Marrakech in colour: gardens, courtyards and calm behind the doors

Jardin Majorelle is a useful symbol for the city: Visit Marrakech describes it as a haven of greenery and colour in the heart of Marrakech, created around Jacques Majorelle's Art Deco workshop.

A short stay can feel like sensory overload. A week lets you build in slow starts, garden visits, hammam time, rooftop dinners and one or two days where the hotel courtyard is the main event.

Put the Medina early in the day and save the hotter, brighter hours for courtyards, gardens and interiors. Jardin Majorelle's official site also warns travellers to use its official ticket website, which is worth noting before you go.

Leave room for repetition: the same mint tea spot, the same route back, the second visit to a market street when you are no longer trying to understand everything at once.

A riad can make Marrakech feel intimate, but not every traveller wants to be deep in the Medina every night. Larger hotels outside the old city can trade atmosphere for pools, space and simpler arrivals.

For a full week, look at the balance: how calm the room is, where breakfast happens, and whether the hotel gives you somewhere beautiful to pause.