The 10 most popular attractions in Morocco

The 10 most popular attractions in Morocco

Morocco has plenty to do for travelers of all styles. While some of the main tourist attractions for lovers of bustling city breaks are charming riad hotels, shopping opportunities, and hammams (traditional baths) for dips and relaxation in Marrakech and Fez, the best places for adventurers to visit are the trails of the Atlas Mountains and the desert dunes of the Sahara. And Morocco Tours from Marrakech

1. Take a city break in a stylish riad in Marrakech.

Accommodation in Marrakech is an attraction in itself, and for many travelers one of the best things to do on a city break is to stay in one of the riad hotels in the Medina (old city).

A riad is a traditional Moroccan mansion in the medina with a courtyard garden in the middle. Many have been restored and opened as secluded small hotels, displaying examples of traditional Moroccan artisans, with wooden ceilings, tadelakt (polished lime plaster) walls, traditional zelli (ceramic tile) details and brass swinging lamps.

Tucked away in the alleyways of the Medina, with rooftop terraces and patios (sometimes with small pools) where you can relax, Marrakech’s riad hotels make a soft landing in the city and are a good base for exploring the Medina.

2. Take a picture of the famous Blue Alleys of Chefchaouen.

Chefchaouen is the most famous village in the Rif Mountains of Morocco, with alleys and walls of a small medina washed in blue, making it one of Morocco’s most photographed places.

The city is located near Tetouan, 197 km northwest of Fez and 112 km southeast of Tangier, making it a convenient stop when traveling through the northern region of Morocco.

The main activity in the city is simply to wander the narrow streets and soak up the atmosphere, although if you admire the colorful streets, there are plenty of hikes to go on in the Rif Mountains.

Chefchaouen’s distinctive architecture, with its Spanish-style balconies and tiled roofs, has to do with the Muslim and Jewish refugees who were expelled from Spain in the 15th century and settled here. However, the blue color of the buildings did not appear until the 1930s.

3. Sleeping under the stars at Erg Chebbi.

If you want to tour the desert without any difficulty, go to Erg-Shebbi, where glamping-style desert camps offer overnight stays in the dunes of the Sahara.

Merzouga (559 km east of Marrakech and 467 km southeast of Fez) is Morocco’s most popular desert campground, located on the edge of the sandy sea of Erg Chebbi dunes. From here, people head out into the landscapes of the Sahara on sunset or sunrise camel rides and sleep in the hilly dunes in charming desert camps. doing this 4 days desert tour from Marrakech

A standard camp package at Erg Shebby Desert includes dinner, breakfast and a camel trek. There is usually plenty of time at camp for those who want to explore the nearby dunes by climbing them. Four-wheel-drive vehicle tours are available as extras, extending further into the sandy sea (which is about 28 kilometers long).

4. Hike Jebel Toubkal.

Jebel Toubkal is the highest mountain in North Africa, with a peak height of 4,167 meters. The two-day return hike to the summit is the most popular hike in the High Atlas and one of the most popular activities in Morocco.

It is a non-technical hike (no climbing), but because the headwaters are steep, it involves climbing scree slopes. A reasonable degree of fitness is necessary because it takes place at altitude and the walk can be challenging.. Nevertheless, the stunning views all along the trail, as well as at the top, are worth all the effort.

Enthusiastic hikers may choose the Toubkal trek instead of just doing the two-day climb. The Toubkal Trail is a seven-day hike that covers much of the surrounding High Atlas countryside before climbing to the summit of Jebel Toubkal.

Jebel Toubkal is located in the Toubkal National Park, and the main center for hiking and other activities in the area is the village of Imlil, located 67 km south of Marrakech.

5. A store in the middle of the Medina in Fez.

Although Marrakech remains a favorite holiday destination in Morocco and attracts many visitors solely for shopping, Fez is the undisputed craft capital of the country.

In the labyrinth of the high walls of the medina of Fez (called Fez el Bali), you’ll find craft shops making traditional copper and carpentry and dyeing leather goods (Fez tanneries are one of the most photographed attractions in the Medina.), and the famous blue and white Fassi pottery.

When shopping in the medina of Fes, it is advisable to stay off the beaten tourist streets where stores and kiosks mostly sell trinkets or overpriced handicrafts. In the artisan workshops hidden in the alleys you will discover the best stores.

6. Treat yourself to a traditional spa retreat.

For many visitors to Morocco, one of the must-do activities here is to visit a hammam. A hammam is a traditional bathhouse with separate areas where guests bathe and steam before the attendants wash you (usually the local Moroccan clay rassoul).

Hammams traditionally played an important role in life, as many homes did not have their own bathrooms. Today, the historic traditional hammams you find in the medina of Fez and Marrakech, with their distinctive domed ceiling architecture, offer spa treatments in a distinctly Moroccan style.

Some have also expanded to offer therapies; massages and beauty treatments; and traditional soaks, steam and scrubs. You will find hammams in cities all over Morocco, although the most famous are in Marrakech and Fez. Many luxury hotels also have their own hammam.

7. Resting on the beach in Agadir.

Agadir is Morocco’s premier beach resort, and most people heading here rarely move from their lounger. Visiting here is associated with sun, sea and sand, and a huge number of tourists in Agadir have booked one- or two-week stays.

The city is surrounded by beautiful beaches, some of which are public, while other areas are paid. All the big beach hotels have their own sandy areas for guests.

Agadir is a popular spring break destination for European families during the Easter break and during the school vacations in the middle of the winter, when there are still plenty of sunny days. The summer is the busiest travel season..

8. A camel trek to the Erg Chigaga dunes.

While Erg Shebby offers an easy desert escape, the sandy sea of Erg Chigaga is a more adventurous option.

This 40-kilometer stretch of massive desert dunes is Morocco’s largest sand sea, and visiting it provides a much less crowded desert.

The base for desert activities is the oasis town of Mhamid (448km southeast of Marrakech), which is about 50km from the Erg Chigag dunes area. From Mhamid, travelers go on multi-day treks on camels to the dunes or (if you have less time at your disposal) trips in four-wheel-drive vehicles.

The permanent desert camps in the Erg Chebbi dunes are more scattered around the area, so an overnight stay in the desert here is more isolated than in Erg Chebbi, and great for nature lovers and stargazers.

Like Erg Chebbi, some of the campsites are luxuriously appointed with guest comfort in mind, so you don’t have to worry even if you’re fleeing the crowds.

9. Tizi n ‘Test Journey

Tizi n ‘Test is Morocco’s most famous road through a mountain pass, built in the 1920s to link Marrakech to Taroudant (also spelled Taroudant), 226 kilometers to the southwest. For self-drivers in Morocco, this is a must-visit.

In good weather, it’s a very scenic trip with stunning mountain scenery along the way, as the pass creeps up through steep curves to 2,029 meters and then back down again through new steep curves. Keep in mind, however, that sometimes the pass is covered in clouds because of the high altitude.

At several points along the way, there are lookout points with cafes where you can get some much-needed coffee and rest after a hard drive.

Taraudan is a bustling town in the medina of the Sousse region and a gateway from which you can travel further south to Antiatlas.

10. Mountain biking or hiking through the Unila Valley.

Cyclists, hikers and off-road drivers will love the trails. They wind through this fertile valley of orchards and farmland, dotted with isolated settlements and crumbling brick cemeteries (forts) and xaras (fortified villages).

This valley of the High Atlas stretches from Teloué (127 km southeast of Marrakech) to King Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a major historical attraction and attracts many day hikers, but the valley itself is a peaceful corner of rural life where you are unlikely to see other visitors.

You can organize multi-day hikes or bike rides, or simply use Telue or Ait Benhadda as bases to explore the broader area with day hikes and bike rides.