Marrakech 3-day itinerary

Start at Bahia Palace (70 MAD) — intricate zellige tilework, carved cedar ceilings, and serene courtyards. Then walk to the nearby Saadian Tombs (70 MAD) — a hidden royal necropolis from the 16th century, walled up for centuries and only rediscovered in 1917. The Hall of Twelve Columns with its Italian Carrara marble and cedarwood dome is extraordinary. Breakfast at Café des Épices on Rahba Kedima (30–50 MAD).

Plunge into the medina souks — each neighbourhood specialises in different crafts. The leather souk (Souk Cherratine) is pungent and fascinating. The carpet souk (Souk des Tapis) is a world of Berber patterns. The metalwork souk (Souk Haddadine) rings with hammers. Haggling is expected and part of the experience. Lunch at a hidden riad restaurant — Dar Cherifa for traditional pastilla and tagine (120–180 MAD).

As sunset approaches, Jemaa el-Fnaa transforms from a daytime market into the world's most spectacular open-air theatre. Musicians, storytellers, snake charmers, and acrobats perform as the food stalls fire up. Eat at the stalls — brochettes, merguez sausages, harira soup, snail soup, and fresh-squeezed orange juice (5 MAD). Then a rooftop mint tea at Le Grand Balcon overlooking the chaos.

Taxi to Jardin Majorelle (150 MAD) — the cobalt-blue Art Deco garden with cacti, bougainvillea, and bamboo groves. Created by Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s and restored by Yves Saint Laurent. The electric blue buildings against the green foliage are mesmerising. The Berber Museum inside (30 MAD extra) is excellent. Then visit the Musée Yves Saint Laurent next door (100 MAD) — a stunning building showcasing the designer's work.

Walk through Gueliz, the French-built new town — wide boulevards, Art Deco buildings, contemporary galleries, and pavement cafes. Lunch at Grand Café de la Poste (120–200 MAD) — a colonial-era brasserie with a beautiful terrace. Then return to the medina for Le Jardin Secret (60 MAD) — a beautifully restored riad garden with Islamic geometric water channels and views from the tower.

Experience a traditional hammam — Les Bains de Marrakech or Heritage Spa offer tourist-friendly versions (300–500 MAD for scrub, mask, and massage). It's a deeply relaxing ritual: steam room, black soap scrub, ghassoul clay mask. Dinner at your riad (many serve evening meals for 200–350 MAD) or at Al Fassia — a women-run restaurant with outstanding Moroccan cuisine.

Book a day trip to the Ourika Valley in the High Atlas Mountains (shared transport 200–300 MAD, or private taxi 500–800 MAD round trip). The valley is 60km from Marrakech — terraced Berber villages cling to green hillsides along a rushing river. Visit a Berber family home for mint tea and learn about traditional mountain life. The seven waterfalls of Setti Fatma involve a 1.5-hour hike along the river.

Lunch at one of the riverside restaurants in Setti Fatma — tables set on platforms over the rushing water. Tagine with chicken and preserved lemons (80–120 MAD) in a stunning mountain setting. The cascade hike requires a local guide (50 MAD) and scrambling over wet rocks. The reward is a series of dramatic waterfalls in a narrow canyon. Return to Marrakech by late afternoon.

Final evening in the medina. Walk through Jemaa el-Fnaa one last time — the sensory overload never gets old. Splurge dinner at Dar Yacout (700–1,000 MAD) — a legendary multi-course Moroccan feast in a palatial riad with a candlelit rooftop. Or keep it budget at the food stalls. End with mint tea at a rooftop café overlooking the Atlas Mountains glowing in the last light.