Jemaa el-Fnaa Square

Jemaa el-Fna Square by night in Marrakech

Jemaa el-Fnaa square UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most interesting places in Morocco. This centuries old meeting point of musicians, dancers, acrobats, snake charmers, etc… is indeed a spectacle by itself.

Don’t forget to visit this amazing place by night, maybe even go to the top of the nearby terrace cafes and enjoy an upper view of the square.

Djemaa el Fna offers you all types of drinks in the dozens of street cafes where you can relax and read your book and drink a coffee.

But, if you want to try the real thing, you should try fresh orange juice in one of many orange juice stalls.

You can also drink a hot mint tea, one of the things Morocco is famous for.
Also, if you want to warm yourself from the inside, you can drink of the local aphrodisiac tea selling on the small tea stalls facing the Koutoubia.

Djemaa el Fna square view from the top of CTM cafe is one of the best places to view the square from above. You have to pay or drink something to go inside.

The orange juice stalls in Djemaa el Fna in Marrakech are a must! Each orange juice costs around 3 Dirhams, so… why not to drink two glasses?!

From around 6:30 pm until late night, part of Djemaa el Fna square transforms itself into a temporary open-air restaurant with hundreds of small stall restaurants serving all types of food, if you want to find cheap restaurants in Marrakech this is the best solution.

These restaurants are one of the “must do” things about Marrakech. Try Aicha Restaurant Number 1. For those with strong stomach, maybe you can even try the smoky snail stalls. There are several people selling Moroccan pastries and cookies for 2 Dirhams.

Snake Charmers in Jemaa el-Fnaa square in Marrakech

Djemaa el Fnaa Snake Charmers in Marrakech are probably one of the most exotic show Djemaa el Fna has to offer.

This ancestral profession has lost its actual charm in Marrakech as snakes don’t dance to the sound of the pipes. Still, you can see some pretty dangerous snake species fooling around with the snake charmers.

Snake charmers tease real cobra snakes, which are actually out of venom and probably without teeth.
This is not OK in terms of animal rights, these snakes are exploited, venom emptied, and drugged just to please the visitors. Photos will be asked for money.

You will definitely not get bored at Djemaa el Fna. If you’re a music lover, you’ll be able to enjoy several musicians spread into different groups all along the square.

Tourist are asked for a small contribution, grab a couple of coins with you and you’ll be ok. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll get the exact day the acrobats will come to the city and you’ll enjoy a fantastic show with young boys doing some impressive acrobatics.

The bands of Djemaa el Fna street musicians perform local Berber music. You will probably be invited to sit and enjoy the music. Some coins expected.

Acrobats in Jemaa el-Fnaa square in Marrakech

Acrobats performing street stunts and acrobatics at Djemaa el Fna square in Marrakech is one of the most fantastic human show in the square.

Djemaa el Fna is full of people. Always. As a major tourist spot, Marrakech has lots of people which their job is to entertain you. Either those street water sellers, snake charmers, acrobats, monkey owners, henna women tattooists, etc…These people pass their lives in Djemaa el Fna just for you to enjoy the city and give it a certain exotic feeling.

Meet the Djemaa el Fna street snake charmer and musicians, the Gnawa street musicians and the street water seller for example. These are some of the many types of people you can actually meet in Djemaa el Fna main Square in Marrakech.

Water sellers in Marrakech Jemaa el-Fna Square

It has been like this for centuries, and, this special characteristic and many other, made it possible to Djemaa el Fna and Marrakech to be included into UNESCO World Heritage protection back in 1985. Meet the people, and expect to give some money in return if you make pictures of them (yes it least 10 Dirhams but never 100 Dirhams! Yes watch out those guys are tricky!).