Marrakech in 2 days
Two days for the town and only the town, done on foot. A route by quarters, built to walk lots and nearly never take a taxi.
Two days is the format for those passing through Marrakech without staying: enough for the medina, its palaces and its gardens, provided you do not scatter. The line here is clear - you stay in town and do it fully. Trying an outing on two days would sacrifice a half-day on the road. We keep that for a longer stay.
The itinerary is cut by zones. The first day heads south of the medina - the Bahia, the Saadian Tombs, El Badi Palace, all neighbours. The second climbs back through the souks and Mouassine to the gardens, north-west. Every place is flagged with its slot to skip the crowd and the heat. Ideally followed March to May or September to October.
The southern medina: palaces and tombs
4.5 kmThe first day stays south of the medina, where the palaces and the tombs sit a few alleys apart. You walk from one monument to another, never leaving the walls or taking a taxi.
Jemaa el-Fna square
Before the crowd. A tea on a terrace, then heading west, the Koutoubia in your line of sight.
The Koutoubia
The 12th-century minaret, marker of the whole town. The interior is kept for worship. You walk round it via the gardens, then head down to the Bahia.
Palais de la Bahia
Opens at 9am. Courtyards, planted patios, painted cedar ceilings. Entry around 70 dirhams (£6).
Saadian Tombs and El Badi Palace
A few steps south, in the kasbah: the Saadian Tombs long walled up, then the open-air ruins of El Badi where storks nest. Plan for the tombs queue, often the longest. Reckon around 100 dirhams (£8) per site.
Lunch and free afternoon
Lunch in the kasbah, in the shade. The afternoon stays free: siesta, terrace, or slow return to the square.
Back to Jemaa, rooftop at sundown
Up to the square when the stone turns pink-ochre. A rooftop to watch the lights come up and the grill smoke rise.
Souks, Mouassine and the gardens
4.5 kmThe second day heads north: the souks, the medersa, the Mouassine quarter, then out to the gardens. It all strings on foot along the north-west axis.
Souks and Ben Youssef Medersa
You step into the souks from north of the square - dyers, blacksmiths, babouches. The medersa, reopened after restoration in 2022, opens at 9am: getting there early gives it to you nearly on your own. Entry around 50 dirhams (£4).
Mouassine and its fountain
The quarter of the old townhouses, around the Mouassine mosque and fountain. A museum sits in a restored douiria. You cross in the shade, away from the souks' flow.
Le Jardin Secret
On Mouassine street, a 19th-century garden restored: Andalusian plan, fountains, and a tower for the rooftop view. Entry around 80 dirhams (£7).
Lunch at Mouassine
A table on a rooftop or in a patio, before stepping out of the walls.
Jardin Majorelle and YSL museum
Twenty to twenty-five minutes on foot via Bab Doukkala from Mouassine, or a short taxi - much closer than from the kasbah. Ticket booked online, per slot, seats go fast. The Majorelle blue, the bamboo, the Yves Saint Laurent museum next door (separate entry). Garden around 170 dirhams (£14).
Hammam
A hammam with gommage, to close the stay in the quiet. Enough to rest the legs before departure.
Worth knowing
- Flat shoes: the medina is paved and uneven.
- Keep cash: many places do not take card.
- Jardin Majorelle tickets to book online, per slot - they go fast.
- On Friday midday, some shops shut for prayer. Keep visits for the morning.
- Monument prices indicative (2026), to confirm on site or online.
Before you go
Preparing the trip
What to plan for the budget, and how to bend the itinerary to your format.
Budget, per person per day
Per person per day, excluding accommodation, flight and airport transfers.
| Item | Budget | Mid | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meals (×3) | £10-£15 | £17-£26 | £30-£47 |
| Local transport | £2-£3 | £3-£7 | £7-£13 |
| Visits & entries | £7-£12 | £12-£19 | £17-£30 |
| Tea, breaks, extras | £4 | £7 | £13 |
| Total / day | ~£21-£34 | ~£38-£55 | ~£68-£106 |
How to adapt it
Add an escape out of town - Agafay at sundown or the Ourika valley. See our three-day itinerary.
Slot the plan over a weekend: Koutoubia and a first rooftop Friday evening, southern medina on Saturday, gardens on Sunday. See our Marrakech weekend.
Ease the souks (they tire fast), take Majorelle early, and plan a shaded break at the Jardin Secret.
Push everything an hour earlier, do the monuments in the morning, keep the hammam and shaded gardens for the afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
Everything we get asked before locking the dates.
Are two days enough for Marrakech?
Should I leave town on two days?
Do I need a guide for the medina?
When to follow this itinerary?
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All the routes →Updated 18 June 2026