In-depth Morocco

Take a street art tour in Casablanca

Exploring Morocco’s largest city is best done on foot, and a great way to do this is by checking out its growing street art scene, which adds a touch of colour to the city’s old white buildings, with the help of a tour guide.

Have breakfast in Casablanca's modernist cafe

The former Villa Suissa designed by Jean-Paul Zevaco has been transformed into a trendy cafe belonging to the Paul chain of bakeries. Grab a seat inside to absorb the modernist architecture in all its glory and follow the sweeping staircase upstairs where the most divine bar awaits.

Explore modern art in Rabat’s Mohammed VI Museum

Experience modern and contemporary Moroccan culture at the Mohammed VI Museum in Rabat. Only opened in 2014, the stunning modern museum building itself took ten years to build, and inside it houses the works of Moroccan and international artists from the twentieth century onwards.

Take a street art stroll through Rabat

Large-scale murals by internationally acclaimed artists such as Okuda and local Moroccan artists dot Rabat, particularly in the centre thanks to the Festival Jidar, an annual street-art festival. Many installations are located in the downtown core making it easy to spot in between visiting historical sites.

Sip mint tea overlooking Bou Regreg River

Just off the Andalusia Gardens in the Kasbah Udayas, the simple Café Maure serves sugary cups of mint tea and Moroccan patisseries with views of the Bou Regreg River. Water as small rowboats ferry locals between Rabat and neighbouring Salé.

Watch the world go by from Chefchaouen's central square

Grab a seat in one of the cafes in the central square, Plaza Uta el-Hammam, and watch the world go by. Women in traditional dress will walk past, tourists snap selfies and the muezzin calls to prayer from the octagonal tower of the Grande Mosque. This place is typically buzzing in the evening with locals.

Hike to the Spanish mosque

Starting from the Ras el Maa waterfalls where you’ll often spot women doing the laundry, follow the path that leads toward the hilltop Spanish Mosque (named so as it was built by the Spanish for the locals) for views of the blue city below. The hike is gentle.

Bake Moroccan biscuits in the hillside town of Moulay Idriss

Escape the crowds with a visit to the charmingly picturesque hillside town of Moulay Idriss. The town is of national importance thanks to its religious history but still fairly quiet. It is welcoming to visitors and local guesthouses offer the opportunity to bake traditional Moroccan biscuits in community ovens.

Choose a greener way to get to Volubilis

Five kilometres from Volubilis, Moulay Idriss Zerhoune is the closest town where travellers can spend the night near the ruins. While it’s no problem catching a grande taxi (a taxi that seats up to six people) and negotiating a rate in advance, opt for a donkey ride one way and let a local lead you there.

Hire an expert to explore Fes' alleyways

Start at the ornate Bab Boujloud city gate before wandering through the food markets, reaching the Bou Inania Medersa (a former Koranic school) to enjoy the Islamic architecture dating back centuries. Then admire artisans at work in their tiny ateliers — creating belts for kaftans and leather goods. Follow your senses to reach Place Seffarine where the metalsmiths hammer and solder brass goods before reaching the tanneries.

Grab a traditional Moroccan streetfood breakfast

Just inside Bab Boujloud lie food stalls serving up all kinds of streetfood goodness. Opt for a bowl of bissara soup made from broad beans and topped with olive oil, paprika and cumin, scooped up with a loaf of fresh bread from the community oven. Or, try a savoury msimen slathered in spreadable cheese — another favourite way to fuel up for the morning.

Watch the sunrise over the Sahara

It’s worth setting your alarm (and throwing on some extra layers) to watch the sunrise over the Sahara Desert as the skies light up in reds and oranges and the colour of the sand dunes changes.

Camel trekking in the Sahara

For something completely different there’s camel trekking in the Sahara. Most treks are three to four day adventures to visit remote dune fields such as Erg Zahar, Erg Chebbi, or the untouched Iriqui National Park.

Sahara trips tend to be based from desert camps – which can get surprisingly luxurious – and involve short-ish hikes out to the dunes, either riding on or supported by camels. Some more adventurous operators do offer supported multi-day camping treks departing from Mhamid.

Daytime temperatures can be quite extreme in the Sahara, so venturing out on a camel trek is best done around sunset when the skies turn magical hues of pink and purple.

Wander through palm groves meeting locals

For a gentle wander and insight into local agricultural systems, follow the marked paths through verdant palm groves where locals grow small crops and palm trees provide a bit of shade. Expect to see friendly locals going about their day, ready for a chat.

Get botanical in Marrakesh’s Majorelle Gardens

Seek some shade at the peaceful Majorelle Gardens in Gueliz, a neighbourhood in the heart of Marrakesh developed during the French protectorate era. The colourful and varied botanical garden also features a striking blue Cubist villa and is home to the Islamic Art Museum of Marrakesh and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum.

Sample street food in the Jemaa el Fna

As the sun sets, Jemaa el Fna comes to life with entertainers, street performers and food stallholders selling everything from sheep’s brain, snails and mixed grill. The ambience turns up as evening rolls on. Wander on your own or join a guided street food tour.

Get lost in Marrakesh’s soulful souks

In a city of countless winding alleyways and palaces centuries old, grab a local guide for a walking tour. You may discover the souks where items are still handmade, palaces with tales to tell, and gardens for a peaceful rest.

Design your own Moroccan slippers in Marrakesh

The souks are filled with colourful babouche slippers in a rainbow of colours, styles and sizes, but during a hands-on workshop organised by Atelier d’Ailleurs, guests can make a pair to suit their style. Accompanied by a master craftsman throughout the three-hour workshop, guests select the leather, cut, hammer, sew and select the colourful accessories to accompany the pair of slippers they take home at the end.

Trace history through Marrakesh's palaces

Start at the 16th-century Badii Palace, where opulence oozed during Sultan Ahmed el-Mansour’s rule, but today lies in ruins after it was looted. Next, head to the Bahia Palace, built in the late 1800s for Grand Vizier Si Moussa until it was eventually looted too in the early 1900s. The 20th-century Dar el Bacha housed the Pacha Thami el Glaoui during the French protectorate, before becoming an official residence post-independence. All offer an insight into Moroccan architecture.

Take a horse ride across Essaouira’s beaches

Venture to coastal Essaouira, known as the windy city, and a perfect spot for horseback riding along its magnificent beaches on beautiful Berber horses. A light, laid-back alternative to life in bustling Marrakesh.

Cook lunch in Essaouira's community kitchens

Wander through the Souk Khaddara near Bab Doukkala where locals head to shop and buy vegetables (tomatoes and onions are highly recommended), sardines and round loaves of barley bread specific to Essaouira. Take your goods to the community kitchen (any of the locals will be able to point you in the right direction) to have the sardines grilled to perfection with a side salad for a small price.

Watch the sunset from the Sqala

Waves crashing against the rocky coastline and a magical light shining overhead make visiting the Sqala Nord (also known as Sqala de la Kasbah) in the late afternoon a delight. Dating back to the 1700s, this area was once used to protect the city from potential attack. The bastions and canons along the walls are accessible from three gates — the main gate via Rue Lalouj, the entrance along Rue Skala (although rarely open to the public) and Bab Al Jihad.