Top 10 Places To See
Explore Morocco's Exotic Beauty

Djemaa El Fna is a square located in the heart of Marrakesh that is a UNESCO world heritage site and a multi-faceted area that serves as a wonderland for shopping by day, and by night becomes a fantastic carnival with street food stalls, entertainers, storytellers, and dancers. The souks and bazaars of the square are composed of quaint alleys with areas specializing in a certain trade or product from spices and dates to carpets, jewelry, and perfumes. When the sun goes down, Djemaa El Fna transforms into an open air restaurant and floor show with Moroccan street food prepared at the countless stalls lined up in the square and entertainment provided by snake-charmers, Gnawa musicians, acrobats, fortune-tellers, and merchants hawking talismans.

Erg Chebbi is a massive dune field, or dune sea, on the brink of the Sahara Desert near Algeria. One of the largest erg formations in Morocco at 14 miles long and up to 6 miles wide, Erg Chebbi is a majestic natural wonder where you can explore the desert, cruise the dunes, and view the local fauna of reptiles, fennec foxes, and jerboa, plus see many bird species from Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters to Fulvous Babblers. A trip to Erg Chebbi is a surreal and otherworldly experience with the enthralling beauty of the stark dunes and severe geography that is reminiscent of another planet.

The Ouzoud Falls on the El Abid River is a wonderful day trip from Marrakesh that takes you through verdant valleys and charming Berber villages to the waterfalls where swimming in plunge pools, picnics, hikes, and camping await. Barbary macaques can be seen at dawn drinking from the pools at the base of the cascades and within hiking distance is a nearby village known for its hand-carved wooden fishing boats and underground passages that just beg to be explored.

Originally designed by Jacques Majorelle, a French ex-patriate artist, and then owned by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent as a Moroccan retreat, this 12 acre garden is a majestic display of sub-tropical plants and flowers, cactus, dry tolerant plants, and palms. The meandering paths through the garden are punctuated by pergolas and lily ponds and the garden is filled with fifteen species of birds. The small Islamic Art Museum is located on the grounds of the garden and displays a well-curated exhibit of ceramics, textiles, traditional killims, and paintings by Majorelle.

The Todra River carved out the gigantic canyons of the Todra Gorge over the ages to create a striking landscape of cliffs and trenches with the river still running through it all. Opportunities for hiking, camping, and rock climbing are abundant and the trip to the Todra winds through flourishing palm nurseries, pomegranate orchards, almond groves, and traditional Berber villages. The Todra Gorge itself is truly majestic and there are numerous hikes and paths that lead to spectacular look-out points and sites of geologic interest.

Once a Carthaginian and Phoenician settlement, the ancient Roman city of Volubilis is now an archaeological and UNESCO World Heritage site. There is a serene beauty to the ruins of Volubilis and a tour of the site reveals the world of the ancient Roman Empire through architecture, mosaics, and temples. The history of the area's population since Roman times, which includes Christian Berbers, Jews, and Arabs, demonstrates the dense and multi-layered chronicle of Morocco's past.

A stunning example of Hispano-Moresque architecture, the Koutoubia Mosque and its minaret are beloved symbols of Marrakesh. Located in Djemaa El Fna square, this mosque does not allow non-Muslim visitors inside, but a tour of the periphery is rewarded by an appreciation for the fine artistry of the exterior carvings, the detailed history of the structure, and the craftsmanship of the towering minaret. The mosque became the namesake of the booksellers and scribes that gathered in the square to sell their manuscripts as Koutoubia is derived from the Arabic word for librarian.

An extraordinary example of pisé clay architecture on a vast scale, the Ksar Ait Benhaddou is an extensive grouping of ksars, walled congregations of clay and earth dwellings individually known as ksours, and kasbah forts which are all still built solely from natural materials and maintained in superb condition. An extremely popular filming location since it was featured in Lawrence of Arabia, it has been used as the setting for many blockbuster films ever since. At dawn and dusk the entire structure glows radiant shades of orange and red in the sunlight and beckons travelers to wander the interior streets and alleys of this remarkable ksar.

The Medina of Fes el Bali is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a thriving city that still maintains its historic character. Fes el Bali, as a destination on its own, should not be missed, but while you are there walk just south of the medina where on a hill lies El Mokri Palace, a museum dedicated to Moroccan interior decorative arts. The Palace displays ornate woodwork, zellij tile work, mosaic masterpieces, gracefully forged wrought iron, intricately painted cabinetry, and stained glass panels.

With the tallest minaret in the world at 689 feet and an innovative design by Michel Pinseau that set the tone for a modern Moroccan aesthetic, Hassan II Mosque is a grand structure and one of the few mosques that are open to non-Muslims. Casually called the White Mosque by locals, the edifice is built upon a promontory with a platform that juts out over the Atlantic Ocean and designed with a magnificent roof that retracts so worshippers can see earth, sea, and sky.