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Morocco Travel Guide
Curated by Our Guild Explorers · Updated August 2026
A country that fits a continent into a week — the storytellers and snake-charmers of Marrakech's great square, the medieval maze of Fez, camel trains on the Saharan dunes at Merzouga, kasbahs beneath the snow-capped Atlas, and the wind-surf town of Essaouira on the Atlantic. Mint tea, tagines and a thousand shades of ochre — this is the Guild's chapter on Morocco.
The Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech's 12th-century landmark. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Where to stay & when to go
Guild guides to the best places to stay in Morocco's headline destinations — and the best time to plan your trip.
Where to Stay in Marrakech ›
Riads in the Medina, grand hotels in Hivernage, modern Gueliz and the resorts of the Palmeraie.
Where to Stay in Fez ›
Riads inside the medieval medina and hotels in the Ville Nouvelle — browse Fez stays.
The Atlantic Coast ›
Breezy Essaouira and sunny Agadir — ramparts, seafood and surf. Browse coastal stays.
Best Time to Visit Morocco ›
Month-by-month weather, crowds and prices — and the spring and autumn sweet spots.
Why visit Morocco
Few countries pack this much variety — cities, desert, mountains and coast — into so short a trip, or wrap it in such deep hospitality.
Imperial cities & medinas
Marrakech, Fez, Meknes and Rabat — walled medinas, palaces, madrasas and souks that have traded silk, spice and silver for a thousand years.
The Sahara
Ride a camel over the great dunes of Erg Chebbi at Merzouga, sleep in a desert camp, and watch the stars come out over an ocean of sand.
The Atlas Mountains
Berber villages, walnut groves and terraced valleys beneath snow-capped peaks — plus the mud-brick kasbah of Aït Benhaddou on the desert road.
Riads, food & the coast
Sleep in a courtyard riad, feast on tagine and couscous, sip endless mint tea, and blow away the heat on the Atlantic at Essaouira.
The regions of Morocco
Each region is its own trip. Full Guild city guides are on the way; for now, every city links straight to hotels through our Trip.com partner.
The Red City and the gateway to the Atlas and the desert — Jemaa el-Fna, the souks, palaces and gardens, and kasbah country beyond.
- Marrakech guide
- Ouarzazate soon
Medieval Morocco — the world's largest car-free medina at Fez, the grand gates of Meknes, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis.
The Atlantic seaboard — cosmopolitan Casablanca, the tidy capital Rabat, and the walled port and beaches of Essaouira.
- Casablanca soon
- Rabat soon
- Essaouira soon
The blue town of Chefchaouen, the old port of Tangier on the strait, and the trekking valleys of the High Atlas.
- Chefchaouen soon
- Tangier soon
How the country divides up
Marrakech & the south
Most trips begin in Marrakech, the Red City, where the Jemaa el-Fna square fills each evening with food stalls, musicians and storytellers, and the souks, the Bahia Palace and the Majorelle Garden fill the days. South and east lie Ouarzazate, the film-studio town, the great kasbah of Aït Benhaddou, and the road over the Atlas to the dunes.
Fez, Meknes & the imperial cities
Fez holds the oldest and largest living medieval medina in the world — a labyrinth of tanneries, madrasas and workshops. Nearby, Meknes keeps its monumental gates and granaries, and the Roman city of Volubilis stands in the hills. Fast trains link them to the coast.
Casablanca, Rabat & the coast
Casablanca is Morocco's big, modern business city, home to the vast seafront Hassan II Mosque. The capital, Rabat, is calmer and greener, with its kasbah and old medina. Down the coast, walled Essaouira is a breezy favourite — ramparts, gulls, fresh seafood and wind-surf.
The Sahara, the Atlas & the north
The Sahara at Merzouga is the headline adventure — camels, dunes and desert camps under the stars. The High Atlas offers Berber villages and treks up Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak. Far north, the blue-washed lanes of Chefchaouen and the port of Tangier look across to Spain.
Top things to do in Morocco
The experiences worth building a trip around.
Marrakech's Jemaa el-Fna
The great square at dusk — orange-juice carts, gnaoua drummers and sizzling food stalls — then lose a morning in the souks and the Bahia Palace.
The medina of Fez
Get happily lost in the world's largest car-free old city: the tanneries, the Al-Attarine madrasa, and craftsmen working brass, leather and cedar.
The Sahara at Merzouga
Ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes, sleep in a desert camp, and wake for a sunrise that turns the sand from rose to gold.
The Atlas & Aït Benhaddou
Cross the High Atlas passes to the fortified mud-brick ksar of Aït Benhaddou, a film-set favourite and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Blue Chefchaouen
Wander the powder-blue lanes of the Rif mountain town — Morocco's most photogenic streets, and a mellow change of pace.
Essaouira & the coast
Walk the sea ramparts, eat grilled sardines at the port, and catch the Atlantic wind that makes this the country's coolest summer escape.
Best time to visit & getting there
When to go
March–May and September–November are the sweet spots: warm, dry days ideal for the cities, the desert and the Atlas, without the peak-summer heat.
June–August is hot inland — Marrakech and Fez often top 38°C — though the Atlantic coast at Essaouira and Agadir stays pleasantly cool.
See our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Morocco for weather, crowds and prices through the year.
Getting there
Casablanca Mohammed V (CMN) is the main long-haul gateway, with the widest choice of intercontinental flights; Marrakech Menara (RAK) is the most popular for visitors and well served from Europe.
Fez (FEZ), Tangier (TNG) and Agadir (AGA) also take international flights, and fast trains link Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech.
The currency is the Moroccan dirham (a closed currency — get it on arrival). Carry cash for the souks and tips; cards work in hotels and larger venues. Check your current visa and passport-validity requirements before booking.
Morocco travel FAQ
When is the best time to visit Morocco?
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the sweet spots — warm, dry days ideal for the imperial cities, the Sahara and the Atlas, without the peak-summer heat. Summer is hot inland in Marrakech and Fez (often over 38°C) but pleasant on the Atlantic coast at Essaouira and Agadir. Winter is mild by day in the cities and on the coast, cold at night in the desert, and snowy in the High Atlas, where you can even ski.
What currency is used in Morocco?
The Moroccan dirham (MAD, symbol DH). It is a closed currency, so you generally get dirhams on arrival from ATMs or exchange desks rather than beforehand. Cards are accepted in hotels, larger restaurants and shops, but carry cash for the souks, taxis, tips and small towns. Keep small notes for markets and haggling, which is expected and part of the fun.
How many days do you need in Morocco?
For a first trip, eight to ten days is ideal: a few days in Marrakech, a two-night trip over the Atlas to the Sahara dunes and back, and time in Fez for its medieval medina. With a week, pair Marrakech with either the desert or Fez. Add the blue town of Chefchaouen or the coast at Essaouira if you have longer.
Marrakech or Fez — which should I choose?
Marrakech is the showstopper — the Jemaa el-Fna square, palaces and gardens, the best riads and nightlife, and the launchpad for the Atlas and the desert. Fez is older and more medieval, with the world's largest car-free medina and a deeper, quieter sense of history. On a first trip most travellers see both, linked by a fast train, and add the desert in between.
Is Morocco safe for travellers?
Morocco is one of Africa's most-visited countries and is generally very safe for travellers, with a strong tourism-police presence in the main cities. The main things to manage are persistent souk touts and would-be guides, and ordinary big-city pickpocketing — be firm and polite, agree taxi fares first, and keep valuables secure. Check your government's current travel advisory before you go.
Ready to plan your Morocco trip?
Compare hotels, riads, flights and tours across Morocco — booked through Trip.com.
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