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No. 03, The districts · 09 of 11

Hivernage: Marrakech's leafy hotel district and late nights

Hivernage is the upscale district south of Gueliz, between the new town and the Menara gardens, with tree-lined avenues, five-star hotels and the Royal Theatre. Its hotel bars and lounges are where Marrakech goes out dressed up, some with dress codes. The name is French for 'wintering'.

Best timeEvening

Eat here
Hotel restaurants and late-night lounges
Don't miss
Tree-lined avenues
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The domed facade of the Théâtre Royal on Avenue Mohammed VI, palms in front
The Théâtre Royal, Avenue Mohammed VI · Photo: Martin Furtschegger, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized)

Hivernage at a glance

Best time
Evening.
What it feels like
Leafy, polished and quiet by day; the city's dressed-up nightlife after dark.
Eat here
Hotel restaurants and late-night lounges.
See
  • Tree-lined avenues
  • The Royal Theatre
  • The road to the Menara gardens

Where it is

Hivernage lies south of Gueliz and runs towards the Menara gardens, outside the medina walls.

The Théâtre Royal's dome and colonnade above its garden, under a blue sky
The Théâtre Royal dome above its garden · Photo: Hilverd Reker, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized)

The name

Hivernage is French for 'wintering', a reminder that Marrakech's first tourists came to escape the European winter.

A shaded terrace café with the Koutoubia minaret beyond the rail
A terrace with the Koutoubia in view

Evenings

Hotel restaurants and late-night lounges make it the city's dressed-up nightlife district, some with dress codes.

Jemaa el-Fnaa at night from a terrace, the food stalls lit below
Jemaa el-Fnaa · at night

Film festival week

During the Marrakech International Film Festival, 20–28 November 2026, hotels here fill up. Public screenings have traditionally been held in Jemaa el-Fnaa.

Don't miss

  • Tree-lined avenues
  • The Royal Theatre
  • The road to the Menara gardens
  • A glass of mint tea on a café tableMint tea at a café on Jemaa el-Fnaa
  • A lamb and prune tagine scattered with almondsLamb and prune tagine
  • A riad courtyard at night, candles, red cushions and palms under the arcadeA riad courtyard in the medina · at night

Worth knowing before you go

  • Late at night, take a taxi back to the medina and ask your riad to meet you at a landmark.

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Questions people ask

What is Hivernage known for?

Five-star hotels, tree-lined avenues, the Royal Theatre and the city's smartest nightlife.

How far is Hivernage from the medina?

It is just outside the medina walls, south of Gueliz; a short petit-taxi ride from Jemaa el-Fnaa.

When is the Marrakech film festival in 2026?

The 23rd edition runs from 20 to 28 November 2026.