In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Day 1, the north of the medina: the Ben Youssef Madrasa at 09:00 (50 MAD, door only), Le Jardin Secret (100 MAD), the souks with a badge-holding guide, and Jemaa el-Fnaa from 17:00. Day 2: the Jardin Majorelle at the 08:00 slot (book at tickets.jardinmajorelle.com, 330 MAD with both museums) and the YSL museum, which is closed on Wednesdays. Day 3, the Kasbah: the Saadian Tombs, El Badi Palace and the Bahia Palace, 100 MAD each with no combined ticket, from 09:00, then a hammam. Entry tickets for the plan come to about 780 MAD (about £60). Or book a tour: the Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, souk and medina tourad (from £13, 4 hours) can replace day 3’s walking, and the street food tourad (from £24, 3 hours) covers the evening.
Before you go: what to book
| Booking | Book | Price | Hours and closing days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jardin Majorelle, Berber museum and YSL museum | Online, at tickets.jardinmajorelle.com, a slot at 08:00 or later | 330 MAD (about £25) | Garden 08:00 to 17:30; the YSL museum 10:00 to 18:00, closed Wednesdays |
| Ben Youssef Madrasa | At the door | 50 MAD (about £4) | 09:00 to 19:00 |
| Le Jardin Secret | Online or at the door | 100 MAD (about £7.50) | 09:30 to 18:00 from October to February |
| Saadian Tombs | Ministry of Culture’s site or the gate | 100 MAD | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| El Badi Palace | Ministry of Culture’s site or the gate | 100 MAD | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| Bahia Palace | Ministry of Culture’s site or the gate | 100 MAD | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| A guide for the souks | A badge-holding licensed guide, or a tour | 300 to 600 MAD for a private guide, or from £13 on a tour | Morning |
| A hammam | A spa, or a tour | See Marrakech hammams | Afternoon |
The entry tickets come to 150 MAD on day 1, 330 MAD on day 2 and 300 MAD on day 3: 780 MAD in all (about £60).
Fitting the plan to your dates
- Monday: the Dar El Bacha museum, the Jamaâ el-Fna museum and MACAAL are closed. Everything on this plan is open.
- Tuesday: MACAAL is closed.
- Wednesday: the YSL museum is closed. Buy the garden ticket, or the garden and Berber museum ticket, for day 2.
- Friday: many souk shops shut at prayer time, so put the souks in the early morning.
- October: the Majorelle slots from about 09:00 to 12:00 sell out days ahead. Book before you fly.
- Ramadan, due to start in February 2027: Le Jardin Secret opens 09:30 to 16:30 and the Ben Youssef Madrasa 09:00 to 16:30, and the food stalls on Jemaa el-Fnaa open after sunset.
- Eid days: Le Jardin Secret can keep short hours.
Day 1: the north of the medina
The Al-Wusta Mosque minaret above the rooftops of the medina. Photo: Misa.stefanovic.07, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Ben Youssef Madrasa
50 MAD (about £4) · 09:00 to 19:00 · door sales only
Be at the door at 09:00: the madrasa sells no online tickets, so you queue to buy. The courtyard, the carved cedar and the tilework take about 45 minutes. See the Ben Youssef Madrasa guide.
Le Jardin Secret
100 MAD (about £7.50) · 09:30 to 18:00 · open every day
A restored 19th-century palace garden on Rue Mouassine, with an Islamic garden, a garden of plants from around the world and two cafés inside the ticket. Allow an hour or more. See Le Jardin Secret.
The souks
Free to walk · about 09:00 to 19:00 · many shops shut at Friday prayers
The souks lie between the madrasa and Jemaa el-Fnaa. Use a guide only with an official badge, and read how the souks work first. GetYourGuide’s Ben Youssef, Secret Garden and souks walking tourad (from £13, 4.6 stars from 4,675 reviews, 3 hours) joins all three stops, and its entry may be extra. See medina tours and licensed guides.
Jemaa el-Fnaa
Free · the food stalls from about 17:00 · busiest from about 19:00 to 22:00
Arrive for sunset. The square is being rebuilt, and its food stalls are due to be replaced with new stands. Agree every price first, and do not pay for photos with the monkeys or snakes. GetYourGuide’s street food tour with a local guidead is from £24 (4.8 stars from 4,155 reviews, 3 hours). See Jemaa el-Fnaa.
Day 2: the Jardin Majorelle and Guéliz
The Jardin Majorelle and the Berber museum
170 MAD for the garden, 230 MAD with the Berber museum · 08:00 slot · tickets at tickets.jardinmajorelle.com
Take the first slot, at 08:00. The Berber museum is inside the garden. Tickets are timed 30-minute slots sold only at the official site. See Jardin Majorelle tickets.
The Yves Saint Laurent museum
140 MAD, or 330 MAD in the combined ticket · 10:00 to 18:00 · closed Wednesdays
A short walk from the garden, opening at 10:00. On a Wednesday, skip it. See the YSL museum guide.
The afternoon
Maison de la Photographie 80 MAD, open daily 09:30 to 19:00 · MACAAL 120 MAD, Wednesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00
Choose one. The Maison de la Photographie in the medina shows photographs of Morocco from 1860 to 1960, and MACAAL is a contemporary art museum in Al Maaden that needs a taxi each way. See Marrakech museums.
Day 3: the Kasbah
The three monuments and the gate are on the medina walk, which also takes in the Koutoubia, Jemaa el-Fnaa and the Mellah.
Bab Agnaou, the carved gate of the Kasbah. Photo: John Doyle, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
The Saadian Tombs
100 MAD (about £7.50) · 09:00 to 17:00
Go first, at 09:00: the state says the tombs are under heavy visitor pressure. Allow about 30 minutes. See Saadian Tombs and El Badi Palace.
El Badi Palace
100 MAD (about £7.50) · 09:00 to 17:00
The ruins of Ahmad al-Mansur’s palace, with restoration still going on. Allow about an hour.
The Bahia Palace
100 MAD (about £7.50) · 09:00 to 17:00
Four courtyards, salons and gardens from the 19th century, with parts under restoration. Allow about an hour. See Bahia Palace tickets. For all three monuments with a guide, GetYourGuide’s Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, souk and medina tourad is from £13 (usually £26, 4.7 stars from 7,604 reviews, 4 hours), and the entry may be extra. Marrakech after the earthquake says what is still under restoration.
A hammam
A spa hammam or a neighbourhood hammam · afternoon
Book a spa hammam, or turn up at a neighbourhood one. See Marrakech hammams.
With more time, or less
- A fourth day: the Ourika Valley, Essaouira and Ouzoud Falls are full days, and the Agafay Desert fits an evening. Day trips from Marrakech compares them.
- Two days: take day 2 and day 3, and add Jemaa el-Fnaa at 17:00 on day 3.
- A cooking class: Marrakech cooking classes compares them.
- In the evening: Marrakech food tours and where to eat in Marrakech.
For the airport, see Marrakech airport to the medina; for taxis, scams and dress, Is Marrakech safe?; for where to sleep, where to stay in Marrakech and hotels near Jemaa el-Fnaa; and for every booking and how far ahead, what to book before you go to Marrakech. For the weather and the holidays, see the best time to visit Marrakech.
Common questions
Is 3 days enough for Marrakech?
Enough for the core: the north of the medina and Jemaa el-Fnaa, the Jardin Majorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent museum, and the Kasbah monuments. A fourth day buys a day trip to the Ourika Valley, Essaouira or Ouzoud Falls.
What should I book for 3 days in Marrakech?
The Jardin Majorelle slot, which is sold only at tickets.jardinmajorelle.com and sells out days ahead in October. Everything else can be bought on the day: the Bahia Palace, El Badi and the Saadian Tombs at the ministry's site or the gate, and the Ben Youssef Madrasa at its door.
How much do the entry tickets cost for 3 days in Marrakech?
About 780 MAD (about £60) for this plan: 150 MAD on day 1 for the Ben Youssef Madrasa and Le Jardin Secret, 330 MAD on day 2 for the garden and both museums, and 300 MAD on day 3 for the Saadian Tombs, El Badi and the Bahia.
Which sights are closed on a Monday in Marrakech?
The Dar El Bacha museum, the Jamaâ el-Fna museum and MACAAL. Everything on this plan is open on Mondays.
Which sights are closed on a Wednesday in Marrakech?
The Yves Saint Laurent museum. On a Wednesday, buy the garden ticket or the garden and Berber museum ticket for day 2 instead of the 330 MAD combined one.
What time should I go to the Jemaa el-Fnaa?
From about 17:00, when the food stalls are set up. The square is busiest from about 19:00 to 22:00.
