Jemaa el-Fna

The fascinating market place at Djima el Fna (spelling varies on many maps) is well worth a visit while in Marrakech as are the little alleyways that lead off from it but it is easy to get lost once you venture into them! Bargains can be found in the market despite the vendors just loving to empty the wallets of the passing tourist trade, but haggle HARD but always remain good humoured, no matter how irritated you might get, and you can get some superb bargains. Unfortunately there are also some of the more unsavoury characters in the marketplace, who also like to empty the tourists wallets only without giving anything in return. Watch out for you valuables wherever you go when you are in Marrakech, opportunist thieves will have spotted your camera, wallet, whatever and made off with it before you even notice anything is wrong. Like most crowded places when you travel, keep your wits about you. There are also some fantastic restaurants surrounding the marketplace that serve delicious food and can serve as a useful escape from the square should you need to take a break from the chaos and have a coffee or some food. A lot of them have terraces where you can sit and eat, or drink, and watch the madness below. Accommodation around the area can vary from disgusting to palacial depending on how much money you are willing to spend, check your guide books and internet sites for up to date recommendations. Finally, many of the hotels around the area can arrange trips for you. Shop around and again try to haggle on the prices. If you get the chance, get a group together and hire a landrover and driver to take you over the Atlas mountains and into the Sahara on a camel. Some of them can ever arrange a night with Berbers under the stars, a magical experience that you will never forget. Enjoy your time in Marrakech but remember, haggle for EVERYTHING! :-)

A place I describe as "complete mayhem"; and completely fascinating for this. Your senses are thrown awry by all the local smells and vast crowds of people. The square can take days to get used to, that's if it doesn't outright offend you the first time you see it. It's a mix of old and new, somewhat contrived since it's a UNESCO world heritage site, but also with plenty of local flavor to taste. The square has a life of its own and changes personality at various times of the day. In the morning you can see the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. Then around 5-6 o'clock, the stalls clear out, and the food stalls come in for dinner. After dinner, the food stalls clear out, and then the locals stay. Some are telling stories or acting out theatrical comedies in small circles in their local language or belly dancers trying to trick you into giving them money. Of course the vast majority still around after dark, are men, and prostitutes, so you might feel uncomfortable. As far as haggling, the shop keepers are spoiled by well off French tourists. I found that instead of naming my price and walking away, I did the complete opposite - named my price, and would not go away until they gave it to me.

Jemaa el fna squere is groovy by night,but not only the night food market or the magical squere with its fourtine tellers and magicen,it has also to offer a night life for the young and the restless, out of the medina in jilaz lots of modern night clubs,dance bar.pub etc.. Best place going clubing are La pacha. with tecno music Near el sadi casino there os another nice club the vip. For dance bar African chic for salsa music la habana club. For arabic music and belly dancers pardise club

When you first arrive you'll be frightened from the crowds, the smoke and noises. You may think to quit at once.Then you discover it's very safe, odd, and amusing . You can smell the barbecued meat and see snake charmers, acrobats, Berbers' skill with tattooing. You can buy trinkets, leather stuff... You'll be amazed by children who sell their goods and talk to the tourists in different languages(Spanish, French, English). You should visit Jemaa el Fana at night as well as in the morning, for the scenes change from morning to night.

faut être prudent... C'est magique mais il faut être sur ses gardes, en tant que touristes, nous sommes des "proies" faciles pour les voleurs. Il y a des charmeurs de serpents, des vendeurs de petits singes, des troupes de danse, des conteurs( mais mieux vaut parler arabe si vous voulez y comprendre quelque chose), des tonnes de petits magasins, des dessinatrices de henné et un marché énorme aux millions d'abricots et de dattes. Ce n'est pas pour rien que la place Jemaa el-Fna fut nommé patrimoine international de l'UNESCO!

Of all the cities in Morocco I have visited Marrakech is the one I like least. Why? It is small and crowded, and the people are spoiled by the tourists: Everyone only wants your money. People are not a bit as nice and friendly as in the rest of the country. Besides, I believe the city does not have too many places that are worth the visit. Exception: Jama El Fna. Though the main tourist spot it is fascinating and full of life. To get into Morocco one better goes of to Ourzazate or into the small cities!

Visited Marrakech and the Jamaa el-Fna square in early november 2006. A hilarious place! Foodstalls everywhere, together with mobile orange juice vendors, people with snakes, monkeys and fake teeth trying to earn money from a tourist taking their photo... (that makes it a bit sad, honestly..) and lots of shisha and spicy foods... also visited the saaidian toombs, the mosque gardens, the palace and the medina. Would love to go back there!

Wonderful place.  Make sure to get a local guide to help keep away pick pocketers and thieves.  Try the foods and spices.  Enjoy tea on the roof top of a local restaurant around the square and watch the open air food stalls set up shop.  Eat along side any one of the booths preparing local dishes.  Make sure to try fresh oranges. Lovely lovely lovely place.

Love this place! By day, the square is a strange mix of tourists and locals and Berber dancers, snake charmers, henna painters, fresh orange juice stands, boxing matches and more. By sundown a tantalizing food bazaar rolls in with so many good foods from one stall to the next!

This square (the biggest in all of Africa) is absolutely full of food stalls, tourists, henna artists, motorbikes, cats, snakes and their charmers, Arabic storytellers, and an assortment of beggars, vagabonds and ne'er do wells. It's a madly fascinating place.

Amazing spot to wander about. There is a restaurant on the corner that has a roof terrace with some great couscous, perfect place to rest, eat and watch the crowd. Especially beautiful when the sun has gone down and all the lights go on

That's really great place, there can everything happen, you have to watch out to people who are trying to sell you Hash or sell something in your shops, the prices are little to big ;] Place is wonderful at night.

A bunch of crazy arabs who try to sell you shit for cheap,  crazy rabid monkeys that you can get pictures with,  cobras that dudes charm with fiddles,  smells like shit in the day, and like tasty food at night!

Cool place that gets very crowded in the evenings. Food stands are placed every night. Every day you find snake charmers, medicin men, tooth pullers, dancing monkeys, and much more.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrakech plaza Jamaa el Fna, Jamaa el Fna place is a magical site in Marrakech.

this one the places you have to see when you are in marrakech...you can find everything from snakes,monkeys to dancers....you can eat as much you can...

Best place. Good juices. Good food. Nothing more to add. Except: Read "The voices of marrakesh" sitting in a cafe at the side of the market.

Everynight, there's a great feast there. Watch out for pickpockets and prepare that the loals will try to sell you everything.

Besides the great atmosphere in this place Jamaa el Fna is a great place to eat for the tourist on a smaller budget.

C'est The Place à ne pas manquer...c'est toujours la follie, beaucoup de monde...spectacles, restauration et souks

you are at the source of street life. there are magicians and all kind of fresh prepared food ready for you

J'ai beaucoup aimé le changement de la place entre le jour et la nuit!! Les odeurs, les couleurs, etc...

The best place to visit, so many things going on... and great place to try sheeps head or eyes.... ha ha

Not very amusing during the day, but incredible in the evening. Definitely, a must-see in Marrakesh!

it means the end of the world. and probably it seems like that, fire, people , money, beauty....

Taste the delicious orange juices during the day, and eat there by night: great atmosphere !

amazing vibe, amazing place for people watching, shopping and eating!!!higly recommed!

great place to be and eat dinner outside togehter with tourists and local people

An extremely cool experience was visiting the Jemaa el-Fna square by night!

Cooler Platz, unbedingt am Abend ab 18:00 besuchen und etwas essen.

fantastische vielfalt der gaukler, verkäufer und foodstände.

Wonderful place, it's so good to see and live this place !

Market of Marrakeh is worth of seeing it's an other world.

It's a realy nice place with a lot of restaurants!

Loud, colourful, with lots of snakes

increible la plaza!! es para conocer

It's like to enter in a magical lost world.

Lot's of things happening all the time

It's so Typical but a little so Touristic

Great place to grab a bite to eat

it's the biggest place i've ever seen

The most active square in the world

The best place in Morocco !!