In this series of articles, we help you to better know the major cities of southern Morocco and thus facilitate your choice in the organization of your trip.
We start with the unavoidable capital of tourism in Morocco: Marrakech.
It radiates for its colors, its atmosphere and its multitude of sites to discover. It is also a city known for its cultural diversity and historical richness. In Marrakech, there is everything, there is something for everyone!
Visit Marrakech, our top 10:
Arriving in Marrakech, this is probably the first place you will visit! It is the nerve centre of the city, both for Moroccans and tourists.
This large square has always welcomed merchants and «mood makers»: snake charmers, musicians, actors etc
There is also everything you need to eat at any time of the day and night.
During the day, you will see fruit juice vendors and various merchants. The square is surrounded by small restaurants and terraces where it is good to drink a mint tea with a panoramic view, a little far from the bustle of downstairs. In the early afternoon, the place is quieter, it’s time for a nap, especially when the sun hits hard.
In the evening it is a different atmosphere that starts. The small traditional restaurants settle ephemerally in the middle of the square, creating a smoky and fragrant atmosphere where everyone strives to attract the customer. This moment is acclaimed by Moroccans who go out with family at cooler hours. Then from 11pm the streets empty again to make way for the next day.
2. The Marrakech souk
It is the high place of trade and crafts in Marrakech, which radiates throughout the world.
We should rather say the souks because the medina of Marrakech is home to 18 different souks that will each gather different trades for a very structured organization even if it appears as a great maze in the eyes of the foreign visitor. Thus we find some of the following areas: Leather, Slippers, Carpets, Copper, Jewelry, Wood, Spices, Dyeing , but also Musical Instruments, Wool, Basketry, Pottery, Flea Market, food and bazaar. It will be necessary to go in the small alleys to get away from the axes very tourist if you want to make interesting purchases. Everyone will apprehend the souks in their own way: stealthy to flee the sellers who try to attract you, photographer of each corner of the display, stroller to let themselves be carried at random, shoppeur to bring back the most beautiful objects, etc. In your schedule, give yourself time to go in several times to really appreciate the atmosphere of the souks and understand the organization.
3. "Jardin Secret"
Luxurious residence that once hosted great Moroccan eminence, this palace is now restored and open to the public who benefits from a place highlighting Moroccan craftsmanship through its architecture and garden. A place of tranquility in the middle of the city.
This former university is the largest Islamic school in northern Africa. It is also an architectural jewel that highlights the craftsmanship such as zelliges, stucco or carved wood.
5. Le palais El Badi
This ancient palace was completed in 1600. Now there are only the remains that you can walk and tell you the life of yesteryear. You will also see the multitude of storks who have taken up residence there.
6. the Saadian Tombs
This necropolis built shortly before 1200 hosts the tombs of dynasties ranging from Saadians to Alawites. A time fallen into oblivion, it was restored to highlight all the richness of its ornaments and allow the work of historians.
The Koutoubia mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakech and dates from 1158. It was built by the Almohads who had made Marrakech their capital. Its imposing minaret stands proudly opposite the entrance to Jemaa El Fna square. During the earthquake of September 8, 2023, it suffered some damage and cracks but it is still standing after having crossed the centuries. Access to the interior of the mosque is reserved for Muslims but you can approach to admire its exterior architecture and make magnificent shots typical of Moroccan life.
8. The "jardin Majorelle"
Jacques Majorelle, a French painter, founded this landscaped garden in 1931. Then bought by Yves Saint Laurent, this place is renowned worldwide for its villa of a bright blue, the "majorelle blue", and its incredible collection of cacti.
You can also see the Berber museum and the Yves Saint Laurent museum devoted to its haute couture collections.
Good to know: now you have to book your tickets online only, no on-site ticket sales
9. The Bahia Palace
Built in 1894, the Bahia Palace is built to be a luxury residence with multiple courtyards that highlight everything that Moroccan architecture has more beautiful: mosaics, frescoes in carved stucco, painted wood, fountains and gardens.
You can walk there from Jemaa El Fna square, 900m.
Explore the recent history of Morocco and its culture through photography. An unusual visit to Marrakech for a break of calm and poetry.
Getting around in Marrakech
In Marrakech, as in all cities of Morocco, the modes of travel are multiple and easy. You can opt for small taxis that will take you to the exact place for a few dirhams, travel by bus (convenient to connect the airport to the center of Marrakech and the train station, you will find the line information on Alsa.ma), or walk to peacefully discover the city center.
You will also find the carriages at the entrance of Jemaa El Fna square that will allow you an unusual guided tour in the streets of the city.
From Marrakech to the desert
During your stay in Morocco, you can enjoy the unforgettable experience of the desert. You are only a few hours from the magical Sahara, it’s time to enjoy!
For this, several solutions are available to you: quick getaway or circuit in the south
How much time to spend in the desert from Marrakech?
And yes, it’s a problem, the holidays are not extensible! And you will have to enter into your program the 1001 splendors of Morocco that you absolutely want to see. The desert is part of it.
You are lucky because the wildest and most authentic desert is also the one closest to Marrakech. Of course, we are talking about the Chegaga Desert and Iriki National Park. You may have heard more about the desert of Merzouga, indeed it is more known but also much more frequented, even overcrowded, in addition to being much further.
At Desert Foum Zguid, it is in the desert of Erg Chegaga and Erg El Mhazil that we grew up and it is there that we take you to discover the wonders of the dunes.
Tour 3 days 2 nights from Marrakech to the desert
From Marrakech to the desert of Foum Zguid, you will have to take the road that passes through the pass of Tizi N Tichka. From the bustle of the big city you will reach the quiet mountain scenery. The road winds between the passes of the Atlas but it has just been completely redone, it is much safer now. You will no longer find yourself stuck behind the trucks that climb painfully.
You can admire the small villages on their headlands of ochre and red rocks, you stop to eat a smoking tajine on the roadside and take the time to admire some beautiful views of the valleys below.
Past the Atlas, you will reach high plateaus where the road separates: Ouarzazate on one side, Tazenakht on the other. Direction Tazenakht to sink south. Over the kilometers, the landscapes are drier, the vegetation rarer. Slowly the desert is getting closer. A break in Tazenakht will allow you to visit some Berber carpet cooperatives which is the local specialty, an absolutely fabulous feminine know-how.
After 5 to 6 hours drive from Marrakech, you will reach the small town of Foum Zguid, hidden behind the hollow of the mountains of Jbel Bani and which suddenly opens in front of vast plains. Magical atmosphere of the end of the world, we know that at the end of the road it is the desert that begins! Stop for tea in the center and you will see the ballet of vehicles that come and go from the great desert, the excitement of adventure, the real. After all this road, a good break is appreciated. But the path does not stop there.
It is now in 4x4 that it continues, for 2 hours of track to the dunes of Erg El Mhazil, the wildest or those of Chegaga with the highest dune of Morocco. You will take the stony track, the one that once saw the Paris Dakar pass, then the path becomes more sandy and leads to vast plains with cracked earth.
You will reach your bivouac for a moment of absolute relaxation, in grandiose landscapes.
You can choose to spend 2 nights in the dunes. We also offer you the opportunity to discover the desert differently and nomadic culture thanks to our guest house "La Petite maison du lac Iriki" located in the heart of Iriki National Park:
Visit the village and the oasis, hike to see the engravings and cave paintings, meet the inhabitants. Here are great opportunities to soak up the cultural richness of this region. Find all possible tours with Desert Foum Zguid.
To visit between Marrakech and the desert:
The road between Marrakech and the desert allows to see unmissable and splendid places.
So you will be able to build an ideal circuit by choosing the following steps:
Ait Ben Haddou, its UNESCO heritage ksar
Telouet and its old kasbah before arriving in Ait Ben Haddou
Ouarzazate, with the cinema studios and the medina
Draa Valley:
Agdz: enjoy a walk in its palm grove, discover the ancient kasbah and do not miss the ksar of Tamnougalte 7km away
Zagora: its beautiful palm grove and the atmosphere of departure city to the desert
Tamegroute: stop in this small town to visit the pottery workshops where pottery is made in an ancestral and artisanal way with a green enamel recognizable by all. You will also find the Quranic library which contains the oldest manuscripts of Morocco
M'Hamid El Ghizlane: last village before the desert, former starting point for nomadic caravans to the Sahara. Nearby, visit the Ouled Driss ksar, an authentic Saharan ksar dating from the 17th century and with a peaceful atmosphere
Going up by Foum Zguid :
Foum Zguid: authentic city at the gates of the desert
Tazenakht: the capital of Berber carpet with multiple female cooperatives is ideal for a stop on the way
Oasis of Fint: if you choose to connect Tazanakht and Ouarzazate, you can discover this corner of beautiful freshness, you can take a lunch break or even spend the night in a hostel, in absolute calm
Need advice to build your stay?
Contact us and consult our tours from the largest cities of Morocco to the most beautiful Moroccan desert.