Riad Spice

Go Local in Morocco

Go Local Off-the-beaten-track + 2 more + 3 more

Experience the real Morocco with 11 days of authentic experiences.

11 days

from £3,470 pp

Morocco Express

A fast track adventure around Morocco's highlights

8 days

Express Beach

from £2,230 pp

Imperial Cities by Rail

Foodie Culture & History + 1 more + 2 more

Ride the rails on a journey through Morocco’s historic heart.

12 days

from £3,320 pp

Morocco Family Break

Family Beach + 1 more + 2 more

A family adventure through the best of Morocco.

9 days

from £2,135 pp

Marrakesh, Mountains & Ocean

Classic Beach + 1 more + 2 more

A classic Moroccan trio: Marrakesh, the Atlas Mountains & Essaouira.

11 days

from £2,455 pp

Northern Circuit of Morocco

Foodie Culture & History + 1 more + 2 more

A journey around Morocco's lesser-visited northern highlights.

10 days

from £3,620 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in Morocco

Classic Marrakesh

All roads in Marrakesh lead to the Jemaa el-Fna square, an irregular open space with its origins shrouded in mystery. On the edge of the Jemaa is the Koutoubia Mosque, where the tour starts. The apogee and template for Islamic architecture in Morocco, the minaret, topped with its three distinctive gold balls, is visible from anywhere in the medina and often from much further afield. You move on to the Bab Agnaou (Gate of the Slaves), entrance to the Kasbah quarter, where tucked away and for years a hidden secret (until discovered in an aerial survey in 1917) are the Saadien Tombs, a necropolis from the 16th Century where humble tombs are cosseted in mausoleums of incredibly delicate and intricate tile work. A short walk through the Kasbah souq, an everyday souq selling meat, fish, vegetables and spices, brings you to the El Badi Palace. Although only the outer walls remain, the scale of this 16th Century palace is incredible, and the sunken gardens in the courtyard give some hint of the opulence of the original building. Continuing on foot, you come to the similarly named Bahia Palace, a more modest 19th Century affair: more modest in size, but much more impressive in decoration, with tile work, carved wood and stunning plaster friezes to admire. The Bahia is on the fringe of the mellah, the Jewish quarter. Although many of the houses are now empty as the Jewish community has shrunk, there is a working synagogue, which, if open, you can wander round. As more houses are converted to boutique hotels, so shops are opening up and you can see the quarter coming back to life.

Moroccan Cooking Class

There are cooking classes aplenty available in Marrakesh, but the course at La Maison Arabe, one of the city's most beautiful and luxurious hotels, has to be up there among the very best. The class is started with a trip to the community bakery around the corner, Moroccan tea ceremony and thorough explanation of all the integral ingredients that make up this country's world-famous cuisine. Then it's over to the guests to try their hand at making some authentic dishes themselves, with the extremely fun and welcoming chefs in the hotel's very impressive kitchen. No rusty saucepans here - think more along the lines of gleaming surfaces and state-of-the-art facilities. Whether you're a novice cook or think yourself a dab-hand in the kitchen, there's fun for everyone at this cooking class in Marrakesh and you're sure to remember this as one of the most enjoyable parts of your trip.

Majorelle Gardens & YSL Museum

This tour from Marrakesh takes in a number of museums and a couple of beautiful gardens: all of them are tucked away and provide educational and informative respite from the bustle of the city. Bert Flint, a Dutch anthropologist and long-time resident of Marrakesh, has spent a lifetime studying and visiting all the peoples of the Sahara along the trade routes from Morocco to Timbuktu, and collected an impressive array of artefacts along the way. These form the basis of the Maison Tiskiwin museum, as good an overview of the culture and history of the region as you’ll find. Next door is the Dar Si Said Museum, a small 19th Century palace, and home to an interesting and attractive collection of traditional Marrakesh arts and crafts dating back many generations. From here you head just outside the city walls to the Jardin Majorelle. Created by a French painter, the compact and attractive garden houses plants from across the globe, dotted with fountains and hiding a beautiful villa. The villa and fountains are painted an electric and eye-catching blue colour and it’s perhaps this boldness which appealed so much to Yves Saint-Laurent that he bought the gardens! The former director and designer at the Jardin Majorelle, Mr Chabane, has a gorgeous garden and museum in the Palmeraie outside the city, where he keeps a private art gallery of contemporary Moroccan artists, and this will be the final stop for the day.

Sidecar Tour of Marrakesh

This tour of Marrakesh shows you the city in style – in a vintage sidecar led by a professional tour guide! These trips are flexible, meaning you can pick and choose any particular interests that suit you and your guide will take you there. That could be anything from history and architecture, food and markets, or where in the medina you can find the very best photo opportunities. These are half-day experiences so you have plenty of time to really get under the skin of beautiful Marrakesh, all while zipping along in one of these unique vehicles. You can also head out of the medina to other parts of the city, including the lush Palmeraie and the new parts of Marrakesh., where life ticks along at a different pace. Just let your Morocco specialist know at quote stage what your interests are, and we'll be able to put together a suitable bespoke sidecar tour exactly tailored to you!

Souks and Medina Tour

On this souks and medina walking tour inside the exciting souks of Marrakesh you'll be led by your guide on a feast for your senses. Taste regional produce, smell the heady aromas of spice and oil, touch the array of traditional fabrics and textiles, be dazzled by the myriad of colour, and absorb the cacophony of sounds around you. This is a great introduction to Marrakesh's bustling beating heart, perfect for solo travellers, couples, and families alike.