Morocco, a land of diverse landscapes and rich culture, offers a plethora of experiences for every traveler. From its ancient cities and towering mountain ranges to vast deserts and tranquil beaches, there's no shortage of things to do. Before visiting, knowing the best cities to explore is essential. After spending a couple of weeks in Morocco, it quickly became one of my favorite countries ever. This guide will help you plan your trip, highlighting the must-see cities and their unique attractions.
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Here are all the best cities to visit in Morocco together on one handy map to help you plan your trip.
To get the details on all the awesome things I did in Morocco, check out my full 2-week Morocco itinerary here!
Top 10 Best Attractions & Things to Do in Morocco - Travel Video 2024
1. Casablanca: A Blend of Modernity and History
Casablanca isn’t always on the top of visitors’ must-see lists when they come to Morocco, but I certainly believe it’s worth a visit. Casablanca is one of the best cities to visit in Morocco if only for its mosque. It’s here that you’ll find the stunning and shockingly large Hassan II Mosque.
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The Hassan II Mosque - I recommend spending a good chunk of time just walking around the exterior of this place; every inch of it is stunning. Its location (sitting out halfway over the ocean) is truly unique as far as mosques in Morocco go.
Rick’s Café - While you’re in Casablanca you should also stop by Rick’s Café for dinner and drinks. Though the movie Casablanca is entirely fictional (as was the bar where it took place), this place has been transformed to resemble the one from the film.
In Casablanca I stayed at the Gray Boutique Hotel and it was fabulous. My room (suite actually) was enormous and had a wraparound balcony. The breakfast is great and the staff is super nice.
Downtown Casa is an al fresco museum of architecture, from the neo-Moorish tiled façade of La Grande Poste to art deco apartment blocks, and Place Mohammed V’s uber-modern Grand Théâtre de Casablanca designed by French "starchitect" Christian de Portzamparc.
2. Marrakech: The Vibrant Red City
Marrakech is arguably the most well-known and popular one on the list of best cities to visit in Morocco. Marrakech is a shock to the senses if you’ve been traveling around the rest of Morocco before you make it here. While the rest of the country is mostly chill, Marrakech is LOUD and pretty in-your-face. Some love it (like me) and others can’t get out of here fast enough.
Though it can be overwhelming at times, Marrakech is also one of the most beautiful and fun cities I’ve visited in Morocco. Marrakech is definitely one of the best cities to visit in Morocco for its energy, its abundant sightseeing potential, and its food.
Explore the bustling medina and haggle for so many souvenirs that you’ll have to also haggle for an extra suitcase to bring them home in.
Private half-day sightseeing tour of Marrakech - Includes the medina, Bahia Palace, Majorelle Gardens, Koutoubia mosque, and more. Actually, there are too many good options.
In Marrakech I stayed at the Bab Hotel and it was perfectly fine. There are tons of gorgeous hotels and riads in Marrakech and on my next visit I’ll stay somewhere more along the lines of Riad Kheirredine or Riad Idra.
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The fabled Red City of Marrakesh is a sensory overload of sights, sounds and smells. Its ancient medina is a maze of narrow streets with the Djemaa El Fna - arguably Africa’s most famous square - at its heart, and its nightly circus of storytellers, snake charmers and musicians.
Marrakesh will satisfy the most insatiable shopaholic. The labyrinthine passageways of the souq are devoted to everything from aromatic spices to leather babouches (slippers) and shaggy wool rugs, with artisans weaving, hammering and carving out their wares as they’ve done for centuries. And now homegrown and international designers are working alongside them, giving age-old crafts a contemporary twist.
Local tip: Don't begin negotiating on a price unless you genuinely want to buy something. Remain calm and courteous. If you feel under intense pressure to make a purchase, you can always walk away, but remember: for shopkeepers, this is their livelihood.
Jemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech
3. Rabat: The Capital City
Rabat is the country’s current capital and another on the list of the best cities to visit in Morocco that most people skip right past. Chill out with some mint tea and pastries at Café des Oudayas. Wait, “chill out?” What I meant to say was get absolutely smashed on your entire month’s allotment of sugar. Fun fact: The taxis are a different color in each Moroccan city.
Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat
4. Chefchaouen: The Blue Pearl
Chefchaouen is known as Morocco’s blue city and you’ve certainly seen a few [gazillion] photos of it, I’m sure. First and foremost, you should visit Chefchaouen simply just to see it. The entire city really is blue. Not just one street for tourism purposes… but the whole town. It’s bizarre, but you’ve gotta see it.
There isn’t a whole lot to do in Chefchaouen, but getting lost here is a truly worthwhile experience. The main thing to do in Chefchouen is really just to walk and explore. The entire place is a large blue maze, but not so large that you risk never coming out. (Like Fez, yikes!) Really, just take the day and wander all the streets. There’s a lot of (blue) things to see and tons of cats to photograph.
Enjoy the relaxed pace of life in the medina of Chefchaouen. Tucked into the green folds of the Rif Mountains, charming Chefchaouen is famed for its blue-hued medina. Soak up its relaxed pace of life by wandering its cobbled streets and sipping a mint tea in an open square, then hike the trails of Talassemtane National Park with its luminous waterfalls and forests of fir trees.
In Chefchaouen I stayed at the Riad Hicham and I loved it! The entire property is so beautiful and unique and the staff is incredibly courteous. The hotel restaurant is so good I ate here every night I spent in Chefchaouen.
Chefchaouen, the blue city
5. Meknes: A Historic Capital
Meknes is another city you probably haven’t heard of, but still one of the best cities to visit in Morocco. It’s conveniently located between Casablanca and Rabat and actually used to be the capital of Morocco. While this isn’t the most happenin’ city in Morocco, there are still some incredibly cool things to see here.
Check out the awesome gates at the Meknes Royal Palace, but be wary of taking photos here unless you have express permission from the guards outside. Check out the storks. Meknes was the first place (of what would become many) where I noticed the giant storks building their nests.
In Meknes I stayed at the Riad Ritaj and it felt like a totally hidden retreat within the city.
Bab Mansour Gate in Meknes
6. Volubilis: Ancient Roman Ruins
On the list of best cities to visit in Morocco, Volubilis will certainly stand out from all the others. In fact, you’ll feel like you aren’t even in Morocco at all. Whether or not you’ve visited your fair share of Roman ruins before, these are pretty unique since you’re in Africa, remember?
There are numerous spots to check out here, like the triumphal arch, the mosaic tiled floors, and the aqueduct. There are bath houses and temples and ancient olive oil presses too.
Volubilis is kind of “in the middle of nowhere,” and the vast majority of people visit Volubilis from either Fez or Meknes. So, that’s definitely where you want to stay if you plan to visit Volubilis.
Roman Ruins of Volubilis
7. Fez: The Cultural Heart
Of all the cities I’m declaring the best to visit in Morocco, Fez is definitely one of my favorites. Top Two, for sure. This is another that can quickly overwhelm people, so I definitely wouldn’t visit here without a guide who’s willing to quite literally hold your hand, as mine so graciously was.
Fez is the second largest (behind Casablanca) and one of the most ancient cities in Morocco and just all-around awesome. The Fez medina is one of the largest pedestrian-only zones in the world and is said to be made up of 10,000 streets… without any sort of organization at all. It’s just a mess. A loud, disorienting mess.
Fez is also home to the 1200-year-old Chouara Tannery you may have seen pictures of before, and the University of al-Qarawiyyin, the world’s oldest university.
Eat a pastilla-Moroccan dish of chicken, onions, and almonds in a cinnamon-sugar covered flaky crust you can find in these parts.
In Fez I stayed at the Riad Palais Houyam and I absolutely loved it. It has a fantastic rooftop patio and delicious restaurant. The staff went out of their way for me and I was even able to get my laundry done here.
In Fez, Morocco’s oldest imperial city, time appears to have stopped. Dating back to the 8th century, Fez El Bali - the world’s largest living medieval medina - is a jumble of souqs, workshops and mosques, with a tangle of more than 9000 narrow alleyways to explore.
Moroccan cuisine is a genuine melting pot - alongside Amazigh influences, Arabs, Moors, Ottoman Turks and French all left their culinary mark. One of the best ways to discover it is on a street-food tour. Fearless foodies sample everything from snail soup to boiled sheep’s head, plus tempting sweet treats such as chebakia (deep-fried dough coated in sesame seeds) and wild honey.
Head to the legendary Café Clock to learn how to create three traditional dishes after souq shopping for super-fresh ingredients, or dive into the dough at The Ruined Garden, where you’ll bake five kinds of typical bread, including baghrir or “thousand-holes” pancake.
Fez Medina
8. Ifrane: The Switzerland of Morocco
When you enter the city of Ifrane in the Middle Atlas Mountains, no part of you will be convinced you’re still in Morocco. Ifrane is known for its skiing and lodges, its forests and waterfalls, and its alpine-style architecture. Ifrane is one of the best cities to visit in Morocco because it’s just so different. It was even dubbed the “second cleanest city in the world,” just behind Calgary, Canada. Go for a hike through Ifrane National Park to see the monkeys!
Ifrane
9. Khamlia: Cultural Immersion
Today, the Gnaoua welcome visitors into their village at Khamlia to experience their food, music, and culture.
10. Merzouga: Gateway to the Sahara
Next on the list of the best cities to visit in Morocco is Merzouga, location of the Sahara Desert’s famous Erg Chebbi sand dunes. (And definitely my favorite day I spent in Morocco!) No trip to Morocco would be complete without a trip into the Sahara. No matter how you spend your time in Merzouga, this is such an awesome and unforgettable experience.
While visiting the area I stayed at the Golden Camp Sahara. This is a “luxury” Sahara camp and, though I have nothing else to compare it too, I would certainly agree. Even though these are technically “tents,” they still have showers with hot water, a sink, an actual flushing toilet, lighting, heating, comfy beds, and tons of space to chill out in.
Erg Chebbi Dunes in Merzouga
11. Aït Benhaddou: A Cinematic Village
The Ksar of Aït Benhaddou is a centuries-old fortified village and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tons of movies and TV shows have been filmed here like The Mummy, Gladiator, and Game of Thrones.
First of all, if you’re a fan of any of these shows/films, you’ll definitely want to see this place in person. Beyond that, it’s a fascinating little village to explore.
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