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Flights and Hotels in Marrakesh
Marrakesh is Morocco's most visited imperial city: labyrinthine souks, the Jemaa el-Fna square, hidden riads and the Atlas Mountains on the horizon, roughly three hours by plane from Italy.
The medina of Marrakesh is a labyrinth of some 600 hectares ringed by almost 19 km of red walls: you explore it on foot only, and getting lost is part of the plan. Jemaa el-Fna is your reference point: from there the souks climb northwards, while the palaces (Bahia, El Badi) and the Kasbah lie to the south. The Ville Nouvelle — Guéliz and Hivernage — is 20-30 minutes on foot or a 20-30 dirham petit taxi ride away. Two full days cover the square, the souks, one palace, the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the Majorelle Garden. From June to August the thermometer often tops 38-40°C: sightsee early in the morning, rest through the middle hours, return to the square at sunset.
📜 History at a glance
Marrakesh was founded around 1070 by the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty from the Sahara, as a military and trading base between the desert and the Atlas; the name of Morocco itself derives from the city's. The Almohads conquered it in 1147 and gave it its signature monument: the Koutoubia Mosque, whose 77-metre minaret served as the model for Seville's Giralda. After centuries of shifting fortunes, the Saadian dynasty made it capital again in the sixteenth century: Sultan Ahmed al-Mansour built the El Badi Palace with the gold and sugar of the Saharan trade and left the Saadian Tombs, walled up by his successors and rediscovered only in 1917. The Alaouites, still reigning today, moved the capital elsewhere, yet Marrakesh remained the metropolis of the south. In 1912 the French protectorate set the Ville Nouvelle of Guéliz beside the old town. The medina has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985 and Jemaa el-Fna was proclaimed part of humanity's oral and intangible heritage: the "red city" still lives on this double register, imperial and popular.
📅 Best time to visit
The ideal months are March-May and October-November: 22-28°C by day, cool evenings, almost permanently clear skies. Summer is harsh: from June to August temperatures regularly hit 38-40°C with peaks above 45°C; you sightsee only in the morning and after sunset, and a riad with a pool becomes essential. Winter (December-February) offers 18-22°C by day but cold nights, down to 5-8°C: many historic riads are poorly heated, so check beforehand. Rain is rare and concentrated between November and March. During Ramadan (a movable month) the city slows down by day and comes alive after sunset: an interesting experience but a different rhythm, with some venues closed. New Year and Easter are the price peaks for flights and riads.
Why visit Marrakesh
Jemaa el-Fna — the medina's open-air theatre: juice stalls and water sellers by day, food stands and Gnaoua musicians from sunset; free and always alive. Koutoubia Mosque — a 77-metre Almohad minaret, the city's visual beacon; the interior is reserved for Muslims, the exterior and gardens are open to all. Bahia Palace — a nineteenth-century masterpiece of stucco, zellij and courtyards; entry around 70 dirhams, go early to beat the tour groups. El Badi Palace — the monumental ruins of the Saadian palace, with pools and storks on the ramparts; around 70 dirhams. Saadian Tombs — a sixteenth-century mausoleum with the Hall of the Twelve Columns; around 70 dirhams, queues in the morning. Ben Youssef Madrasa — the largest Koranic school in the Maghreb, with a spectacular courtyard; around 50 dirhams. Majorelle Garden — cobalt blue, cacti and the memory of Yves Saint Laurent, in Guéliz; around 170 dirhams, online tickets recommended. Le Jardin Secret — a restored Islamic garden in the heart of the souks, with a panoramic tower; around 100 dirhams.
Suggested itineraries
1 day: morning at the Ben Youssef Madrasa and down through the souks to the square, lunch on a panoramic terrace, afternoon at the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs, sunset and dinner among the Jemaa el-Fna food stalls. 2-3 days: to day one add El Badi, the Mellah and the Koutoubia, half a day in Guéliz with the Majorelle Garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, then a traditional hammam and Le Jardin Secret; evening at a riad restaurant. 5+ days: Marrakesh as a base plus excursions — the Ourika Valley or Imlil in the High Atlas (1 day), Essaouira on the ocean (2h30-3h by road), the Agafay desert at sunset by quad or camel, or two days out to Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate over the Tizi n'Tichka pass.
🍽️ Local cuisine
Moroccan cooking of spices, meats and sweet-savoury pairings. Dishes: tagine (lamb with prunes, chicken with preserved lemon and olives), couscous — a Friday tradition —, tangia marrakchia, a beef stew cooked for hours in the hammam's embers and the city's emblem, harira (pulse soup), chicken or pigeon pastilla, kefta skewers. Street food: at the Jemaa el-Fna stalls, skewers, snails in spiced broth and msemen flatbread; a tangia sandwich in the lanes around the Mellah for 25-40 dirhams. Sweets: gazelle horns, sesame-and-honey chebakia, mint tea poured from on high (10-20 dirhams). Where: restaurants inside the medina's riads serve full menus at 150-300 dirhams; Guéliz has modern cooking and wine, while in the medina alcohol is barely served at all. Avoid: the terraces with photo menus overlooking the square, expensive and mediocre; choose the stalls crowded with Moroccans instead.
Neighbourhoods to explore
Northern medina (souks): the commercial maze between Jemaa el-Fna and the Ben Youssef Madrasa, riads everywhere, fascinating chaos. Kasbah and Mellah (south): the Saadian Tombs, El Badi and the former Jewish quarter with its spice market; quieter and more lived-in. Jemaa el-Fna and around: extremely convenient for a first visit, but noisy until late. Guéliz: the French-era new town, cafés, galleries, fixed-price shops and the Majorelle Garden; modern hotels and a western pace. Hivernage: tree-lined avenues, chain hotels with pools and evening venues, a quarter of an hour on foot from the square. Palmeraie (north, 20-30 minutes by taxi): luxury resorts among the palms, perfect with children but isolated.
🎭 Events and festivals
January: Marrakesh International Marathon, a course among palm groves and red walls. Ramadan (a movable month): slowed-down days and evening ftour, the square packed after sunset; it closes with the feast of Eid al-Fitr. July: Festival National des Arts Populaires, the country's oldest festival, with Berber music and dance at El Badi and on the square. 30 July: Throne Day, official celebrations across Morocco. September-October: Oasis Festival, international electronic music at resorts outside town. Late November-early December: Marrakesh International Film Festival, world-class guests and free screenings on a giant screen in Jemaa el-Fna. Religious holidays (Eid al-Adha, Mawlid) follow the lunar calendar and shift closures and trading rhythms from year to year.
How to get there
Marrakesh-Menara airport (RAK) is about 6 km from the centre and among Morocco's busiest. From Italy the direct flights are mostly low-cost: Ryanair from Milan Bergamo, Rome Fiumicino, Bologna and Pisa; easyJet from Milan Malpensa; seasonal routes vary from year to year. Indicative flight time 2h50-3h30 depending on the departure city. Fares from around €30-60 one way in low season, €120-250 over holiday weekends and at New Year. Royal Air Maroc connects Italy via Casablanca, useful for continuing to other Moroccan cities. Alternatively you can land at Casablanca (CMN) and continue by train with a change, but that adds 4-5 hours: worthwhile only as part of a combined itinerary.
🚇 Getting around
The medina can only be explored on foot: cars stay outside the gates, while mopeds and carts circulate within. From the airport: ALSA line 19 bus to Jemaa el-Fna and Guéliz, about 30 dirhams return, departures every 20-30 minutes; petit taxi 70-100 dirhams by day (agree the fare or insist on the meter); riad transfer 150-200 dirhams, handy on first arrival because it includes an escort through the final alleys. Petit taxi (beige, three passengers maximum): city rides 20-50 dirhams; the meter often "doesn't work", so agree before getting in. ALSA city buses: around 4-5 dirhams, useful for Guéliz and the Menara. Calèche: a carriage ride with posted tariffs, roughly 150-200 dirhams per hour. For excursions: shared grands taxis, Supratours and CTM coaches, or a car with driver.
Budget and prices
Return flight from Italy €60-120 in low season, €200-400 at New Year and Easter. Sleeping: hostel bed 100-150 dirhams; simple riad in the medina 400-700 dirhams for a double (about €40-65); boutique riad 800-1,500 dirhams; luxury and the Palmeraie above 2,500 dirhams. Eating: street food 25-50 dirhams, cheap lunch 60-100 dirhams, dinner in a riad restaurant 150-300 dirhams per person, gastronomic addresses 400-600 dirhams. Mint tea 10-20 dirhams, fresh orange juice on the square about 10 dirhams. Entry fees: 50-170 dirhams per monument, roughly 400-500 dirhams for 2-3 days of sightseeing. Transport: nearly everything on foot, 100-200 dirhams of taxis over a weekend. Hammam: local 10-30 dirhams, tourist version with massage 300-600 dirhams. Weekend total for a couple (flights excluded): about €250-450 on a budget, €500-900 in a boutique riad.
📋 Practical info
Currency: the Moroccan dirham (MAD), about 10-11 dirhams to the euro; it is a "closed" currency, exchanged locally (bureaux and ATMs everywhere, and cash is still king in the souks). Languages: Arabic and Berber; French is understood almost everywhere, English in the tourist areas. Documents: EU citizens need a valid passport, no visa for up to 90 days. Tap water: better to stick to bottled, around 5-10 dirhams. Sockets type C/E at 220V: from most of Europe no adapter needed. Tipping is expected: 5-10 dirhams for small services, about 10% in restaurants. SIM cards: Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi sell cheap data packages, including at the airport (around 50-100 dirhams); EU roaming does not cover Morocco. Safety: a well-policed tourist city, but fake guides and pickpockets work the souks: polite firmness and backpack worn in front.
💡 Practical tips
- Haggle in the souks starting from about half the asking price: it is a ritual, best played with a smile and no hurry.
- Anyone who "helps" you find your way expects a tip: better an offline map on your phone.
- Book the Majorelle Garden online and go at opening time.
- At the Jemaa el-Fna stalls pick the stands full of locals and ask prices before ordering.
- Photographing snake charmers and monkeys has a price: if you don't want to pay, don't raise your phone.
- In summer a riad with a pool or air conditioning is not an optional extra.
- On Fridays part of the souk closes or opens late: the right day for palaces and gardens.