Marrakech in three days: tours, monuments and visits not to miss a thing

Three days are enough time for everything there is to see and do in Marrakech, plus the occasional half-day excursion. Strolling through its marvellous gardens, the labyrinthine streets of its Medina, its souks and, of course, the Jamaa el Fna square, the traveller will feel totally enraptured in this World Heritage city in the category of cultural space.

The best way to explore the medina, the souk and other attractions of old Marrakesh is to take a guided tour of Marrakesh. This way, you will learn all the secrets of this exotic city and open your mind to all the new experiences you are going to live.

Also, the visit to Marrakech generates some uncertainty in some people. While in my experience the most problematic thing you may encounter is a pushy salesman or a fake guide trying to get you to hire him, booking a guided tour in advance and keeping in mind some safety tips in Marrakech can be two good ways to alleviate this fear.

Explore the Medina

To start your visit to Marrakech there is nothing better than touring the Medina of Marrakech. This ancient part of the city has around 1000 years of history and is made up of a large number of streets, usually narrow, where it is very easy to get lost.

When you are walking through these streets you may feel a bit overwhelmed by the large number of people in them and how easy it is to lose your sense of direction. That's why hiring a tour of the Medina of Marrakech can be a great way to get a good idea of where to go, accompanied by an expert guide who will make the walk easier.

Fortunately, the Medina of Marrakech has a few places to relax in. Among them is the so-called Secret Garden, an elegant palace in the centre of the old city. Don't hesitate to stop here to take a breather while sipping some mint tea in the café.

Medersa (or Madrasa) Ben Youssef, another must-see in the medina.

Another must-see in the medina is the Medersa Ben Youssef, a former Islamic school that once had 900 students. There is a fee to enter, but the peaceful atmosphere inside makes it well worth a visit.

Those familiar with the Alhambra in Granada will find some similarities with this former school, particularly in its decorated courtyard with a fountain in its centre. It is also interesting to note the tiles on the walls, which add to the beauty of the whole.

Stroll and shop in the souk

Still in the medina, this first day I suggest you take a stroll around the souk to buy some gifts. The crowds are even more crowded in these areas than in the rest of the old city, with shoppers mingling with vendors and the stalls where the goods are displayed. So, once again, I recommend booking a guided tour of the Marrakech souk to avoid any possible inconvenience.

In reality, you could say that there are several different souks, as you can clearly see that there are several areas depending on the type of product being sold:

• Fabrics.
• Tin products.
• Foodstuffs.
• Sale of spices, medicinal herbs and basketry.

Remember to bargain with the seller to reach an agreement on the price!

First visit to the Jamaa el Fna

Of course, on this first day you can't miss the most iconic place in the city: the Jamaa el Fna square.

On this first visit you will see that this square represents the whole spirit of the city. You'll see everything from fresh fruit juice stalls to storytellers, not forgetting jugglers and snake charmers.

Eat near the square

Around the Jamaa el Fna square you will find some restaurants where you can eat to recharge your batteries. This way, you can get a taste of Moroccan food, although if you are really interested I recommend you book a gastronomic tour dedicated to the country's gastronomy.

Otherwise, I can make some recommendations:

• Dar Cherifa, which overlooks the square.
• Chez Ben Driss, where you will enjoy good traditional dishes at a reasonable price for the area.

Enter the Dar Si Said Museum

Back inside the medina, the next destination is the Dar Si Said Museum. In addition to its collection of textiles, carpets and objects from Berber culture, the building itself is remarkable for its architecture.

The museum is housed in a 19th-century palace and features a typical Moroccan courtyard and beautifully decorated wooden doors.

Koutoubia Mosque

The most important mosque in Marrakesh is the Koutoubia (Arabic for "of the booksellers"). Unfortunately, its interior is off-limits to non-Muslims, so you have to make do with admiring its beautiful architecture, decoration and, of course, its famous minaret.

The latter, some 70 metres high, is immediately reminiscent of the Giralda in Seville and remains the highest point in the city.

A sundowner and mint tea on a terrace overlooking the Jamaa el Fna

After such a busy day, the best thing to do at this point is to return to the Jamaa el Fna area and look for some of the terraces overlooking the square.

Here you can have a coffee or mint tea and, at the same time, enjoy the sunset and watch the atmosphere of the square change. I recommend two of these places: Café Glacier and L'Adresse Jemaa Al Fna.

Return to the Jamaa el Fna for dinner

Jamaa el Fna transforms as evening falls. The vendors that populate it during the day are replaced by food stalls. It's definitely a good place for a cheap dinner.

However, competition among the open-air restaurants that set up shop is fierce and it's not uncommon for them to try to lure you in in ways that can be overly insistent. A great tip for your trip to Marrakech is to stay calm and go for the place that catches your eye.

Having squeezed in the first day of your stay in Marrakech, the next day is dedicated to a trip to the spectacular Atlas Mountains. On the way back, you can spend some time relaxing in a hammam and recover from your camel ride.

Excursion to the Atlas Mountains from Marrakech

Booking an excursion to the Atlas Mountains is one of the best things to do during your stay in Marrakech.

This excursion will take you to amazing places such as:

• The Agafay Desert.
• The Atlas Mountains.
• Villages populated by Berbers, where you can learn about their way of life and their ancestral culture.

Lunch, included in these excursions, is taken in a Berber house so that you can see the differences between their gastronomy and that of Marrakech.

Enjoy a bath and a massage in a hammam.

After spending the whole day in the desert, the best thing to do on your return to the city is to relax with a bath and massage in a hammam in Marrakesh.

A hammam is a traditional Arab bath and Marrakesh has a good range of hammams, although I recommend that you opt for one of the ones for visitors. Although the price is a little higher than those used by locals, they have the advantage of being mixed and provide everything you need for an unforgettable experience.

The last day of your stay in Marrakesh will be devoted to some of the monuments you have not yet visited. Some of them, such as the Saadid tombs, are really essential, and many of them are included in the guided tour of Marrakech that I highly recommend you to book in order to make your trip a complete experience.

Finally, in case you have to catch your flight that day, here are some tips on how to get from Marrakech to the airport.

Bahia Palace

This palace is one of the must-see sights during your stay in Marrakesh, the Bahia Palace. If possible, on your way to this place I recommend that you make a short stop in a square as beautiful as it is interesting: the Place des Ferblantiers, full of shops selling tin objects.

Built at the end of the 19th century, you only have to look at the gardens of the palace (especially the small riad inside) and the space where the harem was located to understand its importance in its day.

Mellah: the place of refuge of the Jews

A short distance from the palace is the old Jewish quarter of Marrakesh. Its construction dates back to the 16th century, when groups of Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal found refuge in this city.

The quarter, although now sparsely populated by Jews, retains an essence that sets it apart from the medina.

Its narrow streets hide some really interesting corners, although I recommend you visit the Jewish cemetery and the Salat Alzama synagogue.

Saadid tombs

The best way to reach these spectacular tombs is from outside the city walls and enter through Bab Agnaou, the gate that led from outside the city to the royal kasbah.

The tombs, built on the orders of Sultan Al Mansur in the late 16th century, were forgotten for centuries after being walled up by a later sultan. Rediscovered in 1917, they have become one of the city's main treasures.

The entire architecture of the complex is remarkable for its careful design. The first courtyard contains the tombs of secondary figures such as warriors and servants. In one of the buildings surrounding this courtyard is the most spectacular part of the complex, the so-called Hall of the 12 Columns. It is here that the remains of al-Mansur himself are laid to rest.

El Badi Palace

Close to the tombs and right next to the Royal Palace are the remains of the El Badi Palace. Unfortunately, most of it is in ruins, but it is still worth strolling through its orange garden and surviving ponds.

Moreover, from the remains of its ramparts you will be able to enjoy some of the best views of the city.

Marrakesh Museum and the Almoravid Qoubbah

Heading back towards the centre of the medina, there are still two brief stops of interest before reaching the modern part of the city.

At the first of these stops, the Marrakesh Museum, I recommend that you stop only to look around its stupendous central courtyard, whose beauty makes it highly recommendable.

Nearby is the Almoravid Quobba, a domed building that is the last example of architecture from that period in the city. Its interior is particularly interesting, where there is a souk called Souk Foudouq Ouarzazi.

Menara Gardens

The last few hours of your stay in Marrakesh will be devoted to a couple of areas outside the centre. The first is the extensive Menara Gardens, the largest in the city.

These gardens, which have eight centuries of history, are a veritable oasis in the middle of Marrakech. In fact, it is a popular visit for locals looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city's streets.

Dining in the modern area

Depending on how much time you have, a good idea to end your trip is to walk to the nearby modern area of Marrakesh, the so-called Gueliz quarter,

. This area was built by the French during the protectorate and has the Place 16 November as its nerve centre. From this square, several avenues lead off with a very different atmosphere to that found in the old city.

You can take the opportunity to have dinner in Gueliz, as it is full of both traditional Moroccan and Western-style restaurants.