Marrakech Holidays - Compare Prices & Departure Dates

Marrakech, sometimes known as Marrakesh, is Morocco’s third largest city after Casablanca and Rabat. Sitting in the foothills of the Atlas mountains, Marrakech has long been a favourite short break and holiday destination which is easily accessible from the UK, but which feels a million miles away from UK culture.

The city is divided into three areas, with the Medina old town, Gueliz (or Ville Nouvelle) the modern city and the surrounding suburban areas.

The main attraction has to be the Djemaa El-Fna, the huge red-walled square which buzzes with activity day and night in the Medina old town area of Marrakech.

There is lots to see in and around the Medina, with culture, art, architecture and ancient history combining with the thrill of shopping in the souks and then relaxing in the many cafes, restaurants and food stalls.

The official language in Morocco is Arabic, but French is widely spoken, with many working in the tourist industry speaking English too. The currency is the Moroccan Dirham (Dh) and there is no time difference between Marrakech and the UK. UK nationals do not need a visa to holiday in Morocco.

Travel to Marrakech has developed massively in the past few years. Lots of low-cost airlines fly from London and regional airports in the UK, such as easyJet, Thomsonfly, British Airways and Ryanair, straight into Marrakech-Menara International airport (IATA code RAK). Flight times from the UK are two and half hours from London Heathrow, around three hours from Manchester.

The airport is just four miles from the centre of Marrakech and travel from the airport can be done by bus, petit taxi, grand taxi or your own hire car.

The main bus line from the airport departs regularly and stops at all the major hotel areas in Marrakech. A return costs around 30DH. There are also less frequent local buses which costs just 3DH.

In Morocco there are two types of taxis, petits taxis and grands taxis. Petits are smaller hatchback style cars and the grands are more comfortable for longer journeys, with more luggage space. Expect prices to vary and be prepared to haggle. There is actually a panel in the airport marking the advised price for a taxi ride into the city, so negotiate around this price. Expect to pay around 60DH for a petits taxi during the day and 90DH at night.

Once you’re in Marrakech centre, everything can be seen on foot. Don’t be surprised if, when leaving your hotel, locals approach you offering to be your guide. Be firm, but polite and you’ll be fine – this is all part of the Marrakech experience and the touts, if anything, are less aggressive than in other countries.

Being easily accessible from the UK, Marrakech makes for an excellent short break destination with plenty to see and do without having to leave the city.

Everything is pretty much centred around the Djemaa El-Fna main square, which means that with a bit of walking, you can pretty much see all the main sights.

Starting with the Djemaa El-Fna itself, this has to be one of the most renowned spots in the whole of Morocco. A source of endless entertainment, there are food stalls (where locals eat as well as tourists), cafes, stalls and a plethora of entertainment to snake charmers and story tellers, to jugglers and musicians. The square really comes into its own at nightfall, so make you sure you take a wander at night too.

If the Djemaa El-Fna is the centre of the Medina old town, you will find there are various places to visit off the square, starting with Bab Agnaou which is one of the most beautiful walled entrances to the Kasbah area of the Medina. This is also where you’ll find the Saadian Tombs.

The Saadian Tombs were constructed in 1557, but weren’t re-discovered until the 20th century. Nothing has been moved or destroyed, so you’ll be visiting the tombs as they were built and is a fascinating insight into the Moroccan culture.

The Kantoubia mosque is a major landmark in Marrakech, with the 203ft hight minaret towering over the city, with the emotive sound of the muezzin calling the musallah (the Muslim call to prayer) which carries across the whole city. It’s also a sight to behold at night when it’s all lit up.

There are also two palaces you can visit in the Medina. The El Bahia palace is a very impressive Moorish palace with manicured gardens and lots o Moroccan artifacts. You can also visit the ruined El Badia Palace, where you can explore tunnels that still remain under the building.

The Majorelle Gardens attract large numbers of tourists each year. Now given a new lease of life since being bought by Yves Saint Laurent, the botanical gardens offer respite from the hustle and bustle of the Djemaa El-Fna and boasts hundreds of species of plants, especially cacti. Entrance is around 10DH and you can pay extra to visit the museum of Islamic art which is within the grounds.

If you want to learn more about traditional arts and crafts of Morocco, you should visit the Dar Si Said museum, which is full of pottery, textiles, jewellery and other handcrafted artifacts which go some way to explaining and showing Morocco’s rich culturla history.

If you do fancy going further afield, there are many companies offering activities and excursions, from white water rafting and 4×4 treks to camel safaris in the Sahara and visits to Berber villages in the Atlas Mountains.

Marrakech offers a full range of accommodation options to suit every budget. In and around the Medina there are lots of hostels for those budget-conscious backpackers, as well as family run guesthouses and hotels. A lot of riads (traditional family homes designed around an open indoor courtyard) have been converted into boutique hotels.

In the Gueliz modern part of the city you can find every international hotel chain going, as well as family-run hotels. There is something for all budgets, ranging from guesthouse B&Bs to more deluxe hotels.

For the full five star luxury treatment, head to the hotels in the suburbs, where you’ll find the big name hotels with rooftop terraces and swimming pools to enjoy.

In general, prices are very reasonable compared to main European cities and there are some very good package deals to be found with the major UK city break operators.

Ahhh shopping. Shopping in Morocco is all about haggling. Off the Djemaa El-Fna there are endless alleyways, little squares and streets where you can explore the souks (bazaars).

Expect to be invited in for endless cups of mint tea, before being shown all sorts of goodies from leather handbags to traditional drums. Negotiating is all part of the Marrakech experience, so do give it a go.

Things to buy include silver jewellery, pottery, drums, textiles including woollen goods and cactus silk, spices, lanterns and other decorative pieces. In fact, make sure you take and empty suitcase, there’s bound to be loads you want to buy.

Something you can’t buy very easily outside Morocco is argan oil. This slightly nutty oil made from the kernels of the argan tree, is used in make up, is nutritional and has medicinal properties too. Definitely worth buying from the souks of Marrakech.

Despite appearing to be a bit of a tourist trap, the Djemaa El-Fna was a place for locals to converge long before it become a tourist destination and still today locals gather to eat at the many food stalls around the square.

Eating from these stalls is perfectly safe as they are quite strictly regulated. A top tip is to eat cooked food, as it’s actually foods like salads which cause the digestion problems.

If you eat at these stalls you’ll find the food is very cheap, with fresh bread and cooked sausages costing around 10DH. You can eat a good three course meal with soft drinks for around 100DH.

There are also many cafes and restaurants dotted around the square serving classic Morocaan food such as tajine, pastilla (a sweet and sour pie), goat’s head dishes and even snail soup.

Cafe Alhamara has a superb roof terrace, which offers a bird’s eye view of the comings and goings on the square.

Most cafes and restaurants in the Medina do not serve alcohol, so you’ll find drinks such as coffee, hot chocolate and juices are the order of the day. The French culture has heavily influenced Moroccan culture with croissants and baguettes being the norm at breakfast time.

If you head to the Gueliz new part of the city, you’ll find all sorts of restaurants from French to Italian and of course, those fast food chains.

Marrakech enjoys a very warm winter, averaging 21 degrees, making is a good choice for an autumn break. Most visitors tend to head to Marrakech between March and June, then September to November.

Although the winter is mild, it can be quite rainy. And unless you crave super hot and humid days, Marrakech is best avoided in the height of summer.

• Independent travellers
• Short break packages
• Shopping, sightseeing and relaxing immersed in Moroccan culture

• Marrakech isn’t a lazing-on-the-beach destination
• Those who can’t handle the hustle and bustle of touts and bartering

Visit Morocco – the official Moroccan tourist board website

Marrakech is a true gem of a destination that offers an insight into Moroccan culture, yet is so easy to ge to from the UK. An ideal choice for an exciting and very different city break.