Where to stay, when to go, and the things worth doing that are not in the guidebooks.
Marrakech rewards people who slow down. Attempt it as a checklist and it will feel like a crowded market with good weather. Give it three unhurried days and it becomes one of the most rewarding cities in the region.
When to go
March to May and September to November are the best months. July and August are very hot, though a riad with a good courtyard and an early start makes them workable. December and January are pleasant by day and genuinely cold at night.
Where to base yourself
The medina puts you inside the city, in a riad, within walking distance of the important things — at the cost of car access. The Palmeraie and the road to Ourika give you space, gardens and pools, at the cost of a drive each time you want dinner. Families with young children are often happier outside; first-time visitors usually regret not being inside.
The mornings are the reward
The souks before ten, the Jardin Majorelle at opening, the Saadian Tombs early — the same places are transformed by being there before the tour groups. Build the day around early starts and long afternoons, which is how the city is lived in anyway.
Beyond the medina
An hour or two out: the Agafay for dinner under the sky, the Ourika valley for water and shade, the Atlas villages for a day of walking, Essaouira on the coast for wind and fish. Any of them will do more for a trip than a fourth day of shopping.
A practical note
Much of the medina is only reachable on foot, cash is still useful in the souks, and agreeing a price before anything happens — a taxi, a guide, a carpet — is normal and expected rather than rude.
