234 Best Sights in Morocco

Stopping off in this permanently busy square is a quintessential Tangier experience, with a cast of characters passing through who are bound to give you a taste of Moroccan daily life. Pick from three old-school cafés: what is now the Hotel Fuentes used to be the German post office during the International Zone era. The square is a great place to take a break before plunging back into the souks that surround it, or you can let gravity take you down past the Grand Mosque to the viewing platform looking out onto the port.

The Borj Adoumoue, or Bastion des Larmes (Fortress of Tears) was a pirates' prison in the city walls of Salé and is now a museum. It was built by the infamous Salé Rovers, a group of Barbary pirates, as their headquarters. Cannons pierce the walls and there are underground dungeons were slaves were once kept.

This plaza sits between the two main souks (the so-called Arab and Amazigh markets) and serves as the center of life in Taroudant. Although not as lively as Marrakesh's square of Jemaa el-Fnaa, you still may be able to see performers on the square in the late afternoon. Be sure to join the locals in taking a mint tea on a café terrace and watching the scene unfold.

Famous for its café scene in the first half of the 20th century, Place de France is one of the Ville Nouvelle's main squares, named for the French consulate in one corner of the square. During World War II, legend has it that it was a popular haunt for European secret agents and shady deals; more recently it was the star of a thrilling chase scene in the 2007 film The Bourne Ultimatum.

At the eastern end of Avenue Mohammed V,  Place Hassan II is a vast open square (also known as Place El Mechouar), home to the well-guarded Royal Palace. On the east side is the Bab er-Rouah, an entrance to the medina and historic covered market, and the Mellah is to the south. Rue Zawiya is close by, where you'll find some good dining options.  

Downtown Casablanca's version of London's Trafalgar Square has illuminated fountains and plenty of pigeons, and is flanked by grand Mauresque—a mix of Moorish and Art Deco—buildings. Coming from the port, you'll pass the main post office on your right, and on your left as you enter the square is its most impressive edifice, the courthouse, built in the 1920s. On the other side of Avenue Hassan II from the post office is the ornate Bank Al-Maghrib; the structure opposite, with the clock tower, is the Wilaya, the governor's office. 

On the opposite side of the square to the Wilaya, the ultra-contemporary Grand Théâtre de Casablanca was designed by a Pritzker Prize-winning architect. The multi-disciplinary art space includes two halls holding 2,400, and a music space for 300, and it will be one of the largest theaters in Africa when it's fully open. And it's easy to get here by tram from almost anywhere else in the city.

A leisurely stroll through Tetouan begins most naturally at the Place Moulay El Mehdi, a large circular plaza ringed with cafés, a post office, and the Spanish church of Nuestra Señora de las Victorias; the church glows with strings of lights in the evening. The plaza is a favorite spot for the evening promenade and often the site of outdoor concerts. Follow the wide, pedestrianised Avenue Mohamed V for some stunning Spanish colonial-era, Art Deco and Neo-Moorish architecture, including Dar Tair (House of the Bird), an apartment building crowned with a majestic bronze statue of a man sitting atop an eagle.

In this open, triangular space metalworkers work and hammer copper and brass bowls, plates, and buckets over fires around the square's edge, and the smells of soldering irons permeate the air. Look toward the Kairaouine Mosque at the top of the square to see the Kairaouine University library. Recently restored, it holds a collection of precious manuscripts, including a 9th-century Koran, but is currently open only to Muslim scholars 

This magnificent beach, also known simply as "Nations," is so long that even during the busiest times you’ll probably find some space along the stretch. The water is swimmable, but there may be strong currents, so caution should be observed. The sands are cleaned daily in summer, although some litter is possible in colder months. It's a hot spot for surfers and paragliders; sunbathers can rent parasol and loungers for reasonable prices. The beach is accessed by driving along the N1 from Salé and turning left just north of the small town of Sidi Bouknadel; or ask your hotel to organize a round-trip by taxi. Amenities: lifeguards (in season); parking; food and drink. Best for: swimming; surfing; walking.

Before the Mazagan Beach Resort was built between Azemmour and El Jadida, you could walk along the sand from one community to the other. While that's no longer possible, this is still a stunning beach and one of the cleanest on the coast. There's also a shipwreck that's fun to explore. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (in summer). Best for: sunsets; surfing; swimming; walking.

This long sandy bay attracts swarms of surfers, sunbathers, and families in summer when temperatures can get very high. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (in summer); parking. Best for: sunbathing; surfing; swimming; walking.

Essaouira has two principal skala, fortified bastions with fabulous cannons: the medina skala and the port skala. Each was a strategic maritime defense point. Unlike the straight-edged Moorish constructions in other Moroccan cities, the ramparts in Essaouira are triangular, so the insider looking out has a broader field of vision than the enemy peering in. Orson Welles filmed scenes of his 1951 film Othello from the tower of the port skala, picking up a magnificent panorama of town, port, and bay all in one that can still be seen today.  The entrance fee is worth it to get the picture-postcard view of the medina through a round opening in the wall.

Kids and adults alike love treading in these giant tracks of both carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs that are estimated to be about 185 million years old. There are several dinosaur-footprint sites in the region, but the easiest to find are those in the village of Ibaklliwne. As the road leads into the Aït Bougmez hamlets, it splits in two—this is actually a double valley. Follow the right-hand branch, leading into Tabant, the main village complete with a couple of cement structures, a school, and an administrative building. Follow this track for about 1½ km (1 mile) past the schoolhouses into the village of Ibaklliwne, where you'll find the dinosaur footprints on the hillside.

Also known as the New Medina, the Quartier Habous was built by the French in the 1930s as a modern version of a traditional medina. Today it's an attractive mix of French colonial architecture with Moroccan details. Capped by arches, its small shops are the best place in Casablanca to buy handicrafts, from rugs and slippers to kaftans. Don’t miss the olive souk, with its pyramids of multi-hue olives; there are several bookshops, too.

As you enter the Habous, you'll pass a building resembling a castle; this is the Mahkama de Pasha, or court, completed in 1952. It has an ornate interior courtyard but is currently used for district government administration. On the opposite side of the square is the Mohammadi Mosque built in the 1930s—this and the Moulay Youssef Mosque, in an adjacent square, are among the finest examples of traditional Maghrebi (western North African) architecture in Casablanca. Look up at the minarets and you might recognize a style used in Marrakesh's Koutoubia Mosque. Immediately north of the Habous is Casablanca's Royal Palace with an impressive gate; it's heavily guarded and you can't go inside.

Rabat’s zoo is home to 1,800-odd animals representing 150 species, most of them residing in relatively wide enclosures. Covering more than 120 acres, it’s divided into five themed ecosystems—Atlas Mountains, desert, savannah, rain forest, and wetlands—with the first of these being the highlight due to the presence of Atlas lions, which only exist in captivity. Elephants, giraffes, hippos, and hordes of magnificent oryx and gazelles also call this place home. After ogling them, you can learn more by visiting the educational farm or catching one of the scheduled daily events.

The medina's amazingly well-preserved walls measure about 33 feet high and 7 feet thick, and are 15 km (9 miles) in circumference. The walls are fashioned from local reddish ocher clay laid in huge blocks. The holes that are visible on the exterior surface are typical of this style of construction, marking where wooden scaffold supports have been inserted as each level is added. Until the early 20th century, before the French protectorate, the gates were closed at night to prevent anyone who didn't live in Marrakesh from entering. Eight of the 14 original babs (arched entry gates) leading in and out of the medina are still in use. Bab Agnaou, in the kasbah, is the loveliest and best preserved of the arches.

The best time to visit the walls is just before sunset, when the swallows that nest in the ramparts' holes come out to take their evening meal. 

Built in the early 20th century, Rabat's Royal Palace is a large, cream-color building set back behind lawns. Its ornamental gate is accented by ceremonial guards dressed in white, blue, or red. The complex houses the offices of the cabinet, the prime minister, and other administrative officials. The official residence of the king, the palace is usually occupied by members of the royal family, so you can only see the exterior. 

This small, beautiful, 16th-century burial ground is the permanent resting place of 166 Saadians, including its creator, Sultan Ahmed el Mansour, the Golden One. True to his name, he did it in style—even those not in the lavish mausoleum have their own colorful zellij graves, laid out for all to see, among the palm trees and flowers. Because the infamous Moulay Ismail chose not to destroy them (he was apparently superstitious about plundering the dead), these tombs are one of the few Saadian relics left. He simply sealed them up, leaving only a small section open for use. The complex was rediscovered only in 1917 by General Hubert Lyautey during the French protectorate. Passionate about every aspect of Morocco's history, the general undertook the restoration of the tombs.

The central mausoleum, the Hall of Twelve Columns, contains the tombs of Ahmed el Mansour and his family. It's dark, lavish, and ornate, with a huge vaulted roof, carved cedar doors and moucharabia (carved wooden screens traditionally used to separate the sexes), and gray Italian marble columns. In a smaller inner mausoleum, on the site of an earlier structure containing the decapitated body of the Saadian dynasty's founder, Mohammed esh Sheikh, is the tomb of El Mansour's mother.

Get here either early or late to avoid the crowds and to see the monuments swathed in soft golden sunlight.

If you use one of the on-site guides (who are unpaid), you should tip 30 DH to 50 DH.

It's worth negotiating the potholed road to the salt mines just off the Amizmiz road (stop at the turning for the Amizmiz road and walk the last part). For centuries, local people have produced salt here from the saltwater river that cuts through the area, but today's relatively low value of the once highly prized natural commodity has greatly endangered the livelihoods of the salt-mining families.

The site of one of the few Jewish festivals still held in Morocco, this complex contains the tombs of Rabbi Mordekai ben Hamon, Rabbi Abraham ben Hamon, and others. The shrine, known locally both as the "tigimi n Yehudeen" and "marabout Juif" ("House of the Jews" in Arabic and French, respectively), is a large white structure. The moussem (pilgrimage festival) generally happens in May. Tip the gatekeeper after a tour—anything between 5 DH and 15 DH is fine.

Rabbi Moul Niss is the most revered of the Jewish saints in Azemmour and his shrine draws many local and international pilgrims. Little is known of him but it's said that miracles have happened here for hundreds of years. His shrine contains a cave with a plaque and some ceremonial objects, and there's a courtyard outside with benches, which makes this a pleasant place for reflection. It's not always possible to get inside, but ask locally for the guardian and give them a small tip. 

One of the streets in Salé's medina is named after Sidi Abdellah Ben Hassoun, the town's patron saint who died in Salé in 1604. His magnificent mausoleum is situated here, next to the Great Mosque. Non-Muslims cannot enter but if you are lucky, the doors may be open, and you can peek inside. 

From the Sidi Abdellah el Hajjam Terrace, in the Khiber quarter, you will have the best vantage point to see the holy village of Moulay Idriss and its sacred sanctuaries. The adjoining quarter across the gorge is called Tasga.

Northwest of the medina, by the sea and next to the Pirates' Prison, is the white mausoleum of Sidi Ahmed ben Achir, a much-venerated saint and Sufi. No entry to non-Muslims but if you look through the windows in the wall, there's a fine view over the cemetery to the rocks and the ocean.

This beautiful stretch of sand extends southwest away from El Jadida; you can access it by taking the coastal road about 5 km (3 miles) out of town. It's an ideal place to stroll or watch the sunset. Swimming is great here, too, although currents can be strong; there are lifeguards on duty in summer.

The tranquil beach village of Sidi Kaouki is often touted as an alternative to Essaouira's beach and is a destination of choice for younger backpackers, surfers, and windsurfers, which should give you an idea of the typical wind velocity and wave size. It doesn't have the amenities of its larger neighbor, but the "town" consists of a number of guesthouses, a couple of shops, and some small restaurants all serving the same standard tourist menus. It's easy to rent mountain bikes, quad bikes, or horses for a jaunt along the beach toward Ouassane (the village to the north) or Sidi M'barek (with a waterfall and wide sandy beach) to the south.   It's possible to walk along the beach and over a cliff from Essaouira to Sidi Kaouki—about 21 km (13 miles) one-way. Walking in the opposite direction (against the wind) is not recommended. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee in summer); toilets; water sports. Best for: surfing; sunset; walking.

Just outside the medina walls, within the confines of an extensive cemetery, is the mosque and mausoleum of one of Morocco's most famous saints, Sidi Mohammed ben Aïssa (aka Cheikh El Kamel, 1467–1526). He founded the legendary Aïssaoua Sufi brotherhood, and each year his followers come from all over North Africa to gather at the shrine at the annual moussem (festival) on the eve of the birth of the prophet Mohammed. The festival date varies with the lunar calendar, but expect processions through Meknès, the brotherhood’s singular music, and ecstatic dances, often imitating animals. Ben Aïssa was said to have made a pact with the animal world and to possess magical powers, such as the ability to transform leaves into gold and silver coins. The brotherhood was once known for such voluntary rituals as swallowing scorpions, broken glass, and poison; members also mutilated themselves with knives in prayer-induced trances.  Entry to the mausoleum is restricted to Muslims. 

To say that Skhirat Plage is loved by Moroccans during the summer months—and by some faithful souls year-round—is an understatement. The long stretch of fine, golden sand lying just beyond the Royal Palace of Skhiratis is perfect for strolls but also a known surfing spot, as the plethora of boards reveals. Swimmers love it, too, but beware of dangerous currents—lifeguards are not always present. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (in summer); parking. Best for: swimming; surfing; walking.

In the northeastern corner of the city, this daily bazaar sells souvenirs, household goods, and the produce of the fertile Souss plains. It's one of the biggest in Morocco, and you'll need to bargain hard. The souk is a great place to witness and participate in real Moroccan life. 

When you come out of the Abou el Hassan Merenid Medersa, turn right and take the first street on the right, heading farther into the medina. Turn left at the end of the street and you'll find a large triangular area on your right, the Souk El Kabir, or Big Market, in the center of the medina. Stalls are piled high with household goods and fresh produce, including an array of plump olives.