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Introduction to Morocco

History of Morocco

The large cities of Casablanca, Tangier and Rabat all have sights to explore, fine hotels and eating options, but are not as popular among visitors to Morocco.

Along Morocco’s west coast are the Atlantic beach resorts towns. Essaouira has all you’d expect from the country, like a medina and traditional architecture, but it feels more European and has many beach resorts to enjoy.

Similarly, Agadir is more modern than much of the rest of Morocco. But it has a fantastic beach setting with many relaxing resorts to enjoy.

Then there’s the mountains and deserts of inland, southern Morocco. This region is home to the mountain Berber tribes and their traditional culture which can be seen and experienced in villages all over the rocky and sandy landscape. A good place to base yourself is at Ouarzazate, a town with good hotels and amenities, and which is closer to the mountains than Marrakech. The High Atlas is a UNESCO World Heritage region where you’ll see mud buildings, old souks and wonderful vistas. It’s easiest to visit as part of a day tour, but you can stay in the many desert and mountain accommodation options to enjoy the region to its best.

All cities feature these riads, and they’re never very big so you should book well in advance if you find one that attracts. We recommend the following:

In Marrakech the 18^th century Riad Kniza has suites and a restaurant with views of the mountains. Riyad el Cadi is family friendly, with chic décor and traditional breakfasts. The romantic Riad de Tarabel has colonial French décor, with antiques in each room and is situated right in the medina, meanwhile Dar Les Cigognes has an award-winning restaurant, offers cooking classes and have an amazing terrace.

In Fez, Dar Seffarine is a 600-year-old boutique hotel in the medina with traditional architecture, while Riad Anata is something completely different, with party-style roof terrace and jazz music playing. Riad Dar Bensouda is a pared back seventeenth century house riad offering a spa, while Karawan Riad is like stepping into a Sultan’s palace and is certainly one of the most luxurious in the country.

There are, of course, big hotels in all the main cities and tourist areas, and they all take on the style and beauty of Morocco. Some of the best include the Fairmont Royal Palm in Marrakech, the Four Seasons resorts in both Casablanca and Marrakech, the Sofitel in Casablanca with its wonderful views, the Marriot Hotel Jnan Palace in Fes, and the Sofitel Jardin Des Roses in Rabat.

There are many great resorts in Morocco, too. These can be found in all the major cities, as well as along the cost and in the desert and mountains. Each offers a retreat where you can enjoy spas, comfortable rooms, restaurants and the chance to tour local attractions.

Try Le Médina Essaouira Hotel Thalassa Sea & Spa, or Agadir’s Paradis Plage Resort or Royal Atlas & Spa, all with beach settings and the chance to enjoy watersports, local tours, or just sitting by the pool.

In the Atlas Mountains there are resorts like Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot, or the Kasbah Hotel Ziz Palace Rissani. At the Desert Heart Luxury Camp you can enjoy sunrises and sunsets over the mountains from the garden terrace, eat under the stars, and stay in a traditional tent with the benefit of a private bathroom and professional staff.

The town of Ouarzazate is a good base for exploring the High Atlas. Dar Ahlam is a luxury retreat in the town with suites, villas, hammam spa, pool and the chance to join tours and outdoor activities in the region.

Marrakech is also a place where you’ll find museums, historic palaces and city walls to explore. The Menara gardens to the west of the city date from the 1130s, while the Majorelle Gardens were restored by Yves Saint Laurent in the 1980s.

Not far from the Jemaa el-Fnaa is the medieval souk which winds its way through the historic medina. Canopies overhead add to the mystery and loss of orientation as you meander past stalls and shops with vast arrays of wares from food to carpets, with sellers vying for your attention. It is a generally safe place to be, and fun to haggle over a souvenir to take home.

These souks can be found in towns all over Morocco, including Fez, Agadir, Essaouira and the many Berber villages of the mountains where leather, carpets and food products are sold.

Fez is one of Morocco’s most beautiful cities. It is a cultural city surrounded by mountains, and traditionally on the trans-Sahara trade routes. At its heart is the walled old city with two medinas, and outside is the newer French colonial part of town. Fez has one of the world’s oldest continually functioning universities, and many very historic mosques.

From Fez it is easy to visit the ancient ruined city of Volubilis where Moorish architecture sits alongside Roman ruins in one of Morocco’s most culturally important sites. Tours and day trips can be arranged to visit.

Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city and its main centre of commerce, with its largest port and airport. It is also a city synonymous with modern culture in Morocco, as well as sports and music. Of course, it is the namesake of the 1942 Hollywood film, which draws many tourists as a result, even though it wasn’t filmed in the city.

However, Casablanca is not the capital of Morocco. That honour goes to Rabat, a city further up the coast. Traditionally a port and centre of industry and international embassies, Rabat has a growing presence as a tourist destination and boasts many parks, historic buildings a marina, royal residences and coastal views.

To enjoy Morocco’s coast to the full, there are resorts in the south around the towns of Essaouira and Agadir, itself a major city. In these areas there are miles of golden beaches, fantastic surf, golf courses and fine resort hotels.

Stretching across the southern portion of Morocco are the Atlas Mountains, a range capped by Mount Toubkal – the highest peak in North Africa at 4,167m. This range stretches from the coast all the way across into neighbouring countries and can be seen (and easily visited) from Marrakech. Their often snow-capped summits belie the fact that this is the Sahara Desert, and yet below you’ll often find lush green valleys. This region is littered with Berber communities and villages, and it’s a great place to go hiking, mountain climbing, camel riding or offroading. There are ski resorts like Oukaïmeden in the High Atlas region, and an ever-growing number of desert oasis resorts, spas and luxury camps are appearing offering a retreat for world-weary tourists.

If your plan is to visit Morocco on a day or weekend trip from Spain, you main port of call will be Tangier, on the northern coast, where ferries arrive. It has beautiful historic architecture, an ancient kasbah, Grand Mosque and some great shopping, walking areas and places to eat.

All major cities in Morocco and the hotels, resorts or riads you stay in are well-equipped to organize tours of the country’s important sites. Or you could organize them yourself using a grand taxi or local guide. Day trips are a popular way of seeing some of the country’s most historic areas or enjoying outdoor activities.

Popular trips from Marrakech include visits to the Atlas Mountains where ancient Berber villages cling to rocky valleys and traditional ways of life still prevail. The Atlas are also where you can enjoy offroading, camel rides and hiking from the Kasbah du Toubkal.

From Fez you can take tours to Chefchaouen, known as the blue city, or the ancient ruins at Volubilis.

A dedicated trip to the Atlas Mountains (or Rif Mountains in the north) give more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. In the winter, there are skiing opportunities at various places in the Atlas range).

In all major cities around Morocco there are historic buildings like palaces to forts to explore. Many are now museums and open to enjoy, telling their history and revealing their architecture. 

Morocco is also a place to relax and enjoy its hospitality. Many hotels, from tiny hostels and riads to large resorts offer terraces, pools, hammam spas, luxury rooms and wonderful restaurants to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

When in Morocco you should try:

Tagine – a spicy dish of lamb or chicken made in a clay cooking pot, and served in the street, at cafes or in restaurants. A tasty staple of Moroccan life.

Harira Soup – Another dish eaten by locals, made with lamb, chickpeas, tomatoes and lentils. Often eaten with a chebakkiya pretzel, it is a tasty and filling dish.

Couscous – Often used to accompany stews or tagines, couscous is served everywhere in Morocco. This fine wheat pasta is often made by hand, and served in mounds, with vegetables and a side serving of sauce or buttermilk.

Sardines – Popular along the coastal areas, Morocco is the world’s largest exporter of sardines and they are available as tasty snacks everywhere, usually coated with spices.

B’stilla – In Fez this traditional pie is seen as the finest cuisine. Filled with pigeon meat, almonds, eggs and flavoured with saffron, cinnamon and coriander, it is a curious mix of sweet and savoury loved by locals and visitors alike.

Alcohol is available in Morocco and served in most hotels and riads. However, being a majority Muslim country, the locals do not drink it or sell it in many shops. What you will find the locals drinking is mint tea. Served from the kind of teapot you expect a genie to emerge from, this warm and refreshing drink is best tried with generous amounts of sugar. You will be offered this drink wherever you go, and should try it for a true taste of Morocco.

Finding the best places to eat in Morocco is no easy task as great food is served everywhere. In places like Marrakech, the rooftop terraces throughout the medina and around the Djemaa el Fna are usually all great, with a view to match. The Grand Café de la Poste is a colonial French brasserie which often has a waiting list, while the Terrace des Epices serves traditional cuisine close to the souk. Chez Chegrouni also has a terrace with front-row views of the carnival that is the Djemaa el Fna below.

There are a couple of Michelin star restaurants to try in Marrakech, including Al Fassia and La Grande Table Marocaine with its elegant dining room.

In Fez The Ruined Garden has an outdoor terrace, or indoor dining room, serving Moroccan and Mediterranean dishes, while the Darori Resto is hidden in the heart of the medina and situated behind an unassuming door in a traditional house, but serves some of the city’s best local food. Made in M is a pretty café to enjoy a mint tea or tagine away from the bustle of the souk.

While both local and long distance bus routes are widespread, it is often more comfortable and just as affordable to use taxis or private tours to get where you need to go. Taxi drivers, particularly in tourist areas, have a decent command of English and can be arranged by your hotel. A shared grand taxi is also a good way of covering larger distances, usually in a people carrier or van, and these can usually be arranged for day trips by either your hotel or a tour organization. Often they run regularly on popular routes throughout the day.

Rental cars can be hired at airports, or via your hotel, and are a good way of travelling around the country. But beware that some roads in remoter regions are rough and the rules of the road are not always observed. You should ensure your hire comes with adequate insurance for scratches and stone chips.

There are many cultural events and festivals held throughout the year in Morocco, but Ramadan is the one which is most likely to affect tourists. Since many cafes, bars and shops close during this time and locals can become edgy or tired during the day through lack of food, it is not the best time to visit. Ramadan happens in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. You will not be expected to observe Ramadan as a non-Muslim and food is still available to visitors, but you should respect the fast by not eating or smoking in public where possible.

While much has been said of the experience of shopping in the souks of Morocco, there are also luxury and designer shopping areas to enjoy. In Marrakech you’ll find boutique fashion and jewelry shops generally away from the medina, while in Casablanca the Morocco Mall has designer stores and fashion brands.

Probably the most lavish of hotels in Morocco are those which reside in palatial buildings, like Royal Mansour in Marrakech where personal butlers see to your every need in this medina within the medina. In Fez, the Art Deco styled 17^th century Palais Amani has courtyards, suites and a hammam away from it all.

For a luxury way of seeing Morocco, you can book a private tour – either as a day trip from your base, or to see the best the country has to offer. You can often tailor the itinerary to include your preferred sights and experiences, and you can guarantee the best in accommodation, drivers and transport. Organisations like Sun Trails offer such experiences.

Weather in Morocco

Visiting Morocco soon? See below for the latest weather forecast for Morocco.

MOROCCO WEATHER