Getting There

How to Get to the Saadian Tombs from Jemaa el-Fnaa

By Sara Malak · Updated July 2026 · 5 min read

The Saadian Tombs are a 12–15 minute walk (about 1 km) south of Jemaa el-Fnaa: follow Rue Bab Agnaou to the carved Bab Agnaou gate, pass through into the Kasbah, and the entrance is a small doorway beside the Kasbah Mosque on Rue de la Kasbah. A petit taxi costs roughly 20–30 MAD.

What's the walking route from Jemaa el-Fnaa?

From the south side of the square (the post office side), take Rue Bab Agnaou — the wide pedestrian street lined with cafés and phone shops. Follow it straight for about ten minutes until you reach the city wall. To your right stands Bab Agnaou itself, the ornate carved-stone gate built by the Almohads in the 12th century; it's the finest gate in Marrakech and worth the pause.

Walk through Bab Agnaou into the Kasbah district. The minaret ahead of you belongs to the Kasbah Mosque (also called the Moulay al-Yazid Mosque). Keep the mosque on your right and follow its wall around to Rue de la Kasbah — the tombs' entrance is the modest doorway at the far corner of the mosque, usually marked by a queue rather than a sign.

Why is the entrance so hard to find?

Because it was designed to be. When Moulay Ismail sealed the necropolis around 1672, the only access left was a narrow passage from the mosque precinct, and the modern visitor entrance inherits that geometry: a single-file corridor through the thickness of the wall. There's no grand façade — if you're standing in front of something monumental, you're at Bab Agnaou or the mosque, not the tombs. Look for the ticket booth tucked at the doorway and the line of visitors along the wall.

Should I take a taxi instead?

Only if you're coming from outside the medina. From Gueliz or the Majorelle area, a metered petit taxi runs roughly 20–30 MAD and drops you at Place Moulay El Yazid beside the Kasbah Mosque; from the train station expect around 30–50 MAD depending on traffic. Insist on the meter ("compteur, s'il vous plaît") or agree a price before getting in. From Jemaa el-Fnaa itself a taxi saves nothing — cars can't use the pedestrian streets, so they loop around the walls and arrive no faster than you'd walk.

Can I combine the walk with other sights?

Yes — the walk is a sight. Bab Agnaou is on the route, the Badi Palace is five minutes east of the tombs, and the Mellah and its spice market sit just beyond that. Most visitors do tombs first (at 9:00am, before the queue builds), then Badi, then lunch — our Kasbah district guide maps the full morning, and our where to eat guide covers the lunch end of it.

Is the route safe and manageable?

It's one of the easier walks in the medina: flat, wide, and busy with locals rather than touts. The classic annoyance is someone declaring the tombs "closed" and offering to lead you elsewhere — they are open daily from 9:00am to 4:45pm, so smile, say no thanks, and keep walking. With a stroller or wheelchair the route itself is fine; the constraint is the single-file entrance passage at the tombs, covered in our planning guide.

Frequently asked questions

How far are the Saadian Tombs from Jemaa el-Fnaa?

About 1 km — a flat 12–15 minute walk via Rue Bab Agnaou and the Bab Agnaou gate.

Does Google Maps find the entrance correctly?

Yes — search "Saadian Tombs" and it pins the Rue de la Kasbah doorway. If the pin seems to point into the mosque, walk around the mosque wall; the tombs entrance is at its far corner.

Is there parking near the Saadian Tombs?

There's informal attended parking around Place Moulay El Yazid and near the Badi Palace (small tip expected, typically 10–20 MAD). If you're staying in the medina, walking beats driving.

What should I do if someone says the tombs are closed?

Keep walking to the entrance and check for yourself. The site opens daily 9:00am–4:45pm and unscheduled closures are rare; "it's closed, follow me" is a standard redirection tactic toward shops.