Absolute Places to Visit In Morocco
Ouarzazate Morocco
Absolute Places to Visit In Morocco: Ouarzazate, at the gateway to the desert, has long been a crossroads between northern and southern Morocco. A gateway to the mountains and the desert, the beauty of its desert landscapes regularly attracts film-makers from all over the world. Ouarzazate, a mecca for Moroccan tourism, is also the film capital of the Maghreb. Between the desert, mountains and oases of the Oued Dadès, Oued Ouarzazate and Oued du Drâa valleys, you’ll find an ideal starting point for magnificent excursions on a variety of themes.
Originally a trading town and traditional caravan center, Ouarzazate is now open to tourism. Ouarzazate has an international airport for those wishing to reach it directly, but you may prefer to arrive by bus, stopping first in Marrakech.
The city, which dates back to the dawn of time, is home to a wide range of hotels, luxury residences and hotel facilities for those wishing to make Ouarzazate their base of discovery. Ouarzazate offers a warm and friendly welcome, as well as the opportunity to play golf.
Ouarzazate
The Berbers, who were the first inhabitants of the region, still have a strong presence here, and you can appreciate their mythical welcome. If you’re a sporty type, hiking, trekking and climbing will allow you to discover the fabulous landscapes around Ouarzazate. Or you may prefer to explore the oases and their towns and villages, sheltered along the wadi-watered valleys where life is concentrated. Here, you can discover authentic craftsmanship and techniques handed down through the generations, and continue on to the first dunes of the desert.
Also worth a visit are the Kasbah de Taourirt and the Kasbah d’Aït Benhaddou, both Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Ouarzazate is known as the film capital of the Maghreb. Away from the city center, the studios are the stuff of dreams, with all the prestigious actors and scenes that have been filmed here. Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and Asterix are just some of the films that have made the most of Ouarzazate’s exceptional light and unique landscapes. And many others have found the city’s location, in the region once known as ‘The Route of 1000 Kasbahs‘, to be a real attraction. Now it’s your turn to discover Ouarzazate!
City of Ifrane Morocco
Absolute Places to Visit In Morocco: Ifrane, at an altitude of 1650 m, not far from Fès and Meknès, is nicknamed “Little Switzerland”, because of its beautiful mountains, humid, temperate climate, European-style architecture and huge National Park, famous for its beautiful Moroccan cedar forest. The first traces of human settlement date back to the Neolithic period, as evidenced by caves such as Tizguite. Ifrane was first called ‘Tourtite’ or ‘Ourti’, meaning ‘garden’ in Berber, then Ifrane, meaning ‘caves’ in the same language. Caves can be found as far away as El Hajeb.
If you come to Ifrane in winter, you can enjoy skiing at the nearby resort of Michlifen. In summer, you can enjoy the cool climate and green landscapes. Although precipitation occurs mainly in winter, Ifrane enjoys fine weather all summer long. Hike in the famous Moroccan cedar forest of the immense Ifrane National Park, renowned for its rich biodiversity and lakes. Fish for trout or pike in its lakes and streams, or hunt for wild boar, partridge or hare.
A European-style mountain resort, Ifrane is reminiscent of the great European resorts of Saint Moritz and Megève. Many of its villas are inspired by the architecture of various regions of France. It is said that, out of nostalgia, every Frenchman who lived here wanted to transpose his native region to Ifrane.
Ifrane is the ideal starting point for many excursions. From the resort, you can embark on the Dayets circuit, see the Cascades de la Vierge by following the ‘source Vittel’ signs, or head for Azrou, a Middle Atlas town 17 km from Ifrane, famous for its craft center specializing in cedar woodwork. In Ifrane, at your hotel, riad or rental villa, or at the tourist office, you’ll find all the information you need for your tours, including detailed maps of the mountains and lakes.
City of Tinghir Morocco
Tinghir, in southeastern Morocco, is a pivotal town between Ouarzazate and Errachidia. Originally a small town in an oasis, it underwent an unprecedented evolution when it became the country’s prefecture in 2009. Major works, financed by the Ministry of Housing and the Garden, have created an urban center for the small, scattered and under-equipped villages in the palm grove, to meet the needs of both daily life and the economy. Zones have been designed for the installation of tourist infrastructures.
The name Tinghir now refers to the entire valley, which is 30 km long and 500 to 1500 m wide. It lies at the heart of one of the most beautiful oases in southern Morocco. You’ll discover the palm grove, located all along the Todgha or Todra wadi. The wadi rises at the top of the Grand Atlas and flows into the plain after an underground journey through the famous gorges that bear its name – the Todra gorges. The river emerges from the gorges with an impressive flow. You can observe the ingenious irrigation system that waters a verdant forest of date, almond, pomegranate, peach, olive, fig and plum trees. At their feet, vegetables are grown: tomatoes, cabbages, broad beans, etc.
Tinghir forms a striking contrast with the reg, a desert of limestone and clay, in which it is located. The Todgha River has cut its way through these rock layers to form gorges sometimes 300 meters high and sometimes only 10 meters wide. The green of the palm grove in the oasis contrasts with the ochre-red colors of the reg.
Tinghir’s Berber population of 80,000 will give you the warmest welcome in the tradition of Moroccan hospitality. You may even be able to witness one of their famous traditional dances, the Ait Toudart.
City of Tetouan Morocco
Absolute Places to Visit In Morocco: Tetouan is Morocco’s 5th largest city, located in the north of the country. It’s a welcoming town that has been rooted in a valley near the Mediterranean Sea since ancient times. The city’s urban planning and traditions reflect the religious and cultural tolerance and assimilation of the different cultures that have succeeded one another or cohabited here. A city of culture, Tetouan enjoys a special place in the world of the arts and hosts a number of renowned events. The Medina of Tetouan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You’ll be impressed by its 5-kilometre long, 1.20-metre-thick ramparts. These ramparts date back to the city’s reconstruction at the end of the 15th century and allow passage through 7 gates. Once inside, you’ll be able to admire the Tetouanese houses, many of them well-preserved thanks to a rehabilitation program. According to specialists, the medina of Tétouan is the most beautiful in Morocco. Its Andalusian soul makes it the most Hispano-Moorish of the country’s cities. The preservation of its authenticity is the focus of much attention. Tetouan boasts a large number of sumptuous traditional residences, such as the Maison Lebbadi.
City of Tetouan
In Tetouan, you’ll discover the city’s successive raison d’être, living side by side in total simplicity. Tetouan is a city with a military, religious, mystical, commercial and, at times, diplomatic past. Don’t miss Hisn Sqala, a fortified structure protecting the city’s access from the sea. In the center of the Medina, the large Al Jamaa Al Kabir Mosque dates from the early 19th century. The al Bacâcha Mosque is located near the Royal Palace.
If you feel like it, take a refreshing dip in one of the city’s beautiful wall fountains, which serve as watering places for the locals. You’ll find potters in the El Hots souk, then make your way to the tanners’ souk and the fabric market, via the jewelers’ street, which reveals all its charms. Finally, visit the El Foki souk, the bread square that spreads a delicious aroma throughout the district.
Tetouan, the capital of northern Morocco, is a charming city with a rich history and a dynamic future, and will seduce you with many aspects of its rich personality.
City of Taroudant Morocco
Taroudant is a medieval city surrounded by magnificent ochre walls, located at the meeting point of the Souss valley and the High Atlas mountains. Taroudant, one of Morocco’s oldest cities, the first capital of the Saadians in the 16th century, a city coveted by the tribes of the south, is part of Morocco’s history. The province of Taroudant is home to North Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Toubkal, at 4167 m altitude.
Explore its ramparts, which surround the town in whole or in part. Some 7 kilometers long, they are accompanied by immense gardens planted with giant olive, eucalyptus, palm and pomegranate trees. Don’t miss the Bab el Kasba gate, the most majestic of the 5 gates that form the passageway between the city and the outside world.
Once there, you can discover the city’s history going back to Roman times. The capital of a small kingdom, at its height it served as a base for offensives against the Portuguese. El-Hiba made it the seat of its resistance to the French army. Taroudant has a reputation for being proud and rebellious, but it is also known and appreciated for its welcoming and friendly shopkeepers.
Taroudant, the “little Marrakech” known for its ramparts, is also known for its souks and market, 70 km east of Agadir. Here you’ll find a typical Berber market that has retained its authenticity over the centuries, and a lively souk. Spices, vegetables, clothing and ceramics are all on offer, as are Berber handicrafts and jewelry. Don’t leave town without seeing the objects and ornaments for which the city is famous!
City of Tangier Morocco
Absolute Places to Visit In Morocco: Tangier, destined by its exceptional position to receive all influences, has benefited from and amplified all cultures. It has inspired artists and writers who have lived here. Carthaginians, Romans, Phoenicians, Berbers, Vandals, Spaniards, Portuguese, French and English have all succeeded one another and fought bitterly for the city situated between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, between Europe and Africa.
If you’re looking for a city with an extraordinary history, Tangier is the place for you. This lively city harbors incredible treasures of international influence, whose presence is explained by its history. The Kasbah, a quarter of former palaces, is home to the Museum of Moroccan Arts and the Museum of Antiquities, bringing together all facets of Moroccan art. You can also stroll through the Grand Socco, Joseph Kessel’s beloved souk, the heart of the city.
Further afield, the Place du Petit Socco was once a place of business and pleasure, with its small cafés and old hotels. You can marvel at the polychrome earthenware minaret of the great Sidi Bou Abid Mosque, built on the ruins of an ancient Portuguese cathedral.
City of Tangier
The incessant activity of the merchants mingles with the scent of spices. It’s easy to see why the many artists who came here in the past fell under the spell of this atmosphere! Eugène Delacroix, Henri Matisse, Jean Genet, Joseph Kessel and Samuel Beckett all chose to live in Tangier.
Enjoy a spot of contemplation on the Paresseux terrace, with its breathtaking view of the Strait of Gibraltar, then sip mint tea at Café Hafa, like the many celebrities who came before you.
In the early 20th century, Tangier enjoyed fiscal freedom, which attracted many banks, businesses and wealth. Its definitive integration into the Kingdom of Morocco in 1956 meant it lost this special status. However, Tangier will always retain the traces of its incredible history, with its distinctive cosmopolitan atmosphere forging its identity.
