01

Day 01

Day 1: Medina Core

Medina essentials from Jemaa el-Fnaa to the souks and madrasa.

1. Morning

   Jemaa el-Fnaa

   Begin your week where Marrakech centres itself, Jemaa el-Fnaa. In the morning calm, watch the square stir with juice carts and water sellers. This UNESCO listed space will orient every medina walk to come, so take a slow lap before exploring.

2. Late Morning

   Koutoubia Mosque

   Walk to the Koutoubia Mosque, its twelfth century minaret the tallest and oldest landmark in the city. The interior is reserved for worshippers, so enjoy the rose gardens and palms around it, and note how the tower guides you home.

3. Lunch

   Cafe des Epices, Rahba Kedima

   Lunch on the roof of Cafe des Epices above Rahba Kedima. The spice square below brims with dried herbs, roses and remedies. Cool off with mint tea and a simple plate before diving into the souks nearby.

4. Afternoon

   Souk Semmarine

   Explore Souk Semmarine and its side lanes, a covered world of lanterns, leather, wool and carpets. Sunlight slips through the reed roofs onto piles of goods. Haggle gently, get lost on purpose, and enjoy the craftsmanship on show.

5. Late Afternoon

   Ben Youssef Madrasa

   Visit the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the sixteenth century Quranic college around a serene courtyard pool. Carved cedar, stucco and zellij cover the walls, and the upstairs cells recall centuries of student life. It is a highlight of the northern medina.

6. Evening

   Le Foundouk

   Dine at Le Foundouk, a restored caravanserai near the madrasa. Candles light the courtyard and rooftop, and the kitchen bridges Moroccan and French tastes. It makes a refined, atmospheric finish to your first medina day.

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Day 02

Day 2: Palaces and the Mellah

The southern palaces, tombs and Mellah, with a rooftop finale.

1. Morning

   Bahia Palace

   Spend the morning in the Bahia Palace, a nineteenth century masterpiece of courtyards, painted ceilings and tiled salons. Built for a grand vizier, it was meant to outshine all rivals. Trace the harem rooms and shaded garden riads at leisure.

2. Late Morning

   El Badi Palace

   Move to El Badi Palace, a vast Saadian ruin where storks nest on rammed earth walls above sunken gardens. Once lined with gold and onyx, it still impresses. Climb the ramparts for a broad view across the Kasbah rooftops.

3. Lunch

   Cafe Clock, Kasbah

   Break at Cafe Clock in the Kasbah, known for its camel burger, rooftop seating and cultural events. It is a welcoming, youthful spot to rest and refuel between the great southern monuments.

4. Afternoon

   Saadian Tombs

   Enter the Saadian Tombs, concealed for centuries and reopened in 1917. Marble columns, gilded honeycomb vaults and coloured tiles adorn the royal burial chambers, while soldiers and servants rest in the garden. A jewel box of Saadian art.

5. Late Afternoon

   Mellah and Lazama Synagogue

   Discover the Mellah, the historic Jewish quarter, and the blue courtyard of the Lazama Synagogue, still in use. Narrow lanes, wrought iron balconies and spice stalls reveal a layered, multicultural past often missed by hurried visitors.

6. Evening

   Kosybar, Place des Ferblantiers

   Toast the day at Kosybar on Place des Ferblantiers, its rooftop facing the storks and El Badi walls. As lantern makers pack up below, enjoy a drink and mezze while the sky colours, then stay for dinner.

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Day 03

Day 3: The New City

Majorelle, the YSL museum, Menara and Gueliz in the new city.

1. Morning

   Jardin Majorelle

   Open in the new city at the Jardin Majorelle, a painter's garden of cobalt walls, bamboo and cactus beds later saved by Yves Saint Laurent. Come early for the quiet, and visit the Berber Museum tucked among the greenery.

2. Late Morning

   Musee Yves Saint Laurent

   Step next door to the Musee Yves Saint Laurent, whose brick facade echoes woven fabric. Inside, the designer's Marrakech inspired couture shares space with rotating exhibitions, a library and a cafe, all pleasantly cool at midday.

3. Lunch

   Grand Cafe de la Poste, Gueliz

   Lunch at the Grand Cafe de la Poste, a restored 1920s brasserie near the station. Palms, ceiling fans and leather banquettes evoke another era, and it captures the elegant mood of Gueliz between garden visits.

4. Afternoon

   Menara Gardens

   Drive to the Menara Gardens, ancient olive groves around a mirror like basin and a pavilion, with the Atlas rising beyond on clear days. Fed by old mountain channels, it remains a favourite local escape for a shaded walk.

5. Late Afternoon

   Ensemble Artisanal

   Visit the Ensemble Artisanal, a craft centre where weavers, leatherworkers and metalsmiths labour at fixed prices. Watching techniques up close, without the pressure to bargain, is a relaxed way to appreciate Moroccan artisanship and choose gifts.

6. Evening

   Al Fassia, Gueliz

   Dine at Al Fassia in Gueliz, a celebrated woman run restaurant. Its pastilla and slow cooked lamb define classic Marrakchi cuisine. Reserve ahead, then rest well, since the mountains call early tomorrow morning.

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Day 04

Day 4: High Atlas and Imlil

A High Atlas day around Imlil and Toubkal National Park.

1. Morning

   Asni

   Set out early for the High Atlas, passing through Asni with its orchards and lively weekly market. Farmers trade produce and livestock here before the road corkscrews upward. The scenery shifts from plains to steep, terraced mountainsides.

2. Late Morning

   Imlil

   Reach Imlil, the walnut shaded launch point for Mount Toubkal treks. Mules wait to be loaded and shops rent gear. Stroll the village lanes, sip mint tea, and breathe the crisp air beneath the highest peaks in North Africa.

3. Lunch

   Aroumd Village

   Walk up to Aroumd, the valley's highest village, for a Berber lunch of tagine and fresh bread. Terraced fields drop away below and summits rise ahead. The welcome is warm and the pace refreshingly slow up here.

4. Afternoon

   Toubkal National Park

   Follow a trail into Toubkal National Park after lunch, tracing the river through walnut groves toward the shrine country. No summit is needed to enjoy the streams, wildflowers and immense quiet of the high mountains around you.

5. Late Afternoon

   Sidi Chamharouch

   If energy holds, continue toward Sidi Chamharouch, a white pilgrimage hamlet beside a sacred rock on the Toubkal path. Turn back here in the softening light, leaving the peak itself for a future expedition.

6. Evening

   Dar Yacout

   Descend to Marrakech and dine at Dar Yacout, a sumptuous riad restaurant of rooftop terraces and course after course of Moroccan classics. It is a fitting reward after a day among the summits and villages.

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Day 05

Day 5: Ourika Valley Day Trip

The green Ourika Valley, its waterfalls and an art garden.

1. Morning

   Ourika Valley

   Drive south into the Ourika Valley, following a river deep into the Atlas foothills. Terraced fields, red villages and roadside pottery stalls line the route as the temperature drops. This lush corridor is a favourite escape from the city heat.

2. Late Morning

   Setti Fatma Waterfalls

   At Setti Fatma, scramble up the boulder path to the seven waterfalls, passing cafes clinging to the gorge. A local guide eases the steeper sections. The first cascade is reachable on a short if steep climb and well worth it.

3. Lunch

   Ourika River

   Lunch at a riverside terrace along the Ourika, where tables sit almost in the water and tagines steam beside the current. Cool your feet between courses. It is a simple, memorable mountain meal in the shade.

4. Afternoon

   Aghbalou Village

   Visit a Berber village around Aghbalou and a women's argan cooperative, watching nuts cracked and pressed into oil by hand. Taste amlou, the sweet almond and argan spread. These stops reveal the rhythms of everyday valley life.

5. Late Afternoon

   Anima Garden

   On the way back, wander Anima, Andre Heller's art garden on the Ourika road. Sculptures, cacti and palms play against Atlas views, with a whimsical cafe named for Paul Bowles. A dreamlike close to the valley day.

6. Evening

   Nomad, Rahba Kedima

   In the medina, dine at Nomad on Rahba Kedima, where the rooftop serves lighter, modern Moroccan dishes. The night breeze and lantern glow are the perfect antidote to a long day on winding mountain roads.

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Day 06

Day 6: Essaouira Day Trip

A coastal escape to windswept Essaouira and its ramparts.

1. Morning

   Argan Groves, Essaouira Road

   Head west toward the Atlantic, stopping among the argan groves where goats famously clamber into the thorny trees. A roadside cooperative shows how the prized oil is milled. The landscape flattens and the light turns coastal and bright.

2. Late Morning

   Skala de la Ville, Essaouira

   In Essaouira, walk the Skala de la Ville, the sea bastion lined with bronze cannons above crashing waves. Portuguese and later ramparts wrap the old town, and the salt wind is bracing. Views along the walls are superb.

3. Lunch

   Essaouira Port

   Lunch at the working port, where blue boats unload the catch and grill stalls cook fish to order beside the quay. Pick your seafood, watch the gulls wheel, and enjoy the briny, unpretentious energy of the harbour.

4. Afternoon

   Essaouira Medina

   Explore the whitewashed Essaouira medina, a UNESCO listed grid far calmer than Marrakech. Thuya woodwork, art galleries and Gnaoua music shops fill the lanes. The relaxed pace and blue shutters have long drawn painters and musicians.

5. Late Afternoon

   Essaouira Beach

   Stroll the wide Atlantic beach, where kitesurfers ride the famous wind and camels amble along the sand. The breeze that cools the town also whips the waves. Watch the light soften before the drive back inland.

6. Evening

   Kabana Rooftop

   Back in Marrakech, unwind at Kabana, a rooftop lounge facing the floodlit Koutoubia. Sip a drink to music as the minaret glows against the night, a relaxed reward after a long coastal day out.

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Day 07

Day 7: Agafay Desert and Farewell

The Agafay desert, a mountain lake, a hammam and a farewell dinner.

1. Morning

   Agafay Desert Drive

   On your final day, drive just outside the city to the Agafay Desert, a rolling expanse of stony hills that mimics the Sahara within easy reach. The Atlas forms a dramatic backdrop, and the emptiness feels immediate after the crowded medina.

2. Late Morning

   Agafay Desert Dunes

   In Agafay, ride a camel or a quad across the lunar ridges, or simply walk out to a viewpoint. The bare, sculpted land shifts colour through the day. Desert camps dot the hills, offering tea and welcome shade.

3. Lunch

   Agafay Desert Camp

   Lunch at a desert camp among the Agafay hills, with tagines served under a tent and the Atlas on the horizon. Some camps have a pool for a cooling dip. It is a serene, cinematic midday break.

4. Afternoon

   Lake Lalla Takerkoust

   Drive to nearby Lake Lalla Takerkoust, a reservoir at the foot of the mountains where lakeside terraces serve drinks and grilled food. Kayaks and pedalos ply the water. The calm, open setting contrasts with the desert you just crossed.

5. Late Afternoon

   Les Bains de Marrakech

   Return to the city and soften your muscles at Les Bains de Marrakech, a traditional hammam and spa near the Kasbah. Steam, black soap and a gommage scrub restore you after a week of walking and driving.

6. Evening

   Le Jardin

   Close your week at Le Jardin, a leafy medina restaurant set around a green courtyard shaded by banana trees and songbirds. Modern Moroccan plates under the greenery make a peaceful, fitting farewell to Marrakech.