Casablanca
Though lacking the medieval magic that characterises many Moroccan medinas, Casablanca’s compact 19th-century example is still worth a wander. You're…
Must-see attractions in Morocco
Fez
In 1438 Sultan Ar Rashid created Morocco's first official Jewish district, just east of the royal palace. At its peak, some 250,000 Jews lived in the area…
Medina
The only traces of this ingenious medieval device, installed in 1357, are 13 wooden beams jutting from the wall above street level. Each held a brass bowl…
Medina
One of the medina's oldest marketplaces and also one of its most pleasant, this souq is dominated by a graceful plane tree amid stalls selling pottery and…
Northern Atlantic Coast
Next to the Grand Mosque's magnificent entrance gate, this medersa (school for studying the Quran) is a showcase of Merinid architecture and decorative…
Medina
Although it is in a mosque that's closed to non-Muslims, the tomb of Fez's founder (d. 828) is considered the spiritual heart of the city and is its most…
Ourika Valley
Almost anything thrives in Ourika’s rich soil, including saffron, organically grown here from bulbs that are cultivated near Talouine. Saffron is a high…
Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
The Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss is Morocco's most important pilgrimage site, and the town is swamped every August during the annual moussem to venerate it;…
Atlas Film Corporation Studios
Ouarzazate
The first ‘Ouarzawood’ studio, established by Mohammed Belghimi in 1983, displays sets and props from movies filmed here, including Jewel of the Nile,…
Gueliz & Ville Nouvelle
Local lore tells of a sultan who seduced guests over dinner and then lovingly chucked them in the Menara’s reflecting pools to drown. Nowadays dunking…
Tahiri Museum of Fossils & Minerals
Erfoud
For a good introduction to Morocco's fossils head to Brahim Tahiri's private museum. Scientifically important specimens are exhibited beside their lesser…
Marrakesh
This private museum has been a labour of love for owner Mohammed, who used to run the respected Al Badii antique shop in Gueliz. When his family closed…
Middle Atlas
Dayet Aoua is surrounded by woodlands in an area notably rich in bird life. The lake is a popular picnic destination for families on weekends, but during…
Marrakesh
Claiming to be the first of its kind in Morocco, this large riad museum opened in late 2019 and should be the first stop in Marrakesh for food lovers. Set…
Medina
Awaiting official opening after a heavy renovation, this 19th-century summer palace has been a museum since 1915. The collection focuses on traditional…
Medina
These two adjoining 13th-century fanadiq (inns used by caravans) have been thoroughly restored and host a number of artisans' workshops; of all the…
Melilla
Plaza de España is the beating heart of Melilla, with arteries leading to the modernist new town and fortress. It's also where you can catch a bus to the…
Tetouan
The broad and empty Place Hassan II, which is mostly roped off for security reasons, links the medina to the Ensanche. It looks like it houses the Wizard…
Al Hoceima
One of the plazas de soberanía (places of sovereignty), this extraordinary white island fortress can be seen a few hundred metres off Plage Sfiha, along…
Melilla
The magnificent two-storey building lining Plaza de España holds free temporary art exhibitions in rooms extending from its Enrique Nieto–designed hall…
Ceuta
This intriguing museum is dedicated to and run by the Spanish Legion, an army unit set up in 1920 that played a pivotal role in Franco’s republican army…
High Atlas Mountains
For a spectacular sunset, climb the steep but straightforward trail up to the zawiya (shrine) of Sidi Moussa, a local marabout (saint), on a conical…
Al Hoceima
A short retreat from the city, wide horseshoe-shaped Plage Sfiha looks out on the Spanish-controlled post-colonial relic, El Peñon de Alhucemas. A couple…
Melilla
These extensive and well-restored caves were used for storage as well as a refuge during sieges, and pop out at a small beach below the cliffs. The…
Tafraoute
Maison Traditionnelle stands in the largely uninhabited old hilltop village of Tazekka, where bulbous boulders have been incorporated into the pisé …
Mouassine & Central Souqs
The French name, Place des Épices, for this hopping little plaza derives from its high concentration of apothecaries who sell mysterious supplies to…
Medina
This is a slightly odd opportunity to tour someone's home and personal art gallery, which also happens to be a deeply dilapidated 18th-century palace,…
Rabat
Rabat's must-see sight – along with the neighbouring mausoleum – this iconic tower looms 44m above the Bou Regreg estuary. It was originally part of an…
Bouhachem Regional Nature Reserve
Chefchaouen
One of two parks in the Rif Mountains, Bouhachem is exceptionally beautiful and covers an enormous territory. The forest has various species of oak and…
Casablanca
Built in the 1930s, the Quartier Habous, or Nouvelle Medina (New Medina), was built by the French to solve a housing crisis as the population outgrew the…
Sefrou
This beautifully restored funduq (ancient caravanserai) now houses textile artisans, including women. There are tailors, thread bobbiners, tassel- and…
Essaouira
Turn left outside the Bab Doukkala and around 15 minutes later you’ll reach the industrial quarter’s abandoned warehouses. Take a left past salvaged…
Dadès Gorge
Eighteen kilometres from Boumalne you'll find these extraordinary red rock formations that look like wax, melting right into the green carpet of the…
Tetouan
Feddan Park used to be what's currently known as Place Hassan II, but it was destroyed following the Spanish protectorate to make room for the Royal…
Meknes
Moulay Ismail's summer palace, built in the countryside in the 17th century, now sits in the middle of the urban fabric of Meknes – there's even a…
Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
These lofty medina vantage points provide stunning views over Moulay Idriss and the green-roofed mausoleum. The Grande Terrasse is broader and better for…
Zagora
This spectacular mountain rises over the Draa River – worth climbing for the views, provided you have stamina, water and sunblock and set off in the early…
Tafraoute
These rocks don't look much like Napoleon's hat, to be frank, but they're still weird and impressively massive, soaring above the little town of Aguerd…
Draa Valley
Morocco’s largest national park – covering a land mass of 123,000 hectares – and uniquely Saharan, Iriqui was created in 1994 to protect the biodiversity…
Skoura
This kasbah-turned-museum showcases the history and traditions of Southern Morocco's Imazighen (Berbers). Anthropologist Abdelmoula El Moudahab will…
