Cobalt blue villa surrounded by palms and cacti in the Majorelle Garden

Imperial Cities Tours

Majorelle Garden Marrakech: Tickets, Best Time and What to See

Published November 4, 2026 by Morocco Amazing Tours

The short answer: book a timed ticket on the official Majorelle website a few days ahead, arrive for the first slot of the morning, and allow about 90 minutes for the garden and the Berber Museum, plus an hour if you add the Yves Saint Laurent Museum next door.

The Majorelle Garden is the most visited site in Marrakech, and for good reason: a two-and-a-half-acre oasis of cacti, bamboo, palms and water lilies set around a villa painted in an electric cobalt now called "Majorelle blue". It is also small and busy, so a little planning makes the difference between a peaceful hour and a slow walk in a queue.

A short history

French painter Jacques Majorelle settled in Marrakech in the 1920s and spent four decades building the garden around his studio, collecting plants from five continents. He opened it to the public in 1947. After his death the garden declined, and in 1980 the designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé bought it to save it from a hotel project. They restored it, lived in the neighbouring Villa Oasis, and Saint Laurent's ashes were scattered here in 2008. A memorial stands at the back of the garden.

What to see inside

The blue villa and studio. The most photographed wall in Morocco. The former studio now houses the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts.
The Berber Museum. A small, beautifully lit collection of Amazigh jewellery, textiles, weapons and doors from the Rif to the Sahara. The mirrored "night sky" room of jewellery is the highlight. It needs its own ticket option, so tick it when you book.
The cactus garden and bamboo grove. Giant cacti, palms and bougainvillea frame paths that stay shaded even at noon.
The water features. Lily ponds, fountains and channels that cool the air and attract birds.

Blue and yellow building surrounded by palm trees — Majorelle blue with yellow accents: the palette that made the garden famous.

The Yves Saint Laurent Museum

Opened in 2017 a few steps away on Rue Yves Saint Laurent, the museum shows a rotating selection of the designer's couture alongside sketches and photographs, in a terracotta building designed to echo the weave of fabric. It is worth the extra hour if you care about fashion or design; otherwise the garden alone is enough. A combined ticket is usually available.

Tickets and the best time to visit

Question	What we tell our guests
Do I need to book?	Yes. Entry is by timed online ticket; walk-ups are often turned away in high season.
Best time of day	The first slot of the morning. By late morning groups arrive and the main paths fill up.
Best season	March to May for flowers, October to November for soft light and fewer crowds.
How long?	60 to 90 minutes for the garden and Berber Museum, plus about an hour for the YSL Museum.
Prices	They change regularly, so check the official site when you book.

How to get there

The garden is in Gueliz, the new town, about 2 km north-west of Jemaa el-Fnaa. It is a 25-minute walk from the medina via Bab Doukkala, or a short petit taxi ride; agree the fare or ask for the meter before you get in. On our Marrakech tours the driver drops you at the gate and waits, which is easiest in the heat.

Three quieter gardens nearby

Le Jardin Secret, inside the medina, a restored 19th-century riad garden with a tower view over the rooftops.
The Menara Gardens, olive groves around a large pool with the Atlas Mountains behind it on clear days.
Anima, an art garden on the Ourika road, easy to combine with a day trip from Marrakech into the mountains.

For more ideas, see things to do in Marrakech beyond Jemaa el-Fnaa. Many guests spend a morning at Majorelle, then leave the next day on our 3 day Sahara desert tour.