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The Koutoubia Mosque minaret rising above Marrakech with the Atlas Mountains behind

Morocco

Flights to Marrakech

A walled medina of souks, palaces and riads, with the Atlas Mountains within reach for a day.

Marrakech at a glance

The essentials for planning the trip, with recent fares and the local time.

Main airport
Marrakesh Menara (RAK)
Best time to visit
March to May and October to November
Approx. flying time
About 8h from New York · About 3h 30m from London

Don’t miss

  • Jemaa el-Fna at sunset
  • The Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs
  • Jardin Majorelle

Flight tip: Agree the fare before you get into a taxi, or ask your riad to arrange an airport pickup.

Flight times to Marrakech

Approximate nonstop flying time, distance and time difference from each city we cover. Each city links to its route guide or a live search.

Flying times are estimates for a nonstop flight between the main airports; distances are straight-line between them.

Getting from the airport to Marrakech

Each airport, how far it is from the centre, and the quickest and cheapest ways into town.

  • Bus 19 (ALSA)to Jemaa el-Fna and the medina edge
  • Airport taxito the medina and the new town

A 3-day plan for Marrakech

A first visit, day by day, with the main sights in an order that saves time on the move.

  1. A palace building under a blue sky in the Marrakech medina
    Day 1

    Mosque, palaces and tombs

    • Koutoubia Mosque
    • Bahia Palace
    • Saadian Tombs
    • Mint tea on a terrace
    Morning
    Start at the Koutoubia Mosque, then walk to the Bahia Palace before the tour groups arrive.
    Afternoon
    Visit the Saadian Tombs and the El Badi Palace ruins, then take mint tea on a rooftop terrace.
    Evening
    Head to Jemaa el-Fna as the food stalls open.
  2. People walking through the Jemaa el-Fna market square in Marrakech
    Day 2

    Souks and Jemaa el-Fna

    • The souks
    • Ben Youssef Madrasa
    • Jemaa el-Fna at sunset
    • Food stalls
    Morning
    Wander the souks while they open, with leather, spices and lanterns, then see the Ben Youssef Madrasa.
    Afternoon
    Rest at your riad or in a hammam in the hottest hours.
    Evening
    Watch Jemaa el-Fna fill up with storytellers, musicians and food stalls at sunset.
  3. Blue and pink buildings reflected in the lily pond at Jardin Majorelle
    Day 3

    Gardens and the new town

    • Jardin Majorelle
    • Yves Saint Laurent Museum
    • Gueliz
    • Hammam
    Morning
    Go to Jardin Majorelle when it opens, then the Yves Saint Laurent Museum next door.
    Afternoon
    Have lunch in Gueliz and browse its galleries and shops.
    Evening
    Eat on a medina rooftop and watch the sun set behind the Atlas Mountains.

Where to stay in Marrakech

The neighbourhoods that suit a first visit, and who each one is best for.

  • Rooftops and market umbrellas across the Marrakech medina

    The Medina

    Best for first visits

    The walled old city, with Jemaa el-Fna, the souks and the palaces on foot.

  • Blue and pink buildings reflected in the lily pond at Jardin Majorelle

    Gueliz

    Best for restaurants and cafés

    The French-built new town, with wide streets, cafés, galleries and Jardin Majorelle nearby.

  • Palm trees by a riad swimming pool in Marrakech

    Hivernage and the Palmeraie

    Best for pools and resorts

When to go to Marrakech

The months with the best weather, and the cheapest month to fly in recent fares. A guide to the seasons, not a forecast.

March to May and October to November

  1. JanJanuary: Good
  2. FebFebruary: Good
  3. MarMarch: Best
  4. AprApril: Best
  5. MayMay: Best
  6. JunJune: Mixed
  7. JulJuly: Mixed
  8. AugAugust: Mixed
  9. SepSeptember: Good
  10. OctOctober: Best
  11. NovNovember: BestCheapest
  12. DecDecember: Good
  • Best weather
  • Good
  • Hot, cold, wet or stormy
  • Cheapest month to fly from New York, in recent fares

Cheapest month to fly to Marrakech

  1. Nov 2026$300Cheapest month
  2. Dec 2026$351

Lowest round-trip fare per person found recently for departures in each month, from New York. Months with no recent fare aren’t shown.

Know before you go to Marrakech

Money, tickets, safety and manners: the small things that make the first day easier.

  • Carry small notes

    Cards work in hotels and bigger restaurants. Taxis, souk stalls and cafés want cash in dirhams, and change is scarce.

  • Agree the taxi fare first

    Airport and street taxis often have no meter, so settle the price before you get in. Petits taxis are the small ones for trips inside the city.

  • Ignore unsolicited guides

    Say a firm no to people who offer to lead you through the medina or say a road is closed. Use a map app, or hire a guide through your riad.

  • Haggle in the souks

    Prices on unmarked goods are open to bargaining. Start well below the ask and walk away politely if you don’t agree.

  • Dress modestly

    Cover shoulders and knees in the medina and away from the pool. Non-Muslims can’t enter most mosques, so view them from outside.

  • Drink bottled water

    Locals may drink tap water, but visitors are advised to stick to bottled water and avoid ice from unknown places.

What to eat in Marrakech

Local dishes and drinks worth trying, and where people go for them.

  • Tagine

    Meat or vegetables slow-cooked in a conical clay pot, served at riad restaurants and café terraces across the medina.

  • Couscous

    Steamed semolina with vegetables and meat, traditionally served on Fridays in family-run restaurants.

  • Pastilla

    A flaky pie of pigeon or chicken with almonds, cinnamon and sugar, a dish of special occasions that restaurants serve every day.

  • Mint tea

    Sweet green tea poured from a height into small glasses, offered as a welcome in riads, shops and cafés.

  • Harira

    A tomato, lentil and chickpea soup, eaten with dates, sold from stalls and cafés, especially at sunset in Ramadan.

Day trips from Marrakech

Three well-known days out, with the usual journey time each way.

  • Green trees and brown mountains in the High Atlas near Marrakech

    Ourika Valley

    About 1 hour by car from Marrakech

    A river valley in the High Atlas, with village markets, walking paths and cafés beside waterfalls. It’s the closest escape to the mountains.

  • The old walls of Essaouira above the foggy seafront

    Essaouira

    About 2 hours 30 minutes by car or coach from Marrakech

    A walled Atlantic port with a whitewashed medina, ramparts, fish grills at the harbour and a long, windy beach.

  • Macaques in front of the Ouzoud waterfalls

    Ouzoud Falls

    About 2 hours 30 minutes by car from Marrakech

    Waterfalls dropping through olive groves, with walking trails and boats below. Macaques live around the viewpoints.

Marrakech: questions travellers ask

Short answers first, with the official page where it matters.

  • March to May and October to November. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, with warm days and cool evenings. June to August is very hot, and winter days are mild but nights are cold. Hotels are often cheaper in summer, and the High Atlas can have snow in winter.

  • Marrakech Menara (RAK) is the only airport, about 6 km from the medina, with direct flights from several UK airports and connections from the US via Europe or Casablanca. Check which airline you are flying, as some budget carriers use different terminals.

  • From London, it’s about 3h 30m nonstop; from New York, about 8h nonstop. These are rough guides worked out from distance; scheduled times vary by airline, direction and connection.

  • It depends on your passport, so check the official page before you book: GOV.UK: Morocco entry requirements. Rules change, so check them again shortly before you travel. Travelling on a US passport? The State Department’s country pages at travel.state.gov list the entry requirements for US citizens. GOV.UK: Morocco entry requirements (opens in a new tab)

  • Walk inside the medina and use petits taxis to reach the new town and the gardens; agree the fare first or ask for the meter. Bus 19 runs from the airport to the medina edge. Many riads will arrange airport pickups.

  • Three days covers the main sights. Add a day for Ourika Valley, Essaouira or Ouzoud Falls.

  • March to May and October to November, when days are warm rather than hot. June to August is very hot, and winter nights are cold.

  • British citizens can visit Morocco as tourists without a visa. Check GOV.UK’s Morocco entry requirements for the length of stay and passport validity before you fly.

  • Take bus 19 to the medina edge or a taxi from the rank. Taxis have no meter, so agree the fare first, or ask your riad to arrange a pickup.

  • Most visits are trouble-free. Expect persistent touts, and watch for pickpockets in the souks and on Jemaa el-Fna; read GOV.UK’s Morocco travel advice before you go.

  • Yes. Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants, but taxis, souks and cafés run on dirhams. Carry small notes.

Before you go

Our guides to the rules and choices that matter for a trip to Marrakech.

Plan the rest of your trip to Marrakech

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