Marrakech in 4 days

Length

4 days

Best time

March to May, October to November

Pace

Moderate

Day trips

None, all in the city

Four days in Marrakech: The Tanneries, Ben Youssef and Jemaa el-Fnaa; A Cooking Class and the Mellah. Each full day is one of our own checked days, planned to be walked in order, with opening hours checked and lunch and dinner suggestions close to the stops.

Day by day

1First Evening at Jemaa el-FnaaArrival

• When you arriveKoutoubia MosqueIconic mosque.Tip: Non-Muslims may not enter; see it from the gardens at sunset, when the call to prayer rings out.

Lunch nearby: Nomad or Stall 14, Jemaa el-Fnaa

Dinner: La Maison Arabe or Nomad

2The Tanneries, Ben Youssef and Jemaa el-Fnaa

• MorningTanneriesTraditional leather tanneries.Tip: Go in the morning; decline the “free guides” at the entrance, or agree a price first.
• AfternoonHouse of PhotographyHistoric photo archive.Tip: A genuinely well-curated museum of Moroccan photography, offering historical visual context on the country and region.
• If you have timeMedina SouksTraditional markets.Tip: A genuine maze of markets selling everything from spices to leather goods — bargaining is expected, and getting pleasantly lost is part of the experience.

Lunch nearby: Nomad or Le Jardin

Dinner: Kasbah Café or Nomad

3A Cooking Class and the Mellah

• MorningLa Maison Arabe Cooking SchoolA half-day Moroccan cooking class in a riad, ending with lunch.Tip: You cook a tagine and pastilla, then eat them.
• AfternoonMellahHistoric Jewish quarter.Tip: Marrakech's former Jewish quarter — genuinely distinct in character and architecture from the rest of the medina, reflecting the city's historic religious diversity.
• If you have timeBahia Palace19th-century palace.Tip: A genuinely opulent 19th-century palace, with intricately decorated rooms and courtyards — a good, relatively quick stop showcasing Moroccan craftsmanship.

Lunch nearby: Nomad or Stall 14, Jemaa el-Fnaa

Dinner: Kasbah Café or Café Clock

4A Last Morning in the Secret GardenLast morning

• Before you leaveLe Jardin SecretRestored Islamic garden.Tip: A restored historic riad garden in the heart of the medina — genuinely peaceful, with a tower offering good views over the surrounding rooftops.

Lunch nearby: Le Jardin or Nomad

Dinner: Café Majorelle or Kasbah Café

Where to stay