10 Things to Do in Marrakech Beyond the Souks

The souks, the palaces and the famous square are unmissable. But the moments travellers remember longest are usually the ones where they did something: cooked, made, danced, sweated in a hammam or shared tea with a family. Here are ten of our favourites, from a team that grew up between Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains.

1. Cook a tagine with a local family

Learn the spice base of a real tagine, bake Moroccan bread, make fresh salads and eat everything you cooked around one big table. It is the easiest way to understand Moroccan hospitality. Our cooking class lasts about three hours and costs €35 per person.

2. Shape clay at a pottery workshop

Pottery is one of Morocco's oldest crafts. In a small-group workshop you try hand-building and the potter's wheel with a local craftsman. Pieces need to dry before painting, so plan accordingly. Our pottery workshop lasts about two hours (€37).

3. Make your own pair of babouches

Babouches, the soft leather slippers you see hanging in every souk, are still cut and stitched by hand in the medina. In our babouche workshop you make your own pair and walk out wearing them the same day (about two hours, €51, round-trip transport included).

4. Celebrate an Amazigh wedding in the Atlas

In Imlil, at the foot of the High Atlas, our Amazigh wedding experience recreates the joy of a traditional Berber celebration: traditional dress, henna, Ahwach music and dance, and a five-course lunch. It is a cultural celebration, not a legal ceremony — and a wonderful day for couples, families and friends.

5. Spend an evening at Jemaa el-Fna

The main square changes completely at sunset. Food stalls appear, smoke rises from the grills, and musicians and storytellers gather circles of people. Walk through, then watch the scene from a rooftop café. Agree on prices before you eat, and keep an eye on your belongings in the crowds.

6. Try a traditional hammam

The hammam is a weekly ritual for many Moroccans: steam, black soap and a vigorous scrub with a kessa glove. You can choose a simple neighbourhood hammam for the local experience, or a spa hammam if you prefer more privacy and comfort.

7. Visit the Jardin Majorelle early

The cobalt-blue garden created by painter Jacques Majorelle, later restored by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, is one of the city's most famous sights. It gets very busy, so book your tickets online in advance and go early in the day.

8. Look up at the Ben Youssef Madrasa

This former Koranic school is a masterclass in Moroccan craftsmanship: carved cedar wood, stucco and zellige tilework around a calm courtyard. After a cooking or craft workshop, you will look at the details with new eyes.

9. Escape to the Atlas Mountains

Around an hour and a half from Marrakech, Imlil and the valleys of Toubkal National Park feel like another world: walnut trees, terraced fields and Amazigh villages. Our founder Abdou grew up here. A day walk with a local guide and lunch in a village house is the perfect break from the city.

10. Watch the sunset in the Agafay desert

Less than an hour from Marrakech, the stony Agafay desert offers wide open views towards the Atlas. Come for the late afternoon light, a camel ride or quad biking, and stay for dinner under the stars.

How to combine them

A good rhythm for a first visit is one hands-on experience a day, mixed with sightseeing: a morning cooking class followed by the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the souks; the Jardin Majorelle early, then a pottery or babouche workshop; a full day in the Atlas; and a slow evening at Jemaa el-Fna. If you are not sure where to start, begin with food — read what to expect from a cooking class in Marrakech.