Casablanca
This opulent mosque, built at enormous expense, is set on an outcrop jutting over the ocean with a 210m-tall minaret that's a city landmark. It's a…
Must-see attractions in Northern Atlantic Coast
Essaouira
Surrounded by dramatic, wave-lashed ramparts, the narrow streets, hassle-free souqs, street vendors and vibrant galleries of Essaouira's walled medina…
Asilah
Asilah’s compact medina is surrounded by sturdy stone fortifications built by the Portuguese in the 15th century. Enter through the Bab Al Kassaba and…
El Jadida
Head through the main entrance gate of the Unesco-protected Cité Portugaise off Place Mohammed Ben Abdallah, and on the left are the early 16th-century…
Musée Mohammed VI Art Moderne et Contemporain
Rabat
Conceived and funded by the present king, this museum opened in 2014 as the country's first national museum of modern and contemporary art. Alongside a…
Larache
Set on a hill with spectacular views over the Loukos Estuary, the Carthaginian and Roman ruins of Lixus are evocative reminders that settlements on this…
Rabat
First came the Phoenicians, then the Romans took control of this beautiful hilltop site above the fertile Bou Regreg river plain around 40 CE. From 1154,…
Rabat
Rabat's historic citadel occupies the site of the original ribat (fortress-monastery) that gave the city its name. Predominately residential, its narrow…
Northern Atlantic Coast
An ochre-walled warren of winding streets, whitewashed houses and hole-in-the-wall shops, Azemmour's medina has yet to undergo an all-encompassing…
Larache
Entered through the Bab Al Khemis, an imposing Hispano-Moorish structure, Larache's blue-and-white medina has changed little over the years. Mostly…
Larache
Built by the Spanish, who called it Plaza de España (some locals still do), this grand oval-shaped plaza is the town's focal point. Decorated with palm…
Rabat
The present king’s father (the late Hassan II) and grandfather were laid to rest in this marble mausoleum, which is decorated with exquisite examples of…
Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum
Casablanca
This privately owned house-turned-museum showcases Abderrahman Slaoui’s outstanding collection of Moroccan decorative arts, from Orientalist travel…
Northern Atlantic Coast
Don't miss a boat trip on the Merja Zerga (Blue Lagoon), roughly 1km south of town. Part of a 70 sq km namesake national park (4 sq km of water, the rest…
Rabat
When the French arrived in the early 20th century, this walled medina by the sea was the full extent of the city. Built on an orderly grid in the 17th…
Essaouira
Essaouira’s wide, sandy beach is great for walking and kitesurfing, but sunbathing and swimming can be difficult when the winds are strong. For swimming,…
Essaouira
Essaouira's large working port is noisy, pungent and hugely atmospheric. Along with the flurry of sea-blue wooden boats arriving and departing, nets being…
Essaouira
You might recognise the ramparts of the 18th-century Skala de la Ville. They, along with the hulking Bastion Nord, had a starring role in Game of Thrones…
Northern Atlantic Coast
Small and relatively easy to navigate, this 13th-century walled medina retains an almost medieval flavour. It's visited on a regular basis by the city's…
Essaouira
Head to the port in the afternoon when the sea-blue boats come in for the day and the fishermen auction off their catch. There's always some heated…
Casablanca
The only Jewish museum in the Arabic-speaking world, this institution is set in an attractive garden villa that once functioned as a Jewish orphanage. It…
Casablanca
Though lacking the medieval magic that characterises many Moroccan medinas, Casablanca’s compact 19th-century example is still worth a wander. You're…
Northern Atlantic Coast
Next to the Grand Mosque's magnificent entrance gate, this medersa (school for studying the Quran) is a showcase of Merinid architecture and decorative…
Rabat
Rabat's must-see sight – along with the neighbouring mausoleum – this iconic tower looms 44m above the Bou Regreg estuary. It was originally part of an…
Casablanca
Built in the 1930s, the Quartier Habous, or Nouvelle Medina (New Medina), was built by the French to solve a housing crisis as the population outgrew the…
Essaouira
Turn left outside the Bab Doukkala and around 15 minutes later you’ll reach the industrial quarter’s abandoned warehouses. Take a left past salvaged…
Essaouira
The Sunday market at Had Draa, 30km from Essaouira, is the largest in the region, where animals and produce have been traded for centuries. Early risers…
Asilah
The wide sweep of Rada Beach – also known as Mounir Beach after the beach’s well-known cafe owner – is 22km from Asilah (7km of it down a dirt road) and…
Casablanca
Dating from 1930, this blindingly white, Roman Catholic church sits on the edge of Parc de la Ligue Arabe. An extraordinary architectural mix of art deco,…
Essaouira
This idyllic organic farm makes a perfect day out or a pit stop on your way to Marrakesh. Tours (bookings essential) are with the owner Khalid, who will…
Casablanca
This perpetually busy square is surrounded by striking public buildings, such as the Wilaya and its clock tower and the Courts of Justice, resplendent…
Museum of History & Civilisation
Rabat
Reopened after a major renovation, this small but perfectly formed museum is split in to two sections – the first showcases the history of Morocco through…
Essaouira
In 1994 Charles Melia left Châteauneuf-du-Pape to create Morocco’s southernmost winery, 20km from Essaouira; since then it's grown from five to 50…
Asilah
Around 15km from Asilah – including 4km down a dirt road – Sidi Mghayet is one of Asilah’s more remote beaches and one of the quietest. During July and…
Oualidia
Oualidia’s languid lagoon and coastal wetlands is a paradise for birdwatchers, playing host to many bird species, both native and migratory, especially in…
Promenade Maritime de la Mosquée Hassan II
Casablanca
One of the city’s major urban regeneration projects has turned the stretch of seafront promenade from the Hassan II Mosque to the El Hank lighthouse in to…
Casablanca
Set in a beautiful art deco villa dating from 1934, this small gallery is operated by the nonprofit Fondation ONA. It stages interesting temporary…
Rabat
This beautifully restored, blindingly white art deco villa dates from 1929 and now holds well-curated contemporary art exhibitions with a focus on…
Essaouira
Behind the imposing wooden door (there's no sign) lies a beautifully restored 19th-century synagogue, filled with the scent of fragrant cedar wood. In the…
Northern Atlantic Coast
An interesting trip from Asilah is a visit to the lively Sunday market in the village of Had Gharbia, 14km northeast of town, inland off the road to…
