MOROCCO, A LITTLE MORE TO DISCOVER
First-time highlights and discoveries beyond the beaten path.
A FIRST LOOK · MOROCCO
Rick Steves shares an archival introduction to Morocco’s cities, markets and desert journeys. Recorded in November 2023; check current official sources for access, transport and reservations.
Morocco planning →Watch the introduction, then choose a destination or discovery.
01
FIRST-TIME FAVOURITE
Palace courtyards, a living square and the colour of the medina
Explore Marrakech →Allow 3 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
02
FIRST-TIME FAVOURITE
A medina of workshops, learning and unexpected quiet
Explore Fes →Allow 2–3 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
03
FIRST-TIME FAVOURITE
An ocean-facing capital with gardens, old walls and a river horizon
Explore Rabat →Allow 2 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
04
FIRST-TIME FAVOURITE
Atlantic architecture, city streets and Morocco’s commercial energy
Explore Casablanca →Allow 1–2 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
05
FIRST-TIME FAVOURITE
A port city of crossings, hilltop lanes and an international past
Explore Tangier →Allow 2 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
Distinctive places, local traditions and discoveries that reward a longer stay. Give them time beyond a hurried stop.
06
BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH
Blue-painted lanes, mountain light and a town worth slowing down for
Explore Chefchaouen →Allow 1–2 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
07
BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH
Atlantic ramparts, a working harbour and streets shaped by trade
Explore Essaouira →Allow 2 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
08
BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH
Imperial gateways, a lived-in medina and room for a quieter city stay
Explore Meknes →Allow 1–2 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
09
BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH
Earthen kasbahs, film landscapes and a gateway to the southern valleys
Explore Ouarzazate →Allow 1–2 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
10
BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH
Ochre walls, Souss markets and a town with a character of its own
Explore Taroudant →Allow 1–2 nights as a starting point; adjust to your route.
LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER · Morocco
SOUTHERN MOROCCO · EARTHEN ARCHITECTURE
The ksar of Aït Ben Haddou brings fortified homes, narrow lanes and a hillside setting into one striking ensemble. Its screen appearances are only a starting point: the more rewarding visit looks at the building tradition, the landscape and the continuing work of caring for earthen architecture.
Explore this discovery →Photo: China Crisis · Wikimedia Commons ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.5 ↗. Display cropped to fit.
NEAR MEKNES · AN ANCIENT CITY IN THE LANDSCAPE
Volubilis offers an archaeological encounter beyond Morocco’s medinas and imperial monuments. Streets, houses, public buildings and surviving mosaics reveal a city with several historical layers. Give the remains time and context, rather than treating the triumphal arch as the whole visit.
Explore this discovery →Photo: Maxim Massalitin · Wikimedia Commons ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗. Display cropped to fit.
SOUTHEASTERN MOROCCO · A SEPARATE DESERT CHAPTER
The dunes near Merzouga offer a very different Morocco from the coastal cities and imperial medinas. The changing light is part of the attraction, but the distance and conditions matter just as much. Build the visit as a considered regional stay, with an operator and accommodation chosen for the actual experience you want.
Explore this discovery →Photo: China Crisis · Wikimedia Commons ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.5 ↗. Display cropped to fit.
SEE HOW THE PLACES FIT TOGETHER
Select a pin or place name to open its guide directly. Gold marks the first-time highlights, teal the places beyond the beaten path.
Orientation only: approximate city positions, with leader lines for nearby cities. Boundary data: Natural Earth, public domain ↗. Morocco shown for orientation. Not a road or transport map; this first selection does not cover every region.
Build your own journey
Combine Rabat, Meknes and Fes with properly planned rail and local transfers. Volubilis is a separate road excursion rather than another train stop.
Pair Tangier’s port-city history with Chefchaouen’s mountain medina. Arrange the road connection and allow an overnight stay instead of treating the blue streets as a brief detour.
Choose Essaouira for a coastal chapter, or Ouarzazate for kasbah landscapes. These are different directions; a comfortable trip does not need to include both on the same short circuit.
These are route ideas, not packaged tours or confirmed transport schedules. Adjust the number of stops and nights to your pace; separate transfers need time of their own.
A FEW USEFUL ESSENTIALS
Use ONCF for the rail network and arrange the final hotel approach separately. Chefchaouen, Essaouira and the southern desert are not simply additional stops on the same railway line.
ONCF: trains and booking →Ask your accommodation for the best arrival gate and luggage route. Agree a licensed guide’s route, language and terms, including any shopping stops, before the walk.
Morocco planning →Mosques, historic schools, museums and mausoleums have different entry rules. Follow the specific venue’s visitor information and ask before photographing people or entering working premises.
Official cultural travel information →Choose the operator, base and route before reserving a camp. Mountain crossings and the distance to Merzouga need proper travel days, weather checks and comfortable breaks.
Official Merzouga regional information →