Jemaa el-Fna square by day with the Koutoubia minaret in the background
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Marrakesh in 2 days

  • 2 days
  • 7.2 km on foot
  • 18 stops
  • Audio guide

Two days let you separate the living medina from the imperial one, and step out of it to breathe in the gardens. Day one mixes souks, a great palace museum and a famous garden, with legends at dusk; day two is for the dynasties and an oasis of olive trees. A comfortable pace, with time for a terrace and for a lunch that does not watch the clock.

Day 1Souks, cobalt blue and legends

In the morning, «From the Great Square to the Medina's Hidden Gardens»: Jemaa el-Fna, Souk Semmarine, Ben Youssef and Le Jardin Secret. Have tanjia near the square and spend the afternoon on two contrasting visits: the Marrakech Museum, a few steps from the madrasa, and the Majorelle Garden, which is best reached by petit taxi. Head back to the square in the golden light for «Golden Orbs, Storks and Saints: Legendary Marrakech» and have mechoui for dinner.

  1. Morning

    From the Great Square to the Medina's Hidden Gardens

    Mixed · 1.9 km · 1 h 40 min

    1. Jemaa el-Fna SquareMorocco's most famous open-air stage, which changes its skin every few hours.
    2. Souk SemmarineThe great covered avenue of the souks, your way into the commercial maze of Marrakech.
    3. Ben Youssef MadrasaThe largest Quranic college in the Maghreb, with 130 student cells and a courtyard that is a masterclass in Saadian art.
    4. Mouassine FountainA 16th-century public fountain with three arches for animals and one for people.
    5. Le Jardin SecretA 19th-century palace with two restored gardens, built on the layout of a Saadian residence.
    6. Dar el BachaThe palace of Pasha El Glaoui, the most powerful man in southern Morocco during the French protectorate.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Tanjia marrakchia at Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha. Souk Ablueh, junto a la plaza Jemaa el-Fna, Marrakech

  3. Afternoon

    Marrakech Museum

    A late 19th-century palace, Dar Menebhi, with a spectacular central courtyard under a huge brass chandelier. It makes a good shaded break after the Ben Youssef Madrasa, which is only a few steps away.

    Directions

    Majorelle Garden

    The garden created by the painter Jacques Majorelle, famous for its cobalt blue, with cacti, bamboo and a small Berber museum. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé rescued it. Book ahead and go early to beat the queue.

    Directions

  4. Early evening

    Golden Orbs, Storks and Saints: Legendary Marrakech

    Mysteries & legends · 2.7 km · 1 h 55 min

    1. Koutoubia: the Golden OrbsThree metal spheres atop the minaret and a repentant sultana: the most-told legend in Marrakech.
    2. Jemaa el-Fna: Assembly of the DeadAfrica's liveliest square has a name many translate as 'assembly of the dead'. Why?
    3. Rahba Kedima, the Herbalists' SquareReptile skins, roots and coloured powders: the corner of the medina where remedies, amulets and spells are sold.
    4. The Almoravid KoubbaThe only Almoravid monument still standing in Marrakech spent centuries buried under metres of rubble.
    5. Dar Bellarj, the House of StorksA former refuge for injured storks and the Moroccan belief that these birds were once human beings.
    6. Shrine of Sidi Bel AbbèsThe patron saint of Marrakech, protector of the blind, and the pilgrimage of the seven saints that turned the city into a sacred map.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Mechoui at Callejón del mechui (Souk Ablueh). Souk Ablueh, esquina noreste de la plaza Jemaa el-Fna, Marrakech

Day 2Dynasties and an olive oasis

Today is «Almohads, Saadians and Viziers: Eight Centuries of Power», from the Koutoubia to Bahia Palace via the Saadian Tombs and El Badi Palace. Start early, before the tour groups fill the necropolis. Have harira and a snack at the stalls on the square, and spend the afternoon, when the heat eases, on two opposite experiences: the bustle of the tanneries and the calm of the Menara gardens, outside the walls.

  1. Morning

    Almohads, Saadians and Viziers: Eight Centuries of Power

    History · 2.6 km · 1 h 50 min

    1. Koutoubia MosqueThe stone minaret that set the pattern for Seville's Giralda and has marked the centre of Marrakech for more than eight centuries.
    2. Bab AgnaouThe carved stone gate into the Almohad caliphs' citadel, with a name no one has ever fully explained.
    3. Saadian TombsThe necropolis of a dynasty that lay hidden behind the walls of a mosque for nearly two centuries.
    4. El Badi PalaceAhmad al-Mansur's 'Incomparable' palace, paid for with the gold of a battle and stripped stone by stone by a rival sultan.
    5. The Mellah and the Lazama SynagogueThe Jewish quarter the Saadians created beside their palace, where a synagogue remembers the exiles from Sepharad.
    6. Bahia PalaceA 19th-century grand vizier's residence with 150 rooms and a marble courtyard, looted within hours of its owner's death.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Harira at Puestos de comida de la plaza Jemaa el-Fna. Plaza Jemaa el-Fna, Marrakech

  3. Afternoon

    Menara Gardens

    A large Almohad basin ringed by olive groves, with a pavilion and, on a clear day, the Atlas mountains beyond. It is where locals come for a stroll; take a taxi and stay until late afternoon.

    Directions

    Bab Debbagh Tanneries

    A quarter where hides are still tanned in pits in the traditional way. You watch from the shop terraces; the smell is strong, and they usually hand you sprigs of mint. Agree a price before you go up.

    Directions

The map

Marrakesh in 2 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed Mysteries & legends History Extra sight

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Before you go

Tips for Marrakesh in 2 days

  • Book the Majorelle Garden ahead in high season and arrive at opening time: by mid-morning the entrance often has a queue.
  • The Menara gardens and the Majorelle are outside the medina: take a petit taxi with a meter, or agree a price before you get in, and ask to be dropped near the square on the way back.
  • Spring and autumn are best for walking; in summer, pack the routes into the morning and the evening and leave the middle of the day for lunch and a rest in the shade.

Questions

Marrakesh in 2 days: your questions

Are two days enough for Marrakech?

They are enough for a well-rounded first visit: souks, Jemaa el-Fna, imperial monuments, a museum and a garden. If you want day trips to the Atlas, the Agafay desert or Essaouira, you will need more days.

How far do you walk in 2 days?

The routes add up to about 7.2 km: 4.6 on the first day (the essentials and the mysteries) and 2.6 on the second (the history route). Add the strolls through the souks, the museums and the meals; summer heat makes it feel longer.

Should I start with the medina or the Majorelle?

Start with the medina and keep the Majorelle for the first afternoon, when you already know the souks and will welcome the calm. To avoid the crowds, go at opening time or toward the end of the day.

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