Morocco

The North African country of Morocco has a captivating blend of ancient history and vibrant modernity, and offers a diversity of experiences for travelers. Nature lovers can explore the country’s range of landscapes, from the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert. Those interested in culture won’t want to miss the bustling souks in Marrakech, history-filled streets of Fes, or coastal cities like Casablanca and Essaouira. And of course, there’s the food: spice filled tajines, fresh juices, olives, and so much more.

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Peter Bohler

Overview

Planning your trip

Whether it’s your first time to Morocco or you’ve been many times, use these resources and guides to plan your next trip to Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca, and beyond.

Related Guides
  1. Fes
Read Before You Go
Hotels
Whether you’re looking for an oasis-like pool villa or a high-design room in the heart of the Medina, each of these 12 best hotels in Marrakech exudes style, sophistication, and superlative service.
AFAR’s picks for the 31 best new hotels in the world.
These five concierges in Paris, Hong Kong, Cape Town, London, and Marrakech reveal their favorite city itineraries that they usually only share with guests.
These retreats around the world offer a dreamy setting for your next romantic getaway.
An insider’s guide to the riads of Morocco—and whether they’re right for you.
Resources to help plan your trip
A travel writer landed in Morocco just hours after a deadly earthquake struck in the High Atlas mountain region. She sent a dispatch from the ground in Marrakech, along with a vetted list of aid organizations.
The frenetic market of Djemaa el Fna is Marrakech’s most iconic attraction (shopping or otherwise), but there’s much more for shoppers to explore. From the concept store 33 Rue Marjoelle, where you’ll find all of Morocco’s up-and-coming designers, to the high-end shops on Rue Yves Saint Laurent, named for the iconic fashion designer who called Marrakech home, to more traditional shops, shopping Marrakech deserves a week of its own.
Like many other countries, Morocco exists in the liminal space between vibrant LGBTQ culture and a hostile legal framework. What does that mean for travelers?
An honest reflection on feeling safe, respecting local culture, and being true to one’s self in more conservative countries.
From honoring new beginnings to welcoming the harvest season, here are eight festivals and holidays that celebrate our stately friends.
Europe’s gateway to Africa, Tangier has long attracted artists and writers.
Fez is known for it’s craftsman, from colorful pottery, to hammered copper, to leather goods in all hides and shapes. Spend most of your time in the old Medina in Fez to maximize your experience. Visiting on a guided tour with Intrepid Travel or G Adventures ensures you won’t miss a thing.
Marrakech may not be the largest city in the world--it’s not even the largest city in Morocco. But Marrakech offers so much to see, do, eat, and shop that it feels as though it’s a country all its own. Focus, mostly, on the medina quarter. Power your day on the mint tea you can find pretty much everywhere. Within the medina, find traditional Moroccan food, 14th century buildings, the Koutoubia mosque, and, yes, some snake charmers too. Leave the medina for the Yves Saint Laurent museum and house. But be back around dusk to eat your way through the food stalls at Jemaa El Fna.
Just 50 miles north of the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, Marrakech is a vibrant city that will let you dip into buildings from the 14th century just as easily as you can modern-day shops. When visiting Marrakech, spend a relaxed, dreamy morning in Jardin Majorelle before heading off to galleries, a museum dedicated to and the former home of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, or to snake charmers and other so-very-Marrakech wonders. Nicknamed the “Red City” for the clay used in many of the building, Marrakech is the best Moroccan city for an immersion course in the country’s culture, before you head off to explore the rest of Morocco.
A weekend in Marrakech offers just enough time to take in the Red City’s gardens, the medina, and to tumble through the city’s souks and boutiques, your arms filled with purchases. Of course, the food: from traditional Moroccan dishes to European-inspired meals, and plenty of local red wine. Don’t miss a night of food stalls and snake charmers at Djemma el Fna. Tempting as it may be to stay put in Marrakech’s oldest section for the weekend, leave the medina to tour the stunning gardens French painter Jacques Majorelle left behind, and the museum dedicated to legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. And do go to a hammam on day one because, really, you’ll quickly see why it should be your daily habit while in town.
Wander the streets of the medina, stopping in spice shops and honey souks, and visiting the quarters where artisans make copper pots or intricately scrolled window screens, or puzzle together the local tile work. The local markets and shops can convert the biggest skeptic into a diehard shopper.
Ranging from historic riads to big-name resorts, hotels in the Red City are as magical as you’d imagine, with unique amenities like luxurious hammams, central courtyard pools, and rooftop terraces with sweeping views of the Atlas Mountains. Whether you want a place with mint tea, traditional Moroccan décor, or a restaurant once frequented by Winston Churchill, you can find it here, all in close proximity to attractions like the Jardin Majorelle, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, Djemaa el Fna Square, Bahia Palace, and the Saadiens Tombs.
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