Melilla
Two of the four tiny doors across the courtyard lead into the cavelike, other-worldly cisterns, which once stored as much as 1000 cubic metres of water…
Must-see attractions in Morocco
Ziz Valley & the Tafilalt
Around 2km south of the yellow shrine on your right, this ruin once called the ‘Alhambra of the Tafilalt’ was built around 1900 for Sultan Moulay Hassan’s…
Oualidia
Oualidia’s languid lagoon and coastal wetlands is a paradise for birdwatchers, playing host to many bird species, both native and migratory, especially in…
Museo de la Basilica Tardorromana
Ceuta
This superbly executed underground museum is integrated into the architectural remains of an ancient basilica discovered during street work in the 1980s,…
Marrakesh
Marrakesh's medina is dotted with public water fountains, but the Chrob ou Chouf ('Drink or Look') fountain still holds on to shreds of former finery with…
Mirleft
Rocky cliffs frame the soft sand at this beach, popular with footballers and families. The predictable thatch huts and decrepit loungers are available,…
High Atlas Mountains
Local villagers mine salt here using traditional methods that have been in use for generations, pulling buckets of mineral-rich water from wells up to 20m…
Tangier
This large park is full of strolling couples and children playing football. The Mendoubia Gardens are flanked by an elegant line of colonial buildings,…
Fez
The most architecturally impressive street in the mellah (Jewish quarter) is Rue des Mérinides, lined with houses that are distinguished by their wooden…
Ain Leuh
The women working here have both modern metal looms and replicas of old wooden ones. They mostly make Beni M'rirt carpets of undyed wool, usually cream…
Ceuta
Named after a noseless pirate who landed here in 1417, Ceuta's Desnarigado military museum is jam-packed with memorabilia from Ceuta's many battles. An…
Promenade Maritime de la Mosquée Hassan II
Casablanca
One of the city’s major urban regeneration projects has turned the stretch of seafront promenade from the Hassan II Mosque to the El Hank lighthouse in to…
Casablanca
Set in a beautiful art deco villa dating from 1934, this small gallery is operated by the nonprofit Fondation ONA. It stages interesting temporary…
Chefchaouen
The waterfall of Ras El Maa is just beyond the far northeastern gate of the Chefchaouen medina. It’s here, where the water comes gushing out of the…
Tamdakhte
The magnificent unrestored kasbah, a crumbling Glaoui construction still topped by storks' nests, is the centrepoint of Tamdakhte village. There's not…
Rabat
This beautifully restored, blindingly white art deco villa dates from 1929 and now holds well-curated contemporary art exhibitions with a focus on…
Melilla
Near the Iglesia de la Concepción, the Museo Militar is perched high over the Mediterranean. Its two small rooms are stuffed full of exhibits (all in…
Al Hoceima
Located in a pretty, steep-sided bay, the yellow sand beach below the Mercure Quemado Resort is a popular hang-out spot in the summer for taking a dip and…
Santuario de Nuestra Señora de África
Ceuta
The striking yellow 17th-century baroque-style church in Plaza de África remains active among Ceuta's Roman Catholic faithful. The altar has a powerful…
Essaouira
Behind the imposing wooden door (there's no sign) lies a beautifully restored 19th-century synagogue, filled with the scent of fragrant cedar wood. In the…
Catedral Santa Maria de la Asunción
Ceuta
The yellow-and-white cathedral overlooking Plaza de África is the finest church in Ceuta, with twin spires that host matching bells. At nightfall, the…
Zaouiat Oulmzi
At the very upper (northeastern) end of the Aït Bougmez Valley, the seasonal Lac Izoughar is a favoured watering hole for the nomadic Aït Atta tribe…
Dadès Gorge
Cresting over a small pass, 14km from Boumalne, is the hidden gem of Gorge de Miguirne, which joins the Dadès Gorge from the south. It offers a fine half…
Northern Atlantic Coast
An interesting trip from Asilah is a visit to the lively Sunday market in the village of Had Gharbia, 14km northeast of town, inland off the road to…
El Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera
Rif Mountains
This tiny island was transformed into a peninsula in the 1930s and ’40s when a sandbank joined it with the mainland. Despite several Moroccan attempts at…
Chefchaouen
The mosque was built by the Spanish in the 1920s, but never used. It fell into disrepair and remains closed, but the grounds out front make for a perfect…
Casablanca
One of the iconic neo-Moorish buildings around this square, La Poste is the work of Adrien Laforgue who took his inspiration from the Grand'Poste of…
El Jadida
The golden crescent of Sidi Bouzid beach, 5km south of El Jadida, is more pristine than the town beach and popular with both sunbathers and surfers. The…
Tetouan
Next to Tetouan's tannery, where you can see how the cow hides get their shades, the leather souq features traditional Moroccan shoes, jackets and bags…
Melilla
The spacious palm-lined park right at the heart of the city is perfect for lounging on a bench with a book or zigzagging through the maze of blue and…
Middle Atlas
One of the Ramsar sites in the national park, this wetland southeast of Ifrane is home to rare insects (caddisfly and stonefly) and plants (Atlas daisy)…
Al Hoceima
The port is mainly used for a large commercial fishing operation. It's a great place to watch the catch being unloaded, and to find dinner: vendors line…
Ceuta
A striking early 20th-century building with an elegant dome and clock that has served as both a palace and city hall. Inside, find paintings and sketches…
High Atlas Mountains
This 17th-century igherm (collective granary), still in use by the villagers of Amezray, is one of several historical structures in the region to benefit…
Tangier
The aptly named 'Idlers’ Terrace' provides sweeping views of the port, Spain and, on a really clear day, Gibraltar. A set of ancient cannons faces the bay…
Tetouan
Built in 1808 on the ruins of a smaller mosque, the Grand Mosquée has one of the largest minarets in Tetouan – you'll have to tilt your head way up to see…
Iglesia de la Purísima Concepción
Melilla
This 17th-century church above Las Cuevas del Conventico is the oldest in the city. Unfortunately, it's only possible to behold from outside as…
Oujda
Designed in the 1930s by René Maître, the city's chief architect, this beautiful park lined with magnificent trees and bright flowers is worth a stroll…
Toubkal National Park
This splendid waterfall cascades for more than 20m above Azib Tamsoult and makes an excellent full-day hike from Imlil or acclimisation day en route to…
Northern Atlantic Coast
Set on the banks of the Bou Regreg River, this low cubist structure hosts pop-up retail space for Moroccan designers, jewellers and artists. East along…
