Marrakech Medina Tour: Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs & Souks

The palace has 160 rooms built around courtyards, each one decorated differently.

A guided walking tour of Marrakech's medina takes you through four major stops: the Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace and the souks, with skip-the-line access to the monuments and a licensed local guide in English or French. Entry fees to Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs are paid separately at checkout. The tour itself lasts around four hours and includes free time to explore each site at your own pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each4 stops

1. Koutoubia Mosque15m
2. Saadian Tombs45m
3. Bahia Palace45m
4. Marrakech Medina30m

Explore Marrakech's historic landmarks

• Visit Koutoubia Mosque
• Explore Kasbah and Bab Agnaou
• Tour Saadian Tombs
• Admire Bahia Palace
• Shop in Marrakech souks
• Experience Jemaa el-Fna Square

The experience

The walk starts at the Koutoubia Mosque, the city's largest, whose tower is topped with four copper globes and whose name comes from the bookshops that once surrounded it. From there you move into the Kasbah, a historic neighbourhood of narrow streets and traditional architecture that once served as a fortified royal district. Bab Agnaou, a 12th-century gateway with intricate stone carvings, marks what was historically the royal entrance: the scale and detail of the stonework give you a sense of the power that once moved through these streets.

The Saadian Tombs come next. Built for Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, they hold the remains of about sixty members of the Sa'adi Dynasty and were lost to the city until their rediscovery in 1917. The tombs sit in a quiet courtyard, a stark contrast to the energy of the medina outside. Then comes Bahia Palace, built between 1894 and 1900 for Ahmed Ibn Moussa. The palace sprawls across 160 rooms arranged around small courtyards, each decorated with stucco panels, zellij tilework, carved cedar ceilings and the distinctive Marrakesh marble finish called tadelakt. An eight-hectare garden surrounds the whole complex.

The tour ends in the souks, where the medina's real rhythm lives. The stalls sell traditional Moroccan handicrafts, spices, leather goods, babouches, pottery and silver jewellery. Bargaining is part of the experience here, and your guide will give you insider tips on how to move through the markets. You get free time to explore at each stop, so the pace is yours. You are not being rushed through.

What’s included

• Licensed local guide in your choice of English or French.
• skip-the-line access to Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs.
• free time to explore each monument at your own pace.
• personalized service and insider tips on navigating the souks and the medina.

Options for this experience

4 options

Walking tour in French, shared with other guests10:00 and 14:00Shared small group tour led by an experienced, licensed French-speaking guide; it begins at the Café de France.

Walking tour in English, shared with other guests10:00 and 14:00Join a shared group tour led by an experienced, licensed guide, beginning at the Café de France in Djemaa El Fna Square.

English-language private tour8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 15:00Private walking tour: opt for a private tour for a more personalised experience. Your tour starts at your riad within the medina of Marrakech.

French-language private tour8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 15:00Private walking tour: opt for a private tour for a more personalised experience. Your tour starts at your riad within the medina of Marrakech.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 4h, runs every day, 8 start times, from US$ 17.11 per person, with a live guide in English and French, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 13:00, 14:00, 14:30 and 15:00

GroupUp to 152 private ›

Live guideEnglish and FrenchOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.2 with pickup ›

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Moments in Morocco

Is this one for you?Choose the private option if you want the guide's full attention and hotel pickup within the medina. The shared group keeps costs lower and puts you with other travelers on the same route. Either way, the four-hour loop holds together without you planning the stops or the timing. The guide handles the sequence and the access.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What is the Koutoubia Mosque and why is it called that?

The Koutoubia Mosque is Marrakech's largest mosque, named for the bookshops and booksellers that historically surrounded it. Its tower is topped with four copper globes and follows traditional Almohad architectural style. Miniature replicas of it are sold throughout Morocco.

Can I bargain in the souks, or is the pricing fixed?

Bargaining is a common practice in the souks and part of the experience. Your guide will give you tips on how to navigate the markets and haggle for traditional Moroccan handicrafts, spices, leather goods and jewellery.

How much time do I spend at each monument?

The tour lasts around four hours total and includes free time to explore each site at your own pace, so you are not locked into a set schedule at any single stop.

Do I need to pay for entry to the palaces and tombs?

Entry fees to Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs are paid separately at checkout: 100 DHS per adult for each site. The tour itself includes skip-the-line access, so you do not wait in queues at the door.