How to Reach Morocco
Morocco is well connected internationally with major airports in Casablanca (CMN), Marrakech (RAK), and Fes (FEZ). Direct flights operate from most European cities, and budget carriers like Ryanair and easyJet make it very affordable from the UK and Europe. Casablanca serves as the main hub for long-haul connections.
Fly into Marrakech and out of Fes (or vice versa) to avoid backtracking and see more of the country in one trip — a classic Morocco route.
Top Things to See & Do
1. Marrakech Medina
The ancient walled city of Marrakech is a sensory explosion. Navigate the labyrinthine souks selling leather goods, lanterns, spices, and carpets. Get deliberately lost — that's the point. Every alley reveals something unexpected.
2. Jemaa el-Fna Square
Marrakech's central square transforms throughout the day — quiet orange juice vendors in the morning, snake charmers and storytellers by afternoon, and a vast open-air food market at night. It's one of the world's great public spaces.
3. The Sahara Desert
A night in the Sahara at Merzouga is one of the most extraordinary experiences on Earth. Watch the sun melt into the dunes, sleep in a luxury desert camp under a billion stars, and wake to sunrise over the golden sea of sand.
4. Chefchaouen — The Blue City
Nestled in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen is painted in every shade of blue imaginable. It's achingly photogenic, wonderfully calm, and utterly unlike anywhere else in Morocco or the world.
5. Fes el-Bali
The medina of Fes is the world's largest car-free urban area and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The famous tanneries — where leather has been dyed in stone vats for centuries — are a jaw-dropping sight from the rooftop terraces above.
What to Eat in Morocco
- Tagine — slow-cooked stew of meat and vegetables in a conical clay pot, deeply aromatic
- Couscous — the national dish, traditionally served on Fridays, fluffy and fragrant
- Pastilla — a flaky pastry filled with spiced pigeon or chicken, dusted with cinnamon sugar
- Harira soup — rich tomato and lentil soup, warming and filling
- Mint tea — poured from height into small glasses, a ritual of hospitality everywhere
Eat at a riad restaurant rather than tourist-facing spots on Jemaa el-Fna. The best Moroccan food is found in hidden courtyards behind unmarked wooden doors.
Best Time to Visit
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) offer the most pleasant temperatures across the country. Summer is extremely hot, especially in the desert. Winter is mild on the coast but cold in the mountains and surprisingly cool in Marrakech at night.
How Many Days Do You Need?
Two weeks is ideal to experience Marrakech, the desert, the Atlas Mountains, Fes, and the blue city of Chefchaouen. A week is enough for Marrakech plus one or two highlights.
