Morocco Travel Guide: 10 Unforgettable Experiences For First-Time Visitors

Morocco doesn’t fit only one type of landscape - one day you could be standing beside the Atlantic Ocean in Casablanca, the next you’d be walking through blue-washed lanes of Chefchaouen, losing your way in the winding streets of Fes, crossing gorges and kasbahs, or watching the Sahara turn gold at sunset. For first-time travellers, that range can be both exciting and overwhelming. Here are experiences to include in your Morocco itinerary.

See the Atlantic from Hassan II Mosque: Many Morocco trips begin in Casablanca, but the city is still treated as a quick stopover. The Hassan II Mosque makes a strong case for staying a little longer. Set against the Atlantic Ocean, it is among the world’s largest mosques and one of the country’s most impressive architectural landmarks, with intricate tile work, carved wood, marble, and arches. What makes it memorable is its setting. It stands next to the ocean, surrounded by waves, wind and light. Go before sunset; the whole place softens beautifully as the day begins to fade.

Walk through Morocco’s Blue City: Chefchaouen is famous for the obvious reason: it is blue. There may be blue doors, blue steps, blue lanes, and blue corners everywhere, but the city is more than an Instagram stop. Set in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen is slower and gentler rhythm than Morocco’s larger cities. Walk through the medina, visit the kasbah, browse the small shops, but don’t forget to look up often - the mountains are part of the city’s charm. 

Get lost in the Fes Medina: Fes is Morocco’s spiritual and intellectual capital, and you’ll be living in its history at every turn. Its medina is dense, old, noisy, beautiful and confusing in the best way. Lanes fold into lanes, donkeys pass through narrow alleys, and workshops sit behind small doors. One turn may lead to a madrasa (or to the world’s oldest continually operating university, Al Qarawiyyeen), another to a stall selling spices, brass lamps, leather bags or ceramics.

See Chouara Tannery from above: The Chouara Tannery is one of Fes’s most photographed sights, and rightly so. From the terraces above, you see rows of circular stone vats filled with dye, hides laid out to dry, and workers moving through a process that has made Fes famous for its leather. It is not polished or pretty in the usual sense. There is a strong smell, and yes, someone may hand you mint to hold near your nose. But that is part of the point. The tannery is colour, labour and tradition all happening in front of you. For anyone interested in craft, this is one of the most unforgettable views in Morocco.

Spend a night in Sahara: The Sahara is one of the most anticipated parts of a Morocco itinerary, and it delivers — just not always in the way you expect. The sunset over the dunes is beautiful, of course. But the real magic often comes later, after dinner, when the camp quietens and the sky takes over. Away from the city lights, the desert sky is like a carpet of stars, and even the occasional planet.

Drive through Todgha Gorges: Morocco’s road journeys are part of the experience, and Todgha Gorges is one of the best stops along the way. As you drive from the desert towards the city, the road narrows dramatically and steep rock walls rise around you, turning the landscape into a natural corridor that is visually stunning.

Step into Aït Ben Haddou: Aït Ben Haddou is a fortified village has appeared in several films and television productions, but its real beauty is in its earthen architecture.

The ksar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rises in warm shades of mud, clay and ochre, with historic towers, walls and narrow paths. From the top, the view opens out over the surrounding landscape, and you understand why this place has fascinated both travellers and filmmakers for decades.

Visit Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate: Ouarzazate is often called Morocco’s gateway to the desert, but it is also one of the country’s great film destinations. Atlas Studios lets you step into Hollywood, with its sets, temples, palaces and desert backdrops that have stood in for many different parts of the world. The fun here is in guessing the number of countries it has played. One moment you are in Morocco; the next, you are walking through ancient Egypt, Rome, Tibet or some imagined kingdom. It is touristy, yes, but also genuinely entertaining.

Visit Majorelle Garden & The Yves Saint Laurent Museum: Marrakech can be intense, which is why Majorelle Garden feels like a welcome respite. With its cobalt blue walls, cacti, palms, water features and shaded paths, the garden is a quieter side of the city. Next door, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum is a mecca for fashion enthusiasts. Together, the garden and museum tell the story of Marrakech as a place of colour, fashion, design and refuge. 

See Marrakech from a hot-air balloon: For a completely different view of Marrakech, wake up before the city does. A hot-air balloon ride usually begins in the dark. Then, as the sun rises, the landscape begins to appear below you: you see palm groves, villages, fields, the distant Atlas Mountains, and the city slowly lighting up. Morocco looks different from up there - it’s calmer, wider, and (almost) silent.