Morocco is home to centuries-old riads with mosaic-tiled courtyards and carved cedar doors, whitewashed coastal homes where sea breezes drift through blue-shuttered windows, and sprawling villas nestled among sunlit olive groves and citrus orchards.
This romantic country has long drawn expats, artists, and bohemians from Europe and America—among them writers like Paul Bowles, William Burroughs, and Tennessee Williams. Today, we’ll explore what your money can buy here—and meet some of the remarkable figures who made Morocco their home.
For Barbara Hutton, Morocco was more than an escape—it was a way to reinvent herself.
Born in 1912, she was one of the wealthiest women of the 20th century. Heiress to the Woolworth fortune, she was known as the “Poor Little Rich Girl” for her tragic personal life, which featured seven failed marriages, including one to Hollywood icon Cary Grant.
At its peak, her fortune is estimated at $900 million when adjusted for inflation. With wealth that could have taken her anywhere, Hutton chose Morocco—a place that offered both seclusion and splendour.
In the heart of Marrakesh, you’ll find the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque, surrounded by serene gardens.
In the 1950s, Hutton made a home for herself in Marrakech. There, she created a lavish retreat at her villa set in the Palmeraie—a vast palm oasis just beyond the city’s northern edge. Behind its gates, she built a world of painted ceilings, carved cedar doors, and gardens heavy with jasmine.
Hutton was one of the earliest high-profile figures to fall for Morocco’s magic, but she was far from the last. In the decades that followed, a new wave of artists, designers, and creatives arrived. Among them was one of the most influential fashion designers of the 20th century.
Yves Saint Laurent made his first trip to Marrakech in 1966. He and his partner fell in love with the place and immediately bought a small house there. Marrakech would become Saint Laurent’s retreat from the pressures of Paris, and a wellspring of creative inspiration.
In 1980, Saint Laurent bought and lovingly restored the Jardin Majorelle—a cobalt-blue oasis and botanical garden that has since become one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
The Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech is one of the most visited sites in Morocco. It was created by French Orientalist artist Jacques Majorelle over about forty years, starting in 1923. The garden is known for its unique, intense blue, “Majorelle blue”, which was created by the artist.
“Before Marrakech, everything was black,” Saint Laurent once said. “This city taught me colour.”
For both Hutton and Saint Laurent, Marrakech wasn’t just a place to stay—it was a place to transform. The vivid light, dramatic contrasts, and deep artistic traditions offered an escape and a muse.
That same spell continues to draw a new wave of creatives and expats.
A kaleidoscope of spices and dyes at a souk market in Marrakesh—each scent and color a window into Morocco’s rich traditions.
The city has evolved—boutique hotels, art galleries, and rooftop cafes now sit alongside spice markets and hammams. Yet Marrakech retains its soul: a city where past and present collide in the most captivating way.
Today, you’ll find charming traditional homes—riads and villas—tucked in the medinas (old towns), beside olive groves, and near the sea. Today we dig into listings for three such properties currently on the market in Marrakech and its surrounding towns—each one marked on the map below:
This map of Morocco highlights Marrakech city, Essaouira, and Aït Ourir—three destinations in the Marrakesh–Safi district spanning desert oases, bohemian port towns, and Atlas Mountain foothill villages.
Stylish Medina Riad with Heated Pool and Rooftop Retreat
Listing price: €530,000 ($593,800)
Tucked inside the Rmila district of Marrakech’s ancient Medina, this stylishly rebuilt riad (a traditional Moroccan house, typically found in the medina, or old town of cities) offers traditional charm with modern comforts.
The property includes four bedrooms and four bathrooms, plus a dining room that could be converted into a fifth suite. The living room comes with a fireplace, and there’s a sleek modern kitchen, a massage and treatment room, and a spacious central patio with a heated counter-current pool under a remote-controlled electric glass roof.
The rooftop terrace includes a solarium, shaded lounge areas, an outdoor shower, and solar-powered utilities.
This property is on the market for €530,000 ($593,800). You can read the full listing here.
This Marrakech riad has a heated counter-current pool and, overhead, a retractable glass roof.
Seaside Riad in Essaouira’s UNESCO-Listed Medina
Listing price: €240,000 ($268,800)
Perched on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Essaouira is a breezy, bohemian port city known for its whitewashed medina walls, blue-shuttered houses, and laidback vibe. Orson Welles filmed his 1952 version of Othello here.
The UNESCO-listed medina hums with galleries, artisan workshops, and spice-scented souks, while the wide sandy beach draws windsurfers and wanderers alike.
This furnished two-bed riad is nestled in Essaouira’s medina, just a short stroll from the city’s broad sandy beach.
It sits on a 484-square-foot footprint and is spread over three levels. On the ground floor, a cozy courtyard leads to a dining space with fireplace and a compact kitchen. Upstairs, there are two double bedrooms—one on the first floor with a shower room, and one on the second floor with a private terrace for outdoor dining.
The top-level rooftop terrace is a laidback chill-out zone with panoramic views over the medina rooftops.
It’s on the market for €240,000 ($268,800). You’ll find all the details here.
This bohemian riad in Essaouira’s UNESCO-listed old town has rooftop views and beach access a short stroll away.
Olive Grove Villa in the Atlas Foothills
Listing price: MAD 1,350,000 ($145,400)
Just 23 miles east of Marrakech, Aït Ourir is a peaceful market town nestled in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Surrounded by olive groves and farmland, it offers a quiet, rural lifestyle within easy reach of the city. Known for its traditional souk (or marketplace) and friendly pace, Aït Ourir is a serene base for those seeking space, nature, and authentic Moroccan charm—without straying too far from urban comforts.
This single-story home spans 1,615 square feet and sits on 29,708 square feet of land. It includes a traditional Moroccan salon (a space for entertaining) with a wood-burning fireplace, a master suite with en-suite bath and air conditioning, two additional bedrooms with built-in wardrobes, a full kitchen, guest toilet, and terrace.
Outside, you’ll find 70 olive trees, 30 fruit trees, tiled walkways, and a drip irrigation system—ideal for low-maintenance gardening.
This property is on the market for MAD 1,350,000 ($145,400). Read the full listing here.
This three-bed, two-bath villa sits on 29,708 square feet of land and is surrounded by olive and fruit trees.
Wishing you good real estate investing,
Ronan McMahon
Founder, Overseas Dream Home & Real Estate Trend Alert
P.S. If you’re interested in any of these listings you should hire an attorney and do your own due diligence. We haven’t done any due diligence on them.
P.P.S. For more listings of affordable overseas dream homes, click here to follow our Your Overseas Dream Home Instagram account.
