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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 02 March, 2023
Expert travel writer: Mandy Sinclair

Marrakech’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed central square epitomises the exotic allure of the city. From dawn until well after dusk it hums with activity, like an open-air theatre.

The scene here has changed little down the centuries; snake charmers, Gnaoua musicians, magicians and myriad other performers congregate here, mainly for local audiences – though at peak times it’s very touristy.

By early evening part of the square becomes a giant open-air kitchen and is given over to countless food stalls serving local specialities. The Medina’s famous souks start on its fringes.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 6+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Just stroll around and soak up the sights and sounds. In the evening the smoke billows up from the food stalls, the entertainers and musicians are out in force and the square pulses with people and atmosphere.

Many of the food stalls wash their dishes and cutlery in the same, untreated water. Bring your own cutlery and eat off a paper plate or napkin – or play safe and eat elsewhere. Forgo ice in your drink.

When to do it

There’s usually not a whole lot going on in the daytime (due to the heat, amongst other things). The action really starts from dusk.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Experience Marrakech: Gastronomic and Market Adventure Inside the Medina

Experience Marrakech: Gastronomic and Market Adventure Inside the Medina

Marrakech

Indulge in exotic Moroccan foods and feast your senses on the spectacle of Marrakech’s chaotic main square, Djemaa El Fna, during this unfor...

€46 | Rating 4.67 / 5 [236 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Hotel du Tresor

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.2 miles]

Idiosyncratically decorated in vintage mid-century furniture, this little treasure is Marrakech’s best budget riad.

Official star rating:

Riad El Fenn

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.4 miles]

Trendy boutique hotel in Marrakech’s old city, an easy walk to the medina’s palaces and souks, with the lively Jemaa el Fna just five minutes away.

Official star rating:

La Villa des Orangers

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.6 miles]

One of Marrakech’s most luxurious riads, in a super convenient location, with a level of refinement and comfort that’s unmatched.

Official star rating:

Riad Antara

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.7 miles]

A chic, minimalist riad in the heart of the medina, complete with an on-site hammam, roof-top bar and heated courtyard pool.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Souks of the Medina

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.1 miles]

The world’s quintessential Arabic bazaar, the Medina’s maze-like souks are a shopper’s paradise.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

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Overview >

Hot-air balloon flights over Marrakech

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.4 miles]

Float high over dramatic, arid landscapes and look down into traditional Berber villages – a unique and thought-provoking perspective on a spectacular landscape.

Best for ages: 10+ | £150 | 5+ hours

Website >
Overview >

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Interior of ornately-tiled museum with Moroccan carpets on display
Experience

Dar Si Said Museum

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.6 miles]

An impressive 19th-century palace with intricate Byzantine designs, Dar Si Said is home to a huge collection of artworks, instruments, arms and some of the oldest artifacts in the city.

Best for ages: 18+ | £3

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Fez-wearing cafe worker in front of wall covered in tin jars
Experience

Bacha Cafe

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.7 miles]

Nestled inside the Dar el Bacha palace, Bacha Cafe is elegance at its finest. Coffee recommendations are suggested based on time of day, and are best accompanied by a treat from the cake counter.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Tiled interior courtyard of a riad (traditional Moroccan home) with plants and a fountain
Experience

Photography Museum

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.9 miles]

Tranquil Medina riad housing an interesting collection of photographs documenting Moroccan life from the 1870s-1950s, that gives the best insight into life in the city before tourism arrived.

Best for ages: 18+ | £4

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Old stone palace with reflective pool of water in front
Experience

El Badi Palace

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco[0.9 miles]

The (shell) remains of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur’s colossal, 16th-century palace. Once one of the world’s great monuments, it was stripped bare in the 17th century.

Best for ages: 18+ | £1

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