially, the garden served as a source of inspiration for the painter, but in 1947 this green space was opened to the public.
In 1980, the Jardin Majorelle became the property of Yves Saint Laurent and today belongs to the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé Foundation.
If you enjoy Islamic art, you will have the opportunity to visit a small museum inside the garden.
5. Jemaa el-Fna Square
Jemaa el-Fna Square is the central square of Marrakech and the most important place of the Medina, where public life of Marrakech takes place day and night
Day: during the day, many things will catch your attention: you will find monkey trainers who will ride on you, snake charmers as well as dentists exhibiting their latest extractions.
Apart from these curious characters, you will also find a multitude of stands of orange juice, spices, mint and snails on the Place de Jemaa el-Fna.
Night: As soon as nightfalls, the square completely changes the atmosphere. All the stalls of the morning disappear to give way to food stalls, musicians, and improvised shows of all kinds.
If you decide to buy your dinner from the stalls of the square, you will certainly not be disappointed by the quality/price ra
6. The Secret Garden
One of the largest and oldest riads in the medina of Marrakech. The origins of the complex date back to the time of the Saadian dynasty, more than four hundred years ago.
Rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century by an influential Atlas boss, the Secret Garden was the home of some of the highest political figures in Morocco and Marrakech. The riad, which can now be fully appreciated thanks to its recent restoration, is part of the great tradition of Arab-Andalusian and Moroccan palaces: the visitor can thus discover the gardens and the buildings that make up it and that constitute so many exceptional testimonies of the art of gardens, architecture and Arab hydraulics.
Thanks to the thousand-year-old ingenious hydraulic technique of the khettara, Le Jardin Secret had, from its origin, a rare privilege and an additional sign of its wealth.
