How do I do Marrakech on a budget?

The good news is that Marrakech can be a genuinely cheap destination once you step away from the polished tourist layer. The single biggest lever is food: the city is full of superb, dirt-cheap eating if you go where locals go. A bowl of harira soup, a fresh khobz sandwich, a plate of grilled meat from a hole-in-the-wall, a glass of orange juice on the Jemaa el-Fna, or a sit-down tagine in a workers’ canteen will all cost a fraction of the riad rooftops aimed at visitors, and the food is often better. Snail soup and the food stalls on the square at night are an experience as much as a meal.

On accommodation, you do not need a luxury riad to sleep somewhere lovely. The medina is packed with simple family-run riads and guesthouses with pretty tiled courtyards at backpacker prices, and a dorm or a basic private room in one of these still gives you the authentic riad experience — the rooftop breakfast, the courtyard calm — for very little. Booking a few days ahead and travelling in the shoulder or low season (avoid Christmas/New Year and Easter) keeps rates low. Staying inside the medina also means you can walk almost everywhere and skip taxis entirely.

Sightseeing is where Marrakech is kind to a tight budget, because the best of it is free or nearly so. The Jemaa el-Fna, the endless souks, the Mellah, the tanneries district and simply getting lost in the medina lanes cost nothing and are the heart of the city. The paid sights — the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Majorelle Garden — have modest entry fees, so you can pick a couple that matter to you rather than paying for everything. I would skip expensive full-day guided tours and instead spend a single small fee on a half-day medina guide to orient yourself, then explore solo.

A few honest money habits seal it. Haggling is expected in the souks — start well below the asking price, be willing to walk away, and never feel rude doing it. Agree taxi fares before you get in, or insist on the meter, because the "tourist price" can be several times the real one. Carry cash in small notes, drink the safe bottled or filtered water rather than buying pricey drinks out, and resist the constant low-level pressure to tip for unrequested "help." Done this way, Marrakech is one of the better-value city breaks in reach of Europe.