City guide · مراكش Marrakech
Marrakesh
The 'Red City': the night market of Jemaa el-Fnaa and the old city at the foot of the Atlas
Marrakesh is called the 'Red City' for its red walls and buildings. By day Jemaa el-Fnaa, the square at the heart of the medina, is full of snake charmers and orange-juice stalls; at night it becomes an open-air canteen of hundreds of grill stalls. From here you can cross the Atlas Mountains to the earthen village of Aït Benhaddou.
History
How the city came to be
Marrakesh was founded around 1070 by Abu Bakr ibn Umar as capital of the Almoravid dynasty (sources give dates from 1062 to 1078). The Almoravids put up the city's first major buildings and set its layout for centuries. In 1122–1123 Ali ibn Yusuf built the red city walls, and later buildings were mostly of red sandstone, giving Marrakesh the nicknames 'Red City' and 'Ochre City'. In 2001 the cultural space of Jemaa el-Fnaa Square was proclaimed by UNESCO a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
- c. 1070The Almoravids founded Marrakesh
- 1122–1123The red city walls were built
- 2001Jemaa el-Fnaa proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Must see
Places you shouldn’t miss
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Aït Benhaddou
An 11th-century earthen village — a thousand-year-old staging post on the trade route from the Sahara to Marrakesh, and a location for Gladiator…
Marrakesh medina and Jemaa el-Fnaa
UNESCO Oral and Intangible Heritage — a thousand-year-old open-air theatre of storytellers, snake charmers and Gnawa musicians.
Local life
Food and local daily life
Before you go
Rules to know in Marrakesh
Morocco: don't proselytise
- Respect the local Islamic faith
- Trying to convert Muslims to another religion or handing out missionary material
- Publicly criticising Islam (including online)
Proselytising can mean a fine or up to 3 years in prison; publicly criticising Islam can mean up to 2 years.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Morocco travel advice
Morocco: avoid public displays of affection
- Show restraint near religious sites and in tourist areas
- Kissing or hugging in public
It causes offence; same-sex intimacy can be prosecuted in Morocco.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Morocco travel advice
Morocco: during Ramadan, don't eat or drink in public by day
- Check opening hours during Ramadan
- Dress according to local custom
- Eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum or swearing in public during the day
It offends people who are fasting.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Morocco travel advice