Paula Hardy

Right now is a very exciting time to visit Marrakech. This creative, unique city has undergone some serious architectural restoration, and is currently making a serious dash to the future.  Here you’ll find a bunch of brand-new museums showcasing jewellery, desert gardens and ethnographic collections, a booming food scene and the city’s famous souks, selling anything you can dream of. You’ll find the absolute best in fashion, design, art and hospitality. Just remember this word: ‘Balek!’ (roughly translated as, ‘move it, donkey coming through!’). Got it? Here are the best things to do in Marrakech.  RECOMMENDED:🥘 The best restaurants in Marrakech🇲🇦 Your ultimate guide to Morocco This guide is by Paula Hardy, a writer based in Marrakech. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Few things make Marrakshis happier than to see guests enjoying a meal with gusto. So go on, do your part for international relations and have a slice of that delicious bastilla (that’s layers of flaky pastry drenched with orange-blossom infused cream and topped with toasted almonds). Eating often and eating well is one of the best Marrakech experiences you can treat yourself to and these days there’s an ever expanding list of places to choose from. They run the gamut from popular food stalls selling foul (bean soup) and schwarma to grand palace riads, gourmet burgher joints, stylish modern Moroccan restaurants and French-style bistros. Hungry in Marrakech? You’re in for a treat. Here are its best restaurants.  RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Marrakech🇲🇦 The best things to do in Morocco🌎 The best cities in the world for 2024 Paula Hardy is a writer based in Marrakech. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

How would you rate your city’s culture scene? To find out the best cities for art and culture right now, we asked over 21,000 city-dwellers across the globe that exact question – and the results are in.  Each city on this list has earned its place through a meticulous curation process. Locals were quizzed on their city’s best cultural venues and experiences, and were also asked to score their city’s cultural offering based on both its quality and affordability. Of course, affordability is relative here: what’s considered cheap to locals in one city might not be to those in another. But whether it’s because of discounted museum entry for locals or free open-air festivals, these are destinations where art and culture won’t break the bank.  We then narrowed down the selection by excluding cities with lower overall scores, and only including the highest-scoring city for each country. (Better luck next time, London!) Four ‘spotlight’ cities were added to the final ranking – cities that weren’t surveyed but were nominated by Time Out’s clued-up editors and local experts as cultural capitals that deserve a spotlight on this year’s list. So, ready to get out there? From Mumbai to Melbourne, these are the very best cities for art and culture right now. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for the latest travel news and the best stuff happening across the world.

What’s the vibe? Modern but warm and welcoming with visual interest everywhere; carved stars on the wooden ceiling, patterned terracotta tilework on the walls, woven and leather chairs, a hand-beaten bread oven and huge glowing lanterns that cast a lovely soft glow over the restaurant.  What are the prices like? High, but justifiably so. Starters average around £12, while mains range between £18 and £25. They are to be expected at this level of quality and style.  What should I order? Freshly baked bread is a must as is the multi-dish Moroccan salad, which is executed here at the highest standard. Then choose one of the unusual tagines, such as lamb with aubergine and sweet sesame. They are slow cooked to perfection for the most intense flavour. The pigeon pastilla is also a personal favourite.   What’s worth visiting nearby? The Berber Museum in the lovely Jardin Majorelle is a nice complimentary experience. It showcases the sophisticated decorative arts of Morocco’s ancient Amazigh community which influences all Moroccan culture.  📍 Discover more of the best things to do in Marrakech

What’s the vibe? Cool, creative and nostalgic, this multi-space venue has a chameleon quality depending on time and day you visit. In the evening the garden is magical and romantic, during weekend brunches it’s relaxed and family friendly, and during events the Art Déco bar and library transport you straight back to the 1930s.  What are the prices like? Very reasonable. Breakfast plates cost between £7-10, lunch dishes are between £8 and £15 and dinner is £30-40 a head with wine.  What should I order? For breakfast order the brioche with either eggs or raspberry and rose compote; for lunch a date shake, clam cassoulet or the calamari, fennel and grilled pepper salad. For a light dinner, sample one of the near-perfect pizzas. Date night? Go for the grilled bream or hangar steak.  What’s worth visiting nearby? A great clutch of modernist and contemporary art galleries including Comptoir des Mines, Loft Gallery, Macma Museum and Matisse Gallery. 📍 Discover more of the best things to do in Marrakech

What’s the vibe? Maison Reine has a breezy South of France feel. The sunny terrace is decked out in shades of pale blue and white and is screened by silvery olive trees. Shaded seating wraps around a central serving counter decorated with huge bouquets of wild flowers or bowls of citrus. In the evening, the collection of wicker lamps swing gently in the breeze casting atmospheric shadows over the scene.  What are the prices like? Very reasonable for the standard of the cooking and quality ingredients. Expect to pay about £30-35 for a slap-up meal with non-alcoholic cocktails and coffee.  What should I order? The whole smoked aubergine with labneh and sauce vierge is a crowd-pleaser; the finely shredded beef on pureed white beans drizzled with herb-infused oil is a delicate delight; the tomato tart causes fights to break out; and the chouchette filled with Chantilly cream are naughty but oh-so-nice. What’s worth visiting nearby? The Musée des Confluences in the glorious Bacha Palace and Mustapha Blaoui’s Aladdin’s cave shopping emporium, which is stacked with fabulous antiques and vintage furniture.  📍 Discover more of the best things to do in Marrakech

What is it? A 16th-century Quranic school (medersa) built in 1565 by Saadian Sultan Abdallah Al Ghalib. Built beside the Ben Youssef mosque – originally Marrakech’s main mosque – it functioned as a school training Islamic scholars in Islamic law, jurisprudence and variant readings of the Quran. In its heyday it was the largest medersa in North Africa and attracted up to 800 students. Is it worth visiting? Absolutely. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an exemplar of Hispano-Moresque design and decoration that absolutely dazzles after nearly four years of painstaking restoration. Its exquisite central patio is paved with Italian marble and surrounded by intricate zellij (mosaic) tiling, carved stuccowork and cedarwood, while around it on the first floor are some 130 student dorms grouped around sunlit courtyards. In one of them you can see a video showcasing the master artisans involved in the restoration.  Tickets, accessibility and booking Tickets are a very affordable 50MAD (around £4) and can be bought at the entrance. The magnificent main courtyard is the only area of the site that is wheelchair accessible.   Where’s good to eat near the Medersa Ben Youssef? A six minute walk south through the souqs will bring you to L’Mida at the edge of the Spice Square. It serves a delicious Moroccan menu brought up to date by chef Narjisse Benkabbou. The sunny terrace seating is a bonus.  

What is it? Souk Semmarine is the Bond Street of Marrakech. It runs north from the Djemaa el-Fna to the Ben Youssef Medersa and merges with Souk Nejjarine and Souk El-Kebir. Running off this main artery is a whole slew of smaller souks dedicated to particular crafts such as carpets, textiles, babouche, leather hides, lanterns, spices, antiques, metalwork, wool, perfume and more. In short, you can shop for virtually everything here. Is it worth visiting? Shopping in these souqs is the quintessential Marrakech experience and is a great deal of fun if you get the hang of the negotiating game. While there’s plenty of merchandise squarely aimed at tourists, there are also some real finds here and much is handmade. In particular, look out for quality leather slippers, hand turned ceramics, beautiful cut-brass lanterns and hand woven bed throws and textiles. Just know the rate of exchange before embarking (an easy rule of thumb is 10 dirhams = £2).  Tickets, accessibility and booking The souqs are free to visit, but given their crowded nature and unpaved alleys are extremely challenging for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues. That said, Marrakshis make their way here with assistance. Visit in the morning when it is generally quieter and less crowded.  Where’s good to eat in Souk Semmarine? Famous for the best tangia (beef stew) and mechoui (lamb slow-roasted over coals) in town is Chez Lahmine Hadj Mustapha, who has a tiny restaurant on Derb Semmarine. He once cooked at

What is it? Designed by fashionable Studio KO, this beautiful museum celebrates Marrakech’s creative chutzpah and the dazzling fashion of Algerian-born couturier Yves Saint Laurent, who drew inspiration from the city for over 40 years. The complex includes a beautiful rotating exhibit of Saint Laurent’s collection alongside a temporary exhibition space, research library, auditorium, café and an excellent bookshop.  Is it worth visiting? Definitely if you want to understand the creative DNA of Marrakech and why it continues to inspire so many artists and designers. The permanent installation brilliantly curates written and spoken word interviews, iconic photographs, sketches and film extracts that contextualise the artful garments in a deeply emotional display. Ethereal models sashay towards you in floating projections above mannequins dressed in dazzling clothes, bold jewellery and embellished accessories. Like Marrakech, it is alive and exciting.  Tickets, accessibility and booking Tickets must be pre-booked online. Note, it is worth buying the combined ticket which includes the next door Jardin Majorelle – where Yves St Laurent lived – and the Museum of Berber Arts (housed in Jardin Majorelle). See the latter first to understand how heavily YSL was influenced by Moroccan arts and crafts. Tickets for the Yves St Laurent Museum cost 135MAD (approx. £11) while a combined ticket costs 315MAD (approx £25). The museum is wheelchair accessible. Where’s good to eat near MYSLM? The