Is Marrakech guide in one day It is designed for travelers who want to visit the most interesting places in the red city, making the most of all the time available.
Getting lost in the labyrinthine streets of the medina, crossing the great gates of the wall, staying in a riad, relaxing in the gardens, visiting the old palaces and mosques, haggling in the souks or enjoying one of the best gastronomies in the world, are Only some of the best things to do in the most famous city in Morocco, which we are sure, will make you fall in love as soon as you arrive.
Keep in mind that although we could say that any time is good to visit the city, the best time to travel to Marrakech would be spring and autumn, at which time you will avoid the high temperatures and the high tourist season, when the main cities are very much more crowded
Based on the experience of our trip to Marrakech and Essaouira in 5 days we have made this practical guide to know the best of Marrakech in one day. We start!
How to get from the airport to the center of Marrakech
The main airport of Marrakech is Menara, located just 6 kilometers from the city where the best means of transport to go from this airport to the center of Marrakech are:
- Bus: Bus 19 of the Alsa company makes the journey from the airport to the center of Marrakech in about 20 minutes for a price of 3 euros. It has several stops, among which is Jamaa el Fna, one of the busiest places in the city.
Another bus that stops at the main square is number 11, which costs less than one euro, although it does not have much space for luggage. - Cab: The price of a taxi should not exceed 10 euros if your hotel is not far from the center. We recommend taking an official taxi, making sure before starting the journey that the driver puts the meter from 0 or agree a fixed price.
- Private transport: With a price a little higher than the taxi, it is the most comfortable alternative, to avoid haggling or with pirate drivers. With this service a driver will wait for you inside the airport with a sign with your name and will take you directly to your Marrakech hotel. You can book it here.
If you want more information about the transfer you can check this post on how to go from Marrakech airport to the center.
Accommodation in Marrakech
One of the best things to do in Marrakech is to stay in a riad, which are small and old Arab palaces with an inner courtyard that have been adapted as hotels.
Our recommended riad to make a route through Marrakech in one day It is the Riad Assalam, located just 10 minutes from the Jamaa el Fna Square that in addition to having an excellent location, serves a delicious breakfast, has spacious rooms, a fantastic terrace with views of the city and above all, very hospitable owners That will make your stay an experience.
Tips for Marrakech
This list of tips will help you have a good first contact with the city:
- A good option if you visit the city for the first time and want to know its interesting history is to book this Free tour, Free !, one of the best free tours in Marrakech.
- Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions. - To buy it is better to arrive at the souks first thing, something that will allow you to haggle more quietly and get better prices, than in the late afternoon hours.
- To travel to Morocco, it is advisable to have good travel insurance. We always travel insured with Mondo, with whom we carry a totally adequate insurance to the needs that we will have on the trip.
Hiring your insurance here with Mondo, just for being a Street Travelers reader, you have a 5% discount. - If you want to have internet in Morocco, in addition to being able to buy a SIM card at the airport, you can buy a Holafly SIM card being in Spain, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, saving you all the time of the negotiations and making the whole process to have internet in Morocco much more comfortable, fast and easy.
In this case, with the Holafly SIM you will have several Gb to surf the Internet (depending on the option you choose), they will send it to you for free at home, you will keep your WhatsApp number and you will have assistance service in Spanish. You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader
More information on the Holafly post, the best prepaid SIM card for travel.
If you want more recommendations you can consult this post about tips for traveling to Marrakech essential.
Marrakech guide in one day
The Marrakech route in one day It begins by crossing the Bab Agnaou Gate early in the morning, a 12th-century door, with bas-reliefs and green colors, which was one of the 19 main accesses of the wall that surrounded the Medina. It stands out for its construction in clay and adobe and for its size of 10 meters high and 15 kilometers long.
Other doors of the wall, which are interesting to know if you have more time, are Bab el Robb, Bab Doukkala, Bab el Debbagh, Bab el Jadid and Bab el Khemis.
Bab Agnaou Gate
Near Bab Agnaou are the Saadis Tombs, another of the essential places to visit in Marrakech which is accessed by a small alley and opens at 9 in the morning. It is here that Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur and his family are buried and his great jewel is the mausoleum of the Hall of the Twelve Columns, in which the white marble columns held a handmade cedar wood dome.
Saadian tombs
Strolling through the southern part of the Medina you will reach the Palacio de la Bahía, the next stop of the Marrakech in one day Although before arriving at the palace we recommend you stop at La place des Ferblantiers, a charming square, full of shops that sell products made of tin and other metals.
The Bahia Palace was built at the end of the 19th century to become the largest palace of all time and stands out for its huge gardens and the harem, with a pond in the central courtyard surrounded by the concubines' rooms. Although the interior decoration has disappeared, it is worth entering to see the decoration of the walls, doors and ceilings.
A good way to know the history of all the tourist spots and not to miss anything interesting about the Medina is to book this free tour of Marrakech Free! or a private tour in which you choose the itinerary, both with a guide in Spanish.
At this point, we recommend that you ignore the guides that will be proposing routes through the medina and the souks, since the visit will surely end soon and in a store of more expensive products than usual, so in the end it will not end Being expected.
Marrakech streets
The route continues through the narrow alleyways of the Medina that will take you to the Dar Si Said Museum, which has the most complete collection of objects in the city and stands out for its patios and the decoration based on cedar wood ceilings, doors and furniture.
Upon leaving the museum you will head to Jamaa el Fna Square, the most famous in the city and one of the most essential places to see in Morocco.
We recommend going through the square at least once during the day and once at sunset since during the day you will find a frantic activity in which sellers of natural juices of orange and dried fruits such as dates are mixed with water heaters and at night the square It becomes a huge space where food stalls appear and the atmosphere seems to blend with the lights and smoke from the kitchens of makeshift stalls.
Jamma el Fna Square by day
To regain strength after a full morning of visits, we recommend you go to Dar Cherifa, one of the oldest riads and where they serve delicious tajines and couscous, which we are sure, will make you fall in love with Moroccan cuisine.
In the afternoon the route of Marrakech in one day Continue through the Souk, an area of narrow alleys where it is usual to get lost, haggle, buy and get lost again and it is a real hotbed of people and shops. Despite being one of the most famous places in the city, we recommend you take it easy, avoid more sellers aggressive and look for your ideal gift like the typical metal lanterns, slippers, chilabas, tea sets or spices.
Within this area there are several interesting souks such as the dry cleaners with their sun-dried colored wool in addition to the Rahba Kedima Square, next to the souk, also called spice square, which is full of stalls of medicinal herbs, fabrics, baskets and spices.
Visit the Souk on a route through Marrakech in one day
Other worthwhile souks are Henna's that have cosmetic items, the Kissaria Serrajine full of slippers and silk garments, Tillis where you'll find carpets, Es-Seffarine known as the cauldron souk and Nejjarine with numerous wooden items.
The next visit of Marrakech in one day It is the Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest Muslim school in Morocco of the fourteenth century that impresses with its central courtyard, with an incredible iron lamp, arches and walls decorated with tiles and walls covered with zellige panels, cedar, stucco and marble.
Medersa Ben Youssef
Near the medersa is the Museum of Marrakech, which is worth entering if only to see its inner courtyard, which we are sure, will not disappoint you. Next to the museum you have the Almoravid Qoubba, considered the last example of the Almoravid art of Marrakech, to which we also recommend you spend a few minutes.
To finish the route through this area of the Medina you can approach the Souk Foudouq Ouarzazi, one of the most famous souks that is inside a foundouk, an accommodation for the ancient caravans of the desert.
After these visits we recommend you to stroll in the direction of the center to see outside the Koutoubia Mosque, the most important in the city and one of the largest in the country with a 66-meter-high minaret, which will become one of the places highlights of the trip.
After these visits, we recommend you to enjoy the sunset on the terrace of the Café Glacier, where you can enjoy a mint tea and see how the Jamaa el Fna Square transforms with the passing of the minutes and the fall of the sun , filling up with food stalls as night approaches.
Jamma el Fna Square
To finish the Marrakech in one day You can dine at one of the stalls in the square or approach Dar chef or Conrner Cafe, located among the best restaurants to eat in Marrakech.
If you have more time, you can follow this guide from Marrakech in two days.
Another option for extra time, is to do some of the best excursions in Marrakech, among which you can spend the night in the desert, visit the beautiful Essaouira or get to Ouarzazate.
Map of the route through Marrakech in one day
Do you want to organize a trip to Marrakech?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Marrakech here
The best hotels at the best prices in Marrakech here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book the best tours and excursions in / from Marrakech in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Marrakech transfer here
Marrakech guide in two days
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Rent your car in Morocco at the best price here
The best offers of Flights to Marrakech here
The best hotels at the best prices in Marrakech here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book the best tours and excursions in / from Marrakech in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Marrakech transfer here
Marrakech guide in two days
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Rent your car in Morocco at the best price here
