Photo by Paul Macallan on Unsplash
The 4-day plan, rearranged for 3 days: the best-ranked places stay, and each day keeps to one part of town.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A palace of the late nineteenth century, built for a grand vizier, with carved cedar ceilings, painted doors and shady courtyards of tile. Its name means brilliance. Go in the morning, before the groups.
Go when Morning, when the light is soft and it is quiet.
Local tip Walk slowly through the courtyards and look up at the painted ceilings. Check ahead on the opening times, since parts close for official use.
The tallest landmark in the city, a twelfth-century mosque with a 77-metre minaret in red stone, standing in a park of gardens and orange trees. Non-Muslims cannot enter the mosque, but the grounds and the minaret are the point.
Go when Morning or evening, when the red stone glows.
Local tip Non-Muslims cannot go into the mosque, but the garden and the minaret can be seen from the park. The call to prayer from the tower is worth hearing.
Lamb or chicken slow-cooked in a clay pot with preserved lemon and olives, or vegetables with prunes.
Local tip Tagines take time, so order and sit back. Bread is the spoon.
A maze of covered lanes north of the square, where dyers, metalworkers, leather sellers and spice merchants each have their own quarter. Let yourself get lost for an hour, then use your map to find the way out.
Go when Late morning, when the lanes are full and the shade is deep.
Local tip Bargain with a smile, start at about half the first price and walk away if you do not agree. Keep your bag closed, and step aside for the motorbikes that pass fast.
The royal tombs of a sixteenth-century dynasty, sealed and forgotten until 1917, with carved cedar, marble columns and a garden of graves. A small place, which gets crowded, so go early.
Go when Morning, before the queue.
Local tip The main chamber is small and busy. Dress modestly, and look at the carved ceiling, the cedar and the marble.
The ruins of a vast sixteenth-century palace, with a sunken garden, empty courtyards and storks nesting on the walls. A quiet place for a rest in the heat, with views of the red city from the top of the ramparts.
Go when Afternoon, for the space and the storks.
Local tip Climb the ramparts for the view over the old city. The storks nest on the walls from late winter, and the ground is uneven, so wear good shoes.
The great square of the medina, a place of UNESCO-listed oral tradition, which fills at dusk with food stalls, musicians and storytellers. Eat at a busy stall, keep your valuables close and say no to animal acts.
Go when Dusk, as the stalls light up.
Local tip Eat at a stall with a crowd, and agree the price before you order. Keep your bag in front of you, and decline snake charmers and monkey handlers, whose animals are often badly treated.
Skewers of lamb, sausage and grilled vegetables from a numbered stall in the square, with bread and salads.
Local tip Pick a busy stall, agree the price, and eat what is served hot.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A garden of cactus, bamboo and fountains around a villa in an intense cobalt blue, created by the painter Jacques Majorelle and later saved by Yves Saint Laurent. Go at opening time, because it fills quickly.
Go when Morning, at opening, before the heat and the crowds.
Local tip Entry is timed and limited, so book ahead. The path is narrow, so go slowly and look at the blue, the cactus and the bamboo.
A museum beside the garden about the designer's life and work, with clothes, sketches and a view of the way he used the colours of Morocco. A cool, modern stop in the heat.
Go when Midday, in the cool of the galleries.
Local tip A small, tidy museum beside the garden. A combined entry may be offered, so check ahead.
Moroccan salads of tomato, eggplant and carrot, with grilled fish or chicken, in a shaded courtyard.
Local tip Salads come in many small dishes, so order a selection.
A fourteenth-century Islamic college, restored in the sixteenth century, with a calm courtyard of carved plaster, cedar and tile, and rows of tiny student rooms. Among the finest buildings in the city.
Go when Afternoon, when the courtyard is calm.
Local tip The carved plaster and cedar are the highlight. Check ahead, since it has been closed for repairs.
A huge olive grove with a large basin and a green-roofed pavilion, with the Atlas mountains behind it. Locals come to walk and picnic in the evening, and the light is best late in the day.
Go when Late afternoon, when the light is soft.
Local tip Walk to the basin and look back at the pavilion with the mountains behind. Locals picnic here in the evening.
A restored palace garden hidden in the medina, with a quiet courtyard of tile and a view from the tower. A calm rest at the end of the day, away from the noise of the souks.
Go when Late afternoon, for a calm rest.
Local tip A quiet garden in the middle of the souks, with a cafe and a tower for a view. Check ahead on the opening.
Steamed semolina with lamb or chicken and a broth of carrots, pumpkin, turnips and chickpeas, a traditional Friday meal.
Local tip Couscous is the Friday dish, and many places serve it best then.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A green river valley in the Atlas foothills, with terraced fields, red-earth villages and cafes on the river. Cooler than the city, and a favorite day out for Marrakech families.
Go when Morning, before the heat builds in the plain.
Local tip Go with a driver or on a tour. The valley road is narrow and winding, and the river rises fast in heavy rain, so check the forecast.
It covers 3 days in Marrakech, planned for march to May, or October to November. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 4.1 to 9.6 kilometers between its stops, and 13.7 kilometers in all across 3 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated November 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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