Top destinations

Our Favourite Places in Morocco

From the Red City to the blue town in the mountains: what not to miss, how long to stay and how to get there.

Marrakech Fes Chefchaouen Essaouira Atlas Mountains Sahara Desert
The Red City

Marrakech

Most first trips start here, and for good reason. The old medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, full of souks, palaces and hidden riads, and the main square comes alive every evening with food stalls, musicians and storytellers.

Don't miss

  • Jemaa el-Fna square at sunset, when the food stalls open
  • The souks north of the square: spices, lanterns, leather and rugs
  • Bahia Palace and its painted ceilings
  • Jardin Majorelle, the blue garden once owned by Yves Saint Laurent
  • Mint tea on a rooftop café above the medina
Stay3 to 4 days
Best forFirst trips, food, souks
AirportMarrakech (RAK)
The spiritual capital

Fes

Fes el-Bali, the old medina, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest car-free city centres in the world. Donkeys still carry goods through the lanes, and craftsmen work the way they did centuries ago.

Don't miss

  • Chouara Tannery, seen from the terraces of the leather shops
  • Bou Inania Madrasa, with its carved wood and zellige tiles
  • Al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 and often called the oldest university still running (non-Muslims can look in from the doors)
  • Bab Boujloud, the blue gate into the medina
  • A guided walk on your first day, because the lanes are a real maze
Stay2 to 3 days
Best forHistory, crafts, food
AirportFes (FEZ)
The blue pearl

Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen sits in the Rif mountains in the north, and its medina is painted in every shade of blue. It's smaller and calmer than the big cities, which makes it a nice break after Fes or Tangier.

Don't miss

  • An early walk before the day trips arrive, when the blue lanes are empty
  • Ras El Ma, the spring at the edge of the medina
  • Sunset from the Spanish Mosque on the hill
  • A day trip to the Akchour waterfalls and God's Bridge
Stay2 days
Best forPhotos, slow days, hikes
Getting thereBus from Fes or Tangier
Our favourite by the sea

Essaouira

Essaouira is a windy port town on the Atlantic with a whitewashed medina, blue fishing boats and old sea walls. Its medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the pace is much slower than in Marrakech. Read how we found it.

Don't miss

  • The fishing port in the morning, then grilled fish for lunch
  • A walk on the Skala de la Ville, the old sea wall with its cannons
  • A long beach walk, or a kitesurf lesson when the wind is up
  • The Gnaoua World Music Festival, usually in June
Stay2 to 3 days
Best forCouples, seafood, slow days
Getting thereAbout 3 h by bus from Marrakech
Mountains and villages

Atlas Mountains

The High Atlas starts just over an hour from Marrakech. Here you'll find Amazigh (Berber) villages, terraced valleys and Jebel Toubkal which, at 4,167 m, is the highest peak in North Africa.

Don't miss

  • A day in Imlil or the Ourika Valley, with lunch in a village
  • The Toubkal climb if you're fit: usually two days, with a local guide
  • Aït Benhaddou, the UNESCO-listed fortified village on the other side of the mountains
  • The Tizi n'Tichka pass, the mountain road to the south
Stay1 to 3 days
Best forHiking, nature, quiet
Getting thereDrive or tour from Marrakech
Golden dunes

Sahara Desert

Morocco's Sahara is in the south-east. The two big dune areas are Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, the easiest to reach, and Erg Chigaga near M'Hamid, more remote and quieter. Marrakech to Merzouga is about 9 hours by road, so most people book a 3-day tour with stops on the way.

Don't miss

  • A camel ride into the dunes at sunset
  • A night in a desert camp, with dinner and music by the fire
  • Sunrise from the top of a dune
  • The stars, far from any city lights
Stay1 to 2 nights
Best timeOctober to April
Getting thereTour from Marrakech or Fes

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