Vicky If you are looking for a trip to Marrakech, Morocco, 4 days is plenty of time to see the sites and do some amazing experiences. Any longer and you are likely to get bored, unless you are travelling further afield. If you feel adventurous enough and want to take a train trip, it is so easy to do in Morocco, and the train system is so modern and comfortable. Marrakech is really walkable, and the local bus service is also great. I have been to Marrakech a few times, so here is my recommendation on how to spend 4 days in Marrakech.
Flights To Marrakech, Morocco
Flights to Marrakech from the UK are actually really reasonable! You can get a Ryanair flight from £30 each way, depending on which airport you fly from. With Marrakech, it doesn’t matter what time flight you get either because Marrakech is busy 24 hours a day. If you get an early flight, you arrive in time to do some things during the day. If you arrive in the evening, you have the night market and things open until about 4 am. You can easily do a budget flight with an underseat bag for 4 days in Marrakech.
Vicky’s Tip – Do not book excursions for the first day of your arrival or even the second day. Flights can be delayed, and you will lose money if you have to cancel your excursion.
Day One – Explore The Medina & Jemaa el-Fna In Marrakech, Morocco
In the morning, you should start your trip by visiting the medina. Before you leave your hotel, open up Google Maps and type in Jemaa el-Fna. This will give you directions to the medina. If you are staying close by, you can walk there. If you are further out, it will tell you which bus to get. The bus will be about 30p. Wander through the narrow streets and souks where you will find leather goods, ceramics, spices, rugs, and so much more. Take your time wandering through them because they are an experience and they will be free unless you buy something.
After the souks, you will head towards Madrasa Ben Youssef, one of Marrakech’s most impressive historic buildings. Its detailed Islamic architecture makes it particularly worth visiting. And then you will want to stop for some lunch. There are plenty of restaurants around, as well as street food to try. We always stick to proper restaurants that the locals use too. Try a chicken tagine and couscous. It is advisable not to eat salad as the water isn’t safe. In the afternoon, head towards the Secret Garden for a quick look round, before continuing towards the centre of the Medina.
You might want to head back to your hotel for a little while as the weather gets too hot, and have a little nap or swim in the pool before heading out again in the evening. You will find Jemaa el-Fna a different experience in the evening than in the daytime. Throughout the day, you will find snake charmers there and people with monkeys dressed in clothes. In the evening, they are gone, and the square is filled with market stalls, entertainers and locals. You can find something to eat in one of the rooftop restaurants and watch the sun set.
Day Two – Palaces, Mosques & Moroccan History
In the morning, you are going to start with a visit to Bahia Palace. Allow around 1–1½ hours to explore the palace, courtyards, and gardens. It is one of Marrakech’s major historic attractions. Then walk towards El Badi Palace. Unlike Bahia Palace, El Badi is largely ruins, but the enormous courtyards and remaining walls give you a sense of how spectacular the original palace must have been. Each of these palaces offers something different and is worth visiting.
By now you will be ready for lunch, so head towards the Kasbah area and find a nice restaurant to enjoy some Moroccan food. The restaurants are always welcoming to tourists. After lunch, head towards the Saadian Tombs. The Saadian Tombs date back to the 16th century, and make for a lovely walk around. From here you can head back to your hotel for a rest, or head back to the medina for a mooch around.
In the evening, head towards Koutoubia Mosque, where you can enjoy the gardens. If you are not a muslim, you won’t be allowed inside the mosque. But you can still enjoy the outside and take some great photos. Then it is a quick walk back to Jemaa el-Fna for dinner or find a quieter restaurant away from the square.
Day Three – Adventure And Relaxation In Marrakech, Morocco
You are going to start the day early today; you will get up at 3 am for a 4 am pick-up for a sunrise balloon trip. Book through Get Your Guide, and they will organise everything for you, including the pick-ups and drop-offs. You arrive at your balloon excursion, and you have a safety talk before you go into your balloon and watch the sunrise over a desert. Afterwards, you will have breakfast and get dropped off at your hotel by about 9 am, so you still have a day ahead of you.
After a break at your hotel, you can head over to Jardin Majorelle, a beautiful garden that is colourful and full of lush green areas. You will want to spend an hour or two here, because it is so relaxing. It is shaded and cool there, so if the days are hot, you can go there to cool down too. Afterwards, head to the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, where you could have lunch too. Yves Saint Laurent was a frequent visitor to Marrakech, and he adored the place. Then take a stroll around Gueliz, a modern area of Marrakech, where you will find different cafes and shops from the Medina.
Day Four – Atlas Mountains or Agafay Desert
This is your last full day, so make it an awesome one. Spend the day away from the city and see something different. This option has two choices, and both are recommended by me personally. If you are there for longer than 4 days, you could split this section over 2 days and do both options.
Option One – Atlas Mountains
I would book this again through GetYourGuide, because you can browse the GetYourGuide app before you even arrive in Marrakech. You can book and pay in advance, so there are no costs on the day. When we did this, we booked a private driver, so we stopped when we wanted to. And it was a one-to-one experience. We booked a trip through the Atlas Mountains to Ait Ben Haddou and Atlas Film Studios. It cost about £100 for a private taxi for 2 people.
Option Two – Agafay Desert
Or you could spend the day in the Agafay Desert. Book a pool day and get picked up from your hotel about 11 am, to drive to the desert where you relax by a pool, go camel riding or quad biking. Obviously, this is the most relaxing option, and is great if it is hot and you need to cool down in the pool. This will cost you about £15 to £20 and will include the transfers and lunch.
Spend your last evening in the Medina, getting your last souvenirs and having a last supper. Take a trip on a tuk-tuk and wander the souks again. Before heading to your hotel for an early night before flying home. Enjoy your trip to Marrakech, Morocco.
