What is there to do in Marrakech? Start with the medina on foot: Jemaa el-Fna square, the souks, Bahia Palace, the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the Saadian Tombs can all be visited without a car. Then keep a car for the Palmeraie, the Agafay desert, the Ourika valley and Essaouira, which lie outside the city.
1. Jemaa el-Fna square (on foot)
This is the heart of the medina and the natural starting point of any visit. Storytellers, musicians and orange juice stalls fill the square by day; in the evening, the grill stalls set up and the atmosphere changes completely. Come at least twice, once by day and once at night.
2. The medina souks (on foot)
North of the square begins a maze of lanes organised by trade: leather, babouches, spices, metalwork, carpets. You will get lost, and that is part of the point. Bargaining is customary; take your time and compare before buying.
3. Bahia Palace (on foot)
Built in the 19th century for high-ranking dignitaries, the palace lines up courtyards, inner gardens, zellige tilework and painted wooden ceilings. It is one of the finest examples of Moroccan decorative art you can visit in the city.
4. Ben Youssef Madrasa (on foot)
A former Quranic school in the middle of the medina, the madrasa is famous for its courtyard and pool, its carved stucco and the small student rooms upstairs. A calm place to combine with the nearby souks.
5. The Saadian Tombs (on foot)
Near the Kasbah Mosque, these burial grounds of the Saadian dynasty were walled up for a long time before being rediscovered in the early 20th century. The Hall of Twelve Columns is the most photographed.
6. Jardin Majorelle (on foot from Gueliz, by car or taxi from the medina)
Created by the painter Jacques Majorelle and later saved by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, the garden is known for its intense blue, its cacti and its bamboo. The Yves Saint Laurent Museum is right next door. Book your tickets in advance, as it is very busy.
7. The Menara Gardens (by car or taxi)
A large pool, a pavilion and an olive grove, with the Atlas in the background when the sky is clear. Local families like to come here at the end of the day.
8. The Palmeraie (by car)
North of the city, the Palmeraie is home to hotels, villas and tracks for quad biking or camel rides. With a car, you move between your accommodation and the city without relying on transfers.
9. The Agafay desert and the Ourika valley (by car)
Agafay is a stony desert of ochre hills, with camps where you can have dinner or spend the night facing the Atlas. The Ourika valley follows a river up to the foot of the mountains, past Berber villages and waterfalls you can reach on foot. Two easy day trips from Marrakech.
10. Essaouira and the Atlantic coast (by car)
A fortified town by the ocean, Essaouira offers ramparts, a fishing port, a UNESCO World Heritage medina and cooler air. It is the longest trip on this list: leave early, or plan to stay the night.
Which car to explore beyond Marrakech?
For ideas 7 to 10, a car changes everything. With rentacarmorocco.com, operated with Loccor, seven models can be collected at Marrakech airport. The "from" price is the lowest rate, available on longer rentals:
- Land Rover Range Rover Sport: from 2000 MAD/day (base price 3000 MAD/day), deposit 30000 MAD
- Maserati Levante: from 1500 MAD/day (base price 2300 MAD/day), deposit 30000 MAD
- Audi Q8: from 2100 MAD/day (base price 2100 MAD/day), deposit 30000 MAD
- Porsche Macan: from 1400 MAD/day (base price 2000 MAD/day), deposit 30000 MAD
- Maserati Grecale: from 1800 MAD/day (base price 1800 MAD/day), deposit 30000 MAD
- Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: from 1300 MAD/day (base price 1300 MAD/day), deposit 30000 MAD
- Mercedes CLA 220: from 1000 MAD/day (base price 1000 MAD/day), deposit 30000 MAD
The minimum rental is three days, mileage is unlimited and the cars are rented without a driver; a driver can be offered on request, subject to availability.
Book
To check availability for your dates and book, message us on WhatsApp at +212 646 618 020 or book directly on loccor.com.