Shutterstock / Marianna Ianovska
Mediterranean Coast & the Rif Mountains
Caught between the crashing waves of the Mediterranean and the rough crags of the Rif Mountains, northern Morocco is one of the most charming parts of the country. Tangier, the faded libertine of a port that links Africa and Europe, has shed its shady past to enjoy a rebirth as fashionable Moroccan riviera. To the east, the coast is dotted with high cliffs and sandy coves; the area booms as a Moroccan holiday destination.
The charming pastel blue medina of Chefchaouen deserves its reputation as a magnet for travellers, while Tetouan boasts the food and architecture of the Spanish protectorate era. Echoes of Spain continue with the medieval fortresses and modernist architectural treasures of the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.
Inland, you can get away from everything with treks in the Rif and walking in the little-visited remote Beni-Snassen 'national park'.
Latest Stories from Mediterranean Coast & the Rif Mountains
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Mediterranean Coast & the Rif Mountains.
See
Kasbah Museum of Mediterranean Cultures
This recently refurbished museum is housed in the former sultan's palace of Dar El Makhzen. The focus is on the history of the area from prehistoric times to the 19th century. Exhibits are well-presented in French and Arabic only. Work your way anticlockwise around the first courtyard before heading inside to the rest of the displays, followed by a walk in the charming Andalusian garden. Particular highlights are the mosaic of Venus from Volubilis and statuary, plus the giant replica maps. The first map tracks trade routes from the Phoenician trade in metals to the electronic goods of the 21st century; the second is a gorgeous map of the known world made in Tangier in 1154 (hint: it's upside down from the viewer's perspective). The museum is inside the medina – follow the perimeter all the way to the western end, to the highest part of the city, enter the Bab Kasbah gate and follow the road to the museum. The museum is wheelchair accessible.
See
Tangier American Legation Museum
This museum, in an elegant five-storey mansion, is a must-see: Morocco was the first country to recognise the United States by opening its ports to the fledgling nation in 1777, and this was the first piece of American real estate abroad, as well as the only US National Historic Landmark on foreign soil. There are some unusual displays, including a Moroccan Stars and Stripes carpet, and an 1839 letter from a hapless US consul who had been given two lions as a diplomatic gift. The museum also holds an impressive display of paintings that give a view of Tangier's past through the eyes of its artists, most notably Scotsman James McBey's hypnotic painting of his servant girl, Zohra, which has been called the Moroccan Mona Lisa. There is a small bookshop and a wing dedicated to American author Paul Bowles.
See
Grand Socco
The Grand Socco is the romantic entrance to the medina, a large, sloping, palm-ringed plaza with a central fountain that stands before the keyhole gate, Bab Fass. Once a major market, its cobblestone circle is now the end of the line for taxis, the point at which the modern streets narrow into the past. For the best ground-floor view, climb the steps at the highest point on the circle, across from the large tan building (the police station), to what locals simply call La Terrasse. There's a cafe up here where locals spend the day playing parchís (a widely popular Spanish board game). This is what you came for, one of those dreamy moments when you think you’ve entered a movie set.
See
Medina
Winding alleyways, cute doorways and charming plazas all in many shades of blue – this is what has attracted millions to this tiny village in the Rif Mountains, and there's no sign tourism will let up. Despite overcrowding, Chefchaouen's medina is still well worth the visit. The heart of the medina is the shady, cobbled Plaza Uta El Hammam, dominated by the red-hued walls of the kasbah and the adjacent Grande Mosquée.
See
Medina
The medina, the top attraction of Tangier, is a labyrinth of alleyways both commercial and residential. It's contained by the walls of a 15th-century Portuguese fortress, although most buildings are actually relatively new for a Moroccan medina. The place is full of travellers' treasures and offers glimpses of traditional living. Sadly, local touts can be more of a bother here than nearly anywhere else in Morocco.
See
Petit Socco
This was once the most notorious crossroads of Tangier, the site of drug deals and all forms of prostitution. Today the facades are freshly painted, tourists abound, and it’s a wonderful square for people watching over a mint tea.
See
Plaza de África
This is the charming heart of Ceuta, with manicured tropical plantings, a square of freshly renovated cobblestone pathways and some of the city’s finest architecture. Moving clockwise from the oblong Commandancia General, a military headquarters closed to visitors, you encounter the striking yellow Santuario de Nuestra Señora de África, the 19th-century Palacio de la Asamblea, and finally the Cathedral Santa Maria de la Asunción with its museum. The centre of the plaza contains a memorial to soldiers lost in the Spanish-Moroccan War of 1860, a conflict over the borders of Ceuta.
See
Royal Artisan School
Just outside Bab El Okla is the best artisan centre in northern Morocco. This is a fascinating opportunity to see masters teaching apprentices traditional arts, including ornamental woodwork, silk costumes, carved plaster, intricate mosaics and decorative rifles. A fantastic central treasury holds the best of the best – don’t miss the ceiling. Staff will open it upon request. Built in 1928, the building itself is notable, and is set around a large Andalusian-style courtyard, with fine doors upstairs.
See
Melilla La Vieja
Perched over the Mediterranean, Melilla la Vieja is a prime example of the fortress strongholds that the Spaniards built along the Moroccan littoral during the 16th and 17th centuries. Much of it has been painstakingly restored in recent years. The main entrance is Puerta de la Marina, from where you ascend to the summit, passing several small museums. Signage is in Spanish, French and English.