Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman may have given the world Casablanca, but there is much more to Morocco than its largest city. This former French colony gives travelers the opportunity to experience life in an ancient Arab and Berber culture, sunbathe on the beaches or ski in the High Atlas.
Lose yourself in the local life of Marrakech winding medinas, be lulled by the kasbahs and follow in the footsteps of ancient traders in Fez, while Casablanca offers a more modern spirit mixed with its heritage. There are plenty of opportunities to leave the cities behind as the vast Saharan desert beckons, while the Atlantic beach destinations are the perfect place for kitesurfers.
Whether sampling the cuisine in a local souk or relaxing in the sun in a whitewashed beach town, the past is always present in this colorful country. Here's a look at the best places to visit in Morocco:
10. Sidi Ifni
Located along the southwest coast of Morocco, the small fishing town of Sidi Ifni is a charming place to visit. It is home to beautiful beaches, great surf spots and impressive rock formations. As it was only returned to Morocco in 1969 after decades of Spanish rule, the Berber town has a fascinating history and culture that visitors can immerse themselves in.
As everything is painted blue and white, the city stands out delightfully from its desolate surroundings, with a few Art Deco buildings dotted around town. While the atmosphere in Sidi Ifni is very relaxed, there are lively cafes and restaurants along the ocean, around the souk and the old Spanish town.
One of the main attractions is its excellent beach, which is beaten by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Here you can surf and kite surf or just sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery and spectacular coastal cliffs. In Sidi Ifni, many people also go to the nearby beach of Legzira to admire its spectacular 30-meter high rock arch.
9. Rabat
Although often overlooked in favor of Agadir, Casablanca and Marrakech, Rabat, the capital of Morocco, is worth a visit. One of the country's four imperial cities, it is located on the northwestern coast and borders the Atlantic Ocean.
With its quiet palm-lined boulevards and atmospheric old medina, Rabat is a great city to walk around, with interesting historical and cultural sites scattered throughout. While the imposing royal palace and the magnificent Art Deco cathedral have a lot to offer, the main attraction is the well-preserved Kasbah.
This houses not only a charming old mosque, but also an idyllic Andalusian garden and a magnificent museum on the history of this sprawling site. Among its sturdy stone walls, you will find many exquisite architectures, as well as a beautiful blue and white painted neighborhood. From the kasbah, you can also enjoy amazing views of Rabat, its large public beach and the ocean.
8. Meknes
Located near the city of Fez in northern Morocco, Meknes is known as the "city of a hundred minarets" for its abundance of monuments, mosques, palaces and pavilions. Founded by a Berber tribe in the 9th century, Meknes established itself as a fortified city in the 11th century. In the 1700s, the Moroccan Sultan Moulay Ismail made Meknes the imperial capital of the country and added to the city's construction. It is the former prestige and glory of the city that distinguishes it from other cities in Morocco. Few other places offer visitors such an intimate look at Morocco's golden past. It is also the closest city to the Roman ruins of Volubilis.
The Dar Jamai Palace, set in a well-kept garden, includes a museum with displays of imperial clothing and jewelry. The sumptuous palace of the sultan, Dar El Makhzen, and its mausoleum are also worth a visit. Among the many monumental gates of Meknes, the Bab Mansour is perhaps the most famous. This eleventh century gate cost the life of its architect, El Mansour. When the architect admitted that he thought he could have done better, the sultan had it executed on the spot. Featuring elegant cobalt blue tile mosaics and marble columns confiscated from Roman ruins, this remarkable gateway now bears the architect's name.
Despite the city's wealth of historical sites, Meknes has a relaxed atmosphere, mainly due to its large student population. The marketplaces are alive with jugglers, musicians, and fire-eaters, as well as friendly, laid-back merchants. Located in the fertile plains at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, the city is supported by a vibrant agricultural industry. Whether you're feasting on locally grown olives and citrus fruits, visiting an 11th century underground prison, or strolling through the site of an ancient palace, Meknes is filled with must-see experiences that will surprise and delight all visitors.
7. Chefchaouen
Nestled in the Rif Mountains in northwestern Morocco, Chefchaouen is one of the country's prettiest and most picturesque cities. This is due, in large part, to the fact that all the buildings in its old medina are painted a beautiful blue, and stand out delightfully from its dusty surroundings.
Nicknamed the "blue pearl", the narrow, winding streets of the colorful old city are a delight to lose yourself in the beautiful Moroccan and Andalusian architecture that surrounds it. They will lead you to countless cozy cafes, traditional restaurants and small hotels to its centuries-old kabash and lively souk, where you can buy local handicrafts and leather goods.
While the medina is undoubtedly the highlight of Chefchaouen, the surrounding mountains and hills are also wonderful to explore, with amazing landscapes, waterfalls and views. In the Talasemtane National Park, for example, you'll find many hiking trails that take you along towering cliffs and mountains, with fabulous views everywhere you look.
6. Asilah
Now a popular seaside resort, Asilah has a glorious history that dates back to the time when it was a trading center for the Phoenicians in 1500 BC. In the 19th and 20th centuries, pirates used it as a base of operations. The fortifications from these bygone eras remain and surround the restored medina. Asilah is located on the northern coast of Morocco, about 30 km (20 miles) from Tangier.
It is a popular place for Moroccans in the summer; travelers who want to avoid the crowds should visit in the spring or fall. The whitewashed buildings complete the picturesque scene. There is a good selection of budget hotels and restaurants, as well as a thriving art scene. About 2.5 km (1.5 miles) south of Asilah is Paradise Beach, a beautiful, wide stretch of sand popular with locals and tourists alike.
5. Essaouira
An 18th-century town on Morocco's Atlantic coastline, Essaouira is one of the country's most popular beach destinations. Whitewashed houses with cobalt-blue shutters provide a picturesque backdrop for seaside adventures such as kitesurfing and windsurfing. The town's medina features crafts made using centuries-old techniques, including cedar wood carving and cabinet making. The argan oil trade is also well established here, and the women's cooperatives responsible for processing the argan nuts are instantly recognizable by their long white dresses.
Essaouira, formerly known as Mogador, is a natural port. It has been prized as such since the 1st century, when the protected bay served as an anchorage for the Romans who came to collect the purpura shells they used to make purple dye. Roman artifacts from this period are on display in the city's Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah Museum. The fortress walls originally surrounded the city's borders, and many sections of these walls still stand today. Built by Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah, the fortifications combine European military architecture with African aesthetics.
Today, the port is one of Morocco's main fishing grounds, and the city's restaurants and waterfront stalls offer an array of fresh seafood, from lobster dishes to grilled sardines.
In recent years, Essaouira has begun to develop a reputation as a cultural center. Art galleries are popping up all over town, and each year the city hosts the Gnaoua World Music Festival, a four-day event that includes many genres of music as well as traditional African Gnaoua music. Whether it's taking a camel ride along the beach or visiting the nearby Falcon Island bird sanctuary, Essaouira offers a range of great travel experiences.
4. Fes
Founded in 789, Fez was the capital of Morocco for hundreds of years. Today, the country's third largest city is best known as the center of Moroccan craftsmanship. Fez is the ideal destination for visitors who want to experience the lively and intoxicating atmosphere of a Moroccan market.
The government is working hard to restore the historic old city, the Fes el Bali medina, to its original glory. With a population of about 150,000, the medina is the largest car-free urban area in the world by population. Traditional adobe houses and mosaic courtyards line a maze of narrow streets and alleys filled with souks and stores.
Much of the pleasure of visiting Fez is walking through the ancient medina to meet up close with the artisans who make and sell their products. Traffic is almost entirely pedestrian, although donkeys are sometimes used for transportation. It is in the medina that most of the famous cobalt blue Moroccan tiles are made. Located in an 18th century Moorish palace, the Dar Batha Museum houses a fine collection of ceramic tiles as well as other traditional Fez handicrafts, including wood carvings, copper objects and carved plaster.
Fez is also home to the Karaouiyine Mosque, which houses a medersa considered the oldest university in the world. With its splendid copper doors, minaret and stalactite-covered entrance chamber, the Bou Inania medersa is also worth a visit. Like many cities in modern Morocco, Fez also has a Ville Nouvelle, which offers modern and comfortable accommodations to visitors to the former imperial capital.
3. High Atlas
The High Atlas is a mountain range that stretches from the coast of Morocco to Algeria. The range includes the Toubkal National Park, which contains the highest peak in Morocco, Jbel Toubkal (4,160 meters/13,670 feet). The Berber village of Imlil is a good place to start the ascent of Toubkal. The highest mountain range in North Africa, the High Atlas offers year-round outdoor recreation opportunities, from snow sports in winter to hiking in summer.
One of the most popular places to visit in Morocco is the Todra Gorge, in the eastern part of the High Atlas, near the town of Tinerhir. Both the Todra and the neighboring Dades have carved steep cliffside canyons into the mountains.
The last 600 meters (2000 feet) of the Todra Gorge are the most spectacular. At the edge of the High Atlas Mountains lies Aït-Benhaddou, a traditional mud-brick town that has appeared in many films, including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator.
2. Merzouga
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Located in a remote area not far from the Algerian border, the small village of Merzouga is now a popular base for exploring the delights of the Sahara Desert. It is overlooked by the enormous dunes of Erg Chebbi, which in places reach heights of over 300 meters.
It is for these colossal sandy landscapes that most people come, with hiking, quad biking and camel safaris all popular ways to explore the dunes. Many visitors also camp in the desert overnight to watch the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that give the dunes a myriad of gorgeous colors.
Once a simple stopover and transit point for Arab and Berber merchants on their way to Timbuktu, Merzouga now has a growing number of hotels from which visitors can choose. These hotels are suitable for all budgets and all offer excursions to the sites and sands of the desert around you.
1. Marrakech
Once one of the country's imperial cities, Marrakech is sometimes called the red city because of its sandstone buildings. Marrakech was founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty that made the city an important center of commerce, religion, philosophy and culture. During the Almoravids' reign, red sandstone walls, lavish palaces and Koranic schools were built, much of which can still be seen today.
In the 1960s, Marrakech was known as the "hippie mecca", attracting celebrities such as the Beatles, Yves Saint Laurent and the Rolling Stones. With its beautiful old architecture and courtyards of orange, palm, apricot and olive trees, Marrakech remains one of Africa's most popular tourist destinations today.
At the heart of Marrakech is the medina, a labyrinth of old walls and narrow passageways where you'll find historic sites, museums, tempting food stalls and colorful souks (or markets). The focal point of the medina is Djemaa El-Fna, the main square, which teems with snake charmers, musicians, acrobats, storytellers, magicians and stalls selling carpets, leather, pottery, hookahs and spices. Other must-see sites in Marrakech include the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian tombs, the Bahia Palace and the Jardin Majorelle, a botanical garden that blends art deco and Moorish elements.
