28 things not to miss
It’s not possible to see everything that Morocco has to offer in one trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows is a selective and subjective taste of the country’s highlights, in no particular order: outstanding natural features, spectacular cities, history, culture and beautiful architecture.
01 Djemaa el Fna, Marrakesh • Musicians, acrobats and storytellers converge each night on the city’s great square.
02 Birdwatching • Morocco offers much to birdwatchers, from storks nesting on minarets to desert bustards.
03 Volubilis • Volubilis was the chief city of Roman Morocco, and is today a beautiful, extensive ruin.
04 Tea • “Whisky Maroccain”, they call mint tea – the accompaniment to any discussion or transaction.
05 Atlas passes • The stunning Tizi n’Test pass and the higher Tizi n’Tichka lead over the Atlas mountains providing breathtaking views.
06 Essaouira • Relax by the Atlantic at Morocco’s most popular resort, home to a growing windsurfing scene.
07 Todra Gorge • Take a walk in the majestic Todra Gorge, with its three hundred-metre canyon walls.
08 Koutoubia Mosque • The symbol of Marrakesh, the Koutoubia’s twelfth-century minaret is visible for miles around the city.
09 Route of the Kasbahs • Morocco’s southern oases are dotted with mud-built kasbahs, like these at Aït Benhaddou.
10 Crafts • From carpets and leatherwork to pottery, Morocco’s craft tradition is extraordinarily vibrant, and entirely on show in its souks.
11 Fes • The most complete medieval city in the Arab world, Fes’s labyrinthine streets hide away monuments and medersas (Islamic colleges), such as the Bou Inania Medersa.
12 Chefchaouen • Simply the most beautiful small town in Morocco, with its blue-washed walls.
13 Sidi Ifni • This old Spanish colonial town retains a seductive array of Art Deco buildings.
14 Prehistoric carvings • The Atlas and indeed the Sahara were rich in wild animals, as depicted in countless rock carvings.
15 Majorelle Garden, Marrakesh • A lovely, mature botanical garden, maintained by Yves Saint Laurent.
16 Tangier • The old “International Port”, sometime home of Bowles and Burroughs, has a seedy charm of its own.
17 Skiing at Oukaïmeden • Not many skiers can list North Africa – but this is a reliable, low-key resort.
18 Camel trekking • Try at least a day’s camel trek from Zagora, though, according to the local signs it takes 52 days to reach Timbuktu.
19 Imilchil Wedding Festival • Catch a Moroccan festival if you can – particularly in the Atlas.
20 Tin Mal Mosque • This great Almohad building, built in 1153–54, stands isolated in an Atlas river valley.
21 Trekking in the Atlas • The Atlas mountains offer fantastic trekking opportunities, from day walks to long expeditions.
22 Casablanca • Casa’s colonial architecture, such as the cathedral, incorporates traditional Moroccan designs into French Art Deco, creating a style known as Mauresque.
23 Riads • Stay a few nights in a riad hotel – a renovated old mansion centred on a patio.
24 Asilah • This relaxed northern seaside town hosts an international festival in August, celebrated in music, art and murals.
25 Kasbah Glaoui, Telouet • An evocative relic of the time when the Glaoui clan ruled over the Atlas and Marrakesh.
26 Bab Oudaïa, Rabat • The most beautiful gate of the medieval Moorish world.
27 Cascades d’Ouzoud • The most dramatic of the country’s waterfalls, with overhanging cafés, and pools to plunge into.
28 Barbary apes • Troupes of apes populate the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas.
