Marrakesh, also known by the French spelling as Marrakech, is a perfect spot for a long weekend trip from London, Amsterdam, or any other European city. It’s a place of immense beauty and culture, that sits beneath the dramatic peaks of the Atlas mountains and mystique deserts.
I visited Marrakech twice, as I absolutely fell in love with this place. I can’t wait to go back again. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or a group of friends, Marrakesh will meet your needs. If you’re planning a weekend in Morocco, Marrakesh might be your best choice.
After you read what to know about Marrakesh in order not to get disappointed, you can start planning your itinerary.
Weekend in Marrakech: What to Do in 3 Days

Ben Youssef
How to Get to Marrakesh
Getting to Marrakesh is quite easy and inexpensive. You can fly to Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) from the UK, Netherlands, Spain 0r Portugal for less than $100-$150 return.
It doesn’t have to be a cheap airline like Ryanair if you’re not a fan of it. I used Transavia and Royal Air Maroc. I recommend checking on Skyscanner to find the best deals for flexible dates.
Day 1
After your arrival take a taxi to your accommodation, you might want to relax for a bit. If you arrive in the morning, you’ll have time to go explore right away. Alternatively, you can start off with a traditional Moroccan hammam.
Moroccan Hamman
Hammam is a steam room, similar to a Turkish bath, where Moroccans habitually go each week to cleanse themselves. It’s a hot steam bath followed by a massage. Sounds wonderful, but it’s not your typical spa. You’ll have to leave your shyness behind, as the first thing to do at the hammam is stripping down.
Don’t even think of wearing a robe. Someone will wash you and scrub you so hard that all your old skin will be gone. It’s sort of once in a lifetime experience. When you go to Morocco, you’d be crazy not to go to a hammam.
Most tourists choose to go to hammam to either La Mamounia or Royal Mansour hotels, as they’re the most luxurious in town. Their spas are gorgeous, however, both of these places are extremely pricey comparing to regular Marrakesh spas. For a day pass to La Mamounia you’ll pay $50 not including any treatments.
Experience Jemaa el Fna
Start out from Marrakesh’s main square, just as it prepares for the afternoon madness. It’s easy to get to by taxi or walking, so you won’t start your trip in Marrakesh by getting lost.
The square is always crowded and filled with snake charmers to medicine men, magicians, storytellers, musicians and acrobats during the day. At dusk, it changes into a huge open-air dining area packed with stalls lit by gas lanterns. But in order to actually watch any of the performers and take photos of the food stalls, you’ll have to give them a few bucks. But don’t worry – it’s worth it!
While eating at the square is amazing, be very careful as some of the food stalls prey off of unsuspecting tourists. They’ll bring you extra plates of food and say it’s complimentary. But at the end of the meal they will stick you with a huge bill including all of the ‘complimentary food’. Unless it’s olives and bread (customary in Morocco) don’t let the vendors leave anything you didn’t order on your table.

Jemaa el Fna at night
Shop at the Souk
After filling your stomach, if it’s early enough, you can proceed to shop at the souk (they usually close around 8-9 PM). There are plenty of souks around Jemaa el Fna square, so you won’t miss them. Even if you’re not planning on buying anything, wandering around busy market streets of the souk is an experience itself.
I definitely recommend buying some aromatic spices, especially saffron, as it’s way cheaper than anywhere else. If you like antiques and traditional decor, you might want to bring home a Moroccan lamp or a Berber rug. Don’t forget to haggle – you won’t be able to buy anything without haggling in Morocco!


READ MORE: Renting a Car in Morocco
Day 2
Enjoy your riad
On your second day of adventures in Marrakesh, I recommend actually enjoying your accommodation. Whether you decide to stay at a riad, fancy hotel, or cheap hostel, from my experience every place in Marrakesh has something to offer.
Locals love to eat breakfasts on the rooftop and take some time by the pool while drinking delicious mint tea, so you might want to do the same.
Pictured below: Riad Palais Sebban


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Ben Youssef Madrasa
Ben Youssef Madrasa is a place you’ve probably seen on Instagram endless times, even if you don’t realize it. With zellij tilework, intricate stucco and finely carved cedarwood, it’s the most impressive medieval Koranic school in Morocco.
Everyone will be impressed by the arches, tiles, and corridors of this place. The inscriptions are quotations from the Koran, the most common being its opening invocation: “In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful”.
Ben Youssef Medersa is also one of the few things that tourists can photograph because mosques are closed off from tourists’ eyes. I recommend going there semi-early (before 2 PM), as it gets busy in the afternoon and you might need to wait to enter.
The Saadian Tombs
The tombs of the Saadian dynasty that ruled Morocco from 1554 to 1669 is another must-see sight. I suggest visiting with a guide who can give you the background and history of this site. I went without the guide and didn’t really find it very exciting until I read up on it after my visit.
READ MORE: What to Know Before Visiting Marrakesh
Day 3
Hot Air Balloon flight
Your last day of the weekend in Marrakesh you might as well start in style. If you can splurge a bit take a hot air ballon flight over the Atlas Mountains.
Trust me, it’s totally worth your time and money. After the incredible flight, a Berber breakfast is served followed by a camel ride through the desert.
Jardin Marjorelle
In the afternoon leave the Medina for the Ville Nouvelle’s most important sight called Jardin Marjorelle. This wonderful twelve-acre ornamental garden with cacti and lily ponds was created in the 1920s and 1930s by French painter Jacques Majorelle.
It took him 40 years to create the gardens, but after his death, if it wasn’t for the fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent who bought the garden, the place would have been eaten by bulldozers.

Jardin Marjorelle
El Badi Palace & Bahia Palace
If you’re a slow explorer and prefer to take your time, I’d recommend focusing all your attention on just one palace in Marrakesh. I only have a first time experience from El Badi Palace, because after my two trips to Marrakesh I never made it to Bahia Palace. It was once closed for the king’s visit, and during my second visit I got lost and never found it. But…
Bahia is a nineteenth-century grand vizier’s palace that contains some of the city’s finest painted ceilings. South of the great courtyard is the large riad with fragrant with fruit trees and epiphany of Arabic architecture. It has a very majestic look.
El Badi, on the other hand, is an impressive ruin. It’s less touristy (in fact, there were barely any tourists during my visit) and costs less. If you pay only 10 dirhams extra you can also see the original Cordoban pulpit from the Koutoubia Mosque.
What to Eat in Morocco?
Moroccan cuisine can seem simple to some, but it’s surely delicious. The basics of it are tajines/tagine, couscous, and kebabs, accompanied by hummus, baba ganoush, and Moroccan salad.
A tagine is the clay cooking pot with a conical lid that gives its name to a myriad of dishes. It can be vegetable only, chicken, beef, fish, or even a breakfast egg tagine. My favorite one is Kefta Tajine which small meatballs and egg.
Couscous is probably popular everywhere, but in Morocco it’s often garnished with a sweet raisin preserve, or in the Berber tradition, with a bowl of buttermilk.
You can also try Pastilla, a sweet and savory Moroccan pie. The traditional filling is a pigeon, roasted almond, sugar, cinnamon, eggs, but if you’re not that adventurous you can simply go for the chicken option.
Everything in Moroccan comes with a sweet mint tea.
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Where to stay in Marrakesh?
- Affordable Hostel: Waka Waka Hostel
- Mid-range Riad: Riad Palais Sebban
- Luxury Hotel: Ryad Laarouss
Suggested travel guide for Marrakesh:
READ MORE: What to Do in Chefchaouen
Arrange your travel insurance
Don’t forget to arrange health insurance before heading to Marrakesh. The easiest and the most reliable travel insurance is World Nomads Travel Insurance. Get it before your trip to avoid unnecessary troubles that might ruin your holidays!


Any questions about Marrakesh or traveling to Morocco in general? Don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below!
Vanessa
Sunday 29th of May 2022
Hello there! I love your post and i will be subscribing to your youtube channel! We are planning to visit Marrakech from June 30 and perhaps (following your suggestion) just for the weekend. What would you recommend in order to enjoy this beautiful city at its max when you travel with a 13 and 15 years old kids? They want camel ride, markets and having the option of eating their regular fast food from back home (at least one day !) Will the heat allow us to enjoy the trip?
Thank You! We will make our decision based in your point of view! Good day!
Anna Karsten
Wednesday 8th of June 2022
You can ride a camel and possibly ATM without a full day trip (something like this, for example, ) to satisfy the teenagers :) In terms of fast food there are kebabs everywhere, but really Moroccan food everywhere. Heat... personally I'm used to the heat, but it depends on where are you coming from.
Shashank
Monday 18th of January 2021
Hi Anna, I must say it is a really extensive and information article. You've mentioned probably everything about Marrakech. I am not planning to go there as COVID has made things a bit hard fro everyone but as soon as the situation gets ease down, I'll surely be visiting Marrakech. Thanks for sharing detailed article about it.
Tabatha Perez
Saturday 28th of September 2019
Hey Anna,
I've started a rough draft trip to Morocco. I plan on spending about 3 days in and around Marrakech. I am getting all different kinds of tips about definitely needing a tour guide, it's not safe because of people being very aggressive, and to be afraid. I'm super nervous and don't know if I want to go anymore. Help.
I've backpacked many times (even solo), I am not usually one to be scared but, after what people are telling me...I'm not sure.
Thank you! I loved reading your blog!
Tabatha
Anna Karsten
Sunday 29th of September 2019
Don't be scared. People were scaring my friends when they were going with two babies and they had a great time!
Gloria bellack
Thursday 29th of August 2019
What currency should we take US dollars or Pounds / euros also is There ATM Bank machines. How much is the Hot balloon rides and can we get six people in one .
Anna
Sunday 1st of September 2019
Click on the link in the post to check and book the hot air balloon as the price might change. Any currency is good to be honest, you can take out more out of the ATM or exchange at the airport :)
Mary Stern
Monday 29th of April 2019
Hi Anna
I am planning on taking a family group to Marrakesh next February/March for a special birthday celebration. I want to plan a special activity or event and was thinking of a trip to the Atlas Mountains. Is that something that you would need a couple of days to do (so therefore having to stay a night in the mountains)? Or would it be better in your opinion to do the hot air balloon trip and camel ride in the desert? Also, if we hire a driver, is that something we organise through the hotel when we are there?
Many thanks Mary
Anna
Tuesday 30th of April 2019
Hi Mary, You can surely get a driver through most hotels. There are day trips to Atlas Mountains and you could ride some camels near Marrakesh, so it can be done, but you could also stay overnight.