Ben Youssef Madrasa (Medersa Ben Youssef) Tours and Activities
8 Reviews

Some say the entrance to Ben Youssef Madrasa (Medersa Ben Youssef) is purposefully humble and bland. Little more than a wooden door facing out towards the buzzing medina, the entrance is nothing more than perhaps a storefront, office, or home. The inscription, however, written above the door, beckons travelers in further: “You who enter my door, may your highest hopes be exceeded.” Indeed, once you duck through the narrow entrance and the medina noise fades behind you, what emerges before you is the soaring courtyard of a 16th-century madrasa.
Constructed back in 1570 as an Islamic place of learning, Ben Youssef Madrasa would swell to include over 900 dedicated students. At its peak, it was North Africa’s largest Islamic school and had 132 dorms—some of which are so tiny and small you must crouch down low to enter. Though the madrasa formally stopped educating students back in 1960, extensive refurbishment has turned it into an informative site for visitors. Learn how the patterns, archways, and styles are of Andalucian design, similar to those of Granada’s Alhambra or the Alcanzar in Sevilla. Stroll around the reflection pond that shimmers within the courtyard, and soak in the silence and calming surrounds away from the bustling medina. For over 500 years this building has served as a temple to education—and while students no longer memorize the Quran or study Islamic law, visitors continue to learn today through windows into the past.
Practical Info
Ben Youssef Madrasa is open daily from 9am-6pm. It is closed on specific religious holidays, and admission is approximately $5 for entry into the madrasa, or $6 to combine a ticket with the nearby Marrakech Museum.
Address: Kaat Benahid, Marrakech, Morocco
Hours: Daily 9am-6pm; closed some holidays
Admission: Adults $5-$6
40 Tours and Activities to Experience Ben Youssef Madrasa (Medersa Ben Youssef)
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Marrakech Shopping Tour - Private Tours (Half day)
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Discover Marrakech extraordinary artists and artisans on a private, 3-hour medina shopping tour in Marrakech. Navigate winding alleys where potters, painters and leather workers shape the city’s most distinctive handicrafts; shop for carpets, clothing and beautifully-worked jewelry. Plan the perfect route with your personal guide, learn the art of haggling in Arabic and get exclusive discounts at some of the city’s most intriguing shops, then toast your success over a glass of Moroccan mint tea.
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From
$19.00
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From
$19.00
Price varies by group size

Marrakech City Tour Hop On - Hop Off
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Explore Marrakech at your own pace with this hop-on hop-off tour. Navigate the city with ease in a comfortable electric bus, hopping off at stops that pique your interest. Choose the Historic Route to see the Bahia Palace and Jemma el Fna Square, or opt for the Oasis Route to visit the Majorelle Gardens and hop out for a camel ride at the Marrakech Palm Grove.
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Face masks required for travelers in public areas
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Half-Day Guided City Tour in Marrakech Hidden Medina
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Soak up the atmosphere of Marrakech without the stress of navigating on a walking tour that hits the medina’s top landmarks, from Bahia Palace to Koutoubia Mosque. Going with a guide gives you an inside perspective often missed by visitors about daily life, tourist traps, and hidden gems loved by locals—and gives you access to shopping discounts during a visit to the city’s souks.
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$24.00
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$24.00
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Marrakech Delicious Food Tasting Experience
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During this Two Hour and Half authentic Food Tasting Experience, you are going to savor delecious tastings of the best delacacies in Town and eat as a local. Join your guide in the famous square, in front of Cafe de France either for Lunch at 2pm, sunset at 6pm or after dark at 8pm for a Dinner experience in the heart of the Medina. Enjoy the best Lunch ever at 2pm and find out the whole on the wall Hidden sections enjoying Mounthwatering Tagine, Pasteries, Couscous under the Sun. Do not also Miss the Sunset Magic Hours at 6pm, enjoying the best tastings and amazing rooftop view. Otherwise, Join your certified guide at 8pm, after dark for a great adventure enjoying Dinner in the Heart of the main Square.
Finally, explore with a small or private group personalized experience, the charm of Marrakech Food Tour. Let's us beat the iron when it's hot & recharge the batteries together; throughout a genuine quality Service offered by Local certified guides team.
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$20.00
Price varies by group size
From
$20.00
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
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Marrakech Full Day Guided City Tour - Private Tour
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Explore the heart of the old medina during this private tour of Marrakech. A personal guide accompanies your group of up to 15 through the Koutoubia Mosque, Majorelle Garden, and traditional souks. En route, your guide uncovers the city’s history and culture via its food markets, bakeries, hammams, fountains, and artisan workshops. Admission fees for Bahia Palace and Le Jardin Secret are extra.
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$64.00
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From
$64.00
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Face masks provided for travelers
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Marrakech Hidden Sights And Souks - Half Day Tour
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Discover the Hidden Sights And Souks : including historical quarters and their food markets, bakeries, hammams, fountains, artisan workshops, historical sites, gardens and museums, with a savvy licensed tour-guide. Enjoy 3-hours of an interesting walk in interlinked alleys of the Medina and learn the true history of every district and its ancient roots.
Visit the colourful Souks with their tinsmiths, dyers, herbalists stalls and workshops; ending at Djemaa El Fna square, where hundreds of locals meet every day to enjoy the storytellers, musicians, snake charmers, acrobats, jugglers and performers of each and every sort.
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Guided Walking Tour of Marrakech
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Avoid getting lost in the crowd; explore the medina of Marrakech with a personal guide who provides a firsthand look at artisans and their wares. This half-day private walking tour sets out in the morning from the centrally located Jemaa el-Fnaa square. Sightseeing includes Ben Youssef Madrasa and mosque plus the Photography Museum, but you may customize the itinerary to your interests.
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$32.00
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From
$32.00
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Marrakech Medina Walking Tour: Half-Day Guided Tour
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Marrakech Guided Tours Discover The Hidden Gems of the Medina :
This half-day guided walking tour takes you on an exploratory tour of the Marrakech medina. The stroll will take you to the iconic Koutoubia Mosque, the medieval Islamic college of Ben Youssef Medersa, and many other landmarks. Have a feel of the local bread, discover the city's bustling center with the Djemaa El Fna square and its beautiful bazaars, and then buy a meal at a rooftop restaurant while soaking in the sights and sounds of the city below. Whether a private or shared tour, you can upgrade this package if you want hotel pickup and drop-off.
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$30.94
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From
$30.94
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
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Face masks provided for travelers
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Marrakech colorful souks
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Discover Marrakech colorful souks (open-air markets), through our customized tour, you will experience the daily commercial life of the Medina as you will be lead through the labyrinthine Souks to get a special in-depth feel of various sections of it. The Souks of Marrakech are certainly the most colorful and the liveliest in Africa.
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From
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Private Souks Experience in Marrakech: Artisans & Their Crafts
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The maze-like markets of Marrakech are among the city’s most fascinating places, but it’s easy to get lost in the hard-to-navigate souk. Join a private guide for a half-day tour of the markets that’s designed to explore the hidden byways that many visitors miss: brush up your bargaining skills, meet local artisans, and shop for unique souvenirs with help from a local.
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$44.27
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Guided Walking Tour of Marrakech with Tea Tasting
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Chart your way through Marrakech’s vibrant and bustling souks with the help of a private guide: this tour makes it easy to snag bargains, seek out must-visit stalls, and meet local artisans. Pick between morning and afternoon tour times, and meet your guide at the Djemaa el Fna. Over the course of several hours, you’ll visit jewelry, spice, leather, and textile traders, and will soak up the atmosphere as you go. Learn more about the goods from your guide, and even pause to enjoy a refreshing mint tea.
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$25.00
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From
$25.00
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Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
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Private Guided City Tour: Discover the Authentic Marrakech
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Uncover the enchanting mystery of Marrakesh's souks and sights on a private 5-hour tour of Morocco’s vibrant capital city. With a knowledgeable guide, visit magnificent Moorish landmarks like the Medersa ben Youssef, and marvel at the opulent decor of the Bahia Palace. Pleasure your palate with a delicious Moroccan lunch and absorb the effervescent atmosphere of the UNESCO-listed Jemaa el Fna Square, replete with snake charmers and enticing food stalls.
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Face masks required for travelers in public areas
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3 Day Sahara Desert Tour From Marrakech
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Immerse yourself in the most surprising part of the Moroccan desert, and contemplate the contrasts offered by its different Landscapes as you cross Motorways, Dirt Tracks, Valleys, Ports, Mountain Gorges and Historic towns.
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Marrakech Souks & Monuments : Private guided tour
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Marrakech boasts ancient monuments, traditional markets, and centuries of colorful culture—but exploring solo means you may miss its hidden secrets. On this private tour, explore Marrakech’s medina and monuments, and learn the history of top attractions like the 12th-century Almoravid Koubba and Ben Youssef Mosque. Mingle with the locals among the narrow streets and tanneries, and gain insight into the city’s traditional arts and crafts.
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$45.50
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$45.50
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Marrakech Cooking Class
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To recreate the rich flavors of Moroccan food, you need a vast array of herbs and spices. Master the basics of the distinctive cuisine—and gain access to produce and equipment that you wouldn’t normally find at home—during a cooking class in Marrakech. Ideal for food lovers and first-time visitors, this class also includes a guided visit to a traditional market.
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Marrakech City Tour Hop On - Hop Off + Camel Ride Around The Palm Grove
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Explore Marrakech your way and enjoy a camel ride in its Palmeraie palm groves with this hop-on hop-off bus tour. Skip the hassle of independent transport between the sights, and set your own itinerary. Use the 48-hour ticket to ride two circuits—the Historic and Palm Grove routes—alighting at designated stops to visit attractions such as Djemaa el-Fna, and claiming your camel ride at the specified Palm Grove stop.
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$40.58
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Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
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Marrakech City Tour Hop On - Hop Off + ATV Around the Palm Grove
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See the sights of Marrakech without the expense of a guide and ride a quad bike around La Palmeraie (Palm Grove) on this great-value combo package. Get an all-day pass on the 100% electric hop-on hop-off bus, with over 30 stops across two routes and informative commentary in eight languages. Ride the bus to La Palmeraie, then roar through the palms on a quad bike.
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Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
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Marrakech walking tour with official city guide
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Our guides are professionals and experienced. That makes you see the medina of Marrakech with local eyes and to learn about the Moroccan culture, history and heritage.
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From
$118.05
Price varies by group size
From
$118.05
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
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Face masks provided for travelers
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Tour Guide in Marrakech to Explore the Medina with Local Guide
2
Discover the city of Marrakech in this enlightening full day tour. Immerse yourself into the history, art and culture of this magnificent walled pink city. Photograph the magnificent Koutoubia mosque with its great square tower and shining copper globes. Stroll along the bustling alleyways and see the mosques, traditional bakeries, old lodging houses and fountains carved of wood. Visit the Medrassa ben Yousef as one of the largest theological college in north Africa. Walk through the alleys of the Medina and visit the most interesting handicrafts quarters , see an enchanting display of arts and crafts in the colorful souks before you relive the atmosphere of a glorious age in the exquisite rooms. By the way Marrakech is an ideal starting points of many marrakech excursions and sahara desert tours.
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Full day Marrakech Guided Tour
1
Marrakesh guided tour take you to discover the city of attractions, many historical sites, Museums, Palaces, Riads we will do our best to make sure that you don’t visit just tourist attractions but also you will take you to see real Medina.
See the sights at Jemaa el-Fna, the most vibrant venue of Morocco and the symbol of the old Medina city. This is the cultural square of Marrakech, a gathering place for thousands of people. Enjoy exploring its restaurants and handcraft shops. To have more fun, amaze yourself at the sight of the snake charmers and the talent of the Gnaoua Musician artists. Then, to have more fun, listen to talented artists and enjoy poetry, or listen to fascinating stories about Marrakech and its sultans. To relax after some hours of strolling around, enjoy the sights from the cafes in the square. For great pictures,
marvel at the colorful souks of the Jemaa el-Fna. The square is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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From
$86.08
Price varies by group size
From
$86.08
Price varies by group size

Marrakech City Tour Hop On - Hop Off + Aquatic Park Oasiria
If you want to visit Marrakech at your own pace and with no hurry in a 100% electric bus respectful with the environment, the double-decker tourist bus is your option! You can get on and off all day long with the same ticket, and learn about the history of the city through comfortable audio system with earphones, in eight different languages. We give you a guide map containing all the stops of the route, and discounts for differents establishments in the city. Our new buses are adapted for people with reduced mobility and have a sliding roof in case of rain; they are fitted with anatomical seats. Moreover, there's always a stewardess on board. There are two routes: Historic and Oasis. Frequency of buses at stops varies depending on the tour (Historic Tour 20 min and Oasis Tour 1 hour). Historical route takes 1 hour and 15 min and Palm Grove route 1 hour.
Enjoy the largest water park in Morocco, with more than 20 attractions, 8 pools including wave pool and 5 restaurants.
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From
$47.96
From
$47.96
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
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Marrakech - Exceptional shopping in the medina - Half Day.
9
The souks of the medina of Marrakech are real labyrinths of stalls and craft workshops, organized by districts and by professions and gather more than 2600 Moroccan craftsmen for about twenty corporations. The main souk extends to the center of the medina, from the north of the famous Jemaa el-Fna square to the Ben Youssef Medersa. The central aisles that cross the souks are reserved for sales stalls originally supplied by artisans who work in the adjacent lanes.
Local traders and craftsmen manufacture and sell their traditional Moroccan handicraft production: jewelery, vases, teapots, lanterns, cauldrons, trays ..., carpets, leather, body care, clothes, fabrics, fabrics, pottery, perfumes, food, Moroccan pastry , spices ...
At the beginning of the three-hour tour, you will be asked about the items that interest you most and your guide will create a personalized itinerary that best suits the group.
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From
$18.45
Price varies by group size
From
$18.45
Price varies by group size

Marrakech Tailor-made Tour
If you do not have enough time to travel deep into the country - and you prefer a relaxing holiday - Marrakech Tailor-Made is the perfect way to spend your vacation in Marrakech.
This 6 days vacation will enable you to explore the Medina and the Souks of Marrakech; experience the fascinating Morocco Atlas Mountains (and learn about the Berber culture); enjoy the coastal city of Essaouira “Mogador” and appreciate the diverse civilizations represented in its architecture. During this tour you also have the option to take a cooking class in Moroccan cuisine, or have a quad bike adventure within the palm grove of Marrakech. Marrakech Tailor-Made is a mix of culture, history, nature and outdoors adventure. If you prefer a shorter tour, we can tailor it to 4 or 5 days. Your satisfaction is our pleasure.
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From
$1,469.07
From
$1,469.07
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Learn More

6 Day Private Tour - Marrakesh City & Berber Trail
This 6-day tour allows you to explore all the city of Marrakesh, “The Red City” has to offer and a day trip to a Berber Village and to Essaouira, the windy city, where you can enjoy freshly cooked seafood hand-picked by you.
Jemaa el-Fna square and the Saadian Tombs.
Toubkal and Oukaimeden Mountains.
Skala Fortress and Thuya wood Carvings.
Ourika Valley and Villages of Asni .
Berber Village of Setti Fatma.
The itinerary price reflects 3-star accommodations. However, the itinerary is totally flexible and we will be more than happy to help you select the option best suited to your tastes and budget. As with all our tours, if time does not permit you to take the entire tour, we will customize it for you to accommodate the length of time of your vacation.
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From
$1,023.99
Price varies by group size
From
$1,023.99
Price varies by group size
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