How to choose among the things to do in Marrakech
The list starts with the gardens and museums around Jardin Majorelle, moves to the historic monuments, then the old city, and ends with a hammam, a cooking class and three trips out of town. Prices are for adults in 2026 and are quoted in Moroccan dirham (MAD). They can change, so check the ticket page before you go.
Two things shape most plans. Jardin Majorelle sells timed tickets online only. The historic monuments, Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs, are still under restoration according to a November 2025 report, so a room can be closed. The medina guide covers navigation in the old city.
Gardens, museums and palaces: experiences 1 to 5
The best-known sights, with the longest queues. Go early.
1. Jardin Majorelle
The garden costs MAD 170 for adults. Moroccan nationals and foreign residents pay MAD 75, international students MAD 95 with proof, and accompanied children under 10 are free. Tickets are sold online only, for a time slot, on the page the garden's own website links to. The operator's pages show different closing times between 17:30 and 18:30, so aim to enter before 17:00. A temporary pavilion opened in the Villa Oasis garden on 31 January 2025 and is part of the route.
Jardin Majorelle →2. Musée Pierre Bergé of Berber Arts
The museum sits in the painter's former studio inside the garden. Its own ticket part costs MAD 60 for adults, and accompanied children under 10 are free. Opening hours differ between the operator's pages, from 08:30 to about 17:00 or 18:00, with the last entry 30 minutes before.
3. Musée Yves Saint Laurent
The museum is open daily except Wednesday, 10:00 to 18:00, with the last entry at 17:30. A ticket-comparison site listed MAD 140 for this museum alone, MAD 230 for the garden with the Berber museum and MAD 330 for all three, as of 4 October 2026. The final price appears when you book. A temporary exhibition hall closed for a time in September 2026, which is not a closure of the whole museum.
Tickets and tips →4. Bahia Palace
Foreign adults pay MAD 100 and foreign children aged 7 to 13 pay MAD 50. Moroccan adults pay MAD 30. It opens daily from 09:00 to 17:00. Free entry on Fridays applies to Moroccan nationals only. A restoration report from November 2025 still lists works, so some rooms may be closed.
Bahia Palace →5. Saadian Tombs
The prices match the Bahia Palace: MAD 100 for foreign adults, MAD 50 for foreign children aged 7 to 13. The complex lies in the Kasbah and includes the hall of twelve columns. It opens from 09:00 to 17:00. The same report from November 2025 describes restoration at 65% with an end planned for June 2026, so do not assume every part is open.
Our picks: things to do
A medina walk, the Majorelle Garden with two museums and a desert evening.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Majorelle Garden with the YSL and Berber museums
Entry to the garden, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum and the Pierre Bergé Berber museum, with no guide and no transport. The operator sells garden entry online only, so book ahead.
Check availability →
Agafay desert with quad, camel ride and dinner show
Minibus transfer, a guide, 40 minutes of quad riding (two people share one quad), a 15-minute camel ride, dinner with water and a music and fire show.
Check availability →
Medina walk: Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs and souks
A licensed local guide and skip-the-line access, private or small group depending on the option. Entry to the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs (100 MAD each per adult) and transport are extra.
Check availability →Marrakech tours and tickets
Medina walks, garden and museum tickets, cooking classes, camel rides and day trips, with live prices and availability.
Courtyards and the old city: experiences 6 to 10
Smaller sights, then the medina itself.
6. Medersa Ben Youssef
The former Islamic college costs MAD 50 for adults, MAD 10 for children under 12 and MAD 30 per person for groups of more than 20. It opens daily from 09:00 to 19:00. The operator's page says online sales are paused for maintenance, so be ready to pay at the entrance.
Ben Youssef guide →7. Le Jardin Secret
Adults pay MAD 100, visitors up to 24 years MAD 80, and children under 12 are free. Moroccan nationals pay MAD 50, but foreign residents are excluded from that rate. The tower costs MAD 40 extra and is closed to children under 6. In October it opens from 09:30 to 18:00, from March to September until 18:30, and in Ramadan until 16:30. The tower and one café are not accessible for reduced mobility.
8. Maison de la Photographie
Adults pay MAD 80 per the current visitor page, although older material quotes MAD 50. Residents pay MAD 50 and children under 15 are free. It opens daily from 09:30 to 19:00. The same ticket also admits you to the Musée de la Musique de Marrakech.
9. The medina and Jemaa el-Fna
The medina has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. UNESCO describes Jemaa el-Fna as a square for public performances, and it describes the souks and craft quarters as part of the historic city. Walking is free. Agree prices for photos, performances and henna before you start.
The medina →10. The souks and the Mellah
The Mellah lies near the Bahia Palace and the Badi. Enter from the Place des Ferblantiers, or walk from Jemaa el-Fna along Rue Riad ez Zitoun. The regional tourism council lists spice, jewellery and fabric markets there. Visitors report guides who claim a road is closed and then lead them to shops. A polite no and a look at a map are enough.
Entry prices at a glance
Adult prices for 2026, and hours as published.
| Sight | Adult price | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Jardin Majorelle garden | MAD 170 | Daily, last entry 17:00 to 18:00 |
| Berber museum | MAD 60 | Daily, last entry 16:30 to 17:30 |
| Musée Yves Saint Laurent | MAD 140 (secondary source) | 10:00 to 18:00, closed Wednesday |
| Bahia Palace | MAD 100 | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| Saadian Tombs | MAD 100 | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| Medersa Ben Youssef | MAD 50 | 09:00 to 19:00 |
| Le Jardin Secret | MAD 100 | 09:30 to 18:00 in October |
| Maison de la Photographie | MAD 80 | 09:30 to 19:00 |
| Medina and Jemaa el-Fna | – | – |
Hammam, food and trips: experiences 11 to 15
Time to rest, eat and leave the city.
11. A hammam
A public bath is communal, usually with separate hours or entrances for men and women. You bring soap, a kessa glove, a towel, sandals and a change of clothes. A spa gives you a booked slot and material. At Hammam de la Rose, rituals cost MAD 300 to 500 for 30 to 50 minutes.
Hammam guide →12. A cooking class
La Maison Arabe runs workshops of about three hours, plus a one-hour express version. In the longer one you prepare a starter and a main course, watch a dessert demonstration and then eat. You do not need to be a hotel guest. One food-tour company advertises tours from USD 69 and classes from USD 54.
Cooking classes →13. The Agafay desert
This stony desert lies about 40 km from the city and is not a sand-dune desert. Camps offer meals and overnight stays. One camp lists a camel ride at MAD 300 per camel for 30 to 40 minutes. Check safety standards and insurance before activities such as quad biking, and wear a helmet.
Agafay Desert →14. Imlil and the High Atlas
Take the R203 to Asni, then a further 17 km to Imlil. A hotel there gives about 75 minutes from Marrakech, and a standard car can make the asphalt road. For walks above the village, official advice is to take professional, registered guides.
Atlas Mountains →15. Ourika Valley and Setti Fatma
A rocky path leads to the waterfalls. After floods on about 2 October 2026, a local operator said on 13 October that the road, the restaurants and the walk were available again. After storms the waterfall walk can close at short notice. Avoid swimming in rivers and reservoirs.
Ourika Valley →
Things to do in Marrakech: frequently asked questions
Which sights should I book ahead?
Jardin Majorelle, which sells timed tickets online only. The historic monuments and Le Jardin Secret sell tickets on site, and Ben Youssef takes payment at the entrance.
Are there free things to do in Marrakech?
Walking the medina and Jemaa el-Fna costs nothing. The monuments charge entry, with free access on Fridays for Moroccan nationals only.
What should I wear in the medina and at monuments?
Local dress and religious customs deserve respect, especially during Ramadan. British official advice treats this as a courtesy, not as a city-wide law on covered shoulders and knees.
Are the sights still affected by the 2023 earthquake?
The earthquake of 8 September 2023 damaged walls, palaces, mosques and houses in the medina. A report from November 2025 describes works at the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs. Both sell tickets, but a room may be closed.
How many of these can I do in one day?
Three or four is realistic: one garden or museum cluster, one monument and the medina. Add a day for each trip outside the city.