Marrakech has a way of getting under your skin. One minute you are dodging mopeds in a lane barely wider than your suitcase, the next you are sipping mint tea on a rooftop while the call to prayer drifts across the medina. It is loud, colourful, fragrant and utterly addictive, and I loved every minute of it.
This guide brings together everything I enjoyed most: a palatial riad base in the heart of the old city, rooftop dinners, the tea and coffee spots worth queuing for, two very different gardens, an evening of Bollywood and cocktails, a morning lost in the souks and a spa treatment I am still dreaming about. I have also added the practical tips I wish someone had told me before I went.
Getting there is easier than you might think. You can book flights to Marrakech with Jet2, including flights from London Stansted Airport, and you will be sipping mint tea in the medina in under four hours. If you would rather have your flights and hotel sorted in one go, take a look at city breaks to Marrakech with Jet2holidays.
Where to stay: Palais Moulay Saïd & Spa
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My base for the trip was Palais Moulay Saïd & Spa on Riad Zitoun Lakdim, and I could not have picked a better spot. You are about 500 metres from Jemaa el-Fna and under ten minutes on foot from Bahia Palace, so the medina is right on your doorstep.
Step through the door and the noise of the lanes simply melts away. Think intricate zellige tilework, carved plaster, lanterns throwing patterns across the walls and a calm courtyard to come back to after a long day of exploring.
There is a pool for cooling off in the afternoon heat and an on-site spa, which made it very easy to justify a little pampering.
The team were warm and genuinely helpful, from booking taxis to pointing us towards the best spots nearby. Breakfast was a lovely spread of Moroccan pancakes, breads, fresh juice and plenty of mint tea, which set us up perfectly for the day ahead.
Good to know: cars cannot reach most riads in the medina, so ask the hotel to arrange your airport transfer. Someone will usually meet you where the taxi stops and walk you, and your luggage, to the door.
If you would like to book a package, you can find my riad, Palais Moulay Said Hotel & Spa, on Jet2holidays.
Where to eat and drink
La Fontaine des Épices
This rooftop restaurant in the medina was one of those happy discoveries that ends up being a highlight. The views over the rooftops are stunning, especially as the sun goes down, and the food is proper traditional Moroccan cooking. Go for a slow-cooked tagine and a plate of zaalouk with warm bread, then linger over mint tea as the city lights come on.
El Fenn
El Fenn is a Marrakech institution and its rooftop is pure joy. It is a riot of colour, with terracotta terraces, palms and cushioned corners, and you look straight across to the Koutoubia minaret. Come for a late lunch or sunset cocktails and stay for dinner. The rooftop is open from 12.30pm to 11pm with last orders at 10pm, and you will need a reservation if you want to eat at the restaurant. Do pop into the boutique on your way out too.
1112 Teahouse, Medina
Best for: intimate tea in a beautifully designed setting
Tea is the heartbeat of Moroccan hospitality, and this beautifully restored riad near Ben Youssef celebrates it like nowhere else. The tea house offers 12 blends, each inspired by one of Morocco’s 12 regions. Even the name has a story: 1112 is a date in the Islamic calendar found carved into the riad’s wooden ceiling. It is calm, elegant and the perfect pause between souk sessions.
Bacha Coffee
You have probably seen it all over Instagram, and yes, it really is that beautiful. Bacha Coffee sits inside Dar El Bacha, a palace in the medina, and the brand was born here in 1910. The menu runs to more than 200 coffees and the staff, all in smart livery, make you feel like visiting royalty. Order a pot of coffee with a pastry or the full Moroccan breakfast and soak up the setting.
The catch is the queue, which can stretch to two or three hours at peak times. Everyone joins the same line at the museum entrance, you pay a small museum entry fee, then you are handed a buzzer and can wander the palace until your table is ready.
Les Jardins du Lotus
Just around the corner from Bacha Coffee in the Dar El Bacha quarter, Les Jardins du Lotus opened in 2023 in a 19th-century princely residence. Think leafy courtyards, a calm pool and a modern take on Moroccan cooking. It pairs perfectly with a Bacha morning: coffee first, then a long, lazy lunch here.
Villa Aaron, Guéliz and Hivernage
Best for: a tranquil garden and poolside lunch
When the medina starts to feel a little intense, Villa Aaron is the perfect reset. Tucked away in the newer side of the city around Guéliz and Hivernage, it is all about leafy garden tables, the gentle sound of the pool and a long, unhurried lunch. Order something fresh and light, ask for a table in the shade and let the afternoon drift by.
Café Arabe, Medina
Best for: golden-hour sunset drinks on a rooftop
Café Arabe on Rue Mouassine has been a medina favourite for more than 20 years, and its rooftop is one of the few in the old city that serves alcohol. Time your visit for sunset, when the Koutoubia minaret glows against the sky, and settle in with a chilled glass of rosé. The menu runs Moroccan and Italian kitchens side by side, so you can go from briouats to fresh pasta. Book ahead and ask for the roof, as the courtyard below misses the view. In summer, the courtyard is cooled by misters, which is a welcome treat.
Naama, Medina
Best for: a refined dinner with Koutoubia views
Naama is my pick for a special dinner in the medina. It sits on Rue Fatima Zahra in the Bab Doukkala quarter, in a converted riad designed by Italian architects working with Marrakchi artisans. The main dining room has nine-metre ceilings, there is a calm patio around a pool, and the rooftop looks straight out to the Koutoubia minaret with the Atlas Mountains beyond.
The kitchen is led by chef Aniss Meski, who brings together Moroccan and Mediterranean flavours using seasonal local produce. Do not miss anything from the Josper grill, which gives the meat a gorgeous smoky edge, and save room for the warm tafarnout bread, baked on the rooftop and brought straight to the table. Naama is alcohol-free, but the botanical mocktails are so good you will not miss a thing.
Book ahead and ask for a rooftop table, then arrive a little before sunset so you can watch the sky change colour over the Koutoubia.
Buddha-Bar Marrakech
For a big night out, head to Buddha-Bar in the chic Hivernage district. A giant Buddha watches over two levels of lanterns, latticework and low lighting, the cocktails are excellent and the Asian-inspired menu is great for sharing, with the sushi a particular favourite. The real draw for me was the Bollywood show. Seeing Bollywood dancers light up a stage in Marrakech felt like a little bit of home, and the whole room was on its feet by the end. Book ahead for a good table, and check my tip below before you choose your night.
Gardens: Jardin Majorelle and Les Jardins du Lotus
Jardin Majorelle is every bit as magical as the photos suggest. The garden was created by the French painter Jacques Majorelle, and Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé later bought it and saved it from developers. Wander shaded paths lined with giant cacti, bamboo and lily ponds, then stop for that famous electric blue villa. Leave time for the Yves Saint Laurent Museum next door and the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts if fashion and craft are your thing.
Tickets are sold online only, through the official site at tickets.jardinmajorelle.com, and entry works on 30-minute time slots. A garden-only ticket is around 150 to 155 dirhams for visitors. Book the first slot of the morning if you want photos without crowds.
For a garden of a very different kind, Les Jardins du Lotus brings you greenery with a meal attached. Where Majorelle is a place to stroll and admire, the Lotus is a place to sit, slow down and let lunch roll into the afternoon among the courtyards and plants.
Madrasa Ben Youssef
Best for: jaw-dropping architecture and a dose of history
If you only have time for one historic site in Marrakech, make it this one. The Madrasa Ben Youssef was once the largest and most important Islamic college in Morocco, and stepping into its central courtyard is a genuine wow moment. Every surface is covered in craftsmanship: zellige tilework, carved cedar wood and stucco so delicate it looks like lace, all reflected in a long marble pool.
Wander upstairs to peek into the tiny student rooms arranged around smaller courtyards, then step into the prayer hall to admire the detail up close. Allow at least an hour, and longer if you love photography.
The madrasa is open daily from 9am to 7pm, with shorter hours during Ramadan. Entry is 50 dirhams, and tickets are currently sold at the entrance only, so bring cash. Arrive at opening time to enjoy the courtyard before the crowds. It sits in the north of the medina, just a short stroll from 1112 Teahouse, so the two make a perfect morning together.
Shopping in the souks
The souks are a maze, and getting a little lost is half the fun. Each area tends to specialise, so you will drift from lanterns and brass to leather slippers, woven baskets, ceramics, rugs and argan oil. Head to Rahba Kedima, the spice square, for pyramids of cumin, paprika and ras el hanout, and pick up some saffron and dried rose petals to bring the flavours home.
Haggling is expected, so keep it friendly and good-humoured. Decide what something is worth to you before you start, open well below the asking price and be ready to smile and walk away. More often than not, you will be called back with a better offer.
My favourite finds were handwoven baskets, a pair of soft leather babouches and a little stash of spices for my kitchen in London.
Go in the morning when it is cooler and quieter, and keep small notes handy for paying.
A spa day at La Sultana
No trip to Marrakech is complete without a hammam, and La Sultana is the place to do it in style. The hotel sits in the historic Kasbah, close to the Saadian Tombs, and is made up of five interconnected riads. The spa is a pink marble sanctuary that feels halfway between a Roman bath and an oriental hammam.
The traditional hammam ritual is the one to book. You are steamed, scrubbed with black soap and a kessa glove until your skin feels brand new, wrapped in ghassoul clay and then finished with a massage using argan oil. Treatments use traditional Moroccan ingredients such as henna and orange blossom, argan and rose oils. I floated out feeling completely restored.
Book your treatment in advance, and arrive a little early so you can enjoy the calm before it begins. If you have time afterwards, head up to the rooftop for a drink with a view.
My top tips for Marrakech
- Skip Buddha-Bar on a Wednesday if you want the Bollywood show. The dancers have Wednesday evening off, so plan your night out for another day of the week.
- Queue early for Bacha Coffee. Get there in the morning before it opens at 10am, as the line builds quickly and waits can run to two or three hours at peak times. Afternoons after 2pm can be quieter too. Check opening days before you go, as it has been closed on Mondays.
- Book Jardin Majorelle online only. Use the official site, tickets.jardinmajorelle.com, as tickets from elsewhere may not be accepted at the gate. Weekend slots can sell out, so book as soon as you know your dates.
- Reserve a table at El Fenn for dinner. Drinks on the rooftop are more relaxed, but you will need a booking if you want to stay on and eat.
- Pair Bacha Coffee with Les Jardins du Lotus. They are in the same Dar El Bacha neighbourhood, so you can do coffee and lunch in one easy morning.
- Let your riad arrange transfers. Taxis cannot get into most of the medina, and having someone meet you saves a lot of stress with luggage.
- Say no thank you to unofficial guides. You will often be told a road is closed or offered directions. A polite no and a confident walk usually does the trick, and a maps app with an offline map is your best friend.
- Carry cash. Small notes in dirhams make the souks, tips and taxis much easier.
- Dress for comfort and respect. Light layers that cover shoulders and knees are comfortable in the heat and appropriate in the medina.
- Spring and autumn are the sweet spot. The weather is warm but not scorching, which makes long days of exploring far more enjoyable.
Final thoughts
Marrakech is a city that rewards you for slowing down. Start the day with coffee in a palace, lose yourself in the souks, spend the afternoon being pampered, then watch the sun set over the Koutoubia from a rooftop. With Palais Moulay Saïd as your base, everything is within easy reach, and you will find yourself planning your return before you have even left.
It also makes a brilliant escape when the days get shorter at home. If you are dreaming of Winter sun with Jet2holidays, Marrakech should be right at the top of your list.
Have you been to Marrakech? I would love to hear your favourite spots in the comments below, and do follow along on Instagram at @binnysfoodandtravel for more of my travels.
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