Top 10 things to do and see in Morocco

Marrakech

Once one of the country's imperial cities, Marrakech is sometimes called the Red City because of its sandstone buildings. Marrakech was founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty who made the city an important center of trade, religion, philosophy and culture. Under the Almoravids, red sandstone walls, sumptuous palaces and Koranic schools were built, much of which can still be seen today. From this city, it is highly recommended to make 4 days desert tour from Marrakech

Marrakech was referred to as the "Mecca of the hippies" in the 1960s, drawing famous people like the Beatles, Yves Saint Laurent, and the Rolling Stones. With its magnificent ancient architecture and courtyards of orange, palm, apricot, and olive trees, Marrakech remains one of Africa's most popular tourist destinations.

At the heart of Marrakech lies the Medina, a labyrinth of old walls and narrow passageways, home to historic sites, museums, tempting food stalls, and colorful souks (or markets). The focal point of the medina is Djemaa El-Fna, the main square, teeming with snake charmers, musicians, acrobats, storytellers, magicians, and stalls selling carpets, leather, pottery, hookahs, and spices. Other must-sees in Marrakech include the 12th-century Koutoubia mosque, the Saadian tombs, the Bahia Palace, and the Jardin Majorelle, a botanical garden that blends art deco and Moorish elements.

The High Atlas

The High Atlas is a mountain range stretching from the coast of Morocco to Alergia. The range includes the Toubkal National Park, which contains Morocco's highest peak, Jbel Toubkal (4,160 meters/13,670 feet). The Berber village of Imlil is a good place to start climbing Toubkal. North Africa's highest mountain range, the High Atlas offers year-round opportunities for outdoor recreation, from snow sports in winter to hiking in summer.

One of the most popular 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 the neighboring Dades have carved steep, cliff-side canyons into the mountains.

The last 600 meters (2,000 feet) of the Todra Gorge are the most spectacular. On the edge of the High Atlas Mountains lies Aït-Benhaddou, a traditional mud-brick town that has appeared in many films, including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator.

Fes

Founded in 789, Fes (or Fez) was the capital of Morocco for hundreds of years. Today, the country's third-largest city is best known as the artisan center of Morocco. Fez is the ideal destination for visitors wishing to experience the lively, intoxicating atmosphere of a Moroccan market.

The government is working hard to restore the historic old town, the Fes el Bali Medina, to its original glory. With a population of around 150,000, the Medina is the world's largest car-free urban area by population. Traditional adobe houses and mosaic-adorned courtyards line a maze of narrow streets and alleyways filled with souks and stores.

Much of the pleasure of visiting Fès lies in strolling through the ancient medina to meet the craftsmen and women who make and sell their wares. Traffic is almost entirely pedestrian, although donkeys are sometimes used for transport. It's in the medina that most of Morocco's famous cobalt-blue ceramic tiles are made. Housed in an 18th-century Moorish palace, the Dar Batha museum boasts a fine collection of ceramic tiles and other traditional Fès crafts, including wood carvings, copper objects, and sculpted plaster. 8 days tour from Casablanca

Fès is also home to the Karaouiyine Mosque, which houses a medersa considered to be the oldest university in the world. With its splendid copper doors, minaret, and stalactite-covered entrance chamber, the Bou Inania Medersa is also well worth a visit. Like many cities in modern Morocco, Fès also has a Ville Nouvelle, offering modern, comfortable accommodations to visitors to the former imperial capital.

Merzouga

Situated in a remote location not far from the Algerian border, the small village of Merzouga is today a popular base from which to explore the delights of the Sahara desert. It is overlooked by the enormous dunes of Erg Chebbi, which in places reach heights of over 300 meters.

It's for these colossal sandy landscapes that most people come, with hiking, quad biking and camel safaris all popular ways to explore the dunes. Many visitors also camp overnight in the desert to watch the magnificent sunrises and sunsets that give the dunes a myriad of gorgeous colors.

Once a simple stopover and transit point for Arab and Berber merchants on their way to Timbuktu, Merzouga now boasts a growing number of hotels from which visitors can choose. These hotels cater for all budgets, and all offer excursions to the sites and desert sands that surround you.

Essaouira

An 18th-century town on Morocco's Atlantic coast, Essaouira is one of the country's most popular seaside destinations. Whitewashed houses with cobalt-blue shutters provide a picturesque backdrop for seaside adventures such as kitesurfing and windsurfing. The town's medina showcases handicrafts made using centuries-old techniques, including cedar wood carving and cabinetmaking. The argan oil trade is also well established here, and the women's cooperatives responsible for processing the argan nuts are instantly recognizable by their long white dresses.

Essaouira, formerly known as Mogador, is a natural port. It has been prized as such since the 1st century when the protected bay served as an anchorage for Romans who came to collect the purpura shells they used to make purple dye. Roman artifacts from this period are on display in the town's Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah Museum. The fortress walls originally surrounded the city's borders, and many sections of these walls still stand today. Built by Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah, the fortifications combine European military architecture with African aesthetics.

Today, the port is one of Morocco's main fishing grounds, and the city's restaurants and seafront stalls offer an array of fresh seafood, from lobster dishes to grilled sardines.

In recent years, Essaouira has begun to acquire a reputation as a cultural center. Art galleries are popping up all over town and, every year, the city hosts the Gnaoua Festival of World Music, a four-day event that includes many genres of music as well as traditional African Gnaoua music. Whether it's taking a camel ride along the beach or visiting the bird sanctuary on nearby Falcon Island, Essaouira offers a range of great travel experiences.

Sidi Ifni

Located along Morocco's southwest coastline, the small fishing town of Sidi Ifni is a charming place to visit. It's home to beautiful beaches, superb surf spots, and impressive rock formations. As it was only returned to Morocco in 1969, after decades of Spanish rule, the Berber town also has a fascinating history and culture for visitors to immerse themselves in.

As everything is painted in blue and white, the town stands out delightfully from its desolate surroundings, with a few Art Deco buildings dotted around. While the atmosphere in Sidi Ifni is very relaxed, there are lively cafés and restaurants along the ocean, around the souk, and the old Spanish town.

One of the town's main attractions is its excellent beach, which is battered by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Here you can enjoy surfing and kite surfing, or simply sit back, relax, and admire the magnificent scenery and spectacular coastal cliffs. In Sidi Ifni, many people also visit the nearby beach of Legzira to admire its spectacular 30-metre-high rock arch.

Rabat

Although often overlooked in favor of Agadir, Casablanca and Marrakech, Morocco's capital Rabat is well worth a visit. One of the country's four imperial cities, it is located on the northwest coast and borders the Atlantic Ocean.

With its peaceful palm-lined boulevards and atmospheric old medina, Rabat is a great place to stroll, with interesting historical and cultural sites dotted here and there. While the imposing royal palace and magnificent Art Deco cathedral have much to offer, the main attraction is the well-preserved kasbah.

This houses not only a charming ancient mosque but also an idyllic Andalusian garden and a magnificent museum on the history of this sprawling site. Among its sturdy stone walls, you'll find a wealth of exquisite architecture, as well as a magnificent blue-and-white-painted quarter. From the kasbah, you can also enjoy a breathtaking view of Rabat, its large public beach, and the ocean.

Meknes

Located near the northern Moroccan city of Fès, Meknes is known as the "city of a hundred minarets" for its abundance of monuments, mosques, palaces, and pavilions. Founded by a Berber tribe in the 9th century, Meknes established itself as a fortified city in the 11th century. In the 1700s, Morocco's Sultan Moulay Ismail made Meknes the country's imperial capital and added to the city's construction. It's the city's former prestige and glory that sets it apart from other Moroccan cities. Few other places offer visitors such an intimate glimpse into Morocco's golden past. Additionally, it is the city that is most near the Volubilis Roman Ruins.

The Dar Jamai palace, set in a well-kept garden, includes a museum with displays of imperial clothing and jewelry. The sultan's sumptuous palace, Dar El Makhzen, and its mausoleum are also well worth a visit. Among Meknes' many monumental gates, the Bab Mansour is perhaps the most famous. This 11th-century gateway cost the life of its architect, El Mansour. When the architect admitted that he thought he could have done better, the sultan had him executed on the spot. Featuring elegant cobalt-blue tile mosaics and marble columns confiscated from Roman ruins, this remarkable gateway now bears the architect's name.

Despite the city's wealth of historic sites, Meknes has a relaxed atmosphere, mainly due to its large student population. The market squares are alive with jugglers, musicians, and fire-eaters, as well as friendly, laid-back merchants. Set in the fertile plains at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, the city is supported by a vibrant agricultural industry. Whether you're feasting on locally-produced olives and citrus fruits, visiting an 11th-century underground prison, or strolling through the site of an ancient palace, Meknes is packed with must-see experiences that will surprise and delight all visitors.

Chefchaouen

Nestled in the Rif mountains in northwest Morocco, Chefchaouen is one of the country's prettiest and most picturesque towns. This is, in large part, because all the buildings in its old medina are painted a beautiful shade of blue, and stand out delightfully against its dusty surroundings.

Nicknamed the "blue pearl", the narrow, winding lanes of the colorful old town are a delight to lose yourself in the magnificent Moroccan and Andalusian architecture that surrounds it. They lead you past countless cozy cafés, traditional restaurants, and small hotels, to the centuries-old kabash and bustling souk, where you can buy local crafts and leather goods.

While the medina is undoubtedly Chefchaouen's highlight, the surrounding mountains and hills are also wonderful to explore, home to stunning landscapes, waterfalls, and vistas. In the Talasemtane National Park, for example, you'll find numerous hiking trails that take you along imposing cliffs and mountains, with fabulous views wherever you look.

Asilah

Today a popular seaside resort, Asilah has a glorious history dating back to the time when it was a trading center for the Phoenicians, in 1500 BC. In the 19th and 20th centuries, pirates used it as a base of operations. Fortifications from these bygone eras remain, surrounding the restored medina. Asilah is located on Morocco's northern coast, around 30 km (20 miles) from Tangier.

It's a popular summer destination for Moroccans; travelers who want to avoid the crowds are advised to visit in spring or autumn. Whitewashed buildings complete the picturesque scene. There's a good selection of budget hotels and restaurants, as well as a thriving arts scene. About 2.5 km (1.5 miles) south of Asilah is Paradise Beach, a beautiful, wide stretch of sand, popular with locals and tourists alike.

(Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)