//
Markets of Marrakech, just adjacent to Place Djemaa El-Fna, are where you can buy almost anything, from spices to shoes, jellabas to kaftans, and tea pots to tagines. Undoubtedly, being a foreigner means you will end up paying higher prices than a native would, but be sure to bargain nonetheless. If you happen to run out of dirham, you will also find plenty of people in the souks who will eagerly exchange your dollars or euros (though a fair rate here is less likely than at an official exchange). All that said, the sellers here are much less aggressive than, say, Egypt, so have fun!
© OpenStreetMap contributors
The highlight of any Marrakech night. Musicians, dancers, and story tellers pack this square at the heart of the medina, filling it with a cacophony of drum beats and excited shouts. Scores of stalls sell a wide array of Moroccan fare (see the Eat section) and you will almost certainly be accosted by women wanting to give you a henna tattoo. Amateur boxing matches are sometimes held. Enjoy the various shows, but be prepared to give some dirham to watch or take photos. By day it is largely filled with snake charmers and people with monkeys, as well as some of the more common stalls.
A very small but intricate domed pavilion, known for being the only surviving example of Almoravid religious architecture (early 12th century) in Marrakech. Located across the street from the Ben Youssef Mosque, it is believed to have been an annex of the former Almoravid mosque. It was excavated in the 20th century after being half-buried for centuries. The pavilion's exterior can be easily seen from the street, so paying for entry just lets you see its interior.
It's housed in the Dar Menebhi Palace, constructed at the end of the 19th century.
Museum set in an old palace with beautiful gardens. While somewhat run-down, it is worth seeing and houses many different artifacts from Morocco through the ages, such as wood carvings, musical instruments, and weapons. It is dedicated to the Moroccan craft industry of wood, gathering a very beautiful collection of popular art: carpets, clothing, pottery and ceramics. All these objects are regional, coming from Marrakech and all the south, especially from Tensift, High Atlas, Soussthe, Anti Atlas, Bani, and Tafilal.
The first mosque in Marrakesh was erected at this place by the Almoravid emir Yusuf ibn Tashfin in the 1070s. However, it was almost completely rebuilt in early 19th century by the Alaouite sultan Suleiman, with hardly any trace left of its original Almoravid or Almohad design. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter it.
One of the largest madrassas in North Africa. It is a school attached to the Ben Youssef Mosque and is home to beautiful art and architecture. The present building was completed in 1564–1565 under the Saadian sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib, on the site of an earlier Marinid madrasa. It closed as a school in 1960 and reopened to visitors in 1982. Look for the 11th-century Andalusi marble basin in the prayer hall.