Morocco
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Morocco GALLERY
2019 2019 Fodor’s Go List Destination
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For centuries, Morocco has inspired travelers with its colorful energy, fascinating history, and dazzling combination of Arab, European, and African influences. From vibrant and bustling medinas to the breathtaking Sahara, and craggy mountain ranges, the country packs a remarkable punch around every bend.

From Mediterranean beaches to the highest peak in North Africa, Morocco is an incredible diverse country. In the north, sleepy beach towns come alive in summer, while inland, wild boars and Barbary macaques roam the forests of the lush Rif Mountains. Farther south, the rocky Atlas Mountains rise out of the desert, with tiny Berber villages tucked away in valleys.

Surfers catch waves along the windswept beaches of the Atlantic coast and hikers trek the scenic mountains that split the country. Crumbling kasbahs and squared minarets offer a glimpse of Morocco’s storied history across the southern desert regions and areas east of the High Atlas Mountains.

If a city adventure is more your style, Morocco offers a mix of new and old. Slip into one of the hip cafés or design riads to experience Morocco’s modern, cosmopolitan side. Walk outside the door to experience the ancient medina areas of the very same city or spend time in the “new city,” which nearly every Moroccan urban area has. Visit the countless historical sites to get a sense of traditional Morocco, while also experiencing contemporary culture.

Across the country artisans form the backbone of the culture. Handmade products are a source of immense pride. Dozens of tribes in Morocco create their own styles of wool rugs made today as they have been for generations—thread by thread on basic wooden looms. Metalworkers hammer and cut intricately designed lamps while tileworkers hand-chip colored zellige tiles to build tabletops, fountains, or decorative walls. Leather is tanned in vats that have existed for generations—it’s done today the same way it was decades ago.

Don’t forget to tuck into the culinary delights that set Morocco apart. The cuisine isn’t spicy but relies on layers of flavor to create dishes that combine sweet and savory tastes. Multi-course meals are a regular occurrence and use seasonal, fresh produce as much as possible. Sweet mint tea is served throughout the day and ideal to savor while sitting on a rooftop admiring the scenery.

As one of the most stable countries in the region, Morocco is a great choice for travelers who want to experience a different way of life without extended travel time and inconvenient connections.

ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES

18 Ultimate Things to Do in Morocco

Lynn Sheppard

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Marrakesh

Marrakesh is often considered Morocco's most intoxicating city. Originally a trading and rest spot along the Saharan caravan routes, today it...

Essaouira

Once Morocco’s main trading port and a stronghold of Jewish culture, Essaouira became famed as a hippie hangout for surfers and expat artists...

Fez

Fez is one of the world’s most spectacular city-museums and an exotic medieval labyrinth—mysterious, mesmerizing, and sometimes overwhelming...

Tangier

A refreshing alternative to more popular Moroccan tourist hubs like Marrakesh and Agadir, the city of Tangier makes for a great weekend trip...

Agadir

Agadir is, above all else, a holiday resort, so don't hope for a medina, a souk, or a kasbah (although it does have all three, after a fashion...

Casablanca

Casablanca is Morocco's most modern city, and diverse groups of people call it home: hardworking Berbers who came north from the Souss Valley...

Rabat

Rabat, a diplomatic center with a large community of foreign residents, boasts a medina and an array of historical sites and museums; yet it...

Ouarzazate

An isolated military outpost during the years of the French protectorate, Ouarzazate—which means "no noise" in the Berber Tamazigh language...

Taroudant

Known as the "Grandmother of Marrakesh," Taroudant is often promoted as an alternative destination to that other former Saadian capital, but...

Meknes

Meknès occupies a plateau overlooking the Bouefekrane River, which divides the medina from the Ville Nouvelle. Meknès’s three sets of imposing...

Tetouan

Andalusian flavor mingles with the strong Rifi Berber and traditional Arab identities of the majority of the populace to make Tetouan a uniquely...

El Jadida

El Jadida it best known for its fabulous fortified old town, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and now a designated UNESCO World Heritage...

Chefchaouen

Nestled high in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen, known as the "Blue City," is built on a hillside, and is a world apart from its larger, Spanish...

Merzouga

Merzouga has an ever-expanding strip of hotels and guesthouses, with options ranging from simple to sublime. The village’s main draw, though...

Zagora

Zagora is—and does feel like—the boundary between the Sahara and what some writers and travelers have referred to as "reality." After Zagora...

Tafraoute

Tafraoute is a pretty and quiet regional market and administrative center, nestled at the bottom of a valley. Usually overlooked by groups,...

Ceuta

Set on a rocky peninsula protruding into the Mediterranean, Ceuta—known as Sebta in Morocco—was once one of the finest cities in the north....

M'Hamid

Properly known as M'hamid el-Ghizlane, or Plain of the Gazelles, M'hamid neatly marks the end of Morocco's Great Oasis Valleys and the end of...

Tiznit

Typically a lunch stop en route to somewhere else, Tiznit is not a popular destination for tourists. But it is a great base for exploring the...

Sale

Salé, the country's second-most-populated city, is a great place to experience unspoiled, hassle-free Moroccan culture. It was probably founded...

Imlil

The village of Imlil is the preeminent jumping-off point for the high country, a vibrant mountain retreat whose existence has been given over...

Agdz

Agdz, at the junction of the Drâa and Tamsift rivers, marks the beginning of the Drâa palmery. A sleepy market town and administrative center...

Azemmour

Azemmour, situated on both the banks of the Oum Errabi River and the Atlantic Ocean, makes a fantastic weekend or day-trip destination from...

El Oualidia

This small beach town is famous nationwide for its oysters (if you visit the oyster parks, you can learn how they're cultivated). But what really...

Sefrou

A miniature Fez at an altitude of 2,900 feet, the small town of Sefrou lies in the fertile valley of the River Agdal. Once known as the Jardin...

Dar Bouazza

This beach town on the outskirts of Casablanca used to be quite small but is expanding quickly, as the swell of villas and apartments proves...

Volubilis

Volubilis was the capital of the Roman province of Mauritania (Land of the Moors), Rome's southwesternmost incursion into North Africa. Favored...

Setti Fatma

Once you arrive at Setti Fatma, some 65 km (40 miles) from Marrakesh, you’ll notice the increase in crowds and, of course, an increase in eating...

Cap Spartel

Minutes from Tangier is the jutting Cap Spartel, the African continent's extreme northwest corner. Known to Romans as Ampelusium ("cape of the...

Mohammedia

A short drive from Casablanca, Mohammedia and the surrounding area has a long stretch of pretty bays, which draws droves of sunseekers during...

Moulay Idriss

Moulay Idriss is Morocco's most sacred town, the final resting place of the nation's religious and secular founder, Moulay Idriss I. It is said...

Erfoud

Any expedition to Erg Chebbi will entail passing through—or possibly spending a night in—Erfoud. Formerly a French administrative outpost and...

Djebel Sarhro and Nekob

If you pick the southern oasis route, don't miss the chance to stay in Nekob, Morocco's most kasbah-filled village. Locals have come up with...

Taza

An important capital during the Almohad, Merenid, and early Alaouite dynasties (11th to 16th centuries), Taza was used as a passage into Morocco...

Tizi-n-Test

The road to Tizi-n-Test is one of Morocco's most glorious mountain drives. The route south from Ouirgane to Tizi-n-Test takes you through the...

Azrou

Occupying an important junction of routes between the desert and Meknès and between Fez and Marrakesh, Azrou—from the Berber word for "rock...

Al Hoceima

Surrounded on three sides by the foothills of the Rif Mountains and rimmed on the fourth by turquoise Mediterranean waters, Al Hoceima is a...

Midelt

Midelt itself is flat, nondescript, and not worth a special trip, but for the more adventurous, the nearby Cirque de Jaffar and Djebel Ayachi...

Asilah

Straddling the cliffs of the north Atlantic coast, Asilah was founded by the Phoenicians around 1500 BC. A prosperous trading town, it was invaded...

Ouirgane

Ouirgane is one of Morocco's more luxurious bases for mountain adventures. It doesn't have the highest peaks, but it has a glorious choice of...

Telouet

The main reason for visiting this otherwise unremarkable village is to see the incredible kasbah of the Glaouis (which is sometimes referred...

Moulay Bousselham

Made up of little more than a single street with a smattering of cafés and souvenir shops, the laid-back fishing village of Moulay Bousselham...

Tizi-n-Tichka

Winding its way southeast toward the desert, the Tichka Pass is another exercise in road-trip drama. Although the road is generally well maintained...

Beni-Mellal

Ringed with fortifications built by Moulay Ismail in 1688, this rapidly growing country town nestles in the shadow of 7,373-foot Djebel Tassemit...

Oukaimeden

While you probably didn't go to Morocco for the snow, if Vail's novelty value has worn off and you have a day or two to kill, then a bit of...

Ifrane

Built in 1929 during the French protectorate to create a poche de France (pocket of France) for expatriate French diplomats, administrators...

Oued-Cherrat

Oued Cherrat is a small beach area with superb ocean views and excellent surf conditions. Once a wild and relatively unfrequented stretch of...

Sidi-Bouknadel

Sidi-Bouknadel (also known as Bouknadel) isn't accessible from the autoroute, but its attractions lie to the north, halfway between Kenitra...

Tnine de l'Ourika

Tnine de l'Ourika is a small village easily explored on foot, with its Monday souk ranking among the best in the region. Aside from that, the...

Tahannout

The town of Tahannout is the capital of the Al Haouz province not too far outside Marrakesh. While most of the buildings on the main stretch...

Larache

Known primarily for its proximity to the ruins of the ancient town of Lixus, Larache is worth a stop for a stroll along the Balcon Atlantico...

Cascades d'Ouzoud

No trip to the Atlas would be complete without a stop at these impressive falls, which are approachable from the S508 via the 1811. You will...

Rissani

Rissani stands on the site of the ancient city of Sijilmassa, Morocco's first independent southern kingdom, which flourished from the 8th to...

Tamegroute

Tamegroute (literally "the last town before the border," an accurate toponym when the Algerian border was closer than it is now) is the home...

Aglou Plage

Aglou Plage is a world away from nearby Tiznit, both in climate and ambience, although connected by 17 km (10 miles) of good tarmac. It's the...

Kabila

Kabila is quite literally a tourist village: a sprawling complex complete with hotel, villas, a helpful staff, a shopping center, and a marina...

Demnate

Demnate is a modest market center to which villagers from the neighboring hills and plains bring multifarious produce, especially for the Sunday...

Tinfou

The hamlet of Tinfou is famous for the unique (and very small) sand dunes that circling winds have deposited 2 km (1 mile) north of the Tamegroute...

Azilal

Azilal is a small garrison town, rather uninteresting to tourists but useful as a jumping-off point for routes into the southern highlands,...

Mehdiya Plage

If you are traveling by car along the coast north of Rabat (toward Moulay Bousselham) and are in the mood for a beach stroll, Mehdiya Plage...

Restinga-Smir

Until recently, Restinga-Smir was a small fishing village, but development has come quickly: it's now one of the region's priciest summering...

Imilchil

The joy of a visit to Imilchil is in the journey, but it's also famous for the marriage festival that takes place here every September, when...

Tinzouline

Tinzouline holds an important weekly souk. If you're here on a Monday, take this opportunity to shop and make contact with the many peoples...

Safi

...

Marrakesh

Marrakesh is often considered Morocco's most intoxicating city. Originally a trading and rest spot along the Saharan caravan routes, today it...

Essaouira

Once Morocco’s main trading port and a stronghold of Jewish culture, Essaouira became famed as a hippie hangout for surfers and expat artists...

Fez

Fez is one of the world’s most spectacular city-museums and an exotic medieval labyrinth—mysterious, mesmerizing, and sometimes overwhelming...

Tangier

A refreshing alternative to more popular Moroccan tourist hubs like Marrakesh and Agadir, the city of Tangier makes for a great weekend trip...

Agadir

Agadir is, above all else, a holiday resort, so don't hope for a medina, a souk, or a kasbah (although it does have all three, after a fashion...

Casablanca

Casablanca is Morocco's most modern city, and diverse groups of people call it home: hardworking Berbers who came north from the Souss Valley...

Rabat

Rabat, a diplomatic center with a large community of foreign residents, boasts a medina and an array of historical sites and museums; yet it...

Ouarzazate

An isolated military outpost during the years of the French protectorate, Ouarzazate—which means "no noise" in the Berber Tamazigh language...

Taroudant

Known as the "Grandmother of Marrakesh," Taroudant is often promoted as an alternative destination to that other former Saadian capital, but...

Meknes

Meknès occupies a plateau overlooking the Bouefekrane River, which divides the medina from the Ville Nouvelle. Meknès’s three sets of imposing...

Tetouan

Andalusian flavor mingles with the strong Rifi Berber and traditional Arab identities of the majority of the populace to make Tetouan a uniquely...

El Jadida

El Jadida it best known for its fabulous fortified old town, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and now a designated UNESCO World Heritage...

Chefchaouen

Nestled high in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen, known as the "Blue City," is built on a hillside, and is a world apart from its larger, Spanish...

Merzouga

Merzouga has an ever-expanding strip of hotels and guesthouses, with options ranging from simple to sublime. The village’s main draw, though...

Zagora

Zagora is—and does feel like—the boundary between the Sahara and what some writers and travelers have referred to as "reality." After Zagora...

Tafraoute

Tafraoute is a pretty and quiet regional market and administrative center, nestled at the bottom of a valley. Usually overlooked by groups,...

Ceuta

Set on a rocky peninsula protruding into the Mediterranean, Ceuta—known as Sebta in Morocco—was once one of the finest cities in the north....

M'Hamid

Properly known as M'hamid el-Ghizlane, or Plain of the Gazelles, M'hamid neatly marks the end of Morocco's Great Oasis Valleys and the end of...

Tiznit

Typically a lunch stop en route to somewhere else, Tiznit is not a popular destination for tourists. But it is a great base for exploring the...

Sale

Salé, the country's second-most-populated city, is a great place to experience unspoiled, hassle-free Moroccan culture. It was probably founded...

Imlil

The village of Imlil is the preeminent jumping-off point for the high country, a vibrant mountain retreat whose existence has been given over...

Agdz

Agdz, at the junction of the Drâa and Tamsift rivers, marks the beginning of the Drâa palmery. A sleepy market town and administrative center...

Azemmour

Azemmour, situated on both the banks of the Oum Errabi River and the Atlantic Ocean, makes a fantastic weekend or day-trip destination from...

El Oualidia

This small beach town is famous nationwide for its oysters (if you visit the oyster parks, you can learn how they're cultivated). But what really...

Sefrou

A miniature Fez at an altitude of 2,900 feet, the small town of Sefrou lies in the fertile valley of the River Agdal. Once known as the Jardin...

Dar Bouazza

This beach town on the outskirts of Casablanca used to be quite small but is expanding quickly, as the swell of villas and apartments proves...

Volubilis

Volubilis was the capital of the Roman province of Mauritania (Land of the Moors), Rome's southwesternmost incursion into North Africa. Favored...

Setti Fatma

Once you arrive at Setti Fatma, some 65 km (40 miles) from Marrakesh, you’ll notice the increase in crowds and, of course, an increase in eating...

Cap Spartel

Minutes from Tangier is the jutting Cap Spartel, the African continent's extreme northwest corner. Known to Romans as Ampelusium ("cape of the...

Mohammedia

A short drive from Casablanca, Mohammedia and the surrounding area has a long stretch of pretty bays, which draws droves of sunseekers during...

Moulay Idriss

Moulay Idriss is Morocco's most sacred town, the final resting place of the nation's religious and secular founder, Moulay Idriss I. It is said...

Erfoud

Any expedition to Erg Chebbi will entail passing through—or possibly spending a night in—Erfoud. Formerly a French administrative outpost and...

Djebel Sarhro and Nekob

If you pick the southern oasis route, don't miss the chance to stay in Nekob, Morocco's most kasbah-filled village. Locals have come up with...

Taza

An important capital during the Almohad, Merenid, and early Alaouite dynasties (11th to 16th centuries), Taza was used as a passage into Morocco...

Tizi-n-Test

The road to Tizi-n-Test is one of Morocco's most glorious mountain drives. The route south from Ouirgane to Tizi-n-Test takes you through the...

Azrou

Occupying an important junction of routes between the desert and Meknès and between Fez and Marrakesh, Azrou—from the Berber word for "rock...

Al Hoceima

Surrounded on three sides by the foothills of the Rif Mountains and rimmed on the fourth by turquoise Mediterranean waters, Al Hoceima is a...

Midelt

Midelt itself is flat, nondescript, and not worth a special trip, but for the more adventurous, the nearby Cirque de Jaffar and Djebel Ayachi...

Asilah

Straddling the cliffs of the north Atlantic coast, Asilah was founded by the Phoenicians around 1500 BC. A prosperous trading town, it was invaded...

Ouirgane

Ouirgane is one of Morocco's more luxurious bases for mountain adventures. It doesn't have the highest peaks, but it has a glorious choice of...

Telouet

The main reason for visiting this otherwise unremarkable village is to see the incredible kasbah of the Glaouis (which is sometimes referred...

Moulay Bousselham

Made up of little more than a single street with a smattering of cafés and souvenir shops, the laid-back fishing village of Moulay Bousselham...

Tizi-n-Tichka

Winding its way southeast toward the desert, the Tichka Pass is another exercise in road-trip drama. Although the road is generally well maintained...

Beni-Mellal

Ringed with fortifications built by Moulay Ismail in 1688, this rapidly growing country town nestles in the shadow of 7,373-foot Djebel Tassemit...

Oukaimeden

While you probably didn't go to Morocco for the snow, if Vail's novelty value has worn off and you have a day or two to kill, then a bit of...

Ifrane

Built in 1929 during the French protectorate to create a poche de France (pocket of France) for expatriate French diplomats, administrators...

Oued-Cherrat

Oued Cherrat is a small beach area with superb ocean views and excellent surf conditions. Once a wild and relatively unfrequented stretch of...

Sidi-Bouknadel

Sidi-Bouknadel (also known as Bouknadel) isn't accessible from the autoroute, but its attractions lie to the north, halfway between Kenitra...

Tnine de l'Ourika

Tnine de l'Ourika is a small village easily explored on foot, with its Monday souk ranking among the best in the region. Aside from that, the...

Tahannout

The town of Tahannout is the capital of the Al Haouz province not too far outside Marrakesh. While most of the buildings on the main stretch...

Larache

Known primarily for its proximity to the ruins of the ancient town of Lixus, Larache is worth a stop for a stroll along the Balcon Atlantico...

Cascades d'Ouzoud

No trip to the Atlas would be complete without a stop at these impressive falls, which are approachable from the S508 via the 1811. You will...

Rissani

Rissani stands on the site of the ancient city of Sijilmassa, Morocco's first independent southern kingdom, which flourished from the 8th to...

Tamegroute

Tamegroute (literally "the last town before the border," an accurate toponym when the Algerian border was closer than it is now) is the home...

Aglou Plage

Aglou Plage is a world away from nearby Tiznit, both in climate and ambience, although connected by 17 km (10 miles) of good tarmac. It's the...

Kabila

Kabila is quite literally a tourist village: a sprawling complex complete with hotel, villas, a helpful staff, a shopping center, and a marina...

Demnate

Demnate is a modest market center to which villagers from the neighboring hills and plains bring multifarious produce, especially for the Sunday...

Tinfou

The hamlet of Tinfou is famous for the unique (and very small) sand dunes that circling winds have deposited 2 km (1 mile) north of the Tamegroute...

Azilal

Azilal is a small garrison town, rather uninteresting to tourists but useful as a jumping-off point for routes into the southern highlands,...

Mehdiya Plage

If you are traveling by car along the coast north of Rabat (toward Moulay Bousselham) and are in the mood for a beach stroll, Mehdiya Plage...

Restinga-Smir

Until recently, Restinga-Smir was a small fishing village, but development has come quickly: it's now one of the region's priciest summering...

Imilchil

The joy of a visit to Imilchil is in the journey, but it's also famous for the marriage festival that takes place here every September, when...

Tinzouline

Tinzouline holds an important weekly souk. If you're here on a Monday, take this opportunity to shop and make contact with the many peoples...

Safi

...

The Southern Atlantic Coast

While they're both on the coast and have beaches that people rave about, Essaouira and Agadir couldn't be more different. A hippie hangout whose...

The Northern Atlantic Coast

Rabat and Casablanca, two of Morocco's most modern and elegant cities, straddle the North Atlantic coast, welcoming visitors with their varied...

Fez and the Middle Atlas

Designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Fez and Meknès are, respectively, the Arab and Berber capitals of Morocco, ancient centers of learning...

Tangier and the Mediterranean

Nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the backbone of the Rif Mountains, Tangier, and the surrounding Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region...

The Great Oasis Valleys

Morocco without the Sahara is like Switzerland without the Alps, and a desert sojourn is fundamental to an understanding of the country. After...

High Atlas

The High Atlas region is made for outdoor adventures—the perfect antidote to the concentration and animation of Marrakesh. You can hang glide...

The Ceuta Peninsula

The northwest coast of Morocco offers such splendid views and gentle breezes that it is difficult not to recommend it if you have the time and...

Chefchaouen and the Rif

The trip south from Tetouan to Chefchaouen takes you through fertile valleys where locals sell produce along the road, sheep graze in golden...

Ourika Valley

The Ourika Valley is the gateway to the High Atlas peaks, leading out of fuming Marrakesh into the fresh coolness of the mountains. It's a popular...

Ait Bougmez Valley

Also known as the valley of happiness, this Atlas valley was basically cut off from the rest of the world until 2001; before then, only a narrow...

Lalla Takerkoust Lake

Thanks to the abundance of water, the Lalla Takerkoust dam is a good cooling-off point in the region. Fed by the river Oued Nfis, the lake has...

Route de l'Ourika

As you leave Marrakesh on the P2107, you travel through a rich plain with the Atlas peaks above. This is known as the Route de l'Ourika, and...

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Fez and the Middle Atlas

High Atlas

Marrakesh

Tangier and the Mediterranean

The Great Oasis Valleys

The Northern Atlantic Coast

The Southern Atlantic Coast

Fez and the Middle Atlas

Tangier and the Mediterranean

The Southern Atlantic Coast

High Atlas

The Great Oasis Valleys

Marrakesh

The Northern Atlantic Coast

Fez and the Middle Atlas

Marrakesh

The Great Oasis Valleys

The Southern Atlantic Coast

High Atlas

Tangier and the Mediterranean

The Northern Atlantic Coast

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