01

Day 01

Day 1: Medina Core

The medina core on foot, ending with dinner in a restored caravanserai.

1. Morning

   Jemaa el-Fnaa

   Open your Marrakech week at Jemaa el-Fnaa in the quiet of morning. Water sellers in fringed hats and early juice carts stake their spots on the great square. Get your bearings here, since every medina walk seems to return to it.

2. Late Morning

   Koutoubia Mosque

   Stroll to the Koutoubia, the twelfth century mosque whose ochre minaret rises above the palms. Closed to non Muslims, it is best enjoyed from the surrounding gardens, a fragrant, shaded space that softens the transition into the busy souks.

3. Lunch

   Cafe des Epices, Rahba Kedima

   Climb to Cafe des Epices on the spice square of Rahba Kedima for a light lunch. Watch the apothecary trade below over mint tea and fresh orange juice, then gather your energy for an afternoon in the markets.

4. Afternoon

   Souk Semmarine

   Enter Souk Semmarine, following its branches to the ironmongers, the wool market and the leather tanneries beyond. Bargaining is expected and good natured. Buy a lamp or a rug, or simply enjoy the colour, noise and craftsmanship all around.

5. Late Afternoon

   Ben Youssef Madrasa

   Finish sightseeing at the Ben Youssef Madrasa, a sixteenth century college around a mirror still courtyard. Carved cedar, stucco and zellij cover every surface, and the upper cells reveal how students once lived. The late light is superb for photos.

6. Evening

   Le Foundouk

   Dine at Le Foundouk, a former caravanserai near the madrasa transformed into a stylish restaurant. Candlelit stairs lead to a rooftop, and the kitchen mixes Moroccan and international dishes. It is a gentle, atmospheric end to day one.

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Day 02

Day 2: Palaces and the Mellah

Southern palaces, tombs and the Jewish quarter, with a sunset rooftop.

1. Morning

   Bahia Palace

   Devote the morning to the Bahia Palace, a labyrinth of courtyards and salons commissioned by a powerful vizier. Painted ceilings, carved plaster and tiled floors showcase the finest craft of the era. The garden riads offer shade between the rooms.

2. Late Morning

   El Badi Palace

   Walk to the El Badi Palace, stripped of its gold long ago yet still monumental. Storks nest on the earthen ramparts above sunken orange gardens. Descend to the old dungeons and climb the walls for a panorama of the Kasbah.

3. Lunch

   Cafe Clock, Kasbah

   Lunch at Cafe Clock in the Kasbah, a cultural cafe with rooftop tables, live music nights and its signature camel burger. The relaxed vibe and cross cultural programme make it more than just a place to eat.

4. Afternoon

   Saadian Tombs

   Visit the Saadian Tombs behind the Kasbah Mosque, rediscovered in 1917 after being sealed by a later sultan. Marble columns, gilded muqarnas and coloured tiles adorn the royal chambers, while garden graves surround them. A small but dazzling site.

5. Late Afternoon

   Mellah and Lazama Synagogue

   Wander the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter, and step into the blue tiled Lazama Synagogue. The tight lanes, balconies and spice stalls tell of a mixed mercantile history. It is one of the medina's most atmospheric, lesser seen districts.

6. Evening

   Kosybar, Place des Ferblantiers

   Settle on the rooftop of Kosybar overlooking Place des Ferblantiers and the storks on the El Badi walls. Sip a drink as the light turns gold over the lantern makers square, then linger for a relaxed dinner.

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Day 03

Day 3: The New City

Gardens and museums of the new city, easing into an early night before the mountains.

1. Morning

   Jardin Majorelle

   Start at the Jardin Majorelle, where cobalt buildings glow among bamboo, palms and cacti. The painter Jacques Majorelle designed it, and Yves Saint Laurent rescued and expanded it. Arrive early, before the garden's narrow paths fill with visitors.

2. Late Morning

   Musee Yves Saint Laurent

   Continue to the adjacent Musee Yves Saint Laurent, a sleek brick and terracotta building holding the couturier's Moroccan inspired work. Beyond the permanent gallery, temporary shows, a library and a cafe reward a slower, air conditioned pause.

3. Lunch

   Grand Cafe de la Poste, Gueliz

   Take lunch at the Grand Cafe de la Poste, a 1920s brasserie of palms, fans and leather seats near the old station. It captures Gueliz at its most nostalgic and elegant, a change of pace from the medina.

4. Afternoon

   Menara Gardens

   Drive to the Menara Gardens, ancient olive groves ringing a large reflecting pool and a green roofed pavilion. On clear days the Atlas snows shimmer behind the water. It is a beloved local spot for a shaded stroll.

5. Late Afternoon

   Ensemble Artisanal

   Visit the Ensemble Artisanal, where craftsmen weave, tool leather and beat metal in open workshops at fixed prices. It is a calm place to watch techniques and shop without haggling, ideal before you head into the mountains tomorrow.

6. Evening

   Al Fassia, Gueliz

   Dine at Al Fassia in Gueliz, a woman run institution famed for pastilla and melting lamb. The refined Marrakchi cooking and warm service make it worth reserving, especially the night before an early mountain departure.

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Day 04

Day 4: Ourika Valley Day Trip

A day trip into the Ourika Valley, with waterfalls, a river lunch and an art garden.

1. Morning

   Ourika Valley

   Leave the city early and drive south into the Ourika Valley, where the road follows a rushing river into the High Atlas. Red villages cling to green terraces and roadside stalls sell pottery and fruit. The air cools as you climb steadily.

2. Late Morning

   Setti Fatma Waterfalls

   Reach Setti Fatma and hike the rocky path to its seven waterfalls, scrambling over boulders past cafes wedged into the gorge. A local guide helps with the trickier sections. The first cascade rewards even a short, steep climb.

3. Lunch

   Ourika River

   Lunch beside the Ourika River, where terraces set tables and tagines right over the water. Dip your feet in the cold current between courses. This riverside break is one of the simple pleasures of a valley day.

4. Afternoon

   Aghbalou Village

   Stop in a Berber village near Aghbalou to see terraced farming and, often, a women's argan cooperative. Watch nuts cracked and oil pressed by hand, and taste amlou, the almond and argan spread. It is a window into mountain life.

5. Late Afternoon

   Anima Garden

   On the return, visit Anima, the Andre Heller art garden on the Ourika road. Cacti, palms and playful sculptures sit beneath Atlas views, with a Paul Bowles inspired cafe. It is a surreal, colourful counterpoint to the wild valley.

6. Evening

   Nomad, Rahba Kedima

   Back in Marrakech, dine at Nomad on Rahba Kedima. The rooftop serves modern Moroccan cooking with lighter, contemporary touches. After a day in the mountains, the medina lights and rooftop breeze feel especially welcome tonight.

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Day 05

Day 5: High Atlas and Imlil

High Atlas villages around Imlil beneath Mount Toubkal, then a lavish riad dinner.

1. Morning

   Asni

   Drive toward the High Atlas through Asni, a market town in a valley of apple and cherry orchards. If it is Saturday, the weekly souk draws farmers from surrounding hamlets. The road then climbs steeply toward the trailhead at Imlil.

2. Late Morning

   Imlil

   Arrive in Imlil, the walnut shaded village that serves as the gateway to Mount Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak. Mules load up for treks and shops rent boots and poles. Walk the lanes and feel the thin, clean mountain air.

3. Lunch

   Aroumd Village

   Climb gently to Aroumd, also called Armed, the highest permanent village in the valley, for a Berber lunch of tagine and bread baked over wood. Terraced fields and snow dusted summits fill the view. Hospitality here is generous and unhurried.

4. Afternoon

   Toubkal National Park

   Spend the afternoon on a trail into Toubkal National Park, following the river toward the shrine country beneath the peaks. You need no summit ambitions to enjoy the walnut groves, streams and vast silence of the high slopes.

5. Late Afternoon

   Sidi Chamharouch

   If time and legs allow, push toward Sidi Chamharouch, a whitewashed pilgrimage hamlet by a sacred boulder on the Toubkal route. Turn back here as the light lengthens, saving the summit itself for another, longer trip.

6. Evening

   Dar Yacout

   Return to Marrakech for a farewell dinner at Dar Yacout, a lavish riad restaurant of candlelit terraces and traditional feasting. Multiple courses of Moroccan classics crown five full days of city, gardens and mountains.