No. 03, The districts · 08 of 11
Gueliz: Marrakech's new town of cafés, Art Deco and galleries
Gueliz is the new town of Marrakech, west of the medina, laid out under the French Protectorate from the 1910s. It has wide avenues, 1930s–40s Art Deco buildings, the Marché Central, galleries and pavement cafés. Go for morning coffee or early evening, when offices empty and the terraces fill.
Best timeMorning coffee on a terrace
Gueliz at a glance
- Best time
- Morning coffee on a terrace; evening when offices empty and cafés fill.
- What it feels like
- The new town: wide avenues, Art Deco blocks, cafés with terraces, galleries and Marrakchis at work.
- Eat here
- Pavement cafés, pâtisseries for gazelle horns, modern Moroccan restaurants.
- See
- Avenue Mohammed V
- Art Deco buildings of the 1930s–40s
- The central market (Marché Central)
- Contemporary galleries
How it began
Gueliz was planned in the 1910s under the French Protectorate, with the planner Henri Prost. It takes its name from Jbel Gueliz, the rocky hill above the district, where the French built a military post.
Art Deco
Many of Gueliz's buildings date from the 1930s and 1940s, in Art Deco style. Avenue Mohammed V is the main axis.
Cafés and pastry
Pavement cafés and pâtisseries are the district's living room. Look for gazelle horns: crescents of pastry wrapped round almond paste, served with tea.
Galleries and the market
Gueliz is the city's commercial and creative hub, with contemporary galleries and the Marché Central.
Don't miss
- Avenue Mohammed V
- Art Deco buildings of the 1930s–40s
- The central market (Marché Central)
- Contemporary galleries
Mint tea at a café on Jemaa el-Fnaa
Lamb and prune tagine
A medina rooftop, the Koutoubia lit · at night
Worth knowing before you go
- Petit taxis between Gueliz and the medina: ask for the meter ('compteur') or agree the fare before you get in.
See Gueliz with someone who lives here
Tell us your dates and group size. A planner writes back within 24 hours with a plan and a fixed written quote. Asking costs nothing.
Questions people ask
What is Gueliz in Marrakech?
The new town west of the medina, built under the French Protectorate from the 1910s, with Art Deco buildings, cafés, galleries and shops.
Where does the name Gueliz come from?
From Jbel Gueliz, the rocky hill above the district, where the French built a military post.
Is the dress code different in Gueliz?
It is more relaxed than in the medina, though covering shoulders and knees is still respectful.