Visiting Marrakech in one day is not an impossible mission. Morocco is one of the most beautiful countries in Africa and it is likely that you want to discover other corners beyond its most touristic city. In Morocco you will not have days left over! So if you have little time in Marrakech, we will tell you how to optimize it so that you do not miss any of its essentials. In this post we tell you what to see in Marrakech in one day, where to eat and how much money you need through a free tour . To enjoy!
WHAT TO SEE IN MARRAKECH IN ONE DAY: VISIT ITINERARY
How to move on this route through Marrakech in one day
This itinerary through Marrakech in one day is designed to be done almost entirely on foot . In fact, only a taxi ride is contemplated. Most of the route takes place inside the Medina of Marrakech, so you can only get around on foot. So prepare comfortable shoes and hydrate!
Where to stay to visit Marrakech in one day
To carry out this itinerary through Marrakech in one day it is advisable to spend a night in the city . This will allow you to start the tour super early, see the beautiful sunset and have dinner in one of the most beautiful restaurants in Marrakech.
1. Start the day in the Majorelle Garden (8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.)
The Majorelle Garden is one of the most interesting places to see on this route through Marrakech in one day . Being a bit far from the Medina, we believe that it is the ideal place to start the itinerary. This incredible garden was created by the French painter Jacques Majorelle. However, no one knew about it until the designer Yves Saint Laurent bought it . You will be able to enjoy more than 300 species of plants!
Yves Saint Laurent ended up saving this oasis, since by buying it he prevented a hotel from being built there. Take a walk inside and enjoy its beauty. The entrance to the garden costs 150 dirhams (€14). To ensure the ticket for 8:00 a.m., it is advisable to book in advance. You are going to fall in love with the site!
2. Enter through the Bab Agnaou gate (9:10 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.)
🚖 Distance by taxi: 10 minutes | 4.4km
After visiting the Majorelle Garden, we recommend taking a taxi to go to the next stop . It is not recommended to do this tour on foot since it is far, it is very hot and walking through Marrakech is a real odyssey. The taxi ride will cost you around 35 dirhams (€3).
Bab Agnaou is the most famous gate in Marrakech. Despite the fact that the wall that surrounds the Medina has 19 entrance gates, there is none as famous as this one. It dates from the 12th century and was built to give access to the royal kasbah.
Unfortunately, the original door did not reach our days and what we can see is a reconstruction made 200 years ago. Undoubtedly, one of the jewels to see on this itinerary through Marrakech in one day.
3. Visit the Saadian Tombs, an essential visit on your route through Marrakech in one day (9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.)
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 3 minutes | 200 meters
Once you have entered the Kasbah through the Bab Agnaou gate, it is time to visit the Saadian Tombs. You will be surprised by its decoration! Some sixty members of the Saadian Dynasty are buried there. Although visiting tombs is never pleasant, in this case you will be amazed by its decoration.
Especially in the room where Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur and his closest family are buried. It is decorated with twelve Carrara marble columns and a spectacular carved wooden dome. They spared no expense! The entrance costs 60 dirhams (5€).
4. Reconstruct the past in the El Badi Palace (10:05 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 6 minutes | 500 meters
After visiting the Saadian Tombs, it is time to meet again with history. In this case, to visit the El Badi Palace. Despite the fact that today it is quite deteriorated, in its day it was one of the most spectacular palaces in Morocco . It was built by Sultan Ahmed Al-Mansur to commemorate the victory in the Battle of the Three Kings against the Portuguese in 1578.
It was so spectacular that, according to various chroniclers of the time, it was classified as the wonder of the Muslim world. However, today only the remains of what was the royal palace can be seen. That is because in 1696, the Alaouite sultan Moulay Ismaïl ordered its demolition and used a large part of the materials in the reconstruction of Meknes , a city that the sultan chose as the capital of his empire in 1672.
5. Get to know the Bahía Palace (11:05 a.m. to 12:05 p.m.)
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 6 minutes | 500 meters
And finally, the last palace on this route through Marrakech in one day is the Bahia Palace . In this case, its conservation status is much better! It is a very modern palace, built by the vizier of Sultan Abdelaziz, Bou Ahmed. The Bahia Palace was built in the 19th century with the intention of being the largest palace of all time. Its gardens are a real past. The Palace has more than 8,000 square meters of gardens!
Its 160 rooms also stand out, but even more so because they are empty: when the vizier died in 1900, the palace was ransacked, even by his wives, who, by order of the sultan, ordered the belongings to be transferred to their own palace. Fortunately, however, the ceilings and mosaics on its walls remained intact. ,
6. Have lunch at Cuisine de Terroir (12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 10 minutes | 750 meters
After walking a lot and touring some of the most impressive sites in Marrakech, we are sure that your stomach will start to growl. It’s time to replenish energy! For this , we recommend you taste traditional Moroccan food in a good restaurant.
The place is very cozy and the food is exquisite. Our recommendation is their tagine , spectacular! They also have international options in case you don’t dare with local cuisine.
7. Learn at the House of Photography, one of the most interesting visits to do in Marrakech in one day (1:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 11 minutes | 900 meters
We loved this site. Both for the building and its contents. In the House of Photography you can travel through the Morocco of the past through time: you will find a collection of hundreds of photos, negatives and documents of Morocco from 1870 to 1950. After traveling through time, you can go up to its terrace to contemplate the Medina from above
The entrance costs 50 dirhams (5€).
8. Fall in love with the details in the Ben Youssef Madrasa (3:10 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 3 minutes | 210 meters
The Ben Youssef Madrasa is one of the main attractions of Marrakech . If you like photography, you will find few places more photogenic than this. It is considered one of the best examples of art and architecture in Morocco.
Its central patio is a real gem! This ancient Koranic school founded in the 14th century and had a capacity for more than 800 students. The entrance costs 40 dirhams (4€).
9. Get lost in the Semmarine souk, something essential on your tour of Marrakech in one day (4:05 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 6 minutes | 550 meters
You cannot leave Marrakech without visiting its souks. They are charming, but also stressful… The Semmarine souk is the most visited in the city . Its name comes from the word Semmar , which means clove; then, in the souk any product from metal and metal guild was sold. But now everything is sold!
You can buy carpets, lamps and spices or the famous argan oil . Of course, arm yourself with patience because the sellers are very insistent. And good! But in these cases, one always has to be smarter and haggling is the key to be able to take home a souvenir without paying too much. Undoubtedly, one of the best things to do on this itinerary through Marrakech in one day.
10. Get to know Jamaa El Fna Square (5:35 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.)
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 3 minutes | 250 meters
The next stop on this route through Marrakech in one day is Jamaa El Fna Square, the heart of the city . New York has Times Square, Madrid has Puerta del Sol and Marrakech has this square. During the day you will see small food stalls and various street vendors. But at night the scene changes completely!
It becomes a real outdoor restaurant with lots of street food stalls. You can not lose this! As in any place, you must be careful with your belongings, but especially in this square, since it is very crowded.
11. Stroll through the gardens of the Koutoubia Mosque (6:10 p.m. until sunset)
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 7 minutes | 550 meters
The Koutoubia Mosque is the most emblematic building in Marrakech. Plus it’s also the tallest! No building exceeds 66 meters from its minaret. This mosque may remind you of the Giralda in Seville, since it served as a model.
Access is restricted to faithful Muslims. However, outside there are some very nice gardens where you can walk and enjoy the views. It is a beautiful mosque!
The name of the mosque means “that of the booksellers”. Kutub in Arabic is “books” and refers to the presence of the souk of book sellers that developed in its surroundings with more than a hundred stalls.
12. Watch the sunset from Café Glacier
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 11 minutes | 800 meters
About 30 minutes before sunset we recommend you return to Jamaa el Fna square. In this case, to see it from another perspective . In its surroundings there are several bars with terraces that will allow you to see an incredible sunset over the square. The colors are very special!
The most famous bars are Café Glacier and Café de France . However, we prefer the first one, since there is a broader view of the square and the terrace is bigger and more beautiful.
13. Dine at Dar Cherifa
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 10 minutes | 850 meters
And finally , to finish this tour of Marrakech in one day, we recommend you have dinner in a very special place . This riad is one of the most emblematic of Marrakech and eating in its patio surrounded by columns is really special.
The riad dates back to the 16th century, but was restored at the turn of the century and has become one of the best restaurants in Marrakech. The food is not cheap, but it is worth it to treat yourself and dine in such a beautiful place. Both the food and the place are worth it!
BUDGET TO VISIT MARRAKECH IN ONE DAY
Below we will tell you in detail the necessary budget to carry out this tour of Marrakech in one day , without taking into account the price of the hotel. Obviously, the budget is relative, since you can spend much less, especially on attractions and meals. All the attractions are paid and at the end of the day it ends up adding up quite a bit. If you want to save on food, you can also find a restaurant where you literally eat for half or less. But our suggestions are worth trying!
💰 Total budget per person: 835 dirhams (€75)
🎟 Attractions: 440 dirhams (40€) – Majorelle Garden – 150 dirhams (14€), Saadian Tombs – 60 dirhams (5€), El Badi Palace – 70 dirhams (6€), Bahia Palace – 70 dirhams (6 €), House of Photography – 50 dirhams (€4) and Ben Youssef Madrasa – 40 dirhams (€4).
🍽 Meals: 310 dirhams (€28) – Lunch at Cuisine du Terroir – 110 dirhams (€10) and dinner at Dar Cherifa – 200 dirhams (€18).
🚖 Taxis: 35 dirhams (€3)
🥤 Drinks at Café Glacier: 50 dirhams (€4).
