Morocco - a land of enduring fascination

The city has plenty to offer alongside the endless fantastic photo opportunities of the blue-washed houses against the majestic Rif Mountain setting. Chefchaouen is abundant with history, restaurants, souqs and beautiful landscapes. Surrounded by cheerful, cool blue walls, you’ll feel incredibly peaceful as you explore the quiet streets. You’ll encounter kind street artisans, blue and white doors with elegant detail, and bright flower pots that rest against the terracotta tiled walls. Chefchaouen is one of Morocco’s best kept secrets.

To a romantic, Casablanca is a mythical place that exists in a dream inspired by the 1942 film starring Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart. The reality is that the real Casablanca is often overlooked by tourists. Casablanca is a city for travelers who like to feel like a local, rather than a tourist, and who want to experience the present as well as learn about the past. Architecture buffs will geek out on the city’s diverse building styles, from Art Deco to radically modern. Casablanca has a buzzy restaurant scene fuelled by both locals and visitors. Tourists can’t resist dining at Rick’s Café, not because of the food, but because of the sultry atmosphere inspired by the bar made famous in the iconic film.

Essaouira is Morocco’s beautiful laid back beach town along the country’s Atlantic coast. Essaouira makes the perfect day trip when you need a break from the intensity and chaos of Marrakesh. Essaouira is known for it’s seafood, which isn’t surprising given its location along the Atlantic. Essaouira was built like a fortress to protect it from invaders and most of the fortifications remain in place today. One of the most peaceful things to do in Essaouira is to head to the beach. If you’re looking for adventurous things to do, consider kitesurfing. In fact, people come to Morroco’s Atlantic coast from all over the world just to go surfing, kitesurfing, or windsurfing.

The “Red City” of Marrakech, so called after the ochre walls that surround the medina, as well as its sandstone buildings, never fails to fascinate its visitors. It is a place that travelers either love or hate. But it’s also one of these places where you need to adjust your expectations accordingly and be prepared that it’s a place like no other. The city offers plenty of exoticism and romance, with a thriving old centre housing bustling markets, craft businesses, restaurants and more. It’s a tourist destination that manages to combine the best of Moroccan culture and tradition but with a chilled out vibe and modern amenities too. In Marrakesh, you have to forget about maps. They simply don’t work in there, especially in the Medina.

Tangier, known also as the gateway of Morocco, dominates the Strait of Gibraltar from high ground. Part of the city faces the Atlantic Ocean and the other faces the milder and calmer Mediterranean Sea. It has an ancient and rich history. Over the course of the centuries it has been a Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman, Portuguese Arab, Spanish and British city, and this multicultural influence has made it a place of artistic inspiration. Sip on a fresh-squeezed orange juice on a balcony in the old kasbah, take in the breathtaking view over the Strait of Gibraltar and Southern Spain, and take a seat at one of the many cafés and bars to channel the vibes of this city.

While much has changed in Fez over the years as it has gone from imperial capital to simply being one of Morocco’s largest cities; much has also stayed the same. The city remains Morocco’s spiritual heart thanks to the strong ties to religious schools and Islamic scholars. Its car-free medina has also remained a crossroads for trade and a center for teaching the traditional trade crafts of Morocco such as intricate wood carving, zellige tilework, and hand wrought metalsmithing. Unlike bustling Marrakech, Fez still retains much of the traditional culture that has defined it, making a trip here a glimpse into the Morocco that was.

Rabat isn’t on the tourist radar but there are many reasons to include it on your list. When it comes to seeing Morocco, Rabat is a bit of an unsung hero. The administrative capital is often left off the popular tourist circuit. However, Rabat is a fabulous destination and can arguably be called the most ‘chill’ city in Morocco. Rabat is also a modern, environmentally responsible capital that takes pride in its green spaces. Rabat also has a well-developed ocean front. There are miles of improved beaches that run along the Atlantic coast all the way to the neighboring Casablanca.

With the title of Imperial City and a UNESCO-stamped ancient medina, Meknes can rival the likes of Marrakesh, Rabat, and Fez, yet it struggles to attract the same loyal following of travellers. But this scenic hilltop city has plenty to offer the curious visitor, from intricate gates to marvellous museums and mausoleums. Meknes is made up of the old (medina) and the new (ville nouvelle); two distinct centres less than three miles apart but harnessing quite different vibes.

Ouarzazate has stood at the edge of the Sahara desert for hundreds of years. A city of palm trees, sandy streets and blocky, fort-like buildings, this is the Morocco seen in a hundred movies. The name Ouarzazate comes from the Amazigh for ‘quiet place’, and compared to many of its fellow Moroccan towns and cities, there is a certain calm to be found here. Inside its walls you’ll find new hotels and complexes, plus film studios which have made the most of their photogenic location. Outside the city is the reason most people come to Ouarzazate: the stunning Sahara. Take a trek out to the nearby villages and kasbahs, see the breathtaking Todra Gorge, and marvel at one of the world’s great natural wonders.

Tetouan is a jewel of a town in a striking location at the foot of the Rif Mountains, and just a few kilometres from the sea. The ancient medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, looks like it has not changed in several centuries. The modern centre that abuts it gleams in white, its Spanish facades given a recent facelift to seductive affect. That Spanish influence dates from 1912–56, when Tetouan was the capital of the Spanish protectorate, which encompassed much of northern Morocco. The town’s long relationship with Andalusia has left it with a Hispano-Moorish character that is unique in Morocco, as physically reflected in the white buildings and broad boulevards of the Spanish part of the city.