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Bucket list trip:

Marrakech 5-day itinerary

  • Morocco

Last updated: 10 July, 2024

Where to go and what to see in Marrakech – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Annabelle Thorpe.

Editor note – Annabelle has not included specific recommendations of where to stay each day unless it’s necessary. Instead, see the ‘Where to stay’ section in our Marrakech destination guide.

Day 1

4

Begin by exploring the sprawling souks with a guide; afterwards grab lunch at buzzy Nomad, before retreating to your riad for a relaxing hammam or to laze on the rooftop during the afternoon heat. Later, stroll in the grounds of the Koutoubia mosque, and on to the Jemaa el Fna. Watch the sunset from a rooftop café before dinner at one of the stalls. Stay overnight in a traditional ‘riad’.

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Interior walkway of covered souk in Marrakech

Bucket List Experience

Souks of the Medina

With more than 2,500 stalls and shops crammed into a labyrinth of narrow streets, which in turn are also rammed with people, donkeys and mopeds, it’s easy to feel intimidated in the souks. Don’t be. Virtually every type of trade and craft is being practiced here; there are blacksmiths, carpenters, weavers, carpet sellers, purveyors of magic potions and natural cosmetics, fruit and vegetable traders and many more.

To visit the souks is to experience the real heart of this ancient city. There are other souks in Morocco but this is one of Morocco’s liveliest and most special.

Good for age: 13+

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Intricately tiled interior of bath house

Bucket List Experience

Hammams in Marrakech

The hammam (steam bathhouse) has been an integral part of Islamic, notably Arabic, culture for centuries. Inspired by the Roman thermae, a bathhouse would include a cold room, a warm room and a hot room; in the latter, heat is produced by furnaces to supply hot water and steam.

The signature Marrakech hammam experience starts with a stint in the steam room, but then progresses to a special detoxication treatment; first, a scrub with locally-made black soap (containing olive oil) to prepare the skin for a gommage (exfoliation) with a kessa glove. After, locally-sourced rhassoul clay is applied, followed by a massage with local Argan oil.

For locals, a visit to the bathhouse is more than just a spa treatment. It serves three key purposes: one for hygiene, second for cleansing for before religious ablution before prayer, and third as a meeting place for the local community.

Adult price: £20

Good for age: 13+

Duration: 2+ hours

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

View at dusk just as the sun is setting

Bucket List Experience

Jemaa El Fna

Marrakech’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed central square epitomises the exotic allure of the city. From dawn until well after dusk it hums with activity, like an open-air theatre.

The scene here has changed little down the centuries; snake charmers, Gnaoua musicians, magicians and myriad other performers congregate here, mainly for local audiences – though at peak times it’s very touristy.

By early evening part of the square becomes a giant open-air kitchen and is given over to countless food stalls serving local specialities. The Medina’s famous souks start on its fringes.

Good for age: 8+

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Interior of ornate riad with fountain, plants and tile-work

Bucket List Experience

Stay in a traditional riad

There’s no better way to immerse yourself in Moroccan life than staying in a riad; the traditionally-designed townhouses that line the twisting alleyways of the medina. Rooms are set around an internal courtyard – traditionally divided into four quarters, with a small fountain at the centre and filled with plants and greenery.

Traditionally, Islam forbids any external show of wealth when it comes to property, so all riads – even the most upscale and ornate – are hidden behind plain walls. This adds to the tantalising sense of stepping into a hidden oasis; riads are designed to be cool and quiet – a cocoon from the frenetic streets outside.

Riads vary hugely in style; many have swapped the traditional mosaic tiling and tadelakt plasterwork for a more contemporary, minimalist feel, but what almost all have in common is a rooftop terrace. These are the places to experience Moroccan a sunset, when the Atlas Mountains shimmer in the distance and the call to prayer echoes up from the mosques; Marrakech at its bewitching, enigmatic best.

Adult price: £20

Good for age: 18+

Duration: 1+ nights

Day 2

4

Take a cab to the city’s outskirts to join an artist’s workshop at the Ateliers Ailleurs (great shopping potential too). Head back for lunch at Pause Gourmande, and then dip into the shady Jardins Majorelle, before exploring Villa Oasis and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. Later, head into the desert for an unforgettable dinner under the stars.

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Marrakech is world-renowned for fine craftsmanship – notably homewares, textiles, and natural beauty products. Browsing and haggling in the souks is of course a must-do, but why not also try your hand at making your own?

Hands-on workshop with local maalem (master craftsperson) will teach you the techniques involved in some of Morocco’s most classic crafts – zellig tilework, carved cedarwood, carpet weaving, and even tadelakt (plaster finishing). For those interested in beauty products, there are also workshops to make Marrakech’s famous ‘black soap’, Oriental wax or ghassoul (a body-cleansing clay).

Whatever you end up making – babouche slippers, jewellery, carpet, a zellig tivet, or a hammered bowl – all participants leave each workshop with their own unique souvenir.

Workshops can be three or five hours long, depending on the depth of knowledge desired – although three hours is usually plenty. Classes take place onsite in the small studios of local artists’ workshops (where you can also browse and purchase some other goods produced).

Adult price: £45

Good for age: 13+

Duration: 3-5 hours

When: All year round

Freq: daily

Jardin Majorelle

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Vivid blue building and garden of cactus and exotic plants

Experience

Luxuriant twelve-acre botanical gardens designed by French artist Jacques Majorelle who lived here in the 1920s and 1930s. Also once owned by the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.

Adult price: £10

Good for age: 13+

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Fashion lovers queue up to step inside this architectural jewel box, which pays homage to the famed designer. Yves Saint Laurent always credited Marrakech as a source of inspiration, and returned to the city frequently, residing in the nearby Villa Oasis inside the Majorelle Gardens.

The interior of the museum resembles a catwalk, complete with energetic music and audio interviews with YSL. The permanent collection features enviable evening gowns, capes and pantsuits divided by collection, while an impressive curiosity cabinet is filled with accessories to complete the looks. In the theatre, footage from previous fashion shows and interviews is shown on a loop.

Alongside the permanent collection, there is also a programme of temporary exhibitions, highlighting artists who made their home in the city, including Jacques Majorelles and works by Christo. Temporary exhibitions change twice a year, while the permanent collection featuring YSL garments changes annually.

The windowless exterior, designed by KO Studios, is intricately designed to capture the city’s famous light throughout the day, using the same techniques as a traditional medina house.

Adult price: £10

Good for age: 13+

  • Agafay Desert, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

The Agafay Desert, with its gentle rolling hills, the odd palm tree dotting the landscape, and the Atlas Mountains hovering in the background (snow-capped during winter months), is a complete contrast to bustling Marrakech just 45 minutes away. Trekking across the lunar-like landscapes, before dinner beneath the star-scattered desert sky is a memorable and unique experience.

Your evening begins with a 45-minute guided camel trek, transporting guests from the desert outskirts to a luxury camp, where dinner – a selection of Moroccan salads followed by tajine or grilled meats – is served with a view. Dinner is served under the starry sky or inside a traditional Bedouin tent, depending on the season. Evenings often include local musicians who play traditional songs with infectious, vibrant rhythms.

Several luxury camps provide glamping options for travellers looking for an overnight option.

Adult price: £180

Good for age: 10+

Duration: 4 hours

Day 3

3

Rise early for a hot-air balloon ride above the desert, then head back to discover the history of the city at the Photography Museum, stopping for a sandwich at Terrasse le Medersa. Afterwards, explore the intricately-sculpted courtyards of the Ben Youssef Medersa, before a sundowner on the roof of your riad. End your trip in style with dinner at Yacout, Marrakech’s best restaurant.

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

For fans of hot-air ballooning, floating over the dramatic, arid landscapes and traditional Berber villages surrounding Marrakech just might become the most memorable experience of your stay: the views stretch mile upon mile, with the High Atlas Mountains strung out on the horizon.

Morning hot-air balloon rides are often followed by a traditional meal in a Berber village.

Adult price: £150

Good for age: 10+

Duration: 5+ hours

Photography Museum

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Tiled interior courtyard of a riad (traditional Moroccan home) with plants and a fountain

Experience

Tranquil Medina riad housing an interesting collection of photographs documenting Moroccan life from the 1870s-1950s, that gives the best insight into life in the city before tourism arrived.

Adult price: £4

Good for age: 18+

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Interior of Medersa, showing a central square with small pool

Bucket List Experience

Medersa Ben Youssef

This splendid former medersa (a Koranic school where students memorise the Koran) was founded by the Merenid Sultan Abou el Hassan in the 14th century. However, it was under the Saadian rulers in the 1560s that the school was renovated to the extraordinary level that visitors can marvel at today.  

The Andalusian architectural details, such as the stucco plasterwork featuring Arabic inscriptions and the colourful mosaics, are wonderfully preserved and worth taking time to appreciate. 

Adult price: £4

Good for age: 18+

Day 4

1

Take the chance to explore beyond Marrakech with a trip into the Atlas Mountains. The atmospheric village of Imlil is a 90-minute drive from the city and offers a dramatically different experience; surrounded by mountain peaks and farms. Stay overnight at the luxury Kasbah du Toubkal.

  • Toubkal National Park, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

  • Official star rating:

Kasbah du Toubkal

Place to Stay

Kasbah du Toubkal

Located 60km from Marrakech at the foot of Mount Toubkhal, this atmospheric boutique hotel is an ideal spot to relax after a summit hike. Sitting on a rocky outcrop some 1,800m above sea level, rooms boast spectacular views of surrounding snow-capped mountains.

It’s the result of a partnership between the Berber community and a British adventurer who bought, restored and opened the kasbah as a hotel in 1995. The property is staffed entirely by villagers.

The property has a variety of accommodation levels to suit most budgets. The dining room serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cuisine is Berber-Moroccan, and there is a vegetarian menu. They can also provide a picnic lunch for mountain trekking.

Even if you’re not coming to climb Mount Toubkal, the kasbah is a good choice for relaxing in mountain serenity, with outstanding trekking all around.

Average £150

Extra beds

Pool

2+ bedrooms

Beach

Kids menu

Fitness center

Kids club

Day 5

1

Rise early for a guided walk in the mountains, before heading back to the city. Reward yourself with afternoon tea in the glorious gardens at La Mamounia, with a final shopping spree in the medina, before dinner at Al Fassia, a Marrakech institution, that does the best pastilla (pigeon pie) in town (reservations essential).

  • Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

  • Official star rating:

La Mamounia

Place to Stay

La Mamounia

Dating back to 1923, the legendary La Mamounia has long been considered Marrakech’s most luxurious hotel. Although it was left behind in the luxe stakes after far more stylish (albeit smaller) riads opened in the ’90s, it re-emerged as the most majestic of the city’s accommodation after a $176 million renovation in 2009.

Recently emerged from another comprehensive refurbishment, undertaken during the lockdown, the hotel has never looked better; sumptuous interiors, shimmering pools, a monumental spa and regal-looking rooms make this a favourite with royalty, film stars and celebrities.

The location isn’t the most convenient for sightseeing – though free shuttles are provided. The hotel can organise private visits and exclusive showings with artists, jewellers, fashion designers, and artisans.

Average £391

Extra beds

Pool

2+ bedrooms

Beach

Kids menu

Fitness center

Kids club