3 Days in Marrakech: Itinerary for a Fun Weekend

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I visited Morocco in July 2023 and…wow, there were a whole lotta myths and misconceptions about Morocco that I would soon learn. BUT, before any of that could begin to unfold, our journey started off in the bustling city of Marrakech. Our entire Morocco trip was ten days, spending a total of 3 days in Marrakech, two at the beginning and one at the end of the trip. To me, the time felt sufficient in getting a feel for the city. Of course, more time is always fun, but three is a solid amount.

Perfect for a long weekend!

Moroccan cities in general can be overwhelming for some travelers, even if this isn’t your first time abroad, but hopefully this 3 days in Marrakech itinerary can help you get your bearings.

The Basics

• Pronunciation: [MARR] + [UH] + [KESH]
• Population: ~928,850 (4th largest city in Morocco)
• Currency: the Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
• Languages: Moroccan Arabic (yes, it sounds different!) and French primarily, though you can get around fairly easily with English and Spanish (in that order)

Where to Stay

In a city of almost a million people, naturally there are many lodging options to be comfortable for 3 days in Marrakech. However, you’re in MOROCCO, so you have to stay in a riad. Sorry, let me rephrase:

YOU HAVE TO STAY IN A RIAD.

Perhaps I’m being a bit dramatic. Technically, no you don’t have to, but you should. A riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an indoor garden. Riad (or “ryad”) actually comes from an Arabic word meaning garden, so…that checks out. Dars are another type of housing, also usually referred to as riads for simplicity, and have an indoor courtyard. Typically, richer families lived in these beautiful riads with lush gardens, while other folks who worked in the medina typically lived in dars.

You’ll find riads (and dars) only in the medina, or “old city,” and it’s where you’ll find most of the action in Moroccan cities. Aside from how beautiful they are, their location also makes them perfect lodging for visitors.

Since this was a trip I didn’t actively do too much planning for (thank you dearest friend Aneesa from Expat Panda who did all the heavy lifting <3), I didn’t even look at the rabbit hole of lodging options until I was getting ready to make this post. I was just curious and then BAM, I was immediately overwhelmed with how many riads there were. On brand for Marrakech, hahah. But again, not to worry when you start the planning journey, that’s what I’m here for!

There are a LOT of beautiful riads in Marrakech, trust me, but for our trip we stayed at Riad Esmeralda. I’ll let the pictures below speak for themselves, but the property is stunning. Even more impressive was the fantastic customer service. There is breakfast included on the rooftop terrace every morning as well – and you will soon get to know the Moroccan breakfast spread VERY well!

There is unfortunately no on-site parking (none of the riads have on-site parking, regardless of what they might say when booking), but that isn’t a huge deterrent if you have a rental car. The parking site for Riad Esmeralda is a short 5 minute walk, and the staff can help with arranging someone to help bring your luggage if needed. 24 hour parking is 90 MAD (you won’t need your car for 3 days in Marrakech), and don’t forget a tip if someone helps with your bags!

What to Eat

Now, perhaps the most important aspect of this post – the eating section. Your 3 days in Marrakech will give you plenty of time to get a taste of Morocco.

Pun intended.

I already briefly mentioned it above, but just to reiterate: eat breakfast at your riad!! For one, because…literally Moroccan breakfast is Moroccan breakfast. You will get some iteration of bread, bread, fruit, bread, eggs, more bread, and an assortment of honeys, jams, oil, and the magical almou (more on that later) to dip things (bread) into. It is delicious, but it will be a variation of that experience everywhere you go. So take the convenient route and eat at the riad.

Second, restaurants aren’t going to be open for “Western breakfast times” (before 11am) anyway, so if you want to get a jumpstart on your day, fuel up at the riad.

For the rest of the meals, honestly lunch and dinner are arbitrary. I did find that restaurants in Marrakech closed a bit earlier (about 9pm) than other cities in Morocco (like Fes and Chefchaouen), so you’ll probably want to grab your final meal. The following restaurants are my favorites from the places we tried during our 3 days in Marrakech and are open throughout the day. They are also all located in the medina, so fully walkable.

*note: usually there would more detail of all these restaurants, but alas……….everything got deleted and I lost all of my writing, so since my heart is still healing I’m just going to bullet point it. Sorry everyone ;(

• Le Jardin: One of my favs from our 3 days in Marrakech! Delicious mocktail menu and loved their tagine! Also beautiful decor!
• Souk Cafe: They have a set menu option, which is great if you want to try a lot of things. Plus they had the BEST couscous any of us had ever had – including IN Morocco!!
• L’Mida: Very hip place with a delicious menu. Try to get their earlier if you want rooftop seating, it has a great view for sunset over the medina.
• Nomad: FULL DISCLAIMER – we didn’t eat here, but our riad host and a few of my friends highly recommended it. It looks like it has a similar vibe as L’Mida.
• Boheme: Not to be confused with the luxury glamping site and restaurant OUTSIDE of Marrakech, this little cafe is outside of Le Jardin Secret and the YSL Museum along Rue Yves St Laurent. It’s so small I don’t even think it shows up on Google Maps. BUT they have great smoothies and small bites. They are not open for dinner.
• Bacha Coffee House: As the name suggests, this is a coffee shop. It is located in Dar El Bacha, and while there is a small cover fee (10 MAD), they have been serving up incredible coffee since 1910. It is also named one of the most beautiful cafes in the world! They serve desserts to go with their drinks.

Things to do in Marrakech

Obviously, if you’re spending 3 days in Marrakech, you’re going to want to see a few things around the city. Welcome to the things to do in Marrakech portion of this travel guide haha. In general, Marrakech has a lot of “strolling” activities rather than “engaged” activities if that makes sense, or at least that was my experience spending 3 days in Marrakech. Although Marrakech is a very hectic city itself, I found the activities to be more low-impact and go-at-your-own-pace.

So you’ll see that reflected in my recommendations.

If you are looking for thrill-seeking activities, this is not the blog post for you hahah. Sorry in advance.

The other overarching theme I noticed is that the cost for most attractions was the equivalent of a few dollars (USD), so it felt like I could visit a lot of places without blowing my budget – compared to say visiting multiple museums in NYC, which can add up VERY quickly.

Ben Yousef Madresa

• Location: Rue Assouel, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
• Cost: 40MAD per person, cash only
• Hours: Daily 9am-6pm

Ben Yousef Madresa was built as an Islamic madrasa (college), and at the time it was one of the largest in the world. Functioning today as a historical site, you can visit and walk around the building and admire the beautiful architecture and detailing.

While we didn’t take a tour, if you are interested in the history and significance of the building, there were a few folks inside offering guided tours…though I can’t vouch if they were legit or not hahah. The standout bit of the site is the massive reflecting pool in the center courtyard, though I’d argue the small rooms and details of the walls and doors hold their own in terms of beauty.

Overall, it’s a cute stop for your 3 days in Marrakech, and it won’t take too much of your time. Maybe about an hour if you are wandering around by yourself.

Dar El Bacha (Museum of Confluence)

• Location: Rte Sidi Abdelaziz, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
• Cost: 60 MAD, cash only (+ 10 MAD for Bacha Coffee House)
• Hours: Closed Mondays, 9am-6pm (cafe opens at 10am)

Another pretty site would be Dar El Bacha, or the Musee des Confluences…aka the Museum of Confluence in English. And, because I personally had to look it up, confluence means the act of flowing together. In a literal sense, it’s about rivers (like where two rivers meet). But in this case it means the coming together of factors or ideas, or of cultures in a diverse city.

Aka – Marrakech!

Like many buildings in the city, you’ll notice Dar El Bacha is equally beautiful, but with the distinct characteristics of having a mélange of architectural styles. You’ll see inspiration pulled from the Arabic world and European styles, of course, but also jade tiles from Asia and Morocco’s Jewish community.

Another big draw to Dar El Bacha is, as stated in the previous section, the famous Bacha Coffee House. Hailed as one of the most beautiful coffee shops in the world, it could be its own bullet point on any cafe lover’s itinerary. Even if you don’t end up ordering something, it’s a gorgeous add-on to see during your 3 days in Marrakech!

Le Jardin Secret

• Location: 121 Rue Mouassine, Marrakesh 40030, Morocco
• Cost: 80 MAD, cards accepted
• Hours: Daily, 9:30am-6:30pm

Now, Morocco loves a good garden, and between me and you, Le Jardin Secret was one of my favorites. Actually…if I were a Marrakech resident, it would probably be my go-to garden. It has both shaded paths and places to bask in the sun. And it is a LOT larger than I expected, with a cafe (though I didn’t try it out) and a small shop.

My favorite part was probably the small turtles, but the entire garden is very relaxing and a great spot to cool down from the heat or escape the rush of the medina. Some other things to note is that it was noticeably more physically accessible, with wider walkways and ramps (and free entry for wheelchair users). Also – free wifi!

Le Jardin Majorelle

• Location: Rue Yves St Laurent, Marrakech 40090, Morocco
• Cost: 150 MAD, purchase online with card
• Hours: Daily, 8am-6:30pm

This is arguably the most popular garden in Marrakech. I also believe it is probably the most expensive attraction as well. But for 3 days in Marrakech, I’d say it is worth a visit! The gardens were built by a French artist named Jacques Majorelle, hence the name. But you know, being an artist and the economy being…the economy, Majorelle eventually opened his gardens to the public to charge admission.

I get it bro.

Howeverrrr, homeboy also went through a divorce and that was the final nail in his garden dreams. He was forced to sell the land and it…well, did what gardens do when there are no gardeners. About 30 years passed and fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and partner Pierre Bergé bought the gardens and began its restoration.

It is busier than Le Jardin Secret, but they do implement a pathway flow so you aren’t bumping into people. It’s a bit more curated as well, and very beautiful. There are a few add-on experiences that you can pop into (I’ll go into that later), but if you just do the garden, it’s a nice place to stroll for about an hour.

Yves St Laurent Museum

• Location: Rue Yves St Laurent, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
• Cost: 130 MAD, purchase online with card
• Hours: Closed Wednesdays, 10am-6:30pm

So speaking of those add-on experiences at Le Jardin Majorelle, there are two. One is the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts. I didn’t go to that one, but it is the former painting studio of Jacques Majorelle (the original owner of the gardens) and features more than 600 objects showcasing the history, culture, and art of Morocco’s Berber ( Amazighs ) community. And YES, that community is still thriving today!

Now the add-on I did go to was the Yves St Laurent Museum. I love high fashion – I’m obsessed with the drama of it all. I’ve seen showcases of one of my favorite designers Guo Pei in San Francisco, and the Valentino exhibition in Doha, Qatar and both times I was immensely impressed with the pieces showcased and the storytelling of the exhibition.

Unfortunatelyyyy I will say the Yves St Laurent Museum did not give that same experience. I was a little disappointed with the execution of the collections, and while the no-photo policy wasn’t a DEALBREAKER….it also wasn’t like…novel or extraordinary so the rule felt a bit…snobbish imo. There is a video showing some of the iconic fashion shows, and there is a large store and cafe, but…eh. If you’re not very into fashion, I would say it’s skippable. If you are then it might still be worth it to visit during your 3 days in Marrakech, but just manage your expectations.

Visit a Hammam

If you’re spending 3 days in Marrakech, then you NEED to try a Moroccan hammam. Traditionally, visiting a hammam was a social event where community members could gather and gossip as they cleaned themselves. It sounds cute!!! Nowadays, you can visit a more public traditional hammam (they are gender separated), or indulge in a private hammam which is closer to a spa experience you might be more used to.

There are lots of great hammams in Marrakech, but our group went to Les Bains d’Azahra. Mostly because it was like…a 45 second walk from our riad, but it ALSO had great reviews! They have a few different packages, but we opted for the traditional scrub and massage package at 550 MAD a person. After looking around town, the price seemed like it was on par with other hammams.

At this hammam, we were allowed to de-robe in a private changing room. If you prefer, you have the option to wear disposable underwear and a hair cap (if you do not want a scalp massage). You will be led to a room to steam for about 30 minutes, then an attendant with scrub you with black Moroccan soap. After, you will marinate in a skin mask in the hot room, then you’ll get rinsed off with an optional face and/or hair wash.

If you choose a bath or massage option, that will come after! Some general tips, it’s best to come clean faced (or at least without lots of makeup), and feel free to leave your glasses in the changing room if you wear them. For those that wear contacts, it is best to take them out before as the extended steam room can cause them to stick to your eyes. If the attendant is scrubbing too vigorously for your comfort, bshwiya means slow down/softer, so feel free to say it! Also if you don’t want to get your hair wet, the hair caps they give are nottt the biggest, so big hair girls, bring your own!

Last thing – make sure to hydrate well before AND after!!

Shopping

Honestly, my 3 days in Marrakech was super chill, and a definite activity would be to window shop and browse the numerous stores around the city. Of course, there is the vast medina, with every kind of souvenir you could imagine. I noticed many of the strictly souvenir shops in Marrakech had fixed prices, which was nice for me since I personally hate haggling.

If you are looking for a more boutique and unique shopping experience during your 3 days in Marrakech, I recommend heading over to Rue Yves St Laurent. Most of the shops along this street feature local Moroccan artists and designers. Yes, it’s over by Le Jardin Majorelle and the YSL museum, so you can catch two birds with one stone or however that saying goes. However, the shops do close early-ish, around 5pm, so I’d recommend shopping first and then going to the gardens.

However, one shopping spot that you NEED to go to, is an Arganisme Co-operative. One menu item that you will find at EVERY Moroccan breakfast spread is something called “amlou,” which is like…a next level nut butter. It’s a very traditional Moroccan food item, and you can’t get it anywhere else but Morocco.

Like, literally. It’s patented.

And you can only get it (or SHOULD only get it) from the woman operated co-ops outside of Marrakech. Sometime in your 3 days in Marrakech, you NEED to go out to the co-op. You can stock up on artisan made amlou, Moroccan honey, argan oil and products that employ and empower woman from rural areas outside the city. Just make sure you check your bag when you’re at the airport because amlou, oil, and honey count as liquids!

Conclusion: 3 Days in Marrakech

Wow look at that, I finally wrote a blog post where I didn’t go on a tangent for a week long! You’re welcome. Though, truth be told the post used to be a lot longer and then after I wrote it all out….NONE OF IT SAVED. So I rewrote it…but with less gusto and deep sadness…

Anyways.

Even without the long story time, I hope you enjoyed reading about my 3 days in Marrakech, and hopefullyyyyy it’ll give you some ideas when you begin to plan your own trip! Yanno, whether you spend 3 days in Marrakech or 30, there’s tons to do. But, if you’re gonna be in Morocco for longer, than I highly recommend leaving the city and seeing more of the country!

While we stayed 3 days in Marrakech, our entire Morocco trip was a 10 day roadtrip! Thankfully, the wonderful Aneesa wrote out our exact itinerary! Check out her first timer’s travel guide to Morocco for more details on our trip!

Have you ever been? Would you say 3 days in Marrakech is enough, or would you want to do more? Let me know in the comments below!

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