Sights & Attractions in Marrakesh

Negotiating the twisting and turning alleys deep in the medina is a voyage in itself. If you don't hire a guide, keep a guidebook with you at all times. The medina, although not quite as enclosed and intense as the one in Fez, takes some patience—street names are often signposted only in Arabic. A small street is called a rue in French or a zencat in Arabic; an even smaller alley is called a derb. If you get lost, keep walking and you'll eventually end up at one of the 14 original babs (arched gates) that lead in and out of this ancient quarter. Most of the medina's monuments charge an entry fee of 10 DH-40 DH and have permanent but unsalaried on-site guides; if you use one, tip him about 30 DH-50 DH.