These are Marrakesh's top six absolute must-sees that every visitor should be sure not to miss:

• The Jemaa el Fna: the square full of performers at the heart of the city, which comes to life in the evening
• The Koutoubia Minaret‎: the perfectly proportioned prototype for all Moroccan minarets, floodlit in the evening
• The Majorelle Garden: stunningly beautiful garden created by artist Jacques Majorelle and revived by fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent
• The Ben Youssef Medersa: Koranic school with some of the finest Islamic art in Marrakesh
• The El Badi Palace: the amazing ruins of a huge sixteenth-century palace
• The Saadian Tombs: sumptuous decor in a mausoleum that was lost and forgotten for two centuries

If you add the Bahia Palace (not far from the El Badi), and the Almoravid Koubba (very near to the Ben Youssef Medersa), that makes a top eight.

For sightseers in a hurry, our Marrakesh in a day itinerary covers all of these plus the main souks in one rather hectic day. We also have a slightly less hectic two-day itinerary, which covers all of them, but really you would be better off taking them in over a few days.