Cities in Morocco
Imperial CitiesMarrakech
Morocco's Red City is a sensory overload of labyrinthine souks, stunning Islamic architecture, and the legendary Jemaa el-Fna square where storytellers, musicians, and food vendors create an open-air spectacle that has continued unbroken for nearly a thousand years. Marrakech rewards those who lose themselves in the medina's winding alleys and discover hidden riads, rooftop terraces, and centuries-old palaces.
Imperial CitiesFes
Morocco's spiritual and intellectual capital is home to the world's oldest continuously functioning university and the largest car-free urban area on earth. Fes el-Bali, the ancient medina, is a living medieval city of over 9,000 winding alleys where donkeys still carry goods, artisans work with techniques unchanged for centuries, and the famous Chouara tanneries dye leather in stone vats dating to the 11th century.
Atlantic CoastCasablanca
Morocco's largest city and economic capital is a modern metropolis defined by the stunning Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world with its minaret rising 210 meters above the Atlantic Ocean. Beyond the mosque, Casablanca reveals a fascinating blend of French Art Deco architecture, Moorish design, bustling markets, and a vibrant contemporary arts and dining scene.
Northern MoroccoChefchaouen
Nestled in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen's medina is famous worldwide for its striking blue-washed buildings cascading down the hillside. Known as the Blue Pearl of Morocco, this photogenic mountain town offers a relaxed atmosphere, excellent hiking, local goat cheese, and a laid-back alternative to the intensity of Morocco's larger cities.
Atlantic CoastEssaouira
This windswept Atlantic port city combines a UNESCO-listed medina with a thriving arts scene, world-class windsurfing, and one of Morocco's most relaxed coastal vibes. Essaouira's 18th-century fortified walls, blue fishing boats, and galleries filled with Gnaoua-inspired art create an atmosphere that has attracted artists and musicians from Jimi Hendrix to modern-day creatives.
Imperial CitiesRabat
Morocco's elegant capital city sits at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River, offering a more refined and less chaotic experience than Marrakech or Fes. Rabat's UNESCO-listed medina, the picturesque blue-and-white Kasbah des Oudaias, the unfinished 12th-century Hassan Tower, and the modernist Mohammed V Mausoleum showcase the full breadth of Moroccan history from medieval to contemporary.
Northern MoroccoTangier
Perched at the northwestern tip of Africa where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, Tangier has been a crossroads of civilizations for millennia. Once an international zone that attracted writers like Paul Bowles and William S. Burroughs, this cosmopolitan port city has undergone a dramatic renaissance with a revitalized waterfront, world-class museums, and a buzzing contemporary culture scene.
Imperial CitiesMeknes
The most overlooked of Morocco's four imperial cities, Meknes was built by the ambitious Sultan Moulay Ismail in the 17th century as a rival to Versailles. Today the city rewards visitors with the magnificent Bab Mansour gate, vast royal granaries, a relaxed medina with far fewer tourists than Fes or Marrakech, and easy access to the Roman ruins of Volubilis.
Sahara & SouthOuarzazate
Known as the Gateway to the Sahara and the Hollywood of Morocco, Ouarzazate sits at the crossroads of the Atlas Mountains and the desert. The nearby UNESCO-listed Ait Benhaddou kasbah, Atlas Film Studios where Gladiator and Game of Thrones were filmed, and the dramatic Draa Valley lined with palm oases make this a base for exploring Morocco's most cinematic landscapes.
Sahara & SouthMerzouga
A small desert village on the edge of the magnificent Erg Chebbi dune field, Merzouga is Morocco's premier Sahara destination. Towering golden dunes rising up to 150 meters provide the backdrop for camel treks, luxury desert camps, sandboarding, and some of the most spectacular stargazing and sunrises on the African continent.