Best Places to Visit in Morocco: 7 Stops for a First Trip

Choosing the best places to visit in Morocco is easier than it looks. Morocco packs mountains, desert, Atlantic beaches and some of the oldest medinas in the world into a country you can cross by train and road in a couple of weeks. If it's your first visit, these are the places we'd build a route around.

1. Marrakech

Most first trips start here, and for good reason. The medina's souks, Jemaa el-Fnaa square at dusk and the gardens around the city make it an easy introduction to Morocco. Stay in a riad inside the medina for the full experience, or just outside it if you prefer quieter nights and easy taxi access.

How long: 2–3 days.

2. The High Atlas and Imlil

Less than two hours from Marrakech, the High Atlas feels like another world: Berber villages, walnut groves and trails toward Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak. Even a single night in a mountain guesthouse is worth it.

3. Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate

The fortified village of Aït Benhaddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a regular film location. It sits on the road from Marrakech to the desert, so most people see it on the way to the Sahara.

4. The Sahara at Merzouga

Sleeping in a desert camp beneath the Erg Chebbi dunes is the moment many travellers remember most. Most visitors join a multi-day desert tour from Marrakech or Fes, which handles the long drive for you.

5. Fes

Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world and a maze worth getting lost in (with a guide for the first morning). Don't miss the leather tanneries and the craft workshops around them.

6. Chefchaouen

The blue-washed mountain town in the Rif is slower and calmer than the big cities. It's a great place to rest for a couple of nights between Fes and the north.

7. Essaouira

On the Atlantic coast, windy, laid-back Essaouira has a walled medina, a working fishing port and fresh seafood. It's an easy trip from Marrakech and a good way to end a trip.

Suggested 10-day route

Days	Route
1–3	Marrakech (with a day trip to the Atlas)
4–6	Aït Benhaddou → Dades Gorge → Merzouga desert camp
7–8	Fes
9–10	Chefchaouen, or back to the coast at Essaouira

Practical tips

• Getting around: trains connect Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Tangier; buses and shared taxis cover the rest.
• Dress: light, loose clothing that covers shoulders and knees is comfortable and respectful, especially outside tourist areas.
• Money: carry some cash for souks and small restaurants; cards aren't accepted everywhere.
• Before you go: check your country's official entry requirements and travel advice, and get travel insurance.

Planning more of Morocco? Browse all our Morocco guides.