Where to Stay near the Ben Youssef Madrasa: Riads Within 600 m
The north of the medina is full of riads a few minutes from the madrasa door. Here is what is there, and what to know before you book.
Book this visit
Some links are affiliate links: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works
Madrasa ticket paid on site N° 1
Ben Youssef Madrasa, Secret Garden and souks walking tour
The cheapest guided walk: the madrasa, Le Jardin Secret and the souks. Entry tickets are bought on site.
- 3.5 hrs
- Free cancellation
Live guide: Arabic, English, French
From €10 per person · Nov 2026
Check dates — Ben Youssef Madrasa, Secret Garden and souks walking tour, Viator (opens in a new tab)
Madrasa ticket paid on site N° 2
Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Madrasa, souks and medina tour
The classic half day: Koutoubia, Bahia Palace, the Mellah, the souks and the madrasa. Riad pickup only with the private option.
- 4 hrs
- Small group
- Free cancellation
Live guide: English, French
Our pick Madrasa ticket paid on site N° 3
Ben Youssef Madrasa, Jardin Secret and souks guided tour
With the private option, the guide picks you up at your riad in the medina.
- 4 hrs
- Private
- Free cancellation
Live guide: English, French
Madrasa ticket paid on site N° 4
Ben Youssef Madrasa 1-hour guided tour
The madrasa alone, explained by a licensed guide in one hour. The listing excludes admission: you pay the entry at the door.
- 1 hrs
- Skip the line
- Free cancellation
Live guide: English, Arabic
Sorted by price, lowest first. Prices from the booking platform; the price at checkout is the one that counts.
Staying near the Ben Youssef Madrasa puts you in the north of the medina, among the craft souks, with the madrasa, the Almoravid Koubba, the Marrakech Museum and Le Jardin Secret a few minutes away. OpenStreetMap lists 47 named riads, guest houses and hostels within about 600 m of the madrasa door, three of them less than 100 m away. Jemaa el-Fna is 1.1 km south on foot (official location page).
In short
- 47 riads and hostels within 600 m; 21 within about 220 m.
- Pros: sights on your doorstep, early access to the madrasa before the tour groups (it opens 9:00–19:00, every day).
- Cons: no car access to the door, and a 15–20 minute walk to Jemaa el-Fna.
- We publish no prices or ratings: check recent reviews on a booking site.
Riads and hostels near the Ben Youssef Madrasa
Riad / guest house Hostel
Within 150 m: next door
| # | Name | Type | From the madrasa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riad Dar Lalla F'dila | Riad / guest house | 72 m · ≈ 1 min on foot |
| 2 | Riad Farnatchi | Riad / guest house | 72 m · ≈ 1 min on foot |
| 3 | Riad Bab Ouch’ | Riad / guest house | 73 m · ≈ 1 min on foot |
| 4 | Riad Star Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 109 m · ≈ 2 min on foot |
| 5 | Dar Darma | Riad / guest house | 134 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
| 6 | Riad Dar Alhambra | Riad / guest house | 135 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
| 7 | Riad Dar Zarbia | Hostel | 136 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
| 8 | Riad Capaldi | Riad / guest house | 140 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
150–300 m: a few minutes’ walk
| # | Name | Type | From the madrasa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Dar Nouba | Riad / guest house | 152 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
| 10 | Riad Al Jana Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 159 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
| 11 | Riad Hajra | Riad / guest house | 163 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
| 12 | Riad Cinnamon | Riad / guest house | 169 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
| 13 | Riad Camilia Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 170 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
| 14 | Riad Madina Mayurqa | Riad / guest house | 185 m · ≈ 3 min on foot |
| 15 | Dar Vania | Riad / guest house | 190 m · ≈ 4 min on foot |
| 16 | Riad Arabkech | Riad / guest house | 197 m · ≈ 4 min on foot |
| 17 | Dar Moghita | Riad / guest house | 205 m · ≈ 4 min on foot |
| 18 | Riad Charlott | Riad / guest house | 206 m · ≈ 4 min on foot |
| 19 | Dar El Haoud | Riad / guest house | 206 m · ≈ 4 min on foot |
| 20 | Riad Tschaikana | Riad / guest house | 217 m · ≈ 4 min on foot |
| 21 | Priscilla Queen of the Medina | Hostel | 221 m · ≈ 4 min on foot |
| 22 | Riad Villa Berna | Riad / guest house | 236 m · ≈ 4 min on foot |
| 23 | Riad Pourpre | Riad / guest house | 239 m · ≈ 4 min on foot |
| 24 | Riad Dar Eliane | Riad / guest house | 247 m · ≈ 5 min on foot |
| 25 | Riad Sierra Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 263 m · ≈ 5 min on foot |
| 26 | Riad Elizabeth | Riad / guest house | 263 m · ≈ 5 min on foot |
| 27 | Riad Riva Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 272 m · ≈ 5 min on foot |
| 28 | Riad Karmela Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 276 m · ≈ 5 min on foot |
| 29 | Dar Housnia Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 276 m · ≈ 5 min on foot |
| 30 | Cocoon Riad à Marrakech Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 286 m · ≈ 5 min on foot |
| 31 | Riad Kenzo | Riad / guest house | 289 m · ≈ 5 min on foot |
300–600 m: still in the Ben Youssef area
| # | Name | Type | From the madrasa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Riad Zineb Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 310 m · ≈ 6 min on foot |
| 33 | Riad Ecila Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 317 m · ≈ 6 min on foot |
| 34 | Riad Tzarra Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 327 m · ≈ 6 min on foot |
| 35 | Equity Point | Hostel | 339 m · ≈ 6 min on foot |
| 36 | Riad Les Ammonites Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 340 m · ≈ 6 min on foot |
| 37 | Riad Le J Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 354 m · ≈ 7 min on foot |
| 38 | Riad Bab 54 Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 360 m · ≈ 7 min on foot |
| 39 | Riad Chafia Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 383 m · ≈ 7 min on foot |
| 40 | Dar Tiflet Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 386 m · ≈ 7 min on foot |
| 41 | Riad Parfum d'Orient Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 394 m · ≈ 7 min on foot |
| 42 | Riad El Cadi Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 396 m · ≈ 7 min on foot |
| 43 | Dar Jaguar Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 397 m · ≈ 7 min on foot |
| 44 | Palais Riad Lamrani Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 453 m · ≈ 8 min on foot |
| 45 | Numa Marrakech Website ↗ | Riad / guest house | 475 m · ≈ 9 min on foot |
| 46 | Be Nomad Hostel | Hostel | 529 m · ≈ 10 min on foot |
| 47 | Bed Square Website ↗ | Hostel | 591 m · ≈ 11 min on foot |
Names and positions © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked November 2026. Distances are straight-line; walking takes longer in the alleys. Listing is not a recommendation: check recent reviews and prices on a booking site before you book.
What is a riad?
A riad is a traditional medina house built around an inner courtyard, often with a fountain or garden, and rooms opening onto it. Many have been turned into small guest houses with a handful of rooms and a roof terrace. The madrasa’s own student quarters, around small courtyards with carved wooden balconies, follow the same idea on a larger scale.
Is the Ben Youssef area a good place to stay?
Yes, if you came for the monuments. You can be at the madrasa door at 9:00, before the half-day tours arrive, and the neighbouring sights are a minute or two away. Le Jardin Secret, the Mouassine fountain and the souks are all within a short walk. See them on the neighbourhood map.
Think twice if you need step-free access, travel with heavy luggage, or want to be steps from Jemaa el-Fna at night. The alleys are narrow, busy by day and quiet late in the evening.
Getting around from here
- To the madrasa: 1 to 8 minutes on foot from the places listed above.
- To Jemaa el-Fna: about 15–20 minutes south through Souk Semmarine. Directions in how to get there.
- To Bahia Palace: 1.8 km from the madrasa. Many medina tours combine both; some private tours pick you up at your riad.
Plan the rest of your visit: tickets · opening hours · what to see nearby
Questions people ask
Are there riads near the Ben Youssef Madrasa?
Yes, dozens. OpenStreetMap lists 47 named riads, guest houses and hostels within about 600 m, three of them less than 100 m from the madrasa door.
Is Ben Youssef a good area to stay in Marrakech?
For culture, yes: the madrasa, the Almoravid Koubba, the Marrakech Museum and Le Jardin Secret are on your doorstep, and Jemaa el-Fna is 1.1 km on foot. The trade-off is that cars cannot reach the door, and the alleys take a day or two to learn.
Can a taxi drop me at a riad near the madrasa?
Usually not at the door: access is on foot only, through the medina’s winding alleys; signs lead the way from Jemaa el-Fna. Most riads arrange a meeting point at the edge of the medina and someone to carry your bags; ask yours before you arrive.