In this post, I will share with you the details of Day 4 of our 5-day trip to Morocco. We’ve been having a nice time spending Day 1 and Day 2 in Marrakesh and Day 3 on a trip to Casablanca. We still have another two days to explore Marrakesh, and on Day 4 will do just that.
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We woke up to a rainy day. It rained during the night, and in the morning, it was still raining a bit. The day started with breakfast at Riad Zayane, another filling and delicious breakfast. After that, we left for the day.
All the roads were very muddy because of the rain, but by the time we left the Riad, the rain had stopped.
We were travelling independently, but if you prefer to have everything organised by a tour operator, before booking anything check the tours offered by Tourradar. They have a variety of tours to Morocco that suits the time and budget of everyone.
If you book any of Tourradar tours via my links and use code RoseG50 you will get a discount on your booking.
Below is a map showing the places we visited on that day in Marrakesh:
VISITING MARRAKESH – DAY 4
Our first visit of the day was to Ben Youssef Madrasa, a historic Islamic college.
1 – Ben Youssef Madrasa, Marrakesh
Ben Youssef Madrasa is a historic Islamic college located in Marrakesh, Morocco. Originally founded in the 14th century during the Marinid dynasty, it was significantly expanded in the 16th century by the Saadian sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib. It became one of the largest centres of learning in North Africa, with a capacity for over 900 students.
The madrasa is renowned for its architecture. It features a large central courtyard with a shallow reflecting pool, surrounded by richly decorated walls with carved cedar wood, intricate stucco, and colourful zellij tilework. The student dormitories are arranged around narrow corridors on upper levels, offering a stark contrast to the elaborate public spaces.
It functioned primarily as a theological college, where students studied the Quran, Islamic law, grammar, and other religious sciences.
The madrasa ceased operations in 1960 and has since been restored and opened to the public as a historical site and museum.
Its design reflects the classical Moroccan-Andalusian architectural style and remains a major attraction in Marrakesh.
We admired the beautiful works of art in the construction of the building; it was just amazing.
You can book a ticket with a digital audio guide to the Madrasa HERE.
Continuing our exploration, the next visit was to the Maison de la Photographie.
2 – Maison de la Photographie, Marrakesh
The Maison de la Photographie in Marrakesh is a photography museum located in the medina, housed in a restored 19th-century riad. It was founded in 2009 by Hamid Mergani and Patrick Manac.
The museum holds a large archive of photographs, postcards, glass plates, and documentaries from 1870 to the 1960s, showcasing Morocco’s visual history, its landscapes, cities, people, and customs. The collection highlights the work of early photographers such as George Washington Wilson, Marcelin Flandrin, and Jacques Belin.
The building itself has traditional Moroccan architecture, with an interior courtyard and rooftop terrace. The terrace offers panoramic views of the city and the Atlas Mountains.
The museum’s purpose is the preservation and exhibition of historical photography. It also hosts temporary exhibitions and educational activities related to photographic heritage.
There are very interesting photos in the museum, most in black and white, but they captivate the soul of Morocco in a very special way. After the visit, we went to the top and sat at the café, enjoying a pot of mint tea.
There is a very nice Tuk-Tuk Tour that goes to the Photography Museum and the Secret Garden (I will tell you about this on next post). You can book it HERE.
We decided to explore the souks a little bit and do some shopping. Many of the articles on sale are being sold in many shops, so you need to be a bit careful regarding the price, which can vary from one shop to the other. They have lovely things, shame we couldn’t carry much as we only had hand luggage, but if not, I would have bought more things.
If you prefer to explore the souks accompanied by a guide you can book a group or private guided tour HERE.
It was a bit too early for lunch and we were not too hungry yet. So, we continued and went to visit the Museum of Music Mouassine. The tickets to the Museum of Photography included the Museum of Music as well.
3 – Museum of Music Mouassine, Marrakesh
The Museum of Music in Marrakesh, also known as the Musée de la Musique, is located in the medina, near the Ben Youssef Madrasa. It is housed in a restored Riad, combining traditional Moroccan architecture with exhibition spaces.
The museum is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of Morocco’s musical heritage. It features a collection of traditional instruments such as ouds, rebabs, bendirs, and qanuns, along with audio recordings, photographs, and documents related to various musical traditions across Morocco, including Andalusian, Berber, Gnawa, and Saharan music.
Exhibits are organised by region and musical style, often accompanied by video and sound installations to provide context. The museum also hosts live performances, workshops, and cultural events aimed at promoting Moroccan musical traditions.
It opened in 2020 and operates as both a museum and a cultural centre.
Another interesting visit that we truly enjoyed and recommend. By the time we finished the visit, we were hungry and decided to go for something to eat. We walked to the Jamaa el Fnaa Square.
At the square, we looked for a restaurant that appealed to us and picked one facing the square called “Zeitoun Café”. We sat at the terrace watching all the activity going on in the square. The food was OK, but nothing too special.
After lunch, we walked in the direction of the Saadian Tombs, passing by the “Koutoubia Mosque”. The Koutoubia Mosque cannot be visited on the inside; only the exterior and gardens are accessible. We opted not to see the gardens and looked at the mosque from the outside.
4 – The Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh
The Saadian Tombs in Marrakesh is a historic royal necropolis located near the Kasbah Mosque. They date to the late 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur of the Saadian dynasty.
The tombs contain the remains of members of the Saadian royal family, including Ahmad al-Mansur himself. The site is divided into two main mausoleums and a garden area with more than 100 graves.
The most notable structure is the Hall of the Twelve Columns, which contains the sultan’s tomb and is decorated with Carrara marble, carved cedar wood, and intricate stucco.
The tombs were sealed off in the 18th century and remained hidden until their rediscovery in 1917 through aerial photography. Since then, they have been restored and opened to the public.
The site reflects the architectural and decorative styles of the Saadian period, blending Moroccan and Andalusian elements.
Another attraction of Marrakesh worth visiting. The tombs are very well decorated and preserved, a work of art in marble, wood and stucco. We enjoyed our visit to the tombs.
There is a private or group tour of the Bahia Palace (we visited on day 2), Saadian Tombs, Souks and Medina tour. To book this one, click HERE.
It was still early, and we had time to fit in another attraction, so we decided to visit the Marrakesh Museum.
5 – Marrakesh Museum, Marrakesh
The Marrakesh Museum is located in the centre of the old city, near the Ben Youssef Madrasa. It is housed in the Dar Menebhi Palace, a late 19th-century building originally constructed for Mehdi Menebhi, a high-ranking official.
The architecture of the palace reflects traditional Moroccan design, featuring a large central courtyard with a chandelier, zellij tilework, carved stucco, and painted cedar ceilings. The building was restored in the 1990s and converted into a museum.
The museum’s collection includes items from various periods of Moroccan history, such as ceramics, coins, textiles, jewellery, and manuscripts. It also features contemporary art exhibitions, combining historical artefacts with modern cultural displays.
In addition to its exhibitions, the museum occasionally hosts concerts, lectures, and temporary art shows. It serves as both a cultural institution and an architectural example of Moroccan urban palatial design.
We had enough time to see the whole museum, which is not very big, but with very interesting objects and architecture. It incorporates the same pattern of Moroccan and Andalusian elements in all buildings in Marrakesh.
After the visit, we walked back to our Riad for some rest and a shower. That evening we had a reservation at a restaurant called “Nomad”.
We booked a taxi to take us to the restaurant to avoid walking on the muddy streets again. However, as cars do not enter the Medina, we were left in a place very far from the restaurant, and to get there, we had to walk through the mud anyway.
Afterwards, we found out the restaurant was quite close to the Jamaa El Fnaa Square, and if the taxi had left us there, it would have been much easier. Because of the distance we had to walk, we were late for our reservation and lost our table. They asked us to wait at the bar, and soon a table became available for us.
That was a very busy restaurant, and we were lucky to be accommodated after being about half an hour late. This restaurant also does not serve any alcohol, and the food was OK, but nothing special.
After dinner, we walked to the square and caught a taxi there to take us back to the Riad. We had a nice day, and it didn’t rain, but the mud left on the roads after the rain lasted until the next day.
Below is a reel from The Travelling Surveyor Instagram account. Check it out and follow me on Instagram as well.
We went to bed hoping it wouldn’t rain again and to have a dry day the following day. I will tell you about our last day in Morocco in the next post.
I hope this post will give you some idea of what can be done in a day in Marrakesh and will help you plan your own visit there.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT TO MARRAKESH
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat in Marrakesh. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
£ – Cheap
PLEASE NOTE: Every hotel, restaurants and attractions I mention on my blogs are not sponsored reviews and we always paid the full price when visiting. We give our own opinion of the place and detail our experience, good or bad.
THINGS TO DO IN MARRAKESH – DAY 4
ATTRACTIONS
1 – Ben Youssef Madrasa – ***
2 – Maison de la Photographie – ***
3 – Museum of Music – ***
4 – Shopping at the Souks – ***
5 – The Saadian Tombs – ***
6 – Marrakesh Museum – ***
WHERE TO STAY
ACCOMMODATION
1 – Riad Zayane – 4* – *** – ££
2 – Riad N’S & Spa – 5* – £££
3 – Riad Louhou – 5* – £££
4 – Maison Dar Saada – 4* – ££
5 – Riad Al Rimal & Spa – 3* ££
6 – Riad Nuits D’orient Boutique Hotel & Spa – 3* – ££
If you prefer to look for your own accommodation, search and book via the below widget:
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BEST PLACES TO EAT
RESTAURANTS
1 – Zeitoum Café – ** – ££
2 – Nomad – ** – ££
3 – Leopard Marrakesh – £££
4 – Casa Jose – Spanish – ££
5 – La Fontaine des épices – ££
6 – La Pergola – £££
We only tried the ones in bold , the others are the result of my researches and ones that I would like to try. If you tried any of my recommendations above, please send me a message and tell me about your experience good or bad, so I can update the list accordingly. Thanks!
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