4 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

      Allow 2–3 hours, best at dusk (free). Watch the evening transformation from a rooftop café, then eat at a busy numbered stall; expect to pay performers if you photograph them.

   2. Late morning

      Koutoubia Mosque

      Non-Muslims cannot enter the mosque, but the gardens beside it are free and the minaret is lit at night.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tagine

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

   4. Afternoon

      Bahia Palace

      Allow 1 hour (low cost). Arrive at opening; tour groups fill the courtyards by late morning.

   5. Evening

      Jemaa el-Fnaa

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

2. Day 2: Ben Youssef Madrasa and The souks

   Ben Youssef Madrasa, The souks and Dar Si Said, then Gueliz in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ben Youssef Madrasa

      Its courtyard of carved cedar, stucco and zellige around a marble pool is one of the finest in Morocco, and the tiny student rooms upstairs overlook it. It reopened in 2022 after restoration.

   2. Late morning

      The souks

      Allow Half a day (free). Haggle with a smile, start well below the first price and walk away politely if you can't agree; ignore anyone who says a lane is closed.

   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

      Dar Si Said

      A 19th-century palace built for the brother of the grand vizier Ba Ahmed, Dar Si Said now houses the national museum of weaving and carpets, with rugs and textiles from Morocco's regions displayed around painted courtyards.

   5. Evening

      Gueliz

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

3. Day 3: Hammam experience and Maison de la Photographie

   Hammam experience, Maison de la Photographie and Marrakech Museum, then Hivernage in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hammam experience

      Allow 1–2 hours (low cost). For a first visit choose a spa or riad hammam with the scrub included; for a public one, bring flip-flops, a towel and a change of underwear.

   2. Late morning

      Maison de la Photographie

      In a restored house near the Ben Youssef Madrasa, this gallery shows photographs of Moroccan life from the 1870s to the 1950s, including early images of the Atlas and the south, and has a rooftop café looking over the medina.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Couscous

      Restaurants and home-style cafés, especially on Fridays.

   4. Afternoon

      Marrakech Museum

      Allow 45 minutes (low cost). Step in when the madrasa queue is long; the courtyard is a cool, quiet place to sit.

   5. Evening

      Hivernage

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

4. Day 4: Day trip to Imlil and Toubkal National Park

   About 1.5 hours by car each way. Getting there: Car with driver, grand taxi or tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Imlil and Toubkal National Park

      About 1.5 hours by car (Car with driver, grand taxi or tour); about 65 km.

   2. Day

      Imlil and Toubkal National Park

      The village of Imlil, at about 1,740 metres in the High Atlas, is the trailhead for Jbel Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak at 4,167 metres. Day walks lead through walnut groves and terraced fields to Amazigh villages such as Aroumd, with lunch in a village house.

   3. Evening

      Back in Marrakech

      Dinner: try Harira.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 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 11–14 hours of visiting over 4 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
• 3 days in Marrakech
• 5 days in Marrakech
• 7 days in Marrakech

Questions travellers ask