As we speak I need to share my journey itinerary for six days in Marrakech with you. Just below every week on this a part of North Africa is a good period of time to see the town and go to close by locations like Essaouira and the Agafay Desert. From spice-laden meals to buzzing souks, lovely riads, and rooftop terraces, there are many enjoyable issues to do and see in and round Marrakech. Learn on for my itinerary. I’ve included a map, too.
6 Days in Marrakech
My different half and I’ve booked a visit to North Africa to spend 6 days in Morocco utilizing Marrakech as our dwelling base. I’ve been to this well-known metropolis twice earlier than (in addition to Tangier, Casablanca, and Rabat), however that is his first time.
I’ve deliberate a enjoyable itinerary for our 6 days in Marrakech, and we’re wanting ahead to spending the higher a part of every week exploring a few of the hottest locations within the metropolis and the encompassing space.
I hope this itinerary helps you propose a visit of your personal. You’ll be able to alter it to suit your pursuits and journey fashion, but it surely ought to offer you a stable overview of what you are able to do in 6 days in Marrakech and the environs.
Day 1: Marrakech
After a late morning flight from London, we arrive in Marrakech at 3pm. A taxi we’ve pre-booked by our riad whisks us off to the center of the historic medina.
A porter meets us within the outdated city, hundreds our luggage into a giant wheelbarrow, and leads us down a aspect road to our dwelling for the evening, Riad Siwan.
Conveniently positioned between the grand Bahia Palace and the well-known Jemaa el-Fnaa sq., this place has been meticulously restored.
It has lovely rooms, a central courtyard, and a rooftop terrace with wonderful views over the town. If you wish to comply with in our footsteps, you’ll be able to e book your room right here.
After getting settled in, we begin our journey by sipping basic mint tea on the roof terrace at Riad Siwan. It’s the proper method of easing ourselves into life in Morocco, and a scrumptious method to kick off our 6 days in Marrakech.
After we’re achieved, we take within the views from the very best level on the roof earlier than heading out to take pleasure in our first night within the Pink Metropolis.
After strolling round a protracted purchasing road known as Rue Riad Zitoun el Jdid, we head as much as a rooftop bar in Marrakech known as La Pergola.
It’s perched atop Riad Monceau, and its abundance of greenery, murals, and cocktails make it a colourful place to have pre-dinner drinks.
After we’re completed with our cocktails, we make our manner over to a different rooftop for dinner. We’re eating on the terrace at Nomad, a trendy restaurant with fashionable Moroccan meals and wonderful views over the medina.
We tuck into zucchini fritters and spicy crispy monkfish as we watch the sundown flip the sky pink overhead.
After dinner we stroll across the evening market within the Jemaa el-Fnaa. From stalls promoting fresh-squeezed orange juice to henna tattoo artists and road performers, this place is buzzing with exercise.
Together with the close by souks, it’s a enjoyable spot to wander round and take in the night scene on our first evening in Marrakech.
Day 2: Marrakech and the Agafay Desert
The following morning we proceed our itinerary for six days in Marrakech with breakfast on the rooftop at Riad Siwan. It’s sunny out, and the feast we’re offered with is each scrumptious and filling. We are able to’t consider a greater method to begin the day.
After trying out of the riad, we do some sightseeing in Marrakech. We’re not removed from the Bahia Palace, so we stroll over for a go to.
One of the essential historic buildings in Marrakech, this Nineteenth-century palace is dwelling to a sequence of rooms, courtyards, and gardens embellished with intricate work and mosaics.
There’s beautiful stucco work throughout, and the flooring are paved with marble and tile.
We tour the palace, then spend time strolling by Mellah, the historic Jewish quarter of Marrakech. We discover the spice outlets with their tall cones of many colours, letting the scents and sounds fill us with the ambiance of the place.
From Mellah we stroll over to a Lebanese restaurant known as Naranj for lunch. We settle in at a desk on the rooftop terrace and tuck right into a scrumptious meal of recent juices and succulent octopus as we take pleasure in nice service and a phenomenal ambiance.
After lunch we head again to Riad Siwan to select up our luggage and depart for the Agafay Desert. We’ve booked an in a single day tour with GetYourGuide, an organization I take advantage of so much on my travels. We’re excited to see a new-to-us a part of Morocco.
A van meets us at La Place des Ferblantiers (Tinsmiths Sq.) and takes us to a tented camp round 20 miles (30 kilometers) exterior of Marrakech.
We’re proven to our tents, that are far greater and extra luxurious than we anticipated. Not solely do we now have a king-size mattress, but additionally our personal lavatory and bathe. The decor is to our liking as properly.
After getting settled in, my different half and I cut up as much as take pleasure in completely different actions for the remainder of the afternoon. He goes off on an ATV tour, and I head out on a camel trip.
My trusty steed takes me by the desert with a neighborhood information and one of many camp’s resident canine. Alongside the best way I take pleasure in lovely surroundings and peaceable environment because the sinking solar begins to color the desert in golden-hour hues.
Again on the camp, my different half raves about his quad bike trip as we stroll up a hill to observe the sundown. It’s a enjoyable method to expertise the magic of the Moroccan desert and chat with fellow camp friends from everywhere in the world.
When evening falls we settle in at a giant out of doors seating space for dinner. With rugs and pillows throughout, it feels prefer it’s straight out of One Thousand and One Nights.
We sit on pouffes at a low desk as servers convey round a feast of soup, tagines, and recent fruit.
Quickly the leisure begins. We’re handled to every part from conventional Berber music to a powerful fireplace dancer. On the finish the evening turns right into a dance celebration for all of the friends to rise up and take part. It’s an effective way to finish our second evening in Morocco.
Day 3: Agafay Desert and Marrakech
The following morning our 6 days in Marrakech proceed with a giant breakfast on the tented camp within the Agafay Desert. We tuck right into a buffet of French viennoiserie treats and native breads earlier than being served piping sizzling eggs in clay tagines.
After breakfast our Agafay Desert tour ends as a van takes us again to Marrakech. We arrive at Tinsmiths Sq. and a bunch from our subsequent lodging, Riad Dar One, greets us.
He guides us previous the Bahia Palace and thru a slender archway to get to our dwelling for the evening in Mellah.
Riad Dar One is just not solely lovely, but it surely additionally gives nice worth for cash. It’s organized round a central courtyard, and the trendy rooms fill the flooring between the plunge pool on the bottom stage and the roof terrace on the high.
We settle into our spacious room earlier than heading to lunch. We’ve chosen a spot known as Kosybar in Tinsmiths Sq. on the suggestion of our host on the riad.
Kosybar has a phenomenal multi-floor restaurant topped with a roof terrace overlooking the sq. and the well-known Koutoubia mosque within the distance. We sit exterior and tuck into Moroccan salads and tagines as we watch the world go by under.
After lunch we proceed our itinerary for six days in Marrakech with some sightseeing. Our first cease is the ruins of the El Badi Palace. This historic quantity was constructed within the 16 century for Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur of the Saadian Dynasty.
Designed to point out off the sultan’s wealth and energy, it’s a powerful instance of conventional Moroccan structure. As we speak guests come from everywhere in the world to see its stays, stroll by the underground rooms, and take within the sunken gardens.
Leaving the El Badi Palace, we stroll previous horse-drawn caleches to get to the Saadian Tombs. This historic royal necropolis adjoining the southern wall of the Kasbah Mosque is dwelling to a few of the most lovely structure and design in Morocco.
Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur reworked this place into a surprising burial advanced within the sixteenth century. The result’s a veritable murals that’s one of many high customer sights within the metropolis.
After seeing the tombs, we spend the afternoon purchasing. We stroll down the lengthy streets within the medina and thru the tangle of souks close to the Jemaa el-Fnaa. There’s every part from dwelling items to earrings and spices right here, and it’s a feast for the senses.
We arrive again at Riad Dar One in want of a relaxation. We head as much as the roof terrace to share a pot of mint tea, absorbing the tranquility after the thrill of the souks.
Afterwards we head to dinner at L’Mida, a restaurant with trendy decor and a cool rooftop terrace. We tuck into Moroccan dishes with a contemporary twist as we toast to a different nice day within the metropolis.
After we’ve completed consuming, we hop in a taxi and head to Barometre Marrakech. The primary restaurant and bar devoted to mixology within the metropolis, it’s well-known for its cocktails.
I strive the Marrakech Market, a drink made with orange and cinnamon infused whiskey, saffron syrup, and Cointreau. It’s served in a smoked clay pot with native dates on the aspect, and it’s each bit as scrumptious as I hoped.
Day 4: Essaouira
The following morning we proceed our 6 days in Marrakech by waking up early and having fun with breakfast at Riad Dar One earlier than getting picked up in Tinsmiths Sq. for a day tour to Essaouira. As with our desert tour, we’ve booked it by GetYourGuide.
It’s a 3-hour drive from Marrakech to Essaouira, and we make two stops on the best way. The primary is at a store on the outskirts of Sidi Mokhtar the place we’re in a position to get coffees and use the restrooms.
The second is on the Cooperative D’Argan Marjana, a female-run argan oil workshop. We’re given a tour by a information, who explains the oil-making course of as we watch native ladies making it.
We then undergo the store, the place we decide up every part from lip balm to cooking oil and aftershave.
We arrive in Essaouira shortly after, and we’re given 4 hours to discover. Like Marrakech, there’s a historic medina right here with outlets and markets. However this can be a coastal metropolis, so there are additionally seashores and a giant fishing port.
We begin our day journey to Essaouira within the medina. We browse the wares within the outlets, having fun with how a lot calmer and quieter it’s right here than in Marrakech.
We then stroll as much as the town’s 18th-century ramparts, taking within the views of the Atlantic Ocean from the highest. This metropolis is thought for being windy, but it surely’s not as blustery as we feared.
Again down within the medina, we cease for tea and cake at a cute cafe known as Sisterhood. Afterwards we wander down Avenue de l’Istiqlal to take a look at the native meals market and adjoining fish market.
All of the produce will get our stomachs growling, so we stroll over to the port for lunch. We’re amazed by what number of fishing boats are right here, and by what number of native distributors are promoting recent fish and seafood proper on the waterfront.
We settle in at an open-air restaurant the place you’ll be able to have the chef prepare dinner what you’ve purchased from the stalls. Quickly we’re tucking into a neighborhood feast of big prawns, sardines, and a complete fish.
With a entrance row view of the boats and the seaside, we couldn’t consider a greater place to have lunch in Essaouira.
Our meal full, we spend the remainder of the afternoon strolling alongside the seaside and purchasing within the medina. We decide up a reasonably ceramic bowl from one of many outlets as a memento, and dip our toes into the Atlantic on the sand.
On the best way again to Marrakech, our Essaouira tour stops on the similar relaxation cease we visited on the best way out. The surroundings flies by, and shortly we’re at Riad Dar One preparing for dinner.
We’ve booked a desk at a restaurant known as Sahbi Sahbi within the Gueliz district. This contemporary place serves “Moroccan delicacies by empowered ladies”.
It’s a terrific place to strive native specialties like pigeon pastilla and lamb tangia, in addition to Moroccan salads and a chermoula prawn tagine. The service is superb, too.
Afterwards we stroll down the road to an out of doors courtyard bar known as Petanque Social Membership. Hidden behind an unassuming door, this place is straight out of a night fairy story.
We settle in at a desk beneath a tree and luxuriate in scrumptious cocktails and equally good individuals watching.
Day 5: Marrakech
The following morning our 6 days in Marrakech proceed as we tuck into breakfast at Riad Dar One earlier than heading over to the Kasbah for some indulgent spa remedies.
We’ve booked them at Les Bains de Marrakech, a spot I loved a lot on my first journey to the town that I can’t assist going again.
We’re welcomed by pleasant employees and whisked off to a tranquil haven away from the bustling medina. For the following two hours we take pleasure in hammam scrubs and massages in lovely Moroccan environment.
After our spa expertise we stroll over to a neighborhood place known as Cafe Clock for lunch on the roof terrace. My vegetable pastilla and his conventional harira soup hit the spot as we take within the colourful environment.
After lunch we take a giant stroll by the Porte Bab Er Robb gate and up into the Parc Lalla Hasna gardens by the Koutoubia mosque. From the park we hop in a taxi to get to the well-known Jardin Majorelle (Majorelle Backyard).
This creative botanical backyard was created by French artist Jacques Majorelle over a 40-year interval beginning in 1923. The positioning additionally encompasses a distinctive Cubist villa that was designed by architect Paul Sinoir within the Thirties.
However what it’s well-known for right this moment is that it was bought and restored by dressmaker Yves Saint-Laurent and his associate Pierre Berge within the Nineteen Eighties.
The gardens are beautiful, and the villa now homes the Berber Museum. Down the road there’s a recent constructing that’s dwelling to the Yves Saint Laurent Museum.
We’ve pre-booked tickets, and we enter the gardens at our designated time. We stroll alongside the paths, admiring the design and the meticulous consideration to element.
We tour the small Berber Museum and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, studying about each Moroccan tradition and trend design as we go. Afterwards we do some purchasing within the design-led boutiques alongside the road exterior.
Within the night we get drinks at Grand Cafe de la Poste in Gueliz. I’ve come right here on each journey to the town, and I really like its French-style ambiance and historic vibe. We settle in at a desk on the patio and luxuriate in aperitivo as we focus on the highlights of our day.
From Grand Cafe de la Poste we take a taxi to La Mamounia. This well-known lodge in Marrakech is dwelling to a variety of eating places, bars, and gardens, and we spend a while exploring earlier than our dinner reservation at Le Marocain.
This conventional Moroccan restaurant at La Mamounia has a tremendous courtyard, lovely interiors, and a sweeping terrace.
We sit at an out of doors desk and luxuriate in a multi-course meal of every part from roasted king prawns to royal couscous with lamb, kefta meatballs, and merguez sausage. All of it goes down a deal with because the solar units within the backyard round us.
Day 6: Marrakech
The following morning we proceed our itinerary for six days in Marrakech with some final bits of sightseeing and purchasing. After breakfast at Riad Dar One, we stroll by the Jemaa el-Fnaa and the souks to get to Le Jardin Secret.
This secret backyard is surrounded by a Nineteenth-century palace advanced. Inside there are two courtyards with conventional Islamic gardens, a store, a restaurant, and a roof terrace.
It’s a phenomenal place to discover, and it gives a peaceable respite from the streets exterior.
From Le Jardin Secret we stroll by a tangle of slender streets lined with outlets and tangia stalls to get to the Ben Youssef Madrasa.
An essential cultural heritage web site, this Islamic faculty was constructed by Sultan Abdullah Al-Ghaleb Assaadi between 1564 and 1565.
The Ben Youssef Madrasa is without doubt one of the hottest locations to go to in Marrakech, not least due to its beautiful inside courtyard. The zellige tiles, geometric and floral motifs, and carved cedar doorways and ceilings are awe-inspiring.
We spend some time strolling by the courtyard and alongside the corridors on the ground above it, then head again exterior to make two essential stops. The primary is at a spice store known as Herboriste des Amis, the place we decide up some Moroccan cooking spices.
The second is lunch. We cease at slightly road meals stall known as Sabich, which sells scrumptious pita sandwiches. Our falafel goes down a deal with as we sit at a tiny desk within the medina.
After lunch we stroll over to the following place on our sightseeing itinerary: Dar El Bacha. This place is as well-known for its structure, historical past, and design as it’s for its espresso store.
Dar El Bacha is an early Twentieth-century palace within the medina. It’s one of many best examples of riad structure in Marrakech.
It additionally homes the Museum of Confluences and Bacha Espresso. The latter is a phenomenal cafe that serves positive 100% Arabica espresso from all over the world. Bacha Espresso is so in style individuals wait hours to get in.
We tour the museum and pop our heads into the cafe (it’s really beautiful), wishing we had time to go in for a espresso.
However our keep in Marrakech is coming to an finish, so we store our manner again to Riad Dar One, selecting up souvenirs and presents as we go.
Again on the riad, we accumulate our luggage and hop in a taxi we’ve pre-booked to take us to the airport.
6 Days in Marrakech
I hope you’ve discovered my itinerary for six days in Marrakech useful for understanding how one can spend your time on this a part of Morocco. It’s a tremendous place, and 6 days is sufficient time to see the highlights and discover the desert and coast close to the town.
Marrakech Itinerary Map
As promised, I’ve created an interactive Google map of our Marrakech itinerary. You’ll be able to see it right here. I hope it helps you propose a terrific journey to the metropolis!
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