Marrakech is chaotic. Marrakech is intense. Its colours, smells, streets full of people, motorbikes, bicycles, wheelbarrows and donkeys side by side with pedestrians. Marrakech is not for everyone. But it is certainly a special city! And throughout this blog post, I will share all the tips to visit Marrakech in 2 days.

In this post you can find a lot of useful information to plan your trip to Marrakech, such as the best time of the year to visit Marrakech, how many days are needed in the city, accommodation, restaurants, what to visit, money tips and much more.

When talking about Morocco, I believe most people immediately think of hot weather. And it is true that Morocco, and more specifically Marrakech, are very hot places. But they are not that warm all year round.

Winters tend to be cold, especially at night, as the city usually has a significant temperature range. So, if you choose to visit Marrakech in winter, bring some warm clothes. However, as for rain, the probability of rain is quite low (in winter, on average, it rains only for 3 days).

On the other hand, the summer months (June to September) get too hot, which can turn your visit a bit uncomfortable. Therefore, I recommend visiting Marrakech when the temperatures are milder, such as March to May or October to November.

Marrakech is a very interesting city, but despite this, for a first visit, 2 days are enough to get to know the main points of interest.

However, Marrakech is a city where part of the fun is living its whole vibe and not so much visiting points A or B. So I suggest 3 days to visit Marrakech more calmly.

This way, besides visiting the main points of interest, you will have more time to enjoy the city’s markets or even one of the fantastic terraces spread all over the city.

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you have more days available on your trip to Marrakech, there are several day trips from Marrakech, such as the Ouzoud waterfalls, the port city of Essaouira or even the fortified city of Aït-Ben-Haddou.

Marrakech has one airport – Menara Marrakech Airport, which has several direct connections with various countries such as:

• Portugal (Porto, Lisbon)
• Spain (Seville, Alicante, Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Valencia, Bilbao, …)
• France (Paris, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes, …)
• Italy (Milan, Turin, Rome, Venice, Naples, Bologna, …)
• United Kingdom (London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Birmingham, …)
• Belgium (Brussels)
• Switzerland (Geneva, Basel, Zurich)

The cheapest option to get from Marrakech airport to the city centre is the shuttle bus which takes you to various points in the city, such as Jemaa el-Fna square, the Gueliz neighbourhood or even the Marrakech train station.

The shuttle bus operates from 6 am to 11 pm, with a frequency of 20 minutes (on weekends it may take longer). Travel time to the centre is on average around 40 minutes and costs 30 MAD (~2.7€).

There is also a cheaper option with the city bus lines (tickets cost just 4 MAD, 0,36€). You can check the most up-to-date information about the buses that connect Marrakech airport to the city centre here.

However, although I rarely recommend this option in my itineraries, in Marrakech it can be a good idea to opt for a taxi or private transfer (especially if you arrive in the city at night). Wandering the streets of the city (especially inside the medina) at night can be a little scary the first time.

The journey from the airport to the city centre by car takes about 15–20 minutes. There are two types of taxis in the city:

• Petit Taxis (carry up to 3 people and only circulate within the city limits)
• Grand Taxis (take more people and to more remote areas of the city)

Morocco is a country known for bargaining on all prices and taxis are, of course, no exception. On average, a Petit Taxi can cost between 70 and 100 MAD (6,3€ – 9€) and a Grand Taxi between 100 and 150 MAD (9€ – 14€). So if you choose a taxi, take into account the standard fares.

So, if you don’t want to get 100% into the chaos of Marrakech as soon as you land and don’t feel very comfortable negotiating, the best option is to opt for private transfers, which you can book in advance. You can take a look, for example, at the pick-up options available at Welcome Pickups.

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you choose to stay in the medina, be aware that some streets are not accessible by car, so the transfer may have to drop you off at the nearest place where the car can circulate.

The official currency in Morocco is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). In February 2023, the exchange rate was 1€ = 11 MAD. Many of the shops/restaurants in Marrakech do not accept card payments.

I suggest, then, withdrawing money at the first available opportunity and always carrying cash. Although some places accept euros, pay attention to the exchange rate, as it is rarely favourable.

To avoid paying fees when withdrawing money or paying with a card in a currency other than your own, I suggest you use the Revolut card. This card has become my best friend while travelling because it saves me a lot of money on fees whenever I travel to countries with currencies other than the Euro.

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you would like to know more about the advantages and how the Revolut Card works, I suggest you read this post.

I would also like to take this opportunity to inform you that I did not pay any fees at the Al Barid Bank to withdraw money with my Revolut card. In Jemaa el-Fna square, there are at least 3 ATM machines of this bank.

If you would like to have internet access at all times during your trip to Marrakech, I suggest you buy a local SIM card. Right at Marrakech airport, there are two companies selling SIM cards: Orange and Inwi. In both companies, they ask for 20€ (in cash) for 20 GB. There is also a more expensive 30 GB option.

I read and heard so many things about safety in Marrakech before my trip. However, to be completely honest, I didn’t feel any more insecure than I would in Portugal on some specific occasions (e.g. empty and dark streets at night).

The truth is that I didn’t travel alone, which may have helped partially. However, I found it to be a quite safe city. It is very chaotic and we can be more easily tricked/stolen, but as long as we are alert, there’s nothing to fear 😉.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Some streets are really busy, which can make pickpocketing easier. However, you just have to be more alert with your goods in these kinds of places. In addition, it is also frequent for locals to approach us saying we are going in the wrong direction in an attempt to sell us something later on in the shop of a friend/family member. In this case, all we need to do is say thank you and continue on our way, and nothing else will happen.

There is so much accommodation offer in Marrakech, some of it pretty incredible 🥰. In my opinion, the experience of visiting Marrakech is not complete without sleeping in a riad.

Riads are typical houses that usually have an open inner courtyard. Often, these courtyards even have a pool or a fountain at their centre.

Most of these riads are located inside the medina (the most chaotic part of the city) and there are hundreds of options. I warn, however, that some of these riads may be located in dark alleyways and narrow streets and may not appeal to everyone.

I recommend that when looking for a riad, always take a look at comments from previous guests, especially regarding the location. Also, some are on streets not accessible by car, meaning you will never be able to reach the riad by taxi.

In my case, I chose to stay in a riad (L’Emeraude de la Médina) about 15 minutes walk from El Fna square and although it was located in the medina, it was in a quieter part.

The accommodation was modest and with some opportunities for improvement, but it served perfectly for the 3 nights we spent there. Moreover, the price was very nice (125€ for 3 nights for 2 people) and included breakfast.

However, here are some other options regarding riads in the centre of Marrakech:

To help you plan your trip, I’ll share a map of what to visit in Marrakech:

This itinerary with what to visit in Marrakech starts at the largest mosque in Marrakech – the Koutoubia mosque. However, entry to the mosque is forbidden to non-Muslims (like almost all mosques in Morocco!).

You can, however, visit the surroundings where the mosque is located. In fact, Lalla Hasna Park, right next to the mosque, is one of the best places to photograph the mosque!

There are 19 entrance gates to the city of Marrakech, and the Bab Agnaou gate is probably the best known. The entrance through this door gives access to the kasbah area in the southern part of the medina.

Already inside the wall, the first major point to visit in Marrakech is the Saadian tombs. In these tombs are buried more than 60 members of the Saadian dynasty, which ruled Morocco between the 16th and 17th centuries.

The space is not very big, although when I visited there was a long queue to visit the main room. But the details we find in these tombs are absolutely incredible. A small taste of what’s to come on this Marrakech itinerary 😍.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The entrance ticket to the Saadian Tombs costs 70 MAD (~6,4€) and payment can only be made in cash. Opening hours are from 9 am to 5 pm.

It’s now time to head towards the El Badi Palace, or rather the remaining ruins of the palace. It was built in the late 16th century by the Saadian sultan to celebrate his victory in the Battle of Alcácer-Quibir.

In fact, this palace was mostly financed by the ransom paid by the Portuguese at the end of the battle.

Despite being somewhat bare and in ruins, the palace is quite big, so I suggest you set aside at least 1 hour to visit it.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: Entrance to El Badi Palace costs 70 MAD (~6,4€) and only cash is accepted as payment. Opening hours are from 9 am to 5 pm.

Following the itinerary through Place des Ferblantiers, I suggest a stroll through the Jewish quarter of Marrakech, also known as Mellah. The first presence of Jews in the city is estimated to have been in the 13th century, having intensified after 1492 following their expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula.

Although today the presence of Jews is much lower, there are still some traces of other times in this neighbourhood, such as the Salt Al Azama Synagogue or even the Miara Jewish Cemetery.

Built at the end of the 19th century, the Bahia Palace is another of the fantastic palaces that you really must visit in Marrakech.

The Bahia palace is built in the Arab-Andalusian style and, like other places in the city, has details that will leave anyone awestruck. Spend time exploring the different rooms and inner courtyards of this palace.

💡 EXTRA TIP: When looking for the Palace on Google Maps, search for “Bahia Palace Entrance” to ensure that you get to the place where you can actually enter the palace.

In all, the gardens of the Bahia Palace have an area of 8,000 m² and more than 100 rooms. It is one of the most impressive works of art in Marrakech, without a doubt.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The ticket to visit Bahia Palace costs 70 MAD (~6,4€) and opening hours are from 9 am to 5 pm.

It’s time to head to one of the most iconic places in Marrakech – the Jemaa el-Fna square. It is said that not visiting this square is the same as not visiting Marrakech.

Everything happens in this square! Hundreds of vendors selling a bit of everything, lots of smells and lots of sounds. However, the square has a totally different atmosphere during the day and in the afternoon/evening. While in the morning, nothing happens there, in the afternoon the square comes alive.

💡 EXTRA TIP: It is in this square that we find the famous “snake charmers” or “monkey tamers”. However, I warn you that these animals are treated unethically, so I suggest you do not condone this type of tourism.

The name of the square could be translated as “Square of the Dead”, as this is where public executions used to take place. However, today the square is seen in a completely different way and is a place full of life.

And after a stroll through the hundreds of vendor stalls, I suggest you climb up to one of the terraces around the square to observe the square from another perspective. I especially recommend it at sunset, as it’s even more magical 🥰. It is said that the best views are from Le Grand Balcon du Café Glacier or from Café de France.

I opted for the first option and couldn’t recommend it more. There is mandatory consumption, but the menu is not that expensive.

If you are following this itinerary, you have certainly visited part of the medina of Marrakech already. The medina is actually the old part of the walled city. It’s confusing, often dirty, and its streets tend to be crowded.

But don’t let the chaos that lives there prevent you from seeing the beauty of this place. In fact, in my opinion, it is this chaos that makes it so special.

However, the streets of the medina near Jeema el-Fna square seem even more crowded than the rest, so that’s why I’ve included the medina at this point in the itinerary. And my suggestion is to visit two souks (the name given to the markets) more in-depth. They are the Souk Semmarine (dedicated to lamps) and the Souk des Epices (dedicated to spices).

But visiting this part of the city requires extra care. Here are some tips for visiting the medina in Marrakech:

• Take extra care with your belongings. If you are travelling with a backpack, I suggest carrying your bag at the front on the most crowded streets.
• Beware of motorbikes in the streets. Even if the streets are full of people, there are motorbikes circulating, and some of them are quite fast.
• Go prepared to bargain. It’s the highlight of any purchase in any Moroccan market.
• Google Maps works surprisingly well. Don’t accept suggestions from strangers. Thank them for the suggestion and keep heading towards your destination. Try not to carry your mobile phone in your hand with Maps open so that you don’t look so “lost”.

The second day of this itinerary starts in one of my favourite places, which I really think you should visit in Marrakech. The Ben Youssef Medersa is the largest in Morocco, with some jaw-dropping details.

A medersa is a school of Islamic studies. Built in the 14th century, this medersa, named after the mosque located next to it, once accommodated more than 800 students.

After having closed in the 1960s, it reopened in 1982 as a historic space.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: Admission to the medersa costs 50 MAD (~4,6€) and is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm. Here, too, only cash is accepted.

Built in 1064, the Almoravid Koubba is a medieval construction and the only trace of the Almoravids in the city of Marrakech. It was used to supply water to the population and was one of the first fountains in the city.

The Secret Garden is a small garden that we can visit in the midst of the confusion of Marrakech. Its origin is related to the Saadian dynasty and was rebuilt in the mid-19th century.

In my opinion, although the garden is cute and neat, the entrance fee to visit it is a bit high for the visit itself.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The opening hours of the garden vary depending on the time of year, so I recommend you check the most up-to-date information here. The price of each visit is 80 MAD (~7,3€) and 40 MAD (~3,6€) if you also want to climb the tower. You can pay by card here!

The Majorelle Garden is one of the most photogenic places in Marrakech. It is actually a botanical garden, where we also find the museum of Berber culture. The garden combines the concepts of Islamic gardens with the luxury of tropical gardens.

The garden is already located in the new part of the city and was built in 1931 by Jacques Majorelle. Years later, it was bought by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.

The space is small and this is one of the most expensive points of interest on this Marrakech itinerary. However, for those who like this type of place, I think it’s well worth the visit.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: Entrance tickets to the Majorelle Garden must be purchased in advance online for a specific time slot. The garden is open daily from 8 am to 6 pm and admission costs 150 MAD (~13,65€). I suggest you check the most up-to-date information here.

Taking advantage of the visit to the Majorelle Garden, I also suggest a visit to the newest and most modern neighbourhood in Marrakech. This neighbourhood will easily transport you to another place, as it has nothing to do with anything you have visited so far in Marrakech.

Some of the most emblematic places in this neighbourhood include the Royal Theatre, the Yves Saint-Laurent Museum or El Harti Park.

The Menara Gardens are another of the main points of interest and worth visiting in Marrakech. Its name comes from the pavilion in the centre of the park, which was built by the Saadians.

This is a favourite spot for locals at the weekend, so you can expect hundreds of families picnicking and just hanging out.

If you still have time available on this second day, I suggest you go back to the medina (the easiest and fastest way is by taxi) and try out a food tour. It was one of the activities I did in Marrakech and I highly recommend it 😄. Besides being a way to get to know the local cuisine, it’s a great opportunity to try some street food.

If you’d like to know more about the experience of taking a food tour in Marrakech, you can check out my honest opinion about the tour I tried here.

Moroccan cuisine is quite delicious. And although I didn’t try many restaurants on my trip, here are some suggestions of the ones I did try:

• Bakchich Cafe (€): Very friendly service. We tried two tagines and they were great.
• Café Restaurant Dar L’hssira (€): A welcoming space and very affordable prices. We tried the chicken kebabs and the pastilla
• Café des Epices (€€): Very cute place and I tried tagines again. As it is a better-known place, the prices are higher.

Although you can learn a lot more about traditional Moroccan food in my post about the food tour, I leave here a short list of delicious food you should try when in Marrakech:

• Msemen: crusty bread
• Baghrir: a kind of pancakes
• Chebakia: a sweet, usually consumed to break the fast of Ramadan
• Brochettes: kebabs of various types of meat
• Khobz: bread baked in communal ovens
• Couscous
• Tajine: made on a clay dish and baked in the oven. There are several types of tajine.
• Harira: tomato-based soup, chickpeas, pasta and rice
• Tanjia: clay pot in which lamb is usually cooked

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