Marrakech as a lot in common with Fez, but it’s also quite different in many ways so quite a few travelers take time to see them both. The highlight of the city is Djemaa El-Fna, which is the huge open square in front of the souks in the medina. During the day it’s filled with entertainers and hustlers (be careful) and at night it becomes one of the world’s great outdoor food courts. Most of the other sights around the city are free or cheap, but of course shopping is the main event so that can easily get out of hand if you don’t bargain well and just buy everything that appeals to you.
| Population | 1,100,000 |
| Area | 1,100,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+0 |
| Currency | Moroccan dirham |
| Airports | Marrakech-Menara Airport (RAK) |
Hotels in Marrakech range in price and quality from cheap places that are some of the worst rooms you’ve ever seen, up to luxury places that are solid 5-star with prices to match. There is plenty in the middle as well, with more of the cheaper places being in the old city and more of the expensive places being in the new city.
Hotels in Marrakech don’t change prices too much during the year, though you are more likely to get a good deal, especially on a high-end place, during the steamy summer months. The high season in Marrakech basically lasts from October through May, but at the lower budget places the price is steady year round.
The summers, and specifically July and August, are generally almost unbearable so most of the fancy hotels are nearly empty. If you are looking at a 3-star or above place you might notice a huge range of prices, and if you search online you might find a great deal at a place that happens to have many empty rooms at that time. It’s best to book places like that online before you go, even in low season.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 6.00 - 40.00 |
| 32.10 - 85.70 |
| 30.40 - 173.90 |
| 34.60 - 449.20 |
| 73.30 - 647.80 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 5.30 - 23.40 |
| Location | Description | Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-day tour guide | Marrakech has official guides that include a car and will take your group to interesting spots, and shops, all around the medina. | all-day half-day | 100.00 70.00 |
| Hammam visit | A popular thing to do is go to one of the local bathhouses for a soak or some spa treatments. Extra services cost extra, of course. | high-end low-end | 11.00 2.00 |
| El Bahia Palace | This palace is popular with tourists and a worthwhile look at upscale life here in the 1800s. | adults | 7.00 |
Food can be cheap in Marrakech if you eat at the street stalls and local restaurants, but if you mostly go to places in hotels that are only aimed at tourists then it’s not such a bargain. Alcohol is hard to find here, usually only in hotel bars, so don’t expect to get drunk cheaply like you can in so many places with food at these prices.
| Food Type | Description | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget breakfast | Many hotels include breakfast, but there are cafes around if you need them. | 3.50 - 6.00 |
| Budget lunch | Restaurants and street stalls in the souk have affordable and authentic meals. Fast food is available in the New City. | 4.50 - 7.00 |
| Budget dinner | Eating dinner in the main square (Djemaa el Fna) at least once is a must, and most of the stalls are fairly cheap. | 7.00 - 11.00 |
| Beer (pint) | Finding bars and alcohol isn't easy in Marrakech, but it tends to be reasonable when you do, except in nightclubs. | 2.30 - 3.00 |
| Table wine (bottle) | You can get decent local wine in many restaurants. | 4.60 - 8.00 |
| Beer (can, retail) | In some markets you can get fairly cheap local beer. | 1.10 - 1.50 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Petit taxi from airport to city center | 5.00 - 8.00 |
| Airport express bus to city | 3.00 |
| 3km taxi ride in Marrakech | 1.50 - 2.00 |
| Local bus ride in Marrakech | 0.20 - 0.50 |
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 65 | 43 | 1.3 |
| February | 68 | 46 | 1.5 |
| March | 72 | 49 | 1.5 |
| April | 75 | 52 | 1.5 |
| May | 82 | 57 | 0.9 |
| June | 88 | 61 | 0.2 |
| July | 98 | 68 | 0.1 |
| August | 98 | 68 | 0.1 |
| September | 91 | 65 | 0.2 |
| October | 82 | 58 | 0.9 |
| November | 72 | 51 | 1.6 |
| December | 66 | 44 | 1.2 |
Consistently warmer than Fez, the climate in Marrakech means it’s almost always sunny, and during summer it’ll be brutally hot and humid, in spite of the desert surroundings. Winters are usually pleasant and warm so it’s a good place to escape the cold in the north, but most people agree that the best times to go are either in spring or autumn. During winters it does get quite chilly at night, but during spring and autumn the temperatures are pleasant pretty much around the clock.
As mentioned, summers can be ridiculous in Marrakech, with a combination of heat and humidity that makes most people shrivel. Locals hide in the shade during the middle of the day, and smart tourists do as well, if they can’t make the trip during better weather.
| 21 Mar | 6:34am | 6:44pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:27am | 7:40pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:19am | 6:32pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:27am | 5:32pm |