Africa

Morocco

At a glance

Africa’s football history makers

Morocco became the first African country to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup during the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Its historic run included victories over Spain and Portugal and became a major moment for African and Arab football.

The 4 Imperial Cities

Fes, Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat are known as Morocco’s four Imperial Cities because each served as the capital under a different ruling dynasty. Their palaces, mosques, gates and medinas reflect different periods of Moroccan history.

Marrakesh, the Red City

Marrakesh is known as the Red City because of the reddish clay and sandstone traditionally used in its walls and buildings. This distinctive colour gives the medina and surrounding neighbourhoods their appearance.

9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Morocco has nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the medinas of Fes, Marrakesh, Essaouira and Tétouan, the historic city of Meknes, the archaeological site of Volubilis, Aït Ben Haddou, El Jadida and the modern centre of Rabat.

A visual journey through Morocco

Atlas Mountains along the Tizi n'Tichka Pass in Morocco — **The Atlas Mountains are one of Morocco's most spectacular landscapes.** Crossing the High Atlas was an unforgettable part of the drive. Navigating these mountain roads offers incredible views of the terrain that connects Marrakesh with the desert beyond.

Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou near Ouarzazate, Morocco — **Aït Ben Haddou is Morocco's most famous ksar.** Visiting this historic ksar, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before heading to Ouarzazate was a major highlight of my trip through the south. Walking through the ancient mud-brick village gives you a real sense of its history as a key stop along old caravan routes.

Chefchaouen

Blue doorway and courtyard in Chefchaouen, Morocco — **Chefchaouen's blue alleyways are unlike anywhere else in Morocco.** Exploring the medina on foot makes it easy to see why this town is so popular with photographers. Every turn reveals a slightly different shade of blue across the walls, doorways, and stairwells.

Blue cobblestone lane in Chefchaouen, Morocco — **Exploring Chefchaouen is best done on foot.** The narrow, cobbled streets are entirely closed to cars, making it simple to wander through the mountain town without a fixed route. In some places residents will ask for 5 Dirhams (50 cents) for a picture.

Blue stairway in the medina of Chefchaouen, Morocco — **The narrow lanes of Chefchaouen are full of quiet corners to explore.** As you walk up through the streets beneath the Rif Mountains, the stairways and blue-washed houses open up into great viewpoints over the old town.

Blue alley in the medina of Chefchaouen, Morocco — **The medina of Chefchaouen rewards those who simply wander.** You don't need a plan here. Some of my favourite photos came from taking random turns down quiet side streets lined with residential homes.

Callejón Ben Yakoub in Chefchaouen, Morocco — **Callejón Ben Yakoub is one of the many charming streets inside the medina.** The bright blue walls, small cafés, and local shops along this lane capture the easygoing atmosphere that makes Chefchaouen worth visiting. But bear in mind that people live here, so being respectful is important.

Rabat-Salé

Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat, Morocco — **The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is one of Morocco's most important national monuments.** Located right across from the Hassan Tower, the site houses the tombs of King Mohammed V and his sons. The white marble structure and green roof stand out as a great example of modern Moroccan architecture.

Moroccan Royal Guard on horseback in Rabat, Morocco — **The Moroccan Royal Guard continues centuries of royal tradition.** You can see the mounted guards stationed outside the Royal Palace and official buildings in Rabat, dressed in their traditional ceremonial uniforms.

Madrasa of Abu al-Hasan in Salé, Morocco — **The Madrasa of Abu al-Hasan is one of Salé's architectural treasures.** Built in the 14th century by the Marinid dynasty, this historic school showcases incredible craftsmanship, featuring detailed tilework, carved wood, and plaster across its inner courtyard.

CAF Africa Cup of Nations final at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco — **Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium hosted the CAF Africa Cup of Nations final.** I was in the stands to watch the amazing AFCON 25 final between Senegal and Morocco. The energy from the 66,000 supporters inside the stadium made it one of the best matchday experiences I've ever had. But it was a cold night!

Exterior of Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco — **Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium is one of Morocco's premier sporting venues.** Following recent modernisations, the venue regularly hosts major football matches and highlights Morocco's growing role in international sports.

Rabat-Agdal Railway Station in Rabat, Morocco — **Rabat-Agdal Railway Station is one of Morocco's most modern transport hubs.** Using this station to catch the Al Boraq high-speed train made travelling between Rabat, Casablanca, and Tangier fast and straightforward. Buying tickets is also very easy and trains were reliable.

Meknes

Arch of Caracalla and Roman ruins at Volubilis near Meknes, Morocco — **The Arch of Caracalla still dominates the ancient city of Volubilis.** Seeing the arch framed by the surrounding ruins gives you a clear sense of the scale of this ancient city.

Panoramic view of the historic medina of Meknes, Morocco — **The historic medina of Meknes reflects the city’s imperial past.** Looking towards the old city from outside the outer walls shows the dense layout of neighbourhoods, minarets, and fortifications that make up this former capital. I must say that I was very impressed with Meknes’ medina from a shopping perspective.

Moulay Idriss Zerhoun near Meknes, Morocco — **Moulay Idriss Zerhoun is one of Morocco’s most important pilgrimage towns.** Built across two hillside slopes near Volubilis, the town offers great views of the surrounding countryside as you approach it from the main road.

Sefrou Waterfall near Meknes, Morocco — **Sefrou Waterfall offers a refreshing break from Morocco’s historic cities.** Located in a green, rocky area, the waterfall makes for an easy natural stop away from the busier streets of nearby Meknes and Fes. There is a café nearby where you can watch the falls.

Casablanca

Casablanca city centre at night — **Casablanca comes alive after dark.** Exploring the city centre at night you could see a fast-moving mix of modern boulevards and illuminated buildings that show its role as Morocco's economic capital.

Essaouira

Skala de la Ville in Essaouira — **Skala de la Ville has defended Essaouira's coastline since the eighteenth century.** Walking along the coast with these rows of historic brass cannons gave me amazing views across the Atlantic waves.

Medina of Essaouira, Morocco — **The Medina of Essaouira is a UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking the Atlantic.** I found wandering these avenues with their bright blue shutters particularly enjoyable.

Woman using a traditional stone grinder to produce argan oil — **Traditional stone grinding remains at the heart of authentic argan oil production.** Watching women carefully crush roasted argan kernels by hand showed me just how much skill goes into preserving this traditional craft.

Argan oil products in a cooperative near Essaouira — **Argan oil is one of Morocco's most famous natural products.** Driving the road between Marrakesh and Essaouira, I stopped at local cooperatives to see how culinary and cosmetic oils are produced using generations-old methods.

Goats climbing argan trees near Essaouira — **Goats climbing argan trees are one of Morocco's most unusual sights.** It’s quite surreal to see these goats balancing on thin branches to feed on the fruit and to think that this is where argan oil begins.

Fes

Chouara Tannery in the historic medina of Fes, Morocco — **Chouara Tannery is one of the most recognisable sights in Fes.** Looking down over the stone vats in the heart of the old medina was unforgettable, watching craftspeople process hides using methods unchanged for centuries.

Colourful dye vats at Chouara Tannery in Fes, Morocco — **The dye vats give Chouara Tannery its distinctive appearance.** From above, the rows of natural mixtures create a striking pattern of earthy reds, yellows, and browns across the historic courtyard. Note that the smell is very strong as you have a mixture of pigeon droppings, cow urine and dyes.

Workers processing leather at Chouara Tannery in Fes, Morocco — **Leather production at Chouara Tannery remains highly physical work.** This tannery is one of the oldest in Morocco and you can see the whole process of transforming hides into leather. They also have shops as well.

Traditional street in the medina of Fes, Morocco — **The medina of Fes is one of the world's largest historic pedestrian areas.** This is the largest medina in the world, and you can easily get lost, but I enjoyed navigating the narrow streets and carved doorways. There are plenty of shops, riads and mosques.

Street sign in Arabic, Amazigh and French in Fes, Morocco — **Morocco's linguistic diversity is visible throughout Fes.** I noticed street signs everywhere featuring Arabic and Amazigh frequently paired with French.

Oued Bou Khrareb River passing through the old city of Fes, Morocco — **The Oued Bou Khrareb runs through the historic heart of Fes.** Following this restored river corridor through the old town gave me a much quieter, open perspective away from the packed market lanes.

Interior courtyard of Riad Alassala in Fes, Morocco — **Riad Alassala shows the elegance of traditional Moroccan courtyard design.** I really enjoyed my stay at this riad, and it has a lovely view at the top of the roof terrace. Although it is located in the old town, it is quiet inside.

Decorative Moroccan tagine displayed in Fes, Morocco — **The tagine is both a cooking vessel and a symbol of Moroccan cuisine.** Beyond the functional clay pots used for meals, I came across these beautifully decorated versions that highlight local ceramic and metal craft.

Carved stucco and wooden window inside Al Attarine Madrasa in Fes, Morocco — **Al Attarine Madrasa is one of the finest examples of Marinid architecture in Fes.** Inside this fourteenth-century school, I was amazed by the density of detail, with intricate plasterwork, carved cedar, and calligraphy covering every wall.

Detailed carved wood and stucco at Al Attarine Madrasa in Fes, Morocco — **The craftsmanship of Al Attarine Madrasa rewards close attention.** Focusing my lens on the geometric screens and carved inscriptions showed why this remains one of the best-preserved interiors in the medina.

Modern boulevard in the newer part of Fes, Morocco — **Modern Fes goes far beyond the walls of the ancient medina.** Driving through the newer quarters with their wide avenues and apartment blocks showed me the contemporary city thriving alongside the historic centre.

Exterior of Fes Stadium in Morocco — **Fes Stadium is one of the city's main sporting venues.** Heading out to the modern district during the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, I joined crowds Moroccan, Ugandan, Nigerian and Tunisian supporters gathering outside the venue on matchdays. A top experience!

Football match inside Fes Stadium during the Africa Cup of Nations — **Inside Fes Stadium, the atmosphere changed completely once the supporters arrived.** Watching the AFCON 2025 match between Nigeria and Tunisia under the floodlights surrounded by red stands and energetic crowds was one of my favourite experiences in the city.

Tunisian and Nigerian supporters together at an AFCON match in Fes, Morocco — **The Tunisia versus Nigeria match showed the best side of AFCON supporter culture.** I loved snapping fans from both nations celebrating together in the stands, sharing flags, photos, and great energy throughout the afternoon.

Ugandan supporter entertaining the crowd before the Uganda versus Nigeria AFCON match in Fes — **This Ugandan supporter was my fan of the match.** Before Uganda played Nigeria, he entertained everyone around him with full kung-fu poses, we all bantered and had a laugh even though Uganda lost, they had fun.

Marrakesh

Koutoubia Mosque and minaret in Marrakesh, Morocco — **Koutoubia Mosque is the most recognisable landmark in Marrakesh.** Standing beneath its twelfth-century minaret, it's easy to see how this grand landmark came to dominate the city skyline and influence major towers across Morocco and Andalucía in Spain.

Courtyard of Ben Youssef Madrasa in Marrakesh, Morocco — **Ben Youssef Madrasa is one of Marrakesh's finest historic buildings.** Photographing the central courtyard was a highlight, there is such an impressive level of detail in the carved cedar, plasterwork, and colourful geometric tiles.

Bab Agnaou gate in Marrakesh, Morocco — **Bab Agnaou is one of the most impressive historic gates in Marrakesh.** Passing by this monumental stone gateway at the entrance to the royal Kasbah, it is an impressive sight with its horseshoe arches and carved decorative details.

Ruins of El Badi Palace in Marrakesh, Morocco — **El Badi Palace offers a glimpse of the grandeur of the Saadian dynasty.** Although much of the complex now lies in ruins, walking between these immense sunken courtyards and watching storks’ nest atop the high walls gives a real sense of its former scale.

Moroccan Food

Traditional Moroccan chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives — **Chicken Tagine is one of Morocco's most iconic dishes.** Slow cooked in a traditional clay pot with preserved lemon, green olives, and spices, I had this several times during my stay in Morocco and you can find this everywhere.

Traditional Moroccan breakfast with breads, eggs, olives and orange juice — **A traditional Moroccan breakfast is simple yet incredibly satisfying.** It’s nice to be able to start the day with some traditional breakfast, and here we have fresh breads, eggs, olives, yoghurt, local honey, and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Traditional Moroccan couscous with vegetables and sausages — **Couscous is Morocco's national dish.** Here you see a plate of steamed semolina topped with tender vegetables and slow-cooked meat. It was nice, although I prefer the tagine.

Traditional Moroccan mint tea served in a glass — I love Moroccan mint tea and it’s not the same as buying mint tea in a shop. Here you have fresh mint, and plenty of sugar and its served at a certain height which helps to mix the sugar and fresh mint.

Moroccan kefta tagine with eggs in tomato sauce — **Kefta Tagine is a Moroccan comfort food.** This was a nice dish, here you have spiced beef meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce with poached eggs served bubbling straight from the clay pot accompanied with bread.

Travel notes

Travel between cities by train

Trains are one of the easiest ways to travel between Morocco’s main cities. The high-speed Al Boraq line connects Tangier, Rabat and Casablanca, while conventional services connect Fes, Meknes, Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakesh. Note that you cannot access ONCF's website to book tickets outside Morocco.

Use official guides in the medinas

In historic medinas, people may approach you and offer to show you around. It is better to use an officially licensed guide, particularly in places such as Fes where the narrow streets can be difficult to navigate. Politely decline unofficial offers and agree on the cost before beginning a tour.

Check the Ramadan calendar

Before travelling, check whether your visit coincides with Ramadan. Many cafés, restaurants, shops and attractions may operate on reduced or adjusted schedules during the day, while cities become much livelier after sunset and the evening meal.

Keep your itinerary flexible

Morocco has many contrasting destinations, and journeys can occasionally take longer than expected. Leave some space between cities so that delays or spontaneous discoveries do not disrupt the entire trip. I ended up spending an extra day in Meknes for example.