3 days in Marrakech

Day by day

1. Day 1: Jemaa el-Fnaa and Koutoubia Mosque

   Jemaa el-Fnaa, Koutoubia Mosque and Bahia Palace, then Jemaa el-Fnaa in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Jemaa el-Fnaa

      Marrakech's main square changes through the day: orange-juice carts and snake charmers in the morning, then storytellers, Gnaoua musicians, acrobats and henna artists, and from late afternoon dozens of open-air food stalls with grills and benches.

   2. Late morning

      Koutoubia Mosque

      Walk through the rose gardens behind the mosque at sunset, when the call to prayer carries across the square.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tagine

      Every restaurant and café; small places around the souks serve simple versions at lunchtime.

   4. Afternoon

      Bahia Palace

      Built in the late 19th century for the grand viziers Si Moussa and his son Ba Ahmed, the Bahia Palace spreads across courtyards and gardens decorated with zellige tilework, carved stucco and painted cedar ceilings.

   5. Evening

      Jemaa el-Fnaa

      Musicians, storytellers and food stalls fill the square every evening until late.

2. Day 2: Jardin Majorelle and Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech

   Jardin Majorelle, Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech and Ben Youssef Madrasa, then Gueliz in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Jardin Majorelle

      Book the first slot of the day and pair it with the YSL Museum a few steps away.

   2. Late morning

      Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech

      Opened in 2017 in a terracotta-brick building close to Jardin Majorelle, the museum displays rotating selections of Yves Saint Laurent's haute couture, sketches and photographs, alongside temporary exhibitions on fashion and Moroccan culture.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tanjia marrakchia

      Tanjia stalls in the souks near Jemaa el-Fnaa and some riad restaurants, which may ask you to order ahead.

   4. Afternoon

      Ben Youssef Madrasa

      Combine it with the Marrakech Museum and the Maison de la Photographie, both a few minutes' walk away.

   5. Evening

      Gueliz

      Wine bars, cocktail lounges and restaurants around Avenue Mohammed V.

3. Day 3: The souks and Dar Si Said

   The souks, Dar Si Said and Hammam experience, then Hivernage in the evening.

   1. Morning

      The souks

      North of Jemaa el-Fnaa, a maze of covered lanes is divided by trade: Souk Semmarine for textiles and slippers, the dyers' souk with skeins of coloured wool drying overhead, the metalworkers of Souk Haddadine, and stalls of leather, lanterns, spices and carpets.

   2. Late morning

      Dar Si Said

      Visit before shopping for carpets to learn regional styles and what good quality looks like.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Couscous

      Restaurants and home-style cafés, especially on Fridays.

   4. Afternoon

      Hammam experience

      A hammam — a hot steam room, black olive soap (savon beldi) and a vigorous scrub with a kessa glove — is a weekly ritual for many Moroccans.

   5. Evening

      Hivernage

      Large nightclubs, hotel bars and dinner-show venues that stay open well past midnight.

Before you go

• Jardin Majorelle: Entry is by timed ticket bought online, and slots sell out in high season; book a few days ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in Marrakech Museum (Medina): Step in when the madrasa queue is long; the courtyard is a cool, quiet place to sit.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Medina (Jemaa el-Fnaa) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Mouassine ($$$) suits couples, luxury, shopping and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–15 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.1 hours in December to 14.2 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Marrakech
• 2 days in Marrakech
• 4 days in Marrakech
• 5 days in Marrakech
• 7 days in Marrakech

Questions travellers ask