Marrakech·2 days: day one on foot, day two one taxi hop
A two-day walking route: medina and palaces, then Jardin Majorelle.
The route
8 stops
1
Jemaa el-Fnaa, Marrakech — start day one early on the main square, before the crowds and while the orange-juice carts are setting up (morning).
2
Café des Épices — mid-morning mint tea on the rooftop terrace overlooking Rahba Kedima, the old spice square inside the souks.
3
Ben Youssef Madrasa — late morning; the restored Quranic college north of the souks, with its zellij courtyard and carved cedar.
4
Almoravid Koubba — two minutes from the madrasa; the small 12th-century dome, the only surviving Almoravid building in the city (before lunch).
5
Bahia Palace — after lunch; the 19th-century vizier's palace, with painted cedar ceilings, marble courtyards and a garden.
6
El Badi Palace — late afternoon, about 10 minutes' walk from Bahia; Saadian ruins, storks nesting on the ramparts and a walkable wall.
7
Kabana Rooftop — sunset facing the Koutoubia minaret; open daily 11:00–02:00, so reserve a terrace table for the early evening.
8
Jardin Majorelle — day two, first entry slot in the morning: the blue villa garden, the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts and the Musée Yves Saint Laurent next door.
Marrakech in 2 days covers the medina on day one and Gueliz on day two. Day one runs on foot from Jemaa el-Fnaa through the souks to Ben Youssef Madrasa, then south to Bahia Palace and El Badi Palace. Day two crosses to the new town for Jardin Majorelle and the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, whose tickets are sold online only. Almost every stop on day one is within a 25-minute walk of Jemaa el-Fnaa.
Overview
Day one stays inside the medina walls and is walked end to end, from Jemaa el-Fnaa to the souks, the madrasa and the two palaces.
Day two moves to Gueliz for Jardin Majorelle and the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, then returns to the medina for a hammam and dinner.
Nothing here needs a car: one short taxi ride between the medina and Gueliz is the only transport on the whole route.
Best time
March to May and October to November give the mildest walking weather; July and August afternoons regularly pass 35 °C.
Start both days by 09:00 — Bahia Palace, El Badi Palace and Ben Youssef Madrasa all open at 09:00.
Come back to Jemaa el-Fnaa after dark on either evening, when the food stalls and musicians take over the square.
During Ramadan monument hours are shortened and many medina cafés only serve after sunset.
Practical tips
Day one is entirely walkable; day two needs one short taxi ride from the medina to Jardin Majorelle in Gueliz.
Pre-book Jardin Majorelle on tickets.jardinmajorelle.com — it is the only official seller and there is no ticket office on site.
Plan around Wednesday: the Musée Yves Saint Laurent and the Villa Oasis private garden close that day, while the garden itself stays open.
Wear flat closed shoes for the uneven souk alleys, and cover shoulders and knees around religious sites.
How to combine
Add Hammam de la Rose near Dar el Bacha on the second afternoon, between Jardin Majorelle and dinner; reserve a slot ahead.
For dinner, Al Fassia in Gueliz suits the second day, while Dar Yacout is a short walk from the northern medina.
With a third day, head out of the walls to Anima Garden or the Agdal Gardens instead of adding more medina sights.
FAQs
Two days cover the main medina sights — Jemaa el-Fnaa, the souks, Ben Youssef Madrasa, Bahia Palace and El Badi Palace — plus Jardin Majorelle in Gueliz. A third day is needed for day trips such as the Atlas Mountains or the Agafay desert.
Yes. Jardin Majorelle sells tickets online only, through tickets.jardinmajorelle.com, with timed entry slots. There is no ticket office at the gate, and the same ticket site covers the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts and the Musée Yves Saint Laurent.
The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech and the private garden of Villa Oasis are closed on Wednesdays. Jardin Majorelle, the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts, Bahia Palace, El Badi Palace and Ben Youssef Madrasa open every day, with shortened hours during Ramadan.