Marrakech with kids: where to stay, what to do with children, what to know

In short

• Where to stay: a villa with a secured pool and walled garden in the Palmeraie or Hivernage as soon as a child is under 6. A riad from age 8.
• The kids' hits: Jemaa el-Fna in the evening, the horse carriage, Oasiria, the Agafay camels, the Ouzoud monkeys, the cooking class.
• The rhythm: one visit in the morning, pool in the afternoon, outing at the end of the day. Nothing between noon and 4 pm from June to September.
• Health: bottled water, SPF 50, travel pharmacy, a private paediatric clinic 15 minutes from everywhere.
• Equipment: cot and high chair on request in our properties, stroller useless in the Medina, baby carrier essential.

Marrakech is a city of children: they are everywhere, people talk to them, smile at them, hand them dates. Travellers who hesitate to bring theirs are often surprised by how easy the stay is, provided they choose the right accommodation and the right rhythm. Here is what we tell the families who write to us.

Villa or riad?

The villa, as soon as there is a child under 6

A walled garden to run in, a pool you can have secured (fence, alarm, or separate children's pool: check the "kid friendly" amenity on our listings), bedrooms on the same floor, a kitchen for bottles and purées, staff who adore children and can babysit one evening. The Palmeraie and Ourika road villas are 20 or 30 minutes from the sights: leave after breakfast, back for the nap.

The riad, from age 8

The patio is a magical playground, the roof an observatory, the Medina an adventure. But the plunge pools have no fence, the stairs are steep, the railings low, and the alleys impossible with a stroller. With older children, a Medina riad is the strongest experience. Our riads indicate those suited to families.

The apartment, for long stays

Guarded residence with shared pool, elevator, parking, supermarket downstairs: Hivernage and Agdal are practical for a week or a month with children. See our families with children collection.

What to do with children

Ages 0 to 4

The pool, the garden, the horse carriage around the ramparts (150 to 250 MAD an hour), Majorelle Garden at opening (free for accompanied under-12s, strollers allowed), the Menara at the end of the day, the donkeys and camels of the Palmeraie. A tour of Jemaa el-Fna in a baby carrier at sunset, before the 8 pm crowds.

Ages 5 to 10

• Oasiria, the water park 20 minutes south: wave pool, slides, lazy river, open April to October, day pass 250 to 300 MAD per adult, a little less per child, shuttles from the centre.
• Palooza Land, amusement park on the Casablanca road, rides and animated dinosaurs, for the youngest.
• The Agafay evening with camel ride, dinner and campfire, the great memory of the trip.
• The monkeys and waterfalls of Ouzoud, a long but unforgettable day from age 7.
• The cooking class: children love making their tagine and gazelle horns. Our chefs run the workshop in your villa.
• The souk treasure hunt with a guide, or simply a list of things to find: the dyer, the blacksmith, the spice merchant, the tortoise seller.

Teens

Quad and buggy at Agafay (35 to 45 € an hour, from 12 as a passenger, 16 at the handlebars), hot-air balloon (from age 6), surf and kitesurf in Essaouira, mountain biking in the Palmeraie, family hammam, escape game and karting in Guéliz, golf (introduction 300 to 500 MAD).

The rhythm of the days

One visit a day, in the morning between 9 am and noon. Light lunch, nap or pool until 4:30 pm. Outing at the end of the day: Jemaa el-Fna, the Menara, a rooftop for sunset with an orange juice. Early dinner: restaurants serve from 7 pm. From June to September this rhythm is not advice but a necessity: it is 37 °C at 3 pm.

Eating with children

Moroccan cuisine is children's cuisine: chicken tagine with olives, skewers, msemen with honey, orange juice, almond pastries. Restaurants welcome families without blinking; high chairs are rare in the Medina, common in Guéliz. In a villa, the cook adapts the menus. Avoid raw vegetables and street juices for toddlers; prefer fruit you peel and bottled water.

Health and safety

• Water: bottled for drinking and bottles. Tap water is fine for brushing teeth.
• Sun: SPF 50, hat, T-shirt in the pool at hot hours. Sunburn happens in 20 minutes in summer.
• Pharmacy: pharmacies are everywhere and well stocked; most European medicines exist under another name. Bring your usual ones, an anti-diarrhoeal, rehydration salts and a thermometer.
• Doctors: private clinics in Guéliz and Hivernage, French- and English-speaking paediatricians, consultation 300 to 500 MAD, open 24 hours for emergencies. We give you the addresses on arrival. Take out repatriation insurance.
• Traffic: scooters ride through the Medina alleys; hold little ones' hands. Pavements are rare outside Guéliz.
• Animals: cats are everywhere and tame; do not touch stray dogs, nor the monkeys of Jemaa el-Fna and Ouzoud.

What we provide

In most of our properties, on request at booking: travel cot, high chair, baby bath, pool fence or alarm depending on the property, babysitting by a member of staff or a recommended nanny (100 to 150 MAD an hour). State the children's ages in your request; we steer you to the properties that suit.