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5 Things to Do & Places to Eat in Marrakesh, with Kids

Sharmeen Suleman
Nov 9, 2018
4 min read

When travelling with kids, it’s always nice to do a bit of sight-seeing. Thing is, as any parent will tell you, it’s also very nice to know where you can feed the kids & take them to the toilet too. These are the information essentials for us parents. Here are my top 5 places to visit & where to eat afterwards.

Dar El Pasha Museum & Snack Pizzeria Kech

Dar el Pasha museum was once a small palace belonging to a governor of Marrakech. It is currently having artefacts added to make it into a museum. A few artefacts were on display but in truth the palace is stunning in its own right.

I ended up doing an impromptu maths lesson with the kids, while we were there. The kids had been learning about shapes & what better way to explore shapes in real life than those tiny tiles that adorn the walls of the palace. Did you know that each tile is cut by hand & laid in mathematical precision? Even if there was just a small bit out, the whole intricate pattern would fail. It’s immensely impressive & I highly recommend a trip to the pottery factories to see the process first hand.

A ten minute walk away is my absolute favourite spot in Marrakech for a delicious Tagine Poulet au Citrons (Chicken & lemon), Snack Pizzeria Kech. At less than £2 for a tagine, it’s great value too. The place also has lots choice for all the family, from paninis, tacos & pasta dishes. They have pizzas too but don’t expect them to taste like Dominos or Pizza Hut.They have seating upstairs & downstairs, with a clean toilet. Good to know when you’ve got kids. As a plus point, they do free delivery, although you would need to be able to speak in French or Arabic to place an order.You can find Snack Pizzeria Kech at 48 Rue Jbel Lakdar QT opposite the Hotel Barriere (Tel)+212 661 359 563

And if you want to squeeze in a couple of extra places, you’ll find the Ensemble Artisinal & Cyber Parc a short walk away from the restaurant. Find out more on my destination guide.

Jemaa Ele Fna & Snack Chez Yassine

The Jemaa el Fna has become synonymous with Morocco, for better or worse. This square in the heart of Marrakesh is home to snake charmers & acrobats. From the Jemaa el Fna, you will find many alleyways which will take you into the famous souks. I personally recommend going to the Jemaa el Fna in the day time, as a parent of young children. I will post more on my do’s & don’t of Jemaa el Fna in another post.

Snack Chez Yassine is one of the small food joints located at the Jemaa El Fna, near a money exchange point. It doesn’t look like much but the food never disappoints. Try a Tanjia (slow cooked meat dish) or cous cous. Their traditional dishes are cheap & tasty at around £2.50 a dish. In addition, they have all the fast food options like paninis or pizza too.

If your little one does need the toilet in between, there are public toilets walking distance across the square. You will need to contribute a couple of Dirhams for their use.

Do finish your meal with a glass of fresh orange juice from one of the stands in Jemma el Fna. Why not take your water bottles and fill them up with fresh orange juice? At around 40 pence a glass, it’s great value & super delicious too.

The Menara Mall & its Food Court.

This is one of the best spots in town to enjoy as a family & escape the Marrakech heat. The massive top floor houses everything from arcades games to a mini ice rink, in an area known as KidsZo.

The food court has panoramic views over the city & a whole host of authentic & international cuisines options. Our favourite was “Le Box” which has good value burger meals. The last time we were there, they were showing the World Cup Final on big screens. The atmosphere was amazing.

Bahia Palace & the Small Square.

Bahia Palace is one those must-see tourist spots in Marrakesh. An ornate palace set in lush gardens is perfect for all those Instagram shots. I really recommend giving the kids a camera, so they can explore the palace & make their own memories. Like this photo below, which was taken by one of my boys. Not sure which one though !

Once you’ve found the palace, explored it & exhausted the kids, there’s a small square with many eateries very close to the Bahia Palace. There are some restaurants as well as some snack type places, which offer the most delicious Moroccan salad. The square has a lovely chilled atmosphere, very different to the Jemaa el Fna. I also recommend the shops in & around this area for purchasing argan oil or other souvenirs.

Palooza Land & the Fuddruckers Restaurant.

Here you have a great combination for a family day out. Palooza Land is a small dinosaur theme park. It has some rides although don’t go expecting Alton Tower thrills. It also has a zip wire & swimming pool. You'll need to buy a reloadable card which you use to pay for the rides & access to the pool.

The food selection isn’t great at Palooza Land but a 5 minute walk away is Fuddruckers, an American Diner concept restaurant. Clean & great food, although a little pricey compared to other places, it’s well worth it. Finish off with a trip to the Marjaane supermarket. It’s massive & has everything you would possibly need if you’re considering a self-catering or half-board stay, from nappies to spices. It is tricky to get taxis back from here, so I strongly recommend making your return journey plans in advance.

See if you can spot where Palooza Land is in this photo below !