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Where to go in Morocco

Best Places to Visit in Morocco

Morocco packs extraordinary variety into a country the size of France — imperial medinas a thousand years old, Sahara dunes that glow red at dawn, Rif mountain villages painted cobalt blue, Atlantic surf towns, Roman ruins, and the highest peak in North Africa. These sixteen destinations are the ones that appear again and again in the private itineraries we design: places with enough depth for a full day, a full week, or a full life. Use this guide to understand what each place offers and how to combine them. When you're ready to plan, explore our tours from Marrakech, our best private tours in Morocco, or request a personalised itinerary.

§ 01 — The icons

Three places that shape every Morocco trip.

Start here. These are the destinations we weave into nearly every itinerary — for good reason.

Sahara desert dunes at sunset — Merzouga, Chigaga and Zagora
01 — Iconic

Sahara
Desert

Merzouga · Chigaga · Zagora Explore the dunes →
Marrakech medina rooftops — the red city, souks and riads
02 — The red city

Marrakech

Souks · riads · rooftops Explore Marrakech →
Fes ancient UNESCO medina — craft workshops and tanneries
03 — UNESCO

Fes

Oldest medina · craft workshops Explore Fes →
§ 02 — The character

Mountains, coast, kasbahs and the blue pearl.

Four destinations that give any itinerary its soul — and often its best photographs.

Chefchaouen blue streets — the blue pearl of the Rif mountains
04 — Blue pearl

Chefchaouen

Rif mountains Discover →
High Atlas mountains and Mount Toubkal (4,167m) — Imlil trekking base
05 — 4,167m peak

Atlas & Toubkal

Imlil · Berber villages Trek →
Essaouira ramparts and Atlantic port — seafood and Gnaoua music
06 — Atlantic wind

Essaouira

Ramparts · seafood Coast →
Ait Ben Haddou earthen kasbah — UNESCO site and film backdrop
07 — Kasbah country

Ait Ben Haddou

UNESCO · film sets Explore →
§ 03 — The index

Nine more places worth a detour, a day trip, or an itinerary of their own.

08 Casablanca Hassan II Mosque thumbnail

Casablanca

Hassan II Mosque · Art Deco
→ 09 Tangier northern gateway thumbnail

Tangier

Northern gateway · medina
→ 10 Agadir beach and Atlantic bay thumbnail

Agadir

Beach · argan · surf
→ 11 Ourika Valley waterfalls thumbnail

Ourika Valley

Waterfalls · Berber lunch
→ 12 Agafay stone desert — a lunar landscape 45 minutes from Marrakech

Agafay Desert

Stone desert · 45 min
→ 13 Ouzoud Falls — the tallest waterfalls in North Africa

Ouzoud Falls

110m cascades · day trip
→ 14 Meknes imperial city and Volubilis Roman ruins

Meknes & Volubilis

Roman ruins · imperial city
→ 15 Rabat Kasbah des Oudayas thumbnail

Rabat

Capital · Kasbah des Oudayas
→ 16 Combined Grand Morocco tour thumbnail

Combined Grand Tour

All of the above, one itinerary
→
01 · Sand & stars

The Sahara Desert

The golden dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga and the wilder Erg Chigaga near M'Hamid are Morocco's most unforgettable landscape. Ride a camel at sunset, sleep in a Berber camp, wake to silence and a sea of sand. Most desert tours depart from Marrakech or Fes.

02 · Red city

Marrakech

The pulsing heart of Morocco. Lose yourself in the souks, sip mint tea on a rooftop above Jemaa el-Fna, visit the Majorelle Garden and the Bahia Palace. Marrakech is the perfect base for desert tours, Atlas day trips and Atlantic escapes — see tours from Marrakech or browse Marrakech activities.

03 · Imperial soul

Fes

The oldest imperial city and a UNESCO World Heritage medina of 9,000 alleys, tanneries, madrasas and craft workshops that haven't changed in centuries. A living museum, and the best possible start to a Sahara journey via tours from Fes.

04 · Blue pearl

Chefchaouen

Tucked in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen is painted entirely in cobalt and sky blue. Easygoing, photogenic, and genuinely peaceful — the perfect counterbalance to Marrakech's intensity. Browse tours from Chefchaouen.

05 · Roof of North Africa

The Atlas Mountains & Toubkal

From Imlil to the summit of Toubkal (4,167m), the High Atlas is a world of Berber villages, mule tracks and snow-capped peaks only 90 minutes from Marrakech. Trek, hike or just drive through — see our Atlas & Toubkal trips and Berber village treks.

06 · Atlantic wind

Essaouira

A fortified port on the Atlantic with ramparts, seagulls, fresh seafood, Gnaoua music and a breezy laid-back feel. An easy overnight or day trip from Marrakech — see 2-day trip to Essaouira or the day trip from Marrakech.

07 · Kasbah country

Ait Ben Haddou & Ouarzazate

The earthen kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO site and a favourite backdrop for Hollywood — Gladiator, Game of Thrones, Lawrence of Arabia. Nearby Ouarzazate is the gateway to the pre-Sahara and palm oases. Start from Ouarzazate or visit on a day excursion from Marrakech.

08 · Economic capital

Casablanca

Morocco's largest city, home to the extraordinary Hassan II Mosque (the world's second largest) and some of the country's most striking Art Deco architecture. Usually the first stop for transatlantic flights — explore tours from Casablanca.

09 · Northern gateway

Tangier

Where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, and Africa meets Europe. An electric mix of Spanish, French and Moroccan influences — and the classic entry point for northern-route tours. Browse tours from Tangier.

10 · Beach & argan

Agadir & the southern coast

Morocco's beach capital — a relaxed Atlantic bay, argan country inland, and surf villages like Taghazout and Imsouane along the coast. See tours from Agadir.

11 · Day-trip classic

Ourika Valley

A lush valley in the foothills of the High Atlas, 60 km from Marrakech. Waterfalls, Berber villages, tea terraces over the river — the easiest escape from the red city. See the Ourika day trip.

12 · Stone desert

Agafay Desert

A lunar landscape of rocky hills only 45 minutes from Marrakech — not sand dunes, but a striking desert feel without the long drive. Perfect for a sunset dinner or camel ride — book the Agafay excursion.

13 · Cascades

Ouzoud Waterfalls

The tallest waterfalls in North Africa — 110 metres of cascades set in olive country, a 3-hour drive from Marrakech. Wild Barbary macaques, swimming pools at the base, and local cafes with a view — see the Ouzoud day trip.

14 · Roman Morocco

Meknes & Volubilis

Meknes is the quieter imperial city, with grand gates and granaries; nearby Volubilis is the best-preserved Roman site in Morocco, mosaics intact under the African sun. Easy day trip — see the excursion from Fes.

15 · Capital

Rabat

The political capital, often overlooked by travellers — and that's the charm. The Kasbah des Oudayas, the Hassan Tower, quiet beaches and a relaxed coastal feel. See the Rabat excursion from Casablanca.

16 · All in one

Combined Grand Morocco Tour

Why choose? Our combined Atlas & Sahara tours link the High Atlas treks with desert nights under the stars — and the 15-day Spain & Morocco tour adds Andalusia via Tangier. A single private driver, one itinerary, every landscape.

Can't decide?

Let us build a tour that covers your favourites.

Tell us your must-sees and we'll plan a private route that links them all — comfortably.

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