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Image by Greg Gulik from Pixabay

It may not be as alien to foreign visitors as it once was, but Marrakech is still the exotic medina city that is an unmissable part of any journey into Morocco. There’s still plenty of romance in the architecture; the bustling souks still beckon visitors towards treasure with their sights, sounds and smells (don't forget to give haggling at go); and the flavours brought in out of the desert still make Marrakech a beguiling destination for foodies. The very best meal you have here may not be from a world-renowned tasting menu or even a perfectly tender teyhan kebab in the medina, but something home-cooked and served on the rooftop of your riad. Riads make for an atmospheric stay, but Marrakech has plenty of wonderful hotels too, including some fantastic converted buildings around Djemaa El Fna. If you’re looking for luxurious, or relaxing surrounds, you might prefer going outside of the Medina to the Palmeraie. Honeymooners famously love Marrakech, but it’s an exciting family holiday too, and can be great value if you need it to be!

Our Guide to the Neighbourhoods of Marrakech

Medina

Image by sachbearbeitung from Pixabay

It’s a common misconception that the medina of Marrakech is the big market place: medina is the ancient Aramaic word for city, and in Marrakech the name just means the oldest part of town. So the Medina neighbourhood is the warren of alleyways, souks and squares in the oldest part of the city, where the shops, houses, mosques and hammams all crowd into a square mile or two. It’s densely built, and packed with sights, sounds and smells. Up until about a hundred years ago, this was where the entire city of Marrakech existed. It’s one of the best places to stay in Marrakech if you want to be immersed in the city day and night.  If you plan to stay in a riad, one of Marrakech’s traditional guesthouses, you’ll find many of them in the Medina. The busiest part of the Medina is Djemaa El Fna, the great square at its heart, but it radiates quietly outwards from there, and you can find some more secluded spots, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Djemaa El Fna

Image by Piet van de Wiel from Pixabay

Djemaa El Fna is the huge market square at the very centre of the Medina neighbourhood. It’s one of the ‘must see’ sights of Marrakech, but it’s also still used by local people too, so it’s more than a theatrical representation of itself. It does have UNESCO heritage listing, though. In the daytime there are lots of orange juice stalls and a number of snake charmers, but as the day progresses, there are storytellers, musicians and dancers, magicians, traditional medics, and, as evening comes on, food stalls. There are cafes and hotels along one side, so it’s possible to stay right on the square and see the whole day play out.

Mouassine

By Robert Prazeres - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Mouassine is in a picturesque Medina spot, around 500 metres north of Djemaa El Fna. A neighbourhood neighbourhood that was once home to royalty and wealthy merchants, it’s probably best known now for its riads, architecture and gardens, and for several important shrines, temples and souks. And for the elegant Le Jardin Secret (the gardens of a private palace), the Mouassine mosque and fountain (which is the oldest in Marrakech), and the Musee de Mouassine. Mouassine has some fabulous restaurants too, including terrace restaurants overlooking more of the Medina. This is a popular spot to stay in, it’s always been relatively affluent, and is ideal for romantics, sightseers and foodies too.

Mellah 

Flickr user Jorge Franganillo

The Mellah of Marrakech is the old Jewish quarter, one of the oldest parts of the city, and just ten minutes walk from Djemaa El Fna. The atmosphere is entirely different from Djemaa El Fna, though — fewer people and motorbikes, and more palm trees and relaxed places to eat and drink. This is a nice neighbourhood for shopping and rooftop sundowners, especially if you want to shop for fabrics, spices or jewellery.  It’s been carefully restored over the last decade or so; not just the souks, but the walls, public spaces and homes too.  It’s close to the impressive ruins of the El Badi Palace, and the Place des Ferblantiers, as well as the Moroccan Culinary Arts Museum and an ancient Jewish synagogue and cemetery. 

Kasbah

Image by Marco Federmann from Pixabay

The Kasbah is a walled district within the medina, though it was once all one complex, a sort of palace or citadel. The royal palace is inside it, the Dar al-Makhzen, and the whole Kasbah was once a restricted area. But the area around the palace is now more of a neighbourhood, but with a lot of monuments.  As well as the palace, the Kasbah encompasses two very ancient buildings: the Kasbah mosque, and the main gate, the Bab Agnaou. Visitors who find accommodation in this neighbourhood are also close to the Saadian Tombs and the El Badi Palace. As well as being the perfect neighbourhood for sightseeing, the Kasbah is smaller and easier to navigate than other medina neighbourhoods, but it still has the same flavours as the city proper, so it feels like a mini version of the whole. There’s a good range of accommodation here too, including a lovely collection of smaller riads — often converted from private homes.

Guéliz

Image by HappyPlanete from Pixabay

Guéliz is a trendy Marrakech district, about ten minutes drive from the medina. Much of the area sprang up in the 1910s through 1930s, under French direction, and there’s an orderly Art Deco style to the architecture and a feeling of space, especially compared to the highly packed centre of old Marrakech. Expect terrazzo floors and geometric tiles in the period buildings, many of which have been converted into galleries or boutiques. Landmarks include the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, the MACMA contemporary art museum, the Majorelle Gardens, and the Royal Theatre. Many national and international organisations and boutiques have set up their headquarters here. There are boulevards on which grand hotels are not out of place, along with smart restaurants and spas, as well as traditional hammams.  

Hivernage

Hivernage is a rather luxurious neighbourhood filled with luxury hotels, but also boutiques and lively bars and restaurants, which makes it a great place to experience Marrakech in the evenings. It’s just outside the walls of the old medina, so close to many of the main sights, and joined to Guéliz by a leafy avenue, so there are great local shopping opportunities as well.  

Palmeraie

Flickr user George Rex

The main feature of the Palmeraie is its hundred thousand (or there about) palm trees, which stretch out over five miles, or about twelve thousand hectares. It’s often referred to as the Beverly Hills of Marrakech because of its luxury hotels and resorts, and peaceful atmosphere. You’re on the edge of the city here, but still only about twenty minutes' drive from Djemaa El Fna in the heart of the medina. This is a popular spot for a camel ride, but you can also explore the Palmeraie on a quad bike.