Morocco is a very beautiful country. There are destinations in Morocco which are known less and are much less visited by the average traveler. There are so many places in Morocco that are extremely attractive and holding an unusual authenticity. On this page we list 10 special places to visit in Morocco, some better known than the others. Get your "Morocco experience" chance, go enjoy its people, its amazing scenery and discover a heritage of universal interest.
Marrakech city is founded in 1062 and it is one of the most famous Moroccan cities, also one mean destination for tourists. It's "Red City" nicknamed came from the color of its buildings in the medina which is concentrated all the local history. The bustling and vibrant buzz of Marrakesh Medina sums up Morocco for many visitors. The old city is entered from the vast plaza of Djemma el-fna Square where, it seems, half of the city converges throughout the day and into the evening to hang out with the stall vendors, traditional musicians, snake charmers and random acrobats. Once inside the Medina itself, you enter a world of maze-like alleyways and shopkeeper hustle. It's an experience of full of colorful and noisy local life, and not to be missed on your Moroccan sightseeing trails.
The High Atlas is a mountain range that runs from the coast of Morocco towards Alergia. The range includes Toubkal National Park, which contains the Morocco’s highest peak, Jbel Toubkal (4,160 meters/13,670 feet). The Berber village Imlil is a good place to start the climb of Toubkal. The tallest mountain range in North Africa, the High Atlas offers outdoor recreation opportunities year round, from snow sports in the winter to hiking in the summer. One of the best places to visit in Morocco is the Todra Gorge in the eastern part of the High Atlas, near the town of Tinerhir. Both the Todra and neighboring Dades rivers have carved out steep cliff-sided canyons through the mountains. The last 600 meters (2,000 feet) of the Todra gorge are the most spectacular.
This small town is exotic with its fortified walls, fishing harbour and seagulls soaring and screaming over the town, it is by popular acclaim Morocco’s most likeable resort: an eighteenth-century town, enclosed by medieval-looking battlements. Its whitewashed and blue-shuttered houses and colonnades, wood workshops and art galleries, boat-builders and sardine fishermen and feathery Norfolk Island pines, which only thrive in a pollution-free atmosphere, all provide a colorful and very pleasant backdrop to the beach. Many of the foreign tourists making their own way to Essaouira are drawn by the wind, known locally as the alizee, which in spring and summer can be a bit remorseless for sunbathing but creates much-sought-after waves for windsurfing and, increasingly, kitesurfing. The same winds make Essaouira pretty terrible for surfing.
Morocco’s biggest city and commercial capital, it may not be as exotic as other Moroccan cities, but it represents Morocco on the move: Casablanca is where the money is being made, where the industry is, where art galleries show the best contemporary art and where fashion designers have a window on the world. The old pirate lair is looking towards the future, showing off its wealth and achievements. The Hassan II Mosque is the city’s landmark building; it is a lavish symbol not only of the city, but also of Morocco itself. This modern mosque (finished in 1993) doesn't do things by halves. The decoration detail covering every centimeter of the mammoth 2 ha site took 10,000 artisans to complete. Intricately carved marble pieces, vibrant mosaics and zellige tile details pay tribute to traditional Islamic architecture.
Along with Marrakerch, Fes is Morocco's other big cultural destination. But unlike its sister Imperial City to the south, Fes hasn't been trussed up for the tourists. Fes el Bali (Old City) is an authentic muddle of a place where it's near impossible to not get lost. The back alleys here with their chipped plaster-work and gorgeous old doors will have you stopping for photos on every corner, while the stinking tanneries are one of Fes el Bali's most popular attractions for those who can handle the smell.
High up in the Rif Mountains the picturesque town of Chefchaouen, which was was originally a Berber post, has a beautiful white-walled medina with distinctive blue-hued buildings. The main square is the heart of Chefchaouen and there is a beautifully preserved 18th century kasbah, a central mosque and cafes with authentic Moroccan style menus. The bustling market offers a mix of traditional Moroccan items and tourist souvenirs and it's a great place to buy kilims.
Situated on Morocco's North Atlantic coast, seaside Asilah is very popular with Moroccan vacationers who flock to its sandy beaches during the hot summer months. The city walls are covered in colorful murals and the houses are painted white, evoking the white-washed towns of the Greek Islands. Every August, artists, musicians and street performers flock to Asilah for the town's vibrant annual Arts Festival.
The Dades Valley runs between the Jebel Sarhro and High Atlas mountain ranges and offers some of Morocco's most spectacular scenery. The deep red cliffs on each side are lined with traditional forts known as kasbahs, many of which have been turned into luxury hotels. The best way to appreciate the valley and its Berber villages is on foot, especially when you reach the Todra and Dades Gorges
The Erg Chebbi dunes are located in the Sahara Desert. The awe-inspiring dunes tower over a 160 meters high and support a highly diverse wildlife of flora and fauna, and one certainly feels small in their shadows. Erg Chebbi special feature is its beautiful unique orange colored sand, it is the gateway to the wilderness of the desert interior, and the perfect place to get a taste of Berber life. Camel treks are the easiest and most authentic way to explore the surrounding landscape, where knife-edged dunes and blazing blue skies create the classic Saharan backdrop; you’ll be treated to the most amazing sunset of your life and spend a night in the plantless desert of your mind’s eye. It’s breathtaking and definitely worth the journey to this remote corner of Morocco.
Surrounded by the staggering Atlas Mountains and peppered with palm-fringed oases, the Draa Valley is home to some of Morocco’s most striking scenery. Steeped in history, there is evidence of thousands of years of life in this fascinating section of the country and it was here that archaeologists uncovered the Venus of Tan-Tan statuette, one of the oldest prehistoric sculptures to have ever been discovered. From cave paintings to remnants of when the valley was a main feature in the gold, salt and spice trades, the heritage of this strip of land will certainly give travelers something to think about. To really experience the best that the Draa Valley has to offer, there are plenty of hiking paths, which can also be tackled on a mountain bike. Alternatively, it is possible to explore the region from the comfort of a 4x4 vehicle.
