Morocco

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TRAVEL GUIDE

Marrakesh

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

Medina

If you can see the ramparts, you're either just inside or just outside the medina. In some respects not much has changed here since the Middle

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

Gueliz and Hivernage

In addition to office buildings, contemporary shops, and malls—none of which may exceed the nearest mosque's height—Guéliz has plenty of sidewalk

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

Fez el-Bali

Fez el-Bali is a living medieval city, crafts workshop, and market that has changed little in the past millennium. With no cars allowed and

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

The Mediterranean Middle Atlas

Spreading south and east of Fez, the northern Middle Atlas is drained by the River Moulouya en route to the Mediterranean Sea near the Algerian

Medina

Taroudant

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

Ville Nouvelle

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

The Palmery

The expanse of palm groves to the north of the medina is dubbed the "Beverly Hills" of Marrakesh, a place of manicured golf courses, private

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

The Dades Gorge

Snaking its way up from Boumalne du Dadès, the narrow roadway that is gradually swallowed up by the gorge is captivating. Along the route you

Sale

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

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

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

Skoura

Surprisingly lush and abrupt as it springs from the tawny landscape, Skoura deserves a lingering look for its kasbahs and its rich concentration

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

Ville Nouvelle

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

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

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

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

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

Erfoud

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

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

Taza

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

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

Fez el-Djedid

Fez el-Djedid (New Fez) lies southwest of Bab Boujeloud between Fez el-Bali and the Ville Nouvelle. Built after 1273 by the Merenid dynasty

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

Ait Ben Haddou

The ksar (fortified village) at Aït Ben Haddou is something of a celebrity itself. This group of earth-built kasbahs and homes hidden behind

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

The Todra Gorge

The towering limestone stacks of the Todra Gorge are breathtakingly beautiful, as is the winding route upward from Tinerhir, which leads you

Azrou

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

Telouet

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

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

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

Ifrane

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

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

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

El Kelaa M'Gouna

The region known as the Valley of the Roses essentially forms a triangle, stretching north to Bou Thaghrar and west to Boumalne du Dadès from

Rissani

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Demnate

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

Azilal

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

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

Kabila

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

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

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

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

Sources de l'Oum-er-Rbia

An unexpected natural wonder in the middle of the country, the 40 freshwater and seven saltwater springs that arise from the River Oum-er-Rbia

Safi

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

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