How do I make the most of a short Morocco trip?

The single biggest mistake on a short Morocco trip is trying to see everything. Travellers land with four days and a wishlist of Marrakech, Fes, Chefchaouen and the Sahara — cities that are six to ten hours apart — and end up spending the whole trip in a car, exhausted, seeing nothing properly. My rule for short trips is ruthless: pick one base, add one big experience, and go deep. You’ll come home rested and enchanted instead of frazzled and blurry.

For four or five days, the formula I trust is Marrakech plus a single overnight excursion. Spend two full days in Marrakech — the souks, a palace, a hammam, the Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk — then take one big two-day trip out: either an overnight in the Agafay or Sahara desert, or a couple of days trekking and staying in the High Atlas. That gives you the city and the wild Morocco that contrasts with it, which is the whole magic of the country, without ever feeling rushed. If you have a sixth day, add Essaouira on the coast or a deeper desert run.

Logistics make or break a short trip. Hire a private driver rather than relying on slow trains and buses — it costs less than people fear and turns transfer time into sightseeing time, with stops at viewpoints and villages you’d otherwise miss. Stay in the medina so you’re walking distance from everything. And front-load: do the most important thing early, in case weather or fatigue eats a day later. Build in one open afternoon, too — short trips feel longer when they’re not scheduled to the minute.

Above all, give yourself permission to leave things unseen. You will not “do” Morocco in five days, and trying to is the surest way to enjoy it least. Choose a couple of experiences, sink into them fully, eat slowly, sit on rooftops, talk to people — and let the rest be the reason you come back. The travellers who do less, savour more, and return home glowing are the ones who got a short trip right.