The vibrant city of Marrakech is a must-visit when in Morocco, but how many days do you need to see it? This guide will show you how many days to spend in Marrakech.
Visiting Marrakech in Morocco
Brace yourself – Marrakech is going to be an experience! If you've rarely stepped outside the comfort zone of an air-conditioned shopping mall, be prepared for an assault on the senses.
There's a bombardment of colour and noise. A feeling of not quite organised chaos. It's a fun place to spend time in, although if truth be told, a little overwhelming and perhaps even draining after a while.
Which raises the question, how many days do you need to spend in Marrakech?
There's a lot of factors to consider, and everyone is different.On my recent trip to Marrakech, it wasn't even a question I needed to answer. My flight into Marrakech was on a Monday night, and flight from Marrakech to Athens on a Friday night. Decision made!
If you're more flexible with your Morocco itinerary, you might need to think about it a bit deeper though.
How many days to spend in Marrakech
I think that the best amount of time to spend in Marrakech is 3 days. This gives enough time to see all the major sights and attractions, and get a good feel for what the city is about.
Sure, some people will recommend longer. Some people will say just spend a day in Marrakech, and then get out of there as soon as you can! 3 days is a nice balance though, with 2 days in Marrakech being the absolute minimum.
As everyone is different, I'll describe what you can do in 1,2, and 3 days in Marrakech below.
1 Day in Marrakech
You're not going to be able to see much beyond the Medina and a few highlights if you're in Marrakech for a day. Still, if you have a burning desire to get out into the desert on a camel trip, one day is better than nothing.
Highlights you should consider seeing in Marrakech in a day include:
- Walk through the Jewish quarter and cemetery
- Visit Saadien’s tombs
- See the Badia Palace
- Explore the area around Koutoubia mosque
- Jemaa el-Fna square and the Medina
2 Days in Marrakech
If you plan to spend a second day in Marrakech, you could keep the day 1 itinerary as above, and then add some more places on to day 2.
Note, that I stayed near the Bahia Palace, so this itinerary made sense to me. If you are staying in another location, you might want to mix things up a bit.
Highlights you might see on day 2 in Marrakech include:
- Bahia Palace
- Dar Si Said museum
- Medina (You'll end up strolling through the Medina more than once during your stay in Marrakech!)
- Le Jardin Secret
- Musee Mouassine (Concert held some nights)
- Place des Epices – spice market
- Jemaa el-Fna square and the Medina
3 Days in Marrakech
Keep the itinerary for the first two days in Marrakech as above, and then add on these places of interest into day 3.
Things you can do in 3 days in Marrakech include:
- Gueliz (for a taste of life outside the old center)
- Jardin Majorelle + YSL Museum + Berber museum (Expect queues)
- House of photography (One of the most interesting places we visited)
- Women’s museum (Another interesting place – chat to the people there for insight into local women's movements)
- Jemaa el-Fna square and Medina
Marrakech City Guides
I hope that has helped you decide how long to spend in Marrakech! I also have some other Marrakech blog posts and travel guides you might be interested in:
- ATMs in Marrakech – Currency Exchange and Credit Cards in Morocco
- Things to do in Marrakech
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