24 Hours in Marrakech
A square that’s been an open-air theatre for a thousand years, a garden painted in a colour named after itself, and a maze of alleys built for getting properly lost in, one proper day in the Red City.
Marrakech packs an unusual amount into a single day, a UNESCO-listed square that transforms completely between morning and night, a garden unlike anywhere else on earth, and a medina built for wandering without a fixed plan. Here’s how I’d spend 24 hours here.
The souks and the Koutoubia Mosque
Start early in the souks, the maze of covered markets radiating out from Jemaa el-Fnaa, quieter and cooler before the midday heat and crowds set in. The Koutoubia Mosque, its minaret visible across the city, isn’t open to non-Muslims inside but is worth admiring from the gardens surrounding it.
Bahia Palace
Head to Bahia Palace, a genuinely striking 19th-century palace with elaborately tiled courtyards and carved cedar ceilings. Considerably calmer than the souks, a proper contrast before the afternoon’s main event.
Jardin Majorelle
Cross into Gueliz, the newer part of the city, for Jardin Majorelle, a compact botanical garden painted in a vivid cobalt blue developed by the artist Jacques Majorelle himself. Book timed entry tickets ahead, they sell out during busy periods, and the Yves Saint Laulent Museum sits opposite if you want to extend the visit.
Getting there A short taxi ride or a half-hour walk from the medina
Jemaa el-Fnaa after dark
End the day back at Jemaa el-Fnaa as it transforms after sunset, food stalls fire up, musicians and storytellers gather crowds, and the whole square takes on a genuinely different character than it had in daylight. A rooftop café overlooking the square is worth the mint tea for the view alone.
Getting around
Central Marrakech’s medina is genuinely walkable, though the narrow alleys and crowds make it slower going than the distances suggest. A taxi is worth it for Jardin Majorelle and Gueliz, a proper distance from the old city.
If you only have time for one thing
Make it Jemaa el-Fnaa at sunset. It’s the single most distinctive experience the city has to offer, and watching the square transform from a market into a nightly spectacle is a proper introduction to Marrakech before you’ve even left the square.
That’s everything I’ve got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government’s latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
