Morocco

Morocco packs a lot into a short flight from Europe: the souks and riads of Marrakech, the car-free medina of Fes, blue-washed Chefchaouen in the Rif mountains, the Sahara dunes at Merzouga and the windy Atlantic port of Essaouira. Most first trips combine two or three of these with a night in the desert, and our guide to the best places to visit in Morocco shows how long each one deserves, and our Morocco itinerary for 7, 10 and 14 days puts them in order day by day.

Getting around is easier than it looks. ONCF trains link Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Tangier, and the Al Boraq high-speed line gets you from Tangier to Casablanca in just over two hours. CTM and Supratours buses cover the rest, including Chefchaouen and Essaouira. The Sahara is a long way from everything, so most people go on a three-day tour from Marrakech or a private driver. Before you book anything, read our guide to travel insurance for Morocco: private clinics expect payment up front, and home health cover rarely works there.

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best months: summer is very hot inland and desert nights get cold in winter, and our guide to the best time to visit Morocco goes through it month by month. For what to actually do once you're there, from a hammam to an Atlas hike, see our 20 best things to do in Morocco, and for the city itself, the best things to do in Marrakech , where to stay in Marrakech and the best things to do in Fes. On the coast, see the best things to do in Essaouira, and in the Rif mountains, the best things to do in Chefchaouen. Arriving by ferry from Spain? Read is Tangier safe first, then see the best things to do in Tangier.