Best things to do in Marrakech
Find out more about those top places in Marrakech
Marrakech is one of Morocco’s wonderful cities, not as popular as Casablanca, Fes, or Rabat, but still a great place to explore. It is Morocco’s fourth largest city and has much history attached to it which can be seen from its various landmarks found round the city.
Regarded as one of the great citadels of the Muslim world, it plays a major role in the economy of the nation, having its largest market. A typical visit of Marrakech will take you through the Saadians Tombs, Atlas Mountains and its famous Souks.
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Saadian Tombs
The Saadian Tombs are the burial sites of royal family and other prominent members of the Saadian Dynasty. The site which contains over 66 tombs was started by Sultan al-Ghalib Abdullah who constructed the first tomb for the remains of his late Father Mohammed Ask-Sheik the founder of the Saadian Empire. The Royal Graveyard was chosen due to its proximity to the Kabah Mosque and it contains several mausoleums and a garden. After the fall of the Saadi dynasty, the tombs were abandoned until recent times when it was renovated by the Moroccan government.
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Koutoubia Mosque
Located in the Southwest medina quarter of Marrakech, the Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Morocco. The name Koutoubia Mosque when translated means the Bookseller mosque because where the museum stands right now was not far from a book selling market, which had over a hundred book vendors. The Koutoubia Mosque has been around since the 11th century and in fact it was two mosques, with the second mosque built to substitute the first one.
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Atlas Mountains
Arguably the most famous mountains in Africa. The Atlas Mountains spreads through three countries in Northern Africa namely Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. The mountains located in the Maghreb region has its highest peak at 4,167 meters and covers an area of 2,500 km. The mountains are usually good hiking spots for outdoor enthusiasts but usually most tourists decide not to go to the top of the mountain but rather stay around the neighboring villages visiting other side attractions and socializing with locals.
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Visit a Hammam
Visiting a Hammam should be on everyone's list touring Marrakech. A Hammam is a public bath system created by the Roman empire over 2000 years ago and has been incorporated into Moroccan culture. The Moroccan Hammam consists of various rooms each carefully designed to give the perfect relaxation experience. The rooms of the Moroccan Hammam are separated based on gender mainly due to religious beliefs.
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Marrakech Souks
The word souk is basically a traditional way of saying market. The Souks of Marrakech are the largest in Morocco and are known round Africa as the number one stop in Morocco to buy almost anything. Probably the busiest location in the city, they are divided into different parts based on the items, so when exploring you would see the Souk Smata, Souk Haddadine, Souk Semmarine among many others.
