Morocco is a fascinating country, full of cities full of treasures, incredible landscapes and a great combination of culture and history. There have been several times that I have traveled to Morocco. The first times, visiting a sporadic city on bridges or weekends and later I spent 3 weeks touring Morocco and visiting a large part of its cities and natural wonders such as the Merzouga Desert, among others.
In this post I talk about the 30 most beautiful places to see in Morocco and I add several links that will help you organize your trip and complete the information on each place.
THE 30 MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO SEE IN MOROCCO
1. Marrakech, an essential city to visit in Morocco
Marrakech is the main tourist destination and the city with the most places to visit in Morocco. Despite not being the capital of the country, Marrakech has won the hearts of all those who visit it. Its medina is considered a World Heritage Site and it is not for less; beautiful carved wooden doors, tiles of a thousand colors, mountains of spices, glass and iron lamps, handicrafts...
A great way to get to know the city is by taking a free tour of Marrakech.
The Jamaa el Fna square at sunset is wonderful and a must. It is the perfect place to eat something in one of its local stalls or restaurants.
Marrakech posts that may interest you:
2. Jebel Toubkal, the highest peak in Morocco
If you like trekking and adding nature activities to your trips, climbing Jebel Toybkal is an activity that you will love. It is the highest peak in Morocco, located in the Atlas Mountains. It measures 4,167 meters above sea level and usually has snow throughout the year.
3. Fez, an essential city to see in Morocco
Fez is a chaotic, messy and charming city. Its medina is a veritable labyrinth with almost 10,000 alleys. In addition, the city is home to places as important as the oldest university in the world or the Boujloud gate. The city is visited quite quickly, although I recommend you visit it for at least two days to see the most essential places.
Fez posts that may interest you:
4. Essaouira, a picturesque fishing village to visit in Morocco
One of the most beautiful towns in Morocco is Essaouira, a small fishing village located about 200km from Marrakech.
Its great tradition of fishermen means that they have a gastronomy based on fresh fish. You can enjoy delicious dishes at a very good price in its restaurants.
Nor can you miss the medina of Essaouira, it is one of the most beautiful in Morocco, declared a World Heritage Site.
5. The Ouzoud Waterfalls
Near Marrakech are the largest waterfalls in North Africa, the Ouzoud waterfalls. The waterfall is about 110 meters and just below a natural pool is created where you can cool off. The area is surrounded by some vegetation and monkeys.
The best way to get there is with an excursion from Marrakech. The journey lasts about 2 hours and with this excursion you have transportation, pick-up at your hotel, and a guide.
6. The desert of Merzouga
You have the possibility to know several deserts in Morocco. The best experience for me, without a doubt, is sleeping in the desert of Merzouga under the stars. It is an activity of 2 or more days. In our case we did the route from Marrakech to Fez, although you have many options:
7. The cinematographic kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate
One of the most popular places to visit in Morocco is the kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou. It has been landscape and scenery in these movies: Gladiator, The Mummy, Lawrence of Arabia or Alexander the Great.
It is an impressive fortified city with traditional Moroccan architecture that has been the scene of all these films, among others.
8. The Ourika Valley
This valley is located right in the middle of Morocco and is the perfect place to get to know the most natural and traditional side of the country. The tourist center of the area is the town of Setti-Fatma, since from there you can leave to visit the seven waterfalls of Ourika. There are many treks that you can do in the area.
9. Casablanca and its Hassan II Mosque
Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and has the fourth largest mosque in the world. The Hassan II Mosque is impressive. Its minaret measures 172 meters and its interior has a capacity for more than 90,000 faithful. It is the only mosque in the country that can be visited by non-Muslims.
Casablanca posts that may interest you:
10. Skoura, the town of a thousand kasbahs
Skoura is known as the town of a thousand kasbahs. In the 12th century, a sultan commanded the creation of an oasis with some 700,000 palm trees. Today they are still there. Although now, the palm grove hides hundreds of buildings made of mud and adobe from the 19th century.
11. Agafay desert
If you want to discover the desert, but you don't have much time to add several nights to your trip (as it would be in the case of visiting Merzouga), a good opportunity to do so is from Marrakech, visiting the Agafay desert. Do all kinds of activities such as quad routes, 4x4, camel rides...
12. The Todra Gorges
Impressive 100-meter-high cliffs flank the Todra River canyon. These cliffs attract many adventurers who climb the rocks. Although, if you are not among this group of climbers, don't worry, you can walk along the riverbank and enjoy the natural environment. In addition, on the way to the canyon you will pass through the Todra valley, with an impressive landscape, full of palm groves and villages with traditional adobe buildings.
13. Chefchaouen, the blue city of Morocco
Chefchaouen is one of the most beautiful cities to see in Morocco. It became popular due to the "fault" of social networks and since then it has become very touristy. Even so, walking through its blue streets is wonderful. Its streets are full of small shops with colorful souvenirs, with cats on every corner and a wide variety of small riads to stay in.
14. The Akchour waterfalls, a little-known natural wonder in Morocco
If you visit Chefchaouen and you stay in the city, you can reserve two days to go trekking to visit the Akchour waterfalls. This natural wonder can be discovered by doing a two-day trekking. During the journey you will visit a natural environment full of vegetation and tranquility. I explain the complete experience in the post Trekking from Chefchapuen to Akchour.
15. The Dades Gorges
Another impressive landscape to see in Morocco is the Dades gorges, with great views of the High Atlas. In the valley, traditional houses blend into the desert landscape. From the viewpoints you will be able to appreciate the winding road, the valley and the landscape that surrounds it.
16. Meknes, an essential imperial city to see in Morocco
Meknes completes the list of imperial cities in Morocco. Despite having been relegated a bit behind other major Moroccan cities, Meknes is a must see if you are thinking of taking a tour of the country or if you are going to spend a few days in Fez.
The city owes its greatness to Sultan Moulay Ismail, who moved the Moroccan capital from Fez to Meknes in 1674. You will be able to visit many remains of that majestic era.
17. Volubilis, the best preserved archaeological site in Africa
Volubilis is a Roman site more than 20 centuries old. It is believed that it was a city founded by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century BC. Some 300 years later, it became Roman territory. The Arc de Triomphe of Caracalla and the Temple of Jupiter Capitolino are still preserved in very good condition. It is a very interesting and essential visit to do if you are spending a few days in Fez.
18. Moulay Idris
Moulay Idrís is located right next to Volubilis, and it is generally most practical to visit Moulay Idrís, Volubilis and Meknes on the same day. The best option is to do it with an excursion that visits the 3 places.
Moulay Idrís is a holy city in honor of Idrís I, great-grandson of Muhammad. Until a few decades ago, non-Muslims were prohibited from entering the city. Currently, you can visit and walk through its alleys, enjoy its viewpoints...
19. Kasbah Telouet, a magical palace
Formerly it was a fortification and symbol of power of one of the most powerful families in the area. Since the country's independence, the Kasbah was abandoned and it was not until years later that it began to be restored, leaving one of its beautiful rooms, it will leave you speechless.
20. The Ziz Valley and its immense palm grove
On the route between Merzouga and Fez is the Ziz Valley. A desert plateau broken by a canyon, created by the passage of the Ziz River. In the middle of this canyon is an immense palm grove. There are several viewpoints from where you will have impressive panoramic views.
On the other hand, the river water is an impressive bluish color that stands out a lot with the arid zone of the area.
21. Rabat, the capital of Morocco
Despite the fact that Casablanca is considered the economic capital of the country, the official capital of Morocco is Rabat. At a tourist level, it is a city with interesting places to visit and it can be visited in one day. The most beautiful thing to visit is the souk, which has an air similar to Chefchaouen.
22. The Gouraud Cedar Forest
In the mountains of the Middle Highs there is a cedar forest full of monkeys. The landscape here is very green, with many paths for hiking. You can also visit the municipality of Azrou that has a lot of charm.
23. Agadir, a perfect coastal town to disconnect in Morocco
Agadir is a beautiful and very quiet coastal town. It has a 10 km promenade and a very long beach perfect for sunbathing or surfing.
Much of the city was completely rebuilt after an earthquake devastated the city in 1960. Its original kasbah, built in 1541, survived and can still be seen as an example of medieval Moorish architecture.
24. Larache and its Liberation Square
Larache is a small coastal town on the shores of the Atlantic. Its beaches are popular with surfers thanks to its wonderful waves. The town itself has a very special charm, it is small and not very touristy. Its Liberation Square is one of the most picturesque squares in the country. It is worth spending a few hours exploring its medina with its very beautiful souks.
25. Asilah
Very close to Larache, you will find Asilah. It is a small coastal city with a surprising historical center. It has an air similar to Portuguese coastal cities and is that Portugal dominated the area in the fifteenth century, building fortifications and walls to protect the city.
26. Tangier, an interesting stop to make in Morocco
Tangier is quite an international city. It is probably the city that has the least Moroccan appearance. You can see a mixture of Arab and Mediterranean culture in its food, its architecture and in the atmosphere. The city can be visited quickly, in one day you will have already known its medina and the most important places to visit.
27. Legzira Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Morocco
A few kms south of Agadir you will find one of the most beautiful beaches in Morocco. Legzira beach draws attention for the two reddish rock arches formed by the erosion of the sea over the centuries. Watching the sunset in this area is a real wonder.
28. Tetouan
Tetouan stands out for its beautiful Medina. It has a lot of Andalusian influence. Most of its inhabitants speak Spanish and its architecture characterized by white facades makes it known as "the daughter of Granada". It is a very interesting city that you can visit in one day.
29. Thiemann Cactus
Cactus Thiemann is the largest cactus plantation in Africa. It is located near Marrakech and the enclosure has more than 7 hectares full of cacti.
Hans Thiemann, an agricultural engineer from Bremen, opened this space in the 1960s, tired of having to experiment with cacti in greenhouses. Thiemann died in 2001, but his wife and daughters keep the 150 species of cacti cared for for everyone to enjoy.
30. The desert of Zagoza
And finally, the Zagoza desert is another of the natural wonders of Morocco. For me, an essential is to do the route through the desert of Merzouga, but if you do not have that much time or have a tighter budget, this desert is a good alternative. It can be visited from Marrakech or Fez. The sand dunes are lower and it is a rockier desert, but it is relatively close to Marrakech. Also, on the route to the Erg Chigag desert you will visit the beautiful Draa Valley.
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Morocco a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!