16 Unique Things To Do in Marrakech

For the brothers who started top nightspot, bar and restaurant Baromètre, the lack of local spirits didn’t pose a problem. Along with a menu of classic drinks, the underground bar brings in a bit of the medina with spirits infused with local spices in-house.

The top terrace of Café de France offers guests the perfect vantage point from which to observe the changing Jemaa el-Fnaa scenery. Order a pot of sinfully sweet mint tea and watch the scene unfold as the juice vendors make way for impromptu restaurants and street performers.

Leather making is one of the oldest crafts in Marrakech – and one that features unsavoury-smelling substances in the process. The traditional tanneries are located in the Bab Debbagh quarter in the northern end of the medina and are best reached through an organised tour.

If you want a break from the bustle, then do as the Moroccans do and head up to the mountains. The beige shared cabs (or petit taxis) parked just down from Jemaa el-Fnaa can get you up to the Atlas Mountains in an hour and a half. Here, you can breathe in the mountain air and walk around Berber villages. You can also trek up to Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa.

Outside the medina and the Nouvelle Ville, a short walk past some stalls selling candy, you’ll find yourself somewhat inexplicably at a brilliant square pool, built in the 16th century by a sultan. Take a seat poolside and enjoy the garden around you.

For hundreds of years and several generations, the families of Mechoui Alley have woken up early in the morning, stuck a whole lamb on a stick and put it in a large underground oven to slowly roast for four to six hours. The result is a deliciously succulent and tender plate of meat that practically falls off the bone. Sprinkle on some cumin and salt for an extra layer of flavour.

With its Art Deco stylings, Café Grand Atlas cuts a particular figure in the Nouvelle Ville. As it’s situated next to one of the city’s busiest roundabouts, taking a coffee on the café’s terrace will give you a different perspective on Marrakech. Try a nous-nous, a Moroccan speciality that’s half espresso, half milk.

There are few things as quintessentially Moroccan as a weekly trip to the hammam. Head on down to the largest public one: Hammam Dar el-Bacha. Here, you pay a cover and get scrubbed down and massaged in the steaming rooms. You’ll leave feeling like a new person. Make sure to check the timings for men and women before you go.

Each region and city in Morocco has a different style that sets its carpets apart from the others, usually with fascinating historical backstories. You can see some magnificent examples of traditionally made rugs at Musée Dar Si Saïd while also learning about the processes used to make them.

Marrakech and Fez are both known the world over for the quality of their leather – often leaving leather’s more luxurious sister product, suede, out in the shadows. Fear not, the kindly folk at Atika have some of the best handmade suede loafers in the city.

If you’re looking for English-language books to pass the time on your bus journey down south, then Marrakech isn’t very helpful as most bookshops might only have a shelf of French novels. Luckily, the immigrant-run Café du Livre keeps a good selection of second-hand books to satiate your need – it also has the only weekly pub quiz in town.