Things not to miss in Morocco

Rough Guides Editors

1/11/2021

#01 Chefchaouen

© Olena Tur/Shutterstock

#02 Fez

The most complete medieval city in the Arab world, Fez’s labyrinthine streets conceal ancient souks and iconic monuments, none more so than the exquisitely decorated Medersa Bou Inania

#03 Camel trekking

Venture into the Sahara on an overnight camel trek from Zagora, M’Hamid or Merzouga.

© Vixit/Shutterstock

#04 Atlas passes

The nerve-shredding Tizi n’Test and the higher Tizi n’Tichka wend up over the Atlas mountains, providing breathtaking views along the way.

© Guy RD/Shutterstock

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#05 Cascades d’Ouzoud

The most dramatic of the country’s waterfalls, with overhanging cafés, and inviting pools to plunge into.

© Alberto Loyo/Shutterstock

#06 Koutoubia Mosque

The symbol of Marrakesh, the Koutoubia’s twelfth-century minaret is visible for miles around the city.

© Balate Dorin/Shutterstock

#07 Tin Mal Mosque

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This great Almohad building stands isolated in an Atlas river valley.

© Marcel Baumgartner/Shutterstock

#08 Crafts

From carpets and carpentry to leatherwork and ceramics, Morocco’s craft tradition is extraordinarily vibrant, and on magnificent show in its souks.

#09 Tea

“Whisky Marocain” (mint tea) is the accompaniment to any discussion or transaction.

© MariaKovaleva/Shutterstock

#10 Bab Oudaïa, Rabat

The most beautiful gate of the medieval Moorish world.

#11 Kasbah Telouet

An evocative relic of the time when the infamous Glaoui clan ruled over the Atlas and Marrakesh.

#12 Jemaa el Fna, Marrakesh

Musicians, acrobats and storytellers converge each night on this spellbinding city square.

Jemaa el Fna at night - Shutterstock

#13 Todra Gorge

Take a walk (or a climb) in the majestic Todra Gorge, with its towering 300m canyon walls.

© Edgar9/Shutterstock

#14 Barbary apes

Troupes of macaques populate the dense cedar forests of the Middle Atlas.

© Olena Tur/Shutterstock

#15 Sidi Ifni

This old Spanish colonial town retains a seductive array of Art Deco buildings.

#16 Asilah

This relaxed seaside town – setting for a first-class cultural festival in August – is home to one of the best beaches on the northwest coast.

© Jose Carlos Serrano/Shutterstock

#17 Essaouira

Relax by the Atlantic at Morocco’s most popular resort, home to a growing windsurfing scene.

© Ruslan Kalnitsky/Shutterstock

#18 Volubilis

Volubilis was the chief city of Roman Morocco and is today a beautiful, extensive ruin.

© oBebee/Shutterstock

#19 Tangier

The old “International Port”, sometime home of Bowles and Burroughs, has a seedy charm of its own.

© Jose y yo Estudio/Shutterstock

#20 Casablanca

Casa’s colonial architecture blends traditional Moroccan designs with French Art Deco into a distinctive style known as Mauresque.

The outside of Casablanca cathedral, Morocco

© kessudap/Shutterstock

#21 Route of a Thousand Kasbahs

Morocco’s southern oases are dotted with crumbling kasbahs and mud-built villages.

© monticello/Shutterstock

#22 Imilchil Moussem

The Moroccan cultural calendar is packed with festivals but few can match the largesse of Imilchil’s three-day “Marriage Market”.

#23 Birdwatching

Morocco offers much to birdwatchers, from storks nesting on minarets to desert bustards, via bee-eaters, flamingos and falcons.

© Said Mrigua/Shutterstock

#24 Majorelle Garden, Marrakesh

A lovely, mature botanical garden, maintained by Yves Saint-Laurent and filled with the sound of birdsong.

#25 Riads

These renovated old mansions, centred on a patio and often full of stylish designer touches, provide a tranquil retreat from the outside world.

#26 Trekking in the Atlas

The High Atlas offer fantastic trekking opportunities, from day walks in the Toubkal Massif to expeditions through isolated valleys.

© Ryzhkov Oleksandr/Shutterstock

Travel advice for Morocco

Find even more inspiration for Morocco here