Prowl around the Souks, the labyrinthine cluster of shopping districts in the center of town. All dealers in a certain type of product are located in one specific area, but finding that area isn't easy. You will almost certainly be surrounded by street urchins who'll offer to be your guide through the city, but invariably they will steer you to the specific shops that pay them a little on the side. You can also just go it alone if you don't mind getting lost. Either way, the Souk is a good place to go for copperware, brass items, ceramics, spices, leather goods, carpets and rugs and clothing, especially sandals and slippers.
Spend hours admiring the wonders at Place Djemaa El-Fna, the most important square in town. Just south of the Souks, this place is packed with peddlers, food vendors, musicians, magicians and snake charmers. It offers a graduate course in people-watching.
See why Muslims picture Paradise as a garden at the Jardin Majorelle at Avenue Yacoub el-Mansour. This oasis of colors and scents was bought and restored by Yves Saint Laurent. He and partner Pierre Bergé lived in a villa nearby and, in 2008, Saint Laurent's ashes were strewn in the garden. The grounds include cacti, palm trees and numerous other types of plants and flowers and are home to a great many species of birds. The small Museum of Islamic Art is also on the grounds, containing examples of arts and crafts from all over the Islamic world.
Examine the rich cultural history of the city at the Musée de Marrakesh at Place ben Yousef. Its collections include ceramics and pottery; weapons; engravings and prints; Judaica; examples of Islamic calligraphy; clothing, jewelry and contemporary Moroccan art. The Dar Si Said Rzej, or Museum of Moroccan Arts, at Riad Ez-Zaitoun El Jadid, focuses more on arts and crafts, including wood-working, carpet-making and the shaping of metal-ware. Both museums occupy 19th-century palaces.
Hire a guide to take you up into the High Atlas Mountains or out into the desert. You can hike, ride a camel or use a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Ask at your hotel for a good tour operator.
