"So, what do we do today?" It is the first question our guests ask over breakfast on the roof terrace of the Riad Mylaya. Marrakech offers a lot — sometimes too much. You can spend a week without ever leaving the Medina, or rush from a souk to a desert in one day and see nothing properly. Here is the answer we actually give, sorted by mood and by time of day, with what it costs and how long it takes.
Opening times, prices and programmes quoted here were checked in September 2026: they change with the season, with Ramadan and with public holidays. Only the Riad Mylaya prices are fixed. For everything else, check before you go — or ask us, we are happy to do it from reception.
The five things you should not miss
If you only have two or three days, focus on these five. They are completely different from one another, and together they tell the city.
- Get lost in the Medina — not visit it: get lost in it. The dyers' souk, the slipper makers, the ironworkers, the spice street, the fondouks still full of craftsmen. See our museums, monuments and gardens article for the landmarks along the way.
- Bahia Palace and Ben Youssef Madrasa — two masterpieces ten minutes' walk apart, 100 MAD and 50 MAD admission.
- Jemaa el-Fna after dark — the square changes completely between 6pm and 8pm: storytellers arrive, the grill stalls go up, the Gnaoua musicians tune up. An orange juice costs 10-15 MAD, a bowl of harira soup 5 MAD.
- A hammam followed by a massage — the most Moroccan experience there is, and the best cure for a day on your feet. See our hammam, spa and wellness guide.
- A home-cooked Moroccan dinner — at the riad our cook prepares tagines, Friday couscous and pastilla to order, from €15 for a main course to €25 for the full menu.
What to do, hour by hour
Morning (8am-12pm): monuments and gardens
By far the best window of the day. Monuments open at 9am, the light is beautiful, the tour groups have not arrived and the heat is still manageable even in summer. Our advice: one major site in the morning, not three. Bahia Palace at opening, or Jardin Majorelle at 8am with a slot booked the day before, or Ben Youssef Madrasa before 10am.
Midday (12pm-4pm): souks, terraces, hammam
Between noon and 4pm, especially from May to September, the city becomes hard work. This is the time to be in the shade: the covered souks, lunch on a terrace, an air-conditioned museum, or a hammam. In summer our guests often come back to the riad around 1pm for the patio and a nap, and head out again at 5pm — exactly what locals do.
Late afternoon (4pm-7pm): ramparts, Koutoubia, rooftops
The golden light on the red earth walls is worth the trip on its own. A horse-drawn carriage from Jemaa el-Fna (around 150-200 MAD an hour, agreed before you climb in) loops the ramparts and the Menara. The Koutoubia garden is free. And the Medina rooftops serve mint tea with the Atlas on the horizon.
Evening (7pm-11pm): Jemaa el-Fna, dinners, shows
Jemaa el-Fna, dinner at the riad or in the Medina, a dinner show in the Agafay desert, or simply the patio and a pot of tea. Marrakech goes to bed late: restaurants serve until 11pm and the evening souks stay busy until 9pm or 10pm.
Day trips around Marrakech
Three or four days in, the urge to get out of town arrives naturally. These are the trips we run ourselves, privately, with a driver (prices per vehicle, lower per person as the group grows):
- Ourika valley — 7 hours, from €45 per person for four. The shortest and greenest: river, Berber villages, lunch with your feet in the water.
- The 3 Atlas Valleys — 8 hours, from €50 per person for four. High mountain scenery, lunch in a local home, and snow on the peaks in season.
- Agafay desert — 8 hours, from €50 per person for four, or 4-5 hours for the sunset and camel ride version. A stone desert 40 minutes from the city.
- Ouzoud waterfalls — 9.5 hours, from €60 per person for four. A 110-metre fall, Barbary macaques and a shaded path.
- Essaouira — 10.5 hours, from €120 for three people. The ocean, Portuguese ramparts, grilled fish on the harbour.
- Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate — 12 hours, from €80 per person for four. A long day, with the Tizi n'Tichka pass and a UNESCO-listed ksar at the end.
If you prefer a group activity, often cheaper than a private tour, our group activities page gathers around fifteen bookable experiences: quad biking, hot-air ballooning, dinner shows, a three-day Merzouga circuit.
What to do depending on who you travel with
- As a couple — hammam and massage for two, dinner on the terrace, sunset camel ride in Agafay, a hot-air balloon flight at dawn.
- With children — the carriage ride around the ramparts, the Ouzoud waterfalls, a cooking class (€45 per person, a hit with teenagers), and Jardin Majorelle, which works at every age.
- With friends — quads and buggies in Agafay, a desert dinner show, the spice market, and a rooftop to finish the evening.
- Alone — the Medina museums, a weaving workshop at the Carpet Culture House, a cooking class, and the current exhibitions.
What we suggest you skip
We would rather say it plainly: some "attractions" disappoint our guests every single time. Photos with monkeys and snakes on Jemaa el-Fna (mistreated animals, a price imposed after the photo). "Guides" who approach you in the street and walk you to a cousin who sells carpets. So-called free tannery visits, which always end in a shop. And two-day Merzouga trips: 1,000 kilometres of driving for two hours of dunes — take the three-day version instead.
How we organise all of it for you
From your guest area you can book an airport transfer (from €20 per vehicle for up to four people), a dinner, a cooking class, a private day trip or your hammam in a few clicks. You get an email confirmation, everything is paid on site in cash, and we fit the times around your flight. For the overall cost of a stay, read our Marrakech prices and budget article.
Photo: Medina of Marrakech 005 — Yamen, CC BY-SA 4.0
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Marrakech?
Three full days cover the Medina essentials, an evening on Jemaa el-Fna and a hammam. With five days, add a day trip to the Atlas or Agafay and a morning of shopping in the souks. Beyond a week, Essaouira or Ouarzazate are worth an overnight stay.
What can you do in Marrakech when it is very hot?
In July and August, go out before 10am and after 5pm. In between, favour the covered souks, air-conditioned museums, the hammam, the riad patio or a pool. Days in the Atlas, at Ouzoud or in Essaouira are also far cooler than the city.
What is there to do in Marrakech in the evening?
Jemaa el-Fna between 7pm and 9pm for the atmosphere and the grills, a Moroccan dinner at the riad or in the Medina, a rooftop with a Koutoubia view, or a dinner show under a tent in the Agafay desert. The Medina stays busy until 10pm and the main lanes are lit.
Do you need a guide in Marrakech?
Not essential: the Medina is easy to explore alone with an offline map. An official guide (with a professional card) adds a lot for a first half-day in the souks and monuments. Avoid the improvised guides who approach you in the street.
