I hear many mixed reviews about Marrakech. Some people say Morocco is their favourite holiday destination, others say they felt unsafe and were scammed. But when I visited in April 2024, I came away feeling it is an absolutely beautiful city and highly recommend a visit! To be honest, you can spend a week or two exploring everything the city has to offer but I know that isn’t a luxury we all have, including myself. So, I spent 3 days and 3 nights seeing as much as possible. From this I’ve created the perfect 3-day itinerary for you to use on a short break in Marrakech (Marrakesh), Morocco!
Firstly, you need to try to get an early departure flight, your start your itinerary after your first night. You should then either catch a very late return flight or, a flight home on the 4th day so that you can enjoy this itinerary to the fullest! Unfortunately, Marrakech airport is slow and chaotic so it takes longer than usual to get through both arrivals and departures.
Medina, Marrakech
Marrakech Itinerary Day 1 – Medina
Anyway, once I had landed, I caught a bus from near the airport into the city. Of course, there are also taxis available but beware, airport taxis will often overcharge! The bus dropped me off by a place called Koutoubia, which is an incredibly beautiful old Mosque. You can have a walk around here if you don’t have too many bags to carry and there is also an luscious green park behind Koutoubia. Alternatively, go and drop your bags off first, but make sure Koutoubia is in your Marrakech itinerary!
For the rest of the afternoon, I simply wandered through the winding, colourful Medina area. Medina is an absolutely huge market area and one of the main attractions for any Morocco holiday. Here, you get a real feel for life in Marrakech, with people selling gold and other jewellery, fabrics, spices, herbal medicines, food and many other items. Some areas will lead you to people shaping metal and other materials to sell on the souks, or dying the fabrics that are later used to make rugs and clothing. Either way, Medina is a labyrinth of culture and a must for any traveller.
Make sure you stop off at one of the many street food vendors in Medina. Morocco is known for it’s incredibly diverse and delicious food scene, so don’t let your taste buds miss out on this delightful explosion of flavours! Then, once you have spent your day in Medina (don’t be surprised if you haven’t seen it all), you should head to one of the many rooftop restaurants for dinner. I recommend Kabana.
Badia Palace, Marrakech
Marrakech Itinerary Day 2 – Cultural Immersion.
Day 2 of this Marrakech itinerary will be busy, and will continue to revolve around Medina. But not simply exploring the souks and alleyways.
Firstly, head to one of the many rooftop cafes and enjoy a traditional breakfast and mint tea. Personally, I don’t drink any type of tea but I tried this as it is very traditional, and it was actually very nice, so you need to try it! I recommend either Mazel Laksour, on the outskirts of Medina, or Café Des Épices, in the centre!
Once you are refreshed and refuelled, head to the Badia palace. Badia palace is a site of ancient ruins,. originally built in the 1500’s. Here, you can walk inside the magnificent ruins, head to underground tunnels and learn about the history of the building and Marrakesh.
Later in the afternoon, I wanted to try an authentic experience so opted for a hammam. This may not be for everyone. A hammam is a traditional Moroccan massage. Essentially, you lie on a concrete floor in a steam room whilst having a full body cleanse and massage. I came out feeling refreshed and honestly, it was an interesting experience but well worth it. I chose Hammam Mouassine which offers separate areas for men and women, with a variety of treatments. You can see other Hammam options here.
For the evening, I went to Jemaa el-Fnaa. This is a huge night time market with live music, a variety of animals and hundreds of food stalls. Jemaa el-Fnaa was a great experience and is another main experience for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in local culture. This is another popular site for any Morocco holiday.
Bahia Palace, Marrakesh
Marrakech Itinerary Day 3 – Luscious Gardens and Arid Desert
For the final day of my Marrakech itinerary, I started by visiting Le Jardin Secret. This is a luscious botanical garden inside Medina. Similarly, to Badia palace, le Jardin Secret originated over 400 years ago during the saadian dynasty. However, the botanical garden has had extensive renovations into its current beautiful state. As well as gardens, you can also find 2 cafes, a boutique shop, art and a bookshop.
I then went to the Bahia palace which is at the southeast side of Medina. This palace is an islamic palace and is so incredibly beautiful, with pure white walls, floors and ceilings and blue mosaic designs all around. As well as this, there are luscious gardens for you to explore throughout the palace. I had such a great time here, learning about it’s history and being in awe of the intricate design!
To finish off my final day, I took a guided tour into the Agafay desert. This included a camel ride, dinner, and a night time fire show at a luxury desert camp. I didn’t enjoy the camel ride too much but the rest of the evening is a must for your Morocco holiday. You can book this here.
Agafay Desert, Morocco
Conclusion
So, that’s the itinerary for my 3 days in Marrakesh. It was busy, but it was incredible to see so much within such a short period of time, without feeling rushed. If you want to add some other things to your itinerary, check out some other things to do in Marrakesh. Let me know if you’re going to use this itinerary for your trip! Marrakesh is also a great destination for budget travellers. Read more about how I visited Marrakesh for 3 days for under £250.
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