Palais El Badii review: our verdict
The storks have taken the ramparts, and in spring their nests almost steal the show from the ruins. The Palais El Badii, launched in 1578 by the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansour, is now nothing but a carcass, but what a carcass: endless ochre walls, vast courtyards, pools, gardens below, and a few surviving stuccos or carved wooden ceilings. A video room allows you to imagine the palace in its former glory, and it is this that gives meaning to the visit.
You wander at your own pace, from the underground passages to the terraces overlooking the city, with numbered panels and an audio guide that also tells the birth of Marrakech. The visit speaks to history buffs, photographers, and curious teens; count from less than an hour to two hours depending on whether you read everything or not. Less for those expecting a restored palace: the 2023 earthquake condemned part of the site, construction barriers punctuate the route, and the pools were empty in summer 2026.
The good slot: spring for the storks, and opening at 9 a.m. to beat the heat. The trap: coming for the gardens, which are not visited and can only be viewed from the esplanade. Ticket on site, 100 DH per person, as of May 2026.
