Morocco

What to see

Marrakech

Countless travellers are captivated by this bewildering, brilliant city where a wild assortment of storytellers, performers, musicians and snake charmers congregate amidst the city’s mud and brick ramparts. The market square, Djemaa El Fna, is alive with open-air food stalls and people haggling over the price of delicious stews, mounds of salad, grilled brochettes and roasted sheep’ heads.

Fez

One of the world’s largest intact medieval towns, Fez is an enchanting walled city, whose labyrinthine streets conceal souks and caravanserais just waiting to be discovered.

Chefchaouen

Charming retreat that presides over the Rif Mountains, where the buildings are strikingly coloured blue and white artworks. 

High Atlas Mountains

Superb trekking is on offer around North Africa’s highest peak, Djebel Toubkal, or in the imposing Todra or Dades Gorges, in the course of which you will be treated to warm, traditional Berber hospitality, staggering landscapes and great views.

Top experiences / sites of particular interest

Casablanca

Alongside contemporary Morocco and colonial white-washed buildings discover the world’s largest mosque, Hasan II, which can accommodate 100,000 worshippers and includes a 200m tall minaret, making it the highest structure in the country.

Volubilis

Morocco’s most substantial Roman ruins, dating from he second and third centuries, can be found here, complete with moasaics, columns and sweeping vistas.

Essaouira

This eighteenth century Atlantic port boasts a maze-like medina, picturesque harbour and excellent beaches that are now a haven for surfers who come to catch big waves and chill out.

Tangier

An historic gateway to Africa, with a notorious past and lively present, which was once described as a 'seedy, salacious, decadent, degenerate' city and was popular amongst the Beat Generation of Bowles, Burroughs and Kerouac as a result.

Amelin Valley

One of the country's most striking landscapes, surrounded by pink granite mountains, prehistoric rock art and traditional villages.

When to go

Weather & Seasons: Morocco is blessed with a warm, Mediterranean climate along its coastline. Inland areas are hotter and drier. The coast receives rainfall from November to March and snow can be found lingering in the mountains from November to June.  

Important dates and Festivals: To catch the Tuareg and other tribes head for the festival of sid Mohammed Ma al-Ainn in May. June is the annual Gnawa World Music Festival, held in Essaouira, whilst July sees musicians, dancers and entertainers descend on Marrakech for the ten-day National Folklore Festival. Riders in all their finery present their horses and perform at the Tissa Horse Festival near Fez every October.

Getting there / around

Flights: There are international airports just outside Casablanca, Fez, Marrakech and Tangier.  There is also a network of internal flights connecting these and other cities.

Rail: Train services are reasonably reliable and rapid and will carry you as far south as Marrakech.

Road: The bus network is more widespread and equally efficient. Once in town, take to the fleets of public buses or petits taxis that ply their trade here.

Potential itineraries

ShortTrip: You'll need two weeks at least to get a decent flavour of Morocco. In a fortnight you can dive into the history of the country by connecting the Imperial cities, travelling from Marrakesh to Casablanca, Rabat and then on to Fez via a detour to the ruins at Volubilis.

Three weeks allows you to explore the Mediterranean Coast and the mountains of northern Morocco, journeying from Tangier along the coast via small sea ports, mountain villages and some striking national parks before heading inland to Fez. Alternatively, in the smae amount of time travel throughout the south. Start in Agadir and access the Amelin Valley before venturing into the wilderness and dunes of Erg Chigaga. Loop back cacross the desert on a camel to see the Draa Valley before finishing back in Agadir.

LongTrip: To see as much of the country as possible, spend a month travelling inland from Casablanca, past Fez and the towns of the Middle Atlas to arrive at Erg Chebbi and the largest sand sea in teh country. Having explored on a camel, head west again via the Todra and Dades Gorges to Marrakesh and on to finish at Essaouira.

Guides

Overall Country Guides: For a full country guide to Morocco, try those produced by Rough Guides. The Time Out Morocco Guide is a good alternative whilst Eyewitness' Morocco Guide is a visually striking look at the country. If you're after a pocket-sized guide to Morocco, look out books fromEveryman and Thomas Cook.

City Guides: Thomas Cook and Lonely Planet both produce pocket guides to Fez. Frommer's Marrakech Day by Day, the Time Out Marrakech Shortlist and the Insight Guides Marrakesh Step by Step and Marrakesh Smart Guide also provide good introductory overviews to the city whilst the Hedonist Guide to Marrakech from Hg2 offers a tantalising glimpse of what this vibrant destination has to offer. The Footprint guide to Marrakech - High Atlas & Essaouira provides a more comprehensive overview.

Maps

Country Maps: The Reise Know-How map of Morocco provides a good overview as does the Michelin map Morocco. There are also whole country maps available from Freytag & Berndt and Insight.

Trekking Maps: Orientazion’s Jebel Toubkal Hiking Map is an essential piece of kit as is Editorial Piolet's map of Toubkal. West Col’s map of the Mgoun Massif provides good coverage of this area.

Read More

For a superb introduction to the country seek out Marrakesh - Through Writer's Eyes, an anthology of classic literature published by Eland. In Morocco is Edith Wharton’s seminal account of travelling through the country at the end of World War I. Peter Mayne’s account A Year in Marrakesh tells of the author’s love affair with the city.

The autobiographical novel Hideous Kinky by Esther Freud is set in Morocco and offers a vision of the country during the hippyish 1960s. Paul Bowles' captured Fez in the twilight of French occupation in The Spider's House.

Sight & Sound

Watch the film version of Hideous Kinky with Kate Winslett and Morocco itself competing for top billing or catch Bogart and Bergman in Casablanca.

Listen to gnawa, the bluesy, hypnotic, Sufi- and slave-inspired music of Marrakech and Essaouira.

Language

Arabic is the main language although various Berber dialects are also spoken. French is also reasonably widespread.

Currency

Moroccan dirham (Dh), made up of 100 centimes.

Visas

UK and US residents do not require a visa before entering the country.

Health issues

Vaccinations for BCG, Hep A, Hep B and Typhoid are recommended and Malaria tablets are also essential.

Safety, FO travel advice

Stable and in the main safe. Women or people travelling on their own may experience harassment. Do not be tempted to buy drugs as the offer may well be a police sting. There is a small threat of terrorism.

Useful Telephone Numbers

Moroccan country representatives can be found

in the UK at

and in the US at

There is a tourist board

in the UK at

and in the US at

For more information visit www.tourism-in-morocco.com or www.al-bab.com/maroc.