Is the Bahia Palace in Marrakech worth it?

The Bahia — the name means 'the brilliant' or 'the beautiful' — is exactly that, and it is the palace I most often start people with in Marrakech because it shows off Moroccan decorative arts at full volume without needing any background. It was built in the late 19th century, first by a grand vizier named Si Moussa and then grandly expanded by his son Bou Ahmed, who effectively ran the country as regent. He wanted the finest palace in Morocco, hired the best craftsmen from Fez and Marrakech, and gave them years to do it.

What you actually walk through is a sprawl of courtyards and reception rooms with no single grand axis — it grew organically as Bou Ahmed bought up neighbouring houses, which is why the layout feels like a beautiful maze. The highlights are the ceilings: carved and painted cedar in geometric and floral patterns, room after room, each different. There are zellij-tiled fountains, stucco carved like lace, and a large riad garden of orange and banana trees where you can sit. The harem courtyard, built for Bou Ahmed's wives and concubines, is the most photographed.

Now the honest part: the Bahia is a victim of its own beauty and its location near the Mellah, so by 11am it can be shoulder-to-shoulder, and the rooms are mostly empty of furniture, which disappoints people expecting a 'lived-in' palace. The trick is simply timing. Be at the gate when it opens (around 9am) and you can photograph those ceilings against the light with hardly anyone in frame. Come midday in high season and you will queue, then shuffle.

Allow forty-five minutes to an hour. A short context from a guide adds a lot — the palace tells the story of how viziers and not sultans often held real power — but it is also perfectly enjoyable solo with a one-line history in your head. Pair it with the nearby Saadian Tombs and the Mellah for a focused half-day in the southern medina, then escape the crowds for lunch.