Itinerary for a Classic Weekend in Marrakech

You’ve got 72 hours in Marrakech. What to do? Here’s our rundown of the classic ways to experience the best of the city in one weekend.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Jump in a cab to Gueliz and have an aperitif on the terrace at Cafe de la Poste. The palm-fringed terrace is always buzzing and a great place for a glass of wine or margarita. If you’re here in winter, head upstairs to the top floor bar with its roaring log fire. 

Or, if you’re after more cutting edge cocktails, head to Barometre. The Hadni brothers have been serving up expertly crafted cocktails in this buzzing basement bar since 2016. Alongside the classics, there’s a menu of cocktails-meets-works-of-art served in evermore ingenious ways. 

Dinner at +61 is always a hit. It’s only been open for a few years but is already a firm fixture on the city’s dining scene. In a beautifully serene dining room, you’ll eat delicious modern Australian food with a Moroccan twist amidst the local creative set. Make sure you leave enough space for the ricotta panna cotta with espresso caramel. Delicious.  

SATURDAY

It’s time to discover the souk. We always advise first-time visitors to get a guided tour because it’s a shortcut to discovering all about the medina’s fascinating history – as well as getting you to the parts that you really want to see. There are areas in the souk for everything from carpets to pottery, wickerwork to leather so all you need to do is take your pick. 

For lunch, the terrace at Nomad is always fun, Cafe des Epices is great for a salad or sandwich and La Famille does moreish vegetarian food. Or we love Yazel for a North African meets Middle Eastern lunch. It’s just a few doors down from Le Jardin Secret – a hidden oasis in the middle of the buzzing souk. 

After all that walking, it’s time for some relaxation courtesy of a traditional Moroccan hammam at the El Fenn spa. The combination of cleansing, exfoliation and massage will leave you feeling a million dollars. 

By early evening, you’ll be ready to head up to our cocktail bar for sunset with a view before an evening of drinks, dinner and dancing at Le Comptoir. The jewel toned dining room provides an atmospheric backdrop to the musicians, belly and candle dancers who perform while you eat. A DJ plays late. Or have dinner with us before going to L’Epicurien for drinks and dancing to the live house band. The party always goes late. 

SUNDAY

Make like the Marrakech design crowd and head to the Bab Khemis flea market. It’s always bustling and there’s everything from literal junk to tiny shops packed with prestige vintage furniture, lighting and accessories. 

It’s just around the corner from Majorelle so get a cab there for lunch on the terrace at the Yves Saint Laurent museum. The nearby shops are definitely worth a browse and then go to see the Majorelle Garden – the cactus-filled oasis that Yves Saint Laurent brought back to life in the 1980s. You’ll then be back at El Fenn just in time for sunset cocktails on the rooftop and dinner in our candlelit terrace restaurant. Once a month, we also host Sunday Sessions – seeing out the week with DJs, dancing and friends.