Founded nearly 1,000 years ago, Marrakech should be on every traveller’s wishlist, its bustling souks and fabled Djemaa el-Fna a striking contrast to its peaceful gardens and the cosseted comforts of its luxury hotels.
Explore Marrakech in a vintage motorbike and sidecar, from the former French district to the maze-like streets and alleys of the medina.
For a bird’s-eye view of Marrakech, try some of its rooftop bars and terraces; favourites include Terrasse des Epices, DarDar and Kabana.
Besides the Djemaa el-Fna and Koutoubia Minaret, highlights include the Ben Youssef Mosque and Madrassa, Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs.
Offering a quiet escape from the clamour, the two-and-a-half-acre Majorelle Gardens boast a striking blue villa, exotic plants and a Berber museum.
Indulge in a cleansing ritual at a traditional Moroccan hammam (bathhouse) – a great place to meet the locals as well as to get clean.
There is nowhere quite like the ‘Red City’ of Marrakech. At its heart is the Djemaa el-Fna, a huge medieval square that comes alive at night with an ever-changing cast of soothsayers, snake charmers, hawkers and food vendors. North of the square are the city’s maze-like souks, a sprawling lattice of narrow alleyways that resound with the hum of industry and the smells of exotic spices. To the south is the city’s most venerated monument, the 70-metre-tall Koutoubia Minaret, which has watched over the city since the Almohads erected it in the 12th century.
Marrakech is undoubtedly an assault on the senses, but its numerous gardens provide wonderful pockets of peace and tranquility. Some of the best are the Majorelle Gardens, bought by Yves Saint Laurent in the 1980s. His ashes were scattered here when he died in 2008 and there’s a museum on site devoted to his work.
You'll find Park Hyatt Marrakech on the edge of the city, where the busy medina gives way to open sky and views of the Atlas Mountains. It offers a contrast to the city without losing sight of what people come to Marrakech for.
Discover a cool, contemporary oasis set in ten acres of fragrant grounds dotted with olive trees, within easy reach of Marrakech’s foremost sights and city centre attractions. Moroccan heritage meets Oriental charm as fabulous 5-star amenities, warm hospitality and refined food make this a standout property on the city’s hotel scene.
Set in an old citrus and olive farm with cinematic views of the High Atlas, this beautifully decorated resort has been designed to resemble a traditional Moroccan palace and offers both mountain-view rooms and villas with private pools.
If you’re looking to be pampered like the sultans of old then Royal Mansour is the hotel for you. Owned and designed by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, the hotel was conceived as a city within a city – and could certainly pass for one. Here you’ll stay not in a mere room but in one of 53 private riads – the smallest of which has three floors – set in two and a half hectares of manicured Moorish gardens. Yet it’s all just steps from the heart of the medina and the Jemaa El Fna.
Escape the magical mayhem of Marrakech with a stay at this tranquil oasis, surrounded by landscaped gardens, a vast lake-like pool and an impressive 18-hole golf course – all only a 20-minute complimentary shuttle from the medina.
Dramatic and decadent, the Selman Marrakech retains a palatial feel, with its sprawling ochre architecture and magnificent Moroccan styling fused with a touch of French flair. With a vast Henri Chenot spa, 80-metre pool, and stables neighing with Arabian horses, it’s fair to say that extravagant living comes as standard.