The lively and vibrant city of Marrakesh sums up Morocco as a country and is of course almost a must if you visit Morocco for the first time. The city is based on the large square Djema el-fna, where the food vendors and food stands, musicians with traditional instruments, snake lovers and other artists give their special character. From here you enter the medina and a world of maze-like alleys. It is an experience full of colorful and noisy local life.
Morocco’s most charming seaside resort is the coastal town of Essaouira, an ancient hippie destination from the 70’s that has not lost any of its charm. The colorful fishing boats, the powerful beach wall and the old town are great to discover when strolling around. Here fresh fish and seafood are eaten and you can sit for a long time in a cafe and enjoy the sun and the people who pass by. For the active, there are lovely walks along the beach to remote villages or simply trying to surf the waves.
n Morocco’s eastern Sahara region, the great sand dunes of the Erg Chebbi are the main attraction, where you get a large dose of desert experience. Here you can try out the dune surf, four-wheeled adventure in the dunes, but also try the slightly more authentic camel treks. For the less active maybe it is enough to enjoy the splendor of the sand dunes just by going here. The highlight of almost all travelers is often in the evening and watching the sunset in a desert camp amidst the dunes.
Ouarzazate is known as the door to the Sahara desert. A hub between different countries in commerce since time immemorial. Here, touaregans with their camel caravans have exchanged merchandise and quenched their thirst for long walks in the desert.
Casablanca mixes old and new, tradition and modernity. The city is known from the famous film by Ingrid Bergman and Humphery Bogart, but is perhaps not the city you primarily visit as a tourist. There is a lot to do here. This is the trading city and where the companies exist and a young and dynamic culture. You will find cool restaurants, local design shops, beautiful albeit a little worn French-Moroccan colonial architecture, beach walks and Morocco’s best metropolis. The city represents the modern Moroccan. Here you visit, for example, the enormously large mosque, built on its own “island” with beautiful mosaics, passing by the fancy residential areas where one house is more beautiful than the other, strolling along the promenade or visiting the medina and the souk
In the beautiful Rifbergen, about 2 hours from Tangers, you find Chefchaouen, a wonderfully cute village with mazes of blue buildings. Here you wander around the fascinating alleys of the medina and enjoy the colorful architecture. A quiet, pleasant city and a good place to recharge your batteries if you have traveled around for a while in the country. This is also one of Morocco’s main hiking destinations and a starting point for hikes in the Rif mountains.
Morocco has plenty of beautiful old neighborhoods but the capital city of Rabat’s old quarter of Kasai Kasbah must be one of the country’s most picturesque. The quiet neighborhood, although located in the heart of the city, is lovely to stroll around in. In this ancient fortress you walk between white and blue painted houses with colorful flower pots and people’s wash that flutter in the wind. Unlike the old urban areas of Fez and Marrakesh, not many other visitors have found here, so it may feel that you have been admitted to a very exciting world.
The Atlas Mountains are North Africa’s highest mountain range and are known as the mountains of the mountains. A paradise for those who love mountain walks, The best time is between spring and autumn. The Atlas Mountains run diagonally across Morocco about 1000 km and the high peaks act as a weather barrier.