Cities in Morocco offer a striking blend of geographical diversity and natural charm. With landscapes varying from north to south and east to west, the country encapsulates four seasons within its borders. Now, we present to you a unique selection featuring Morocco’s most renowned tourist destinations.
Moroccan Cities
Moroccan cities are a blend of historical authenticity and contemporary aspirations for the future. They are a cocktail steeped in history through ancient cities and historical landmarks, while striving for development and keeping pace with the times. Each Moroccan city offers a diverse mix of urbanism, arts, and rich culture, welcoming you with distinct tourist atmospheres and captivating your heart with the details of its love. They are diverse, enchanting, and above all, hospitable.
Marrakech
Marrakech is both old and new at the same time. It has a lot to offer. People who want to get away from Paris for a few days go there because it’s so easy. In front of the peaks of the Atlas Mountains, the city and its different districts are full of treasures. In Medina, the old part of the city is protected by the ramparts and has many old buildings and streets; everyone will find what they are looking for. Whether it is lively or peaceful, electric or friendly. Whether it’s at the Majorelle and Menara gardens or the trendy shops in Guéliz, the modern part. The Palmeraie is a great place to go quad biking or on camel rides if you live further north. Marrakech is enchanting and generous, and it wants you to come in.
Fez
Fez is one of Morocco’s most beautiful imperial cities and the one that actual Moroccans will call a “real Moroccan city.” It has a natural feel and architecture that is true to the country. The old town, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site., concentrates on an important cultural heritage shared between traditional souks, museums, and madrasas (Koranic schools).
Chefchaouene
There is a lot to like about Chefchaouen. This mountain village is in the northeastern country, and its faded blue color makes it stand out. A walk through the narrow streets of Chefchaouen makes us feel like we’re in another country, somewhere between a change of scenery and awe. You see this in Medina’s heart: small winding streets are lined with carpets and fabrics. They also have herbs and spices, baskets, and other handiwork. Friendly: The central square, Outa El-Hammam, is filled with trees and is where tourists and locals meet every day. You can also see the terracotta walls of the old Kasbah from one of the terraces in this friendly village. People who are Muslims can only get inside the Great Mosque, which can only be seen from the outside.
Meknes
This is a must-see stop on the way to the Moroccan imperial cities. Meknes is one of the stops on this route. The town was built in the 8th century and is surrounded by ramparts and monumental gates. It has unique architecture and historical artifacts from the essential Moroccan dynasties that have come and gone over the centuries (Idrissids, Almoravids, Merinids, or Alawites). There is a lot of history that makes it a World Heritage Site.
Essaouira
A pretty seaside resort on the Atlantic, Essaouira enjoys a sunny climate all year round, which allows you to enjoy its superb beaches. Due to the sometimes powerful winds that regularly blow on the coast. Still, the city is undoubtedly a paradise for surfers and other water sports such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, etc. The little anecdote; it is also in Essaouira that the kitesurfing world cup is organized each year. But the city is also known for its dazzling white Medina, the historic city center surrounded by ramparts and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Casablanca
Casablanca is less famous than its seaside cousins, Agadir or Essaouira. There are fewer things to do there. It is thought to be the economic center of Morocco. In this bustling city, Arab and European cultures mix together. On one side is the Moorish architecture, and on the other, the Art Deco style. On the retail side, there are two schools: the traditional central market and the Morocco Mall, the largest ultra-modern shopping center in Africa! Alongside its historic city center, the city also has an important business center. When night falls, “Casa” offers its revelers and night owls a host of trendy bars, restaurants, and clubs where they can party until the early hours.
The Hassan II mosque is the must-see monument in Casablanca. The fantastic structure appears to float on the water due to its location on the ocean’s edge. The mosque is a vast religious and cultural complex that covers 9 hectares. It is one of the largest mosques in the world, and its minaret is 210 meters high, making it the tallest in the world at the same time. And make no mistake, its traditional-looking architecture is a jewel of technology designed with a sunroof.
Figuig
Located in the far east of Morocco near the Algerian border, Figuig is an oasis of freshness lost in the middle of the desert, surrounded by mountains. Inhabited by barely 12,000 souls, tourists little frequent the city because it is very far from the big cities of Morocco. The calm that reigns there makes it a bubble where time seems to have stopped. The vast palm grove is one, if not the most beautiful in the country, with many fruit trees growing in abundance, including 200,000 date palms, driving the local economy. Figuig has also preserved an architectural heritage of great wealth with seven traditional Ksours, a complex of fortresses once used to protect the city. Figuig has earned the moniker “Pearl of the desert” despite being cut off from the rest of the world.
Tafraout
Tafraout is about 160 km south of Agadir. It is built on the granite foothills of the Anti-Atlas at an altitude of 1,200 meters, and it looks out over a vast palm grove where almond, date palm, argan, and olive trees grow. This small mountain town with typical Amazigharchitecture is the starting point for beautiful excursions to the surrounding villages and natural sites: The Ammeln Valley. In this green territory, most of the villages are located. Among them, the visit to Oumesnat is informative. It allows you to learn more about the traditions and arts of Amazighculture. You must stop in Agard-Oudad on Tiznit to see the bright red inclining rock called “Napoleon’s hat.” You also have to see the painted rocks of Aoumarked. A land art created by Belgian artist Jean Vérane. Finally, hiking lovers will venture into the gorges of Aït Mansour. The circuit, which can be done in 4X4, allows you to marvel at the sumptuous landscapes between rocky cliffs and oases with abundant vegetation.
Ouarzazate
People in Ouarzazate, Morocco, live on a large, rocky plateau at the edge of the desert, where the Draa and the Dades rivers meet. There are small oases and bright red villages all over the place. The city with golden reflections is often used as a movie set because it’s always lit up and has a golden glow. Some of the best films, such as Gladiator, Laurence of Arabia, Babel, Asterix, and Mission Cleopatra, were made there. This made the city into a real Moroccan Hollywood. Besides film studios, Ouarzazate has a lot of important historical sites, like its many Kasbahs and a lot of desert trips, green valleys, and palm groves nearby.
The Kasbah of Taourirt
Almost 500 years old, the Kasbah of Taourirt symbolizes the city. This is one of the first large-scale Amazighbuildings. The Kasbah has high walls and crenelated towers, but its foundations look like they can’t be broken. With a view of the Medina of Ouarzazate, it is possible to see the richly decorated interior once home to a high Moroccan official. The cultural value of the Kasbah of Taourirt is so high that it has been made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Kasbah of Taourirt is the monument on the 50 dirham banknotes. This is a minor point of general culture, though.
The Tizi-n-Tichka road
Winding on the slopes of the High Atlas, the Tizi-n-Tichka road connects Marrakech to Ouarzazate over a distance of about 200 km. By car, the landscapes pass by and are not alike. We pass successively from snowy peaks to green plains, steep passes, oases, and small Amazighvillages nestled in the hollow of the mountains. The highest point, the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, offers an impressive panorama from the top of its 2260 meters altitude.
Rabat
Morocco’s capital city is on the Atlantic coast and the banks of the Bouregreg River. You can go hiking in the undeveloped hinterland, which is a great place to see wildlife. It also has miles of sandy beaches and rocky coves. Fortressed by an impressive wall, Rabat’s Medina is home to many important historical sites designated as UNESCO World Heritage cultural assets. That’s not all. The city also wants to be modern by building a new European-style neighborhood…
Taroudant
As a city in southern Morocco, Taroudant has a charm and authenticity that isn’t found in the towns like Marrakech or Agadir, which are full of tourists. The city enjoys an ideal location between the sea and the Anti-Atlas mountains. It offers its visitors a wide range of excursions in the heart of nature. But before exploring its surroundings, Taroudant is also one of the oldest cities in Morocco, steeped in history.
The ramparts and the Medina
Nicknamed “La Petite Marrakech,” high ramparts in ocher colors encircle the Medina. 7 km long, this great wall is pierced by nine gates. The oldest, Bab El Kasbah, offers a beautiful view of the Kasbah and the gardens of Taroudant. Once through the gates, there is plenty of going to the souks. The city has two: the artisanal souk, where typical Moroccan products are sold. Regional pride, we find there the famous argan oil with many nutritional virtues and beauty secret of Moroccan women; and Saffron, nicknamed “red gold.” The Amazighsouk is a joyous mess of everyday objects and products overflowing from the stalls: food, clothes, dishes, drugstore, toys…
The Tizi-n-Test road
This tourist route connects the cities of Marrakech to Taroudant over nearly 180 km; the way passes through varied landscapes as beautiful as they are: the vast plateaus of Kik, the mountainous slopes of the Atlas, or the gorges of N’Fis, the refuge of a few Amazighvillages. After several days of walking, the reward is a breathtaking view of the Souss valley from the Tizi-n-Test pass, which culminates at more than 2000 meters above sea level. From there, Taroudant can easily be reached at 1h30.
