Attended car parks near Jemaa el-Fna and the Koutoubia, attendants in vests, restaurant valets, safety: where and how to park in Marrakech.
Parking in Marrakech is not complicated, as long as you know the right places and the local customs: attended car parks, attendants in yellow vests, restaurant valets. This guide tells you where to leave your rental car near the medina and Jemaa el-Fna square, and how to do it safely.
To book your car for this trip, see our car rental in Guéliz, Marrakech and car rental in Hivernage, delivered to your hotel pages.
The golden rule: the medina is explored on foot
The lanes of the medina are too narrow for cars, and Jemaa el-Fna square is pedestrianised. The right method: park at one of the medina gates, then finish on foot. You will save time and avoid dead ends where it is hard to turn round.
Attended car parks near Jemaa el-Fna
- Around the Koutoubia: the most practical option for Jemaa el-Fna square and the south of the medina, a few minutes' walk away.
- Bab Doukkala: for riads in the north-west of the medina and the Mouassine district.
- Bab Ghmat and Bab Ahmar: for riads in the south-east, near the Kasbah and the Badii palace.
- Underground car parks and shopping centre car parks in Gueliz and Hivernage, if you are staying in the new town.
Attended car parks operate day and night. The fee is moderate; it is paid in cash, often when you leave. Ask the price when you arrive if no sign shows it.
Street attendants in yellow vests
In most streets in Gueliz, Hivernage and around the ramparts, an attendant in a yellow or orange vest watches over the cars. It is not a scam: it is the custom in Morocco. Give them a few dirhams when you leave (a little more for an evening). Always keep some change in the car.
Restaurants and valets
Several restaurants in the medina and Hivernage offer valet parking or a partner car park at the nearest gate. Staff then walk you to the entrance, often hidden at the end of a derb. Ask for it when you book your table: it is the simplest option for dinner in the medina.
Staying in a riad?
Your car won't be able to get to the door. Three solutions:
- ask your riad whether it has a partner car park at the nearest gate;
- rent the car only for your day-trip days, delivered to the medina gate on the morning you leave (see car hire in the medina);
- collect it at the airport and leave it in an attended car park during your days in the medina.
Safety: our tips
- Leave nothing visible inside the car: bags, phones, chargers, even empty ones.
- Photograph the car and the spot when you park: useful in case of a scratch, and for finding the car again.
- Avoid isolated streets at night; choose an attended car park.
- Always lock the car, even for a minute.
- Respect parking bans: red-and-white zones and the approaches to junctions are monitored, and cars do get towed away.
No-parking zones and towing
Parking is forbidden along kerbs painted red and white, in front of entrances and on main roads at rush hour. If your car is towed, contact your rental agency: it will tell you which pound it is in and what to do. Fines are paid by the driver.
Do you need the car for your whole stay?
If you are spending several days in the medina, no. Rent the car for your day trips (Ourika, Agafay, Essaouira) and have it delivered at the right time: you save on rental and parking. Read our 3-day programme in Marrakech by car and our tips for driving in Marrakech.
To book a car delivered to your riad's gate, see our Marrakech car hire page.
Frequently asked questions
In the attended car parks around the Koutoubia and on the edge of the medina, a few minutes' walk from the square. The square itself and the medina lanes are closed to cars.
Yes, in attended car parks and in streets watched by an attendant in a vest. Leave nothing visible and avoid isolated streets at night.
A few dirhams for a street attendant, a little more for an evening or a night in an attended car park. Always keep some change.
Some upmarket restaurants and riads offer valet parking or a partner car park at the medina gate: ask for it when you book your table.
Compare every offer on our Car rental Marrakech page, or collect your car on landing with our Marrakech airport car rental service.
