4 Day Ultimate Marrakesh Travel Itinerary
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Morocco is a really gorgeous country and Marrakesh is the perfect base to explore it. Marrakesh seems to have everything nearby – the mountains, rivers, desert, extensive history, an interesting culture and beautiful décor. And delicious food. There is always a buzz in the air and we loved our 4 days there. Read on for the ultimate Marrakesh travel itinerary.
What should I know?
- After landing, get cash from an ATM as you will be expected to tip from the start. Small bills are just fine for tips.
- Our hotel arranged our pickup for us – just make sure to clarify if you are to pay the driver or if it will be included in your room rate.
- Dress conservatively as this shows respects for the local norms.
- You may want to check an empty suitcase so you can bring home goodies from the market 🙂
Let’s Go
Day One: Marrakesh
Morning
Arrive mid-morning and after grabbing some cash at the ATM, either find your pre-arranged driver or arrange a taxi to take you to your hotel. If you are staying in the old town, make sure you are super clear on how to get to the hotel as it can feel like a winding maze and after a long flight you will likely get lost. Our driver walked us to the entrance of our riad, otherwise we would have been lost.
We stayed at Dar Assiya which was so beautiful with fabulous employees. We were welcomed warmly and loved the Turkish tea and treats to start our time there.
Afternoon
After settling in, head off to explore the souk. The market is a dream come true for designers and there were so many items I wished to purchase. However, I settled on buying two pillowcase covers as that was all I had luggage space for. Part of the process is negotiating; the first price you are quoted is typically about 2x what you should pay. Try to get down close to ½ of the quoted price. Of course, if it’s relatively inexpensive, consider not negotiating as much. I personally would rather pay the vendor a few extra dollars than feel like I got the basement bottom price but ripped the seller off.
Grab lunch at Café Chez Zaza. The vegetable tagine, chicken pastilla and fruit juice are all a great introduction to Moroccan cooking and are very satisfying. The views are great from the terrace – especially with the Atlas Mountains in the background.
After lunch, check out Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs, with stops at shops that inspire you in between.
Evening
For dinner, consider Al Fassia, La Famille, Le Jardin, Bakchich Café or Pepenerro.
Day Two: Day Trip to Atlas Mountains
Morning
After a delicious breakfast at your riad, take a day trip to the Atlas Mountains today. This was a highlight for us and we enjoyed our time immensely.
We had a fabulous experience with Attractive tours exploring the Ourika, Oukaimeden, Sidi Fares and Asni valleys. Each one was unique and breathtaking. We hiked up to waterfalls and learned about local life from a guide that was born and living in that area. A delicious and more than plentiful lunch was included and we enjoyed it from a Berber home overlooking the valley.
After lunch, our guide stopped along the road where kids were selling local fruit in handmade woven baskets and bought some for us. I thought this was a very kind gesture. The lifestyle is very hard here for people and sometimes you’ll see kids begging or working. As tourism grows with more money coming to the area, hopefully kids will have a better future.
Afternoon
Arrive back to Marrakesh late afternoon and enjoy some downtime at your hotel before venturing for dinner.
Evening
Try one of the restaurants noted that you didn’t get to last night! Honestly, we were so full from lunch that we just had snacks at our riad and lounged by the small dip pool for the evening. You could also head back out to the central square and enjoy some local fruit juice! Perfect ending to day two of the ultimate Marrakesh travel itinerary!
Day Three: Marrakesh
Morning
Enjoy a breakfast at your riad once again. Our riad changed the menu slightly every day so it kept it fresh and interesting. We enjoyed it sitting next to the small dip pool.
After breakfast, set foot to Jardin Majorelle – Yves Saint Laurent Garden. This is a beautiful and colorful garden. It is typically very busy as it’s very picturesque so be prepared for lines.
Afternoon
Lunch could be at the nearby popular Al Fassia.
On the way back to the old center, we stopped by Pastry Gato for some local sweets and Aux Merveilles de Marrakech to shop for rugs and home décor. Since I didn’t have space, I couldn’t feasibly purchase any home goods but was definitely tempted!
If you didn’t have lunch at Al Fassia, consider nearby popular spots Nomad and Terrasse Des Espices
Evening
Enjoy time this evening at the nightly carnival of Djemaa el-Fna. I enjoyed a fruit juice from the corner stand. So many stalls sell juice but this one in particular had super friendly workers so they won my business. It’s fun to walk around as there are so many people and such a vibrant energy.
You’ll see some things that aren’t great – such as monkeys on leashes – but hopefully this will change if tourists stop paying for photos with them. For dinner, consider Terrasse Des Espices. We loved watching sunset from here and hearing the call to prayer. Food was good (not the best we had) but the view made it worth it. It’s a great spot to wind down your time in Marrakesh.
Day Four: Marrakesh + onwards
Morning
Enjoy one more delicious breakfast from your riad, perhaps from the rooftop. Finish any shopping at the market before getting a taxi to head back to the airport. If you have more days, consider spending a night in the desert and camel trekking (+2 days), a couple days in Fes (+2 days) and a day tour to Chefchaouen (+1 day).
Ready to plan your ultimate Marrakesh travel itinerary?!
For more travel inspiration and guides, read here! Happy Planning!
