6 Days in Marrakech: A Complete Travel Guide (Updated 2024)

In a country rich with history and culture, Marrakech is a city of unbelievable diversity, vibrancy, and a hint of Medina madness.

Taking a brief hiatus from our year-long campervan journey across Europe, we parked our home on wheels in Spain and arrived to spend 6 days in Marrakech.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to step from Europe’s structured, predictable streets into the pulsating heart of Marrakech’s Medina?

We dived into a world where every corner tells a story, filled with a kaleidoscope of colours, aromas, and sounds, exploring the depths of this vibrant city.

This medieval city brims with exotic experiences—from lively negotiations in vibrant souks to heartfelt exchanges of smiles and ‘Shukrans’ with the locals.

If this is your first visit to Marrakech, it may initially feel unfamiliar and overwhelming. But don’t worry, with our guide, you’re about to navigate the bustling alleys and vibrant markets like a seasoned traveller.

Ready to explore the rhythm of this ancient city hassle-free? Come and join us in the hustle and bustle, the old and the new, and discover the enchanting spirit of Marrakech.

Marrakech Map

This map shows the locations of all the attractions and experiences listed in our list of things to do and explore with 6 days in Marrakech.

Zoom on the map to locate the day trip locations: Ait Benhaddou and Ouzoud Waterfalls.

Things to do in Marrakech

Things to do and places to see in Marrakech and its surrounds when visiting Morocco over 6 days.

1. Marrakech Medina

The Medina is the old fortified part of Marrakech lying inside the city’s walls. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the heart of historical Marrakech.

Here, you’ll find many types of souks selling their own specialised products, hawkers selling photos and lamps, restaurants with waiters beckoning you in, age-old cafés and a mass movement of people to-ing and fro-ing below the ancient earthen fortress walls.

2. Jemaa el-Fna Square

Jemaa el-Fna Square is Marrakech’s central marketplace and Medina Quarter’s marketplace. 

By day, snake charmers, monkey handlers, and fruit stalls fill the square.

But as the sun begins to set, the square transforms.

Locals start drifting towards this central meeting place, making it much busier than during the day. The animal handlers retire and make way for food stalls, storytellers, performers, and musicians.

The energy of Jemaa el-Fna Square really starts to ramp up.  

3. Hotel Restaurant Café de France

The Cafe de France has a prime location with elevated views overlooking Jemaa el-Fna square.

If you want to get above all the action in the square, go straight to the rooftop area with plenty of seating and amazing sunset views of Koutoubia Mosque and the surrounding Medina.

4. Koutoubia Mosque

Close by Jemaa el-Fna square is the imposing 77-meter-high Koutoubia Mosque and minaret (also called Kutubiyya Mosque), Marrakech’s largest mosque, built in the 12th century. 

This towers above Jemma el-Fna Square and is beautifully lit during the night.

Unfortunately, non-Muslims are not allowed entry.

5. Marrakech Souks

At one end of Jemaa el-Fna square, you will find yourself skirting the entryway into the souks and the maze of market streets that stretch into this different world.

If this is your first time in Marrakech, prepare yourself for a possible sensory overload.

The multi-coloured wares, noisy motorbikes and bicycles whizzing by in the narrow souk alleyways, and numerous strange smells all compete in a race to overwhelm your senses. 

On top of this, the vendors constantly ask you,

‘Where you are from?’,

‘Come into my shop!’,

‘Just take a look’! 

It feels pretty hectic for the first couple of days, and then you begin to fall into the rhythm of Marrakech, and it is no longer that ‘strange, foreign feeling’. 

6. Le Jardin Secret

The magical gardens of Le Jardin Secret date back to the 16th century. They are a short walk north from Jemma el-Fna Square but still within the Medina. 

These fully enclosed gardens represent an oasis of peace after you’ve left the souks.

In the centre of the gardens, a large wooden portico with beautiful murals stands proudly surrounded by exotic plants from around the globe.  

At the far end of the gardens is a small tower housing exquisite interior designs.

A separate fee is paid at the entrance to this tower. Take advantage of some great views over Marrakech and the distant Atlas Mountains.  

For prices and opening times, go to their website here.

7. Medersa Ben Youssef

Located inside the Medina, the Medersa Ben Youssef Islamic School ceased functioning as a school in 1960.

It has been known as a jewel of architecture in Marrakech with its intricate designs and impressive decorations.

Unfortunately, the school was closed for renovations during our visit, which was a real shame, but that’s a good reason to plan a return visit.

👣 Combine a visit to Ben Youssef, Secret Garden, & Souks Walking Tour | ⌛️ 3hours | ⭐️ 4.7/5 | Book and read great reviews

8. Cyber Park Moulay Abdessalam

Just a 500-metre walk from Koutoubia Mosque will have you arriving at Cyber Park Moulay Abdessalam.

Here, you can escape all the busyness of the Medina.

This beautiful six-hectare park is full of citrus and palm trees, making it the perfect place to take a break and enjoy the serenity of the quiet surroundings.

The park was not busy, and there were plenty of park benches to sit on. The gardens, which back onto the old fortress walls, make for an interesting walk.  

9. Bab Agnaou

A kilometre walk south of Koutoubia Mosque is Bab Agnaou, one of Marrakech Medina’s 19 gates.

This impressive 12th-century gate forms part of the ruined, walled Badi Palace. This once royal entrance is now home to storks, who have taken up residence by building huge nests atop the Bab Agnaou gates. 

It is free to walk through the gates.

10. El Badi Palace

El Badi, a ruined palace built in the late 16th century, was once lavishly constructed of gold, onyx and marble, which would have perfectly reflected the palace’s name: Badi Palace, meaning ‘Palace of Wonder’.

This palace was thought to have 360 rooms and a large courtyard and pool. However, under a new ruler, El Badi Palace was later stripped of its rich trappings and replaced with a new palace.

11. Bahia Palace

Close by El Badi Palace is the Bahia Palace, meaning ‘brilliance’.

This was meant to be the greatest palace of its time. Built in the late 19th century, it combines Moroccan and Islamic styles.

Encompassing 8 hectares, including gardens, the workmanship required to produce the intricate designs is simply breathtaking. This place certainly deserves its name.

🌟 Enjoy a Bahia Palace guided Tour to learn the history of the palace and its secret stories | ⌛️ 1.5 hours | Check availability

12. Majorelle Garden

A 20-minute walk outside the Medina will find you at the stunning Majorelle Gardens. 

This 2.5-acre landscaped garden, originally designed by French artist Jacques Majorelle, took more than 40 years to create.

Vibrant hues of blue and green fill the garden, as does the special bold cobalt blue colour Majorelle Blue, now named after the artist.

Following his death, the property went into disrepair but was later purchased by designers Yves St Laurent and Pierre Berge, who breathed new life into this now exquisite garden.

We’d recommend getting there early, which we did as we’d seen a huge queue the day before. Or buy your ticket beforehand here.

13. Day Trip To Ouzoud Waterfalls From Marrakech

There is plenty to explore around Marrakech itself, but if, like us, you want to experience a taste of life away from the city, then a couple of day trips to explore further afield in Morocco is just the trick.

One of our days we used to take a wonderful day trip to Ouzoud Falls.

Marrakech to Ouzoud Waterfalls is a round trip of approximately 10 hours. You not only get to visit these mighty falls but on the other side of the river, you will see wild Barbary Macaque monkeys.

You can read more about this trip in our post, Ouzoud Waterfalls, Morocco: Chocolate Waterfalls and Cheeky Monkeys.

Book this well-reviewed Ouzoud Falls day trip here | ⌛️ 10 hours | ⭐️4.6/5 (over 11,000 reviews) | Check availability

14. Day Trip To Ait Benhaddou From Marrakech

Did you ever want to visit a remote desert trading post in a formidable African desert?

Ait Benhaddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Sahara desert, at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, and we recommend visiting it.

This remote place is the stuff of legends and inspired many a film including Gladiator, Babel, Jewel in the Nile and more recently, Game of Thrones.

You can read more about this day trip from Marrakech in our article, Day Trip from Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou.

The Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou return trip is about 10 hours. 

👉 Check other reviews and the availability of this Ait Benhaddou Tour here.

15. Stay in a Riad within the Old Walled City 

 If you can, choose to stay in a Riad, a traditional Moroccan house with an inner garden courtyard.

To properly immerse yourself in all things Marrakech, you’ll want to find a Riad inside the Medina (the old, historic walled city). Plus, it is easy walking distance to most of the great attractions we mention below.

From the outside, Riads don’t look anything special, but behind those closed front doors, you are enveloped in a world that is quintessential Morocco.

We stayed in the fabulous ‘Dar Touyir’  which also included breakfast. An added bonus is that if you don’t feel like going out for dinner, then you can enjoy a really delicious traditional meal at the riad which is what we did a couple of times.

16. Try the local cuisine

While you are in Marrakech, do try a Tagine. This traditional cooking style involves placing the meat (chicken, fish, lamb, or beef), vegetables, and spices into an earthen clay pot and then slow-cooking it. It is absolutely gorgeous food.

Indulge in Mint Tea —This gorgeous tea is made from spearmint leaves with added sugar. It is a traditional Moroccan drink and a sign of hospitality and friendship.

Worth remembering in case you are offered it.

Tips for a 6-Day Visit to Marrakech

Getting up to speed on what to do and what not to do in Marrakech is extremely useful.

1. Learn a few Local Words

 Okay, you aren’t expected to rattle off sentences in either of the two official languages, Arabic or Berber, but knowing some basic pleasantries will go a long way.

Throw in a smile, and you’ll generally find that people quickly warm to you. Morocco was a French protectorate until 1956, so speaking French will also bring rewards.

Here are a few local words that we used successfully:

• Hello – Salam Alaikum
• Thank you – Shukran
• No, thank you – La Shukran.

2. Cash is King

When you go shopping or buying food from small local vendors, take smaller denominations of the local currency, the Moroccan Dirham (MOD).

Cashpoints are not on each corner, but there are enough around, and they are always operational. Ask at your hotel or riad where the closest ATM is.

3. Tipping  

Tipping is a normal way of life in Morocco. When eating or drinking out, you can use 10% of your bill total to figure how much of a tip to leave. It’s customary to leave a cash tip on the table as you leave.

4. Marrakech Souvenirs 

If you’re unsure of the quality and authenticity of the products offered in the souks, a government-operated group of stores called Ensemble Artisinal Marrakech offers a variety of goods.

Here, you are not asked or pushed to buy anything. The prices are a little higher, but some exquisite designs are available. Shelley bought herself a leather handbag here.

5.  Don’t Drink the Tap Water in Marrakech

Buy bottled water. It’s as cheap as chips. Also, remember that cold salads, ice cubes, and fruit are washed using local water.

6.  Scammers in Marrakech

Be wary of scammers. We were approached by a really friendly guy on the street asking us where we were going. He then said he was off to this hotel job, but he could quickly show us a shortcut to where we needed to go.

He started leading us away into some back streets, but our ‘gut feeling’ told us this was wrong. We stopped him and said that we were going back, but he repeatedly tried to talk us into following him. We kept politely saying no and left.

Apparently, these ‘guides’ lead you part of the way and then pass you on to another ‘travel guide’. Once you reach your destination, a fee is charged and requested.

The lesson here was that if you are unsure where you are going, be wary of strangers offering to take you somewhere. It’s preferable to go into one of the local shops and ask for directions.

Another of our Marrakech tips: if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it!

7. Be Prepared to Bargain 

It’s the way of life in Marrakech. Sure, you won’t get the local rates, but haggling backwards and forwards on the price is customary.

If you consider the final price too high, politely say so and leave with a smile and goodbye. No feelings are hurt.

8. You Don’t Have to Enter Every Shop When Asked 

The shop owners will ask you many, many times to come into their shop, not buy, just look.

It’s ok to refuse, but it’s how it is done. Smile and say ‘La Shukran’ (no thank you), and no offence is taken.

9. Taking Photos in Marrakech

You may be asked for money if you take photos of the locals. We were quite careful not to do this, and when in the Medina, if we found a shopfront or wanted to take a photo inside the shop, to save any unintentional offence, we would simply ask the shop owner if we could take a photo.

We were never refused. So our Marrakech tip would be just to ask first!

Street and open scenes were no problem.

10. Dress Modestly

 99% of Morocco’s population practices the Islamic faith. So, dress to respect Islam’s emphasis on modesty.

For men and women, clothes and accessories are not meant to attract attention or excessively reveal the body. For non-Muslim women, it is not necessary to wear a hijab (a veil that conceals the woman’s hair).

Moroccan women? They may choose to either cover themselves or not.

11.  Watch for Traffic 

You might be thinking that the Jemaa el-Fna marketplace is a pedestrian-only area.

Wrong!

Besides the odd donkey, it’s the motorbikes. You won’t even be looking out for them. They are driven quickly past the narrow shop fronts, with the riders quite skillfully dodging the passers-by.

Keep an ear to the ground! 

12. Extra Tips For Morocco

If you’re travelling throughout Morocco, these Marrakech tips can be applied to any city.

A good article to assist with your planning and also detailing things you need to know about driving in Morocco is Atlantic to Sahara – A Morocco Road Trip Itinerary. 

If you are able to spend more time in Morocco, and in particular if you have children, then I recommend checking out this two-and-a-half-week Morocco with kids itinerary by the TraveLynn Family. 

Getting to Marrakech

Because we were in the middle of a motorhome trip around Spain, we left our campervan at Seville airport parking before we headed to Marrakech, Morocco, in North Africa.

If you are driving or have a motorhome or camper, you can find out more info here: Taking the ferry from Spain to Morocco with your campervan.

However, you may be flying to Morocco, and many international airlines fly to Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK).

If you aren’t hiring a car, we didn’t, so consider arranging a private pick-up from the airport to your riad or hotel.

Marrakech Accommodation

We stayed in the Medina in Marrakech at a riad called Dar Touyir and would highly recommend it. The service was excellent and the staff could not do enough for you.

You can book the Dar Touyir Riad here or find other accommodation in Marrakech here.

Marrakech FAQs

Is 6 days enough in Marrakech?

From our experience, six days in Marrakech is ideal for thoroughly exploring the city. It gives you enough time to visit major attractions, enjoy the local cuisine, and even venture out on a day trip or two. This amount of time allowed us to immerse ourselves in Marrakech without feeling rushed. I’d suggest looking at everything you’d like to do and then deciding how long to spend in Marrakech.

Is Marrakech a walkable city?

We found Marrakech easily walkable, especially the Medina. Most of the attractions are concentrated in this area, and walking is the best way to soak in the vibrant market life and intricate alleyways. For longer distances, taxis are affordable and widely available.

Is Marrakesh expensive?

Based on my visits, Marrakech can suit any budget and is a great place for those travelling on a budget. While luxurious accommodation options are available, you can also find plenty of budget-friendly choices. Affordable eateries, guesthouses, and free cultural sights helped us keep costs down.

Is Marrakech overwhelming?

Honestly, my first visit to Marrakech felt a bit overwhelming. The city is alive with energy, from the bustling souks to the constant hustle. However, once you understand the local customs and find your way around, it becomes an exciting and engaging place. Being prepared for an initial assault on the senses will help.

When not to go to Marrakech?

I would advise against visiting Marrakech during the peak of summer, especially July and August, when it can get extremely hot. Spring or autumn, when the weather is milder, makes exploring and enjoying the city much more comfortable.

Marrakech in 6 Days … That’s a Wrap

All up, we spent 6 days in Morocco, broken into four days in Marrakech and two one-day trips to Ouzoud Waterfalls and Ait Benhaddou.

We had no mishaps, and we felt safe throughout the time we were there.

Other than all the amazing experiences to be had in Marrakech, which could easily fill a Marrakech 6 day itinerary, if you can enjoy at least one of these day trips, you’ll certainly leave with a more well-rounded perspective of Morocco.

We hope you find these Marrakech attractions and tips for a 6-day Marrakech stay helpful.

Have you visited Morroco before? Do you have any favourite places?

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