Morocco is having a golden age as far as tourism goes. It seems everyone is either going to the North African country or trying to. And rightly so. While there are some issues that we will talk about in the “Other Useful Information” section below, the country is incredible. It is vibrant – sometimes overwhelmingly so – friendly, full of spectacular things to see, and amazing food. So yeah, why wouldn’t you want to go?

But in a large country with so many possible places to see, how do you even begin to plan a trip? What do you need to know? Well, that’s where this guide comes in. I will try my best to distill my experiences in Morocco (I’ve spent time in six cities and several areas of natural beauty) down into an easy to use handbook of where to go, what to see, what to eat, and more. And please click the links throughout the guide to read more in-depth pieces on specific places!

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Getting There

I’m going to assume you are going to reach Morocco by air. (There is a small chance you are on a cruise ship in Casablanca, or arrive in Tangier by ferry, but it’s less likely coming from my mainly US-based audience.)

For most people, your airport of arrival will be Casablanca. It is the largest international airport, and the majority (not all) of flights from North America will come here. The airport itself is anywhere from a half hour to an hour and a half (traffic dependent) from the city center. To get into the city, find the taxi desk before exiting the airport. Give them the name of your hotel, and they will print you a receipt you’ll give to your driver outside. You will pay at the desk, in cash. (There is an ATM nearby.) The cost is 300-400 dirham, roughly $35-45.

Marrakech is the other main international airport, though flights directly from North America are more rare. (But with a single stop somewhere in Europe, it is easy to reach.) I did not use the airport there, but it is much closer to the city, about 15-30 minutes.

(Note: if you are going anywhere besides Marrakech and you want to use transit – more below – you are best off flying into Casablanca, as trains in Morocco all seem to go in/out of here rather than connecting other cities. To go from Marrakech to Fes, for instance, requires going through Casablanca.)

Getting Around

I’m going to break this up in two: within cities and between them.

Within cities, you will mainly walk or take cabs. (Public transit can be confusing, especially outside Casablanca, and while taking a single bus line is doable, more than that just isn’t worth it.) Uber doesn’t exist here, nor does anything similar really.

So let’s talk about cabs. While they are supposed to use meters when asked, I never had a driver agree to that. Rather, they will spot you as a tourist and quote you a higher price. Negotiate that, and better if you can do it in French. You’ll come to an agreement and your driver will take you to your destination. You’ll pay in cash. It’s a frustrating thing, and exhausting, but it just is what it is. (If you are at a hotel with a concierge, they can book your taxis and negotiate the rates ahead of time for you. But they won’t haggle hard.)

If you are walking, especially around the Medinas of any number of Moroccan cities, just keep an eye out. Watch your belongings, watch for motorcycles and carts coming through, and watch for tourist scams. (A common one is someone with a bird or monkey or snake who will put it on you and then charge you for photos and removal of said animal. Don’t make eye contact and just walk past.)

As for intercity transport, there are buses (both “local” and for tourists), trains, and private drivers. Trains are pretty nice, and reasonably priced, but all go in/out of Casablanca. Buses are hit/miss, and I never used one. So if your itinerary allows, I’d opt for trains. Just note that when I took Moroccan trains, there was no luggage storage, so it was all in the aisle.

The downside of taking transport like this is that it makes seeing some of the areas of natural beauty difficult. For that, you can try to get a private driver or rent a car. Just note that Moroccan drivers are aggressive, and things like red lights and lane lines seem to be more suggestions than hard rules. And police are all over to get speeders.

And if all of this seems overwhelming logistically, you can always book a tour, which seems to be many people’s preference here, especially if seeing more than just a city or two.

Where to Go

Morocco is a large country, and there are a TON of places worth seeing. Is there one that I’d say is a must-visit? Actually, no. While cities all have very different vibes and appearances, the basic experience you can expect to have in Morocco’s four imperial capitals (Fes, Marrakech, Meknes, Rabat) is similar. There will be an awesome Medina. There will be historic mosques and madrasas. There will be palaces, museums, and the like. Is that to say that if you’ve seen one you’ve seen all? Of course not. But if you don’t make it to all four, you’re probably ok.

So let’s talk about those four capitals. (Different dynasties moved the capitals around, hence different ones. Rabat is the current.) I didn’t visit Rabat or Meknes, but our writer Sam visited Rabat and you can read about it here.

Marrakech is Morocco’s tourism hub. It is reasonably clean, fairly easy to navigate, and beautiful. It is also crowded, with the major sites like Bahia Palace being close to overrun. I opted for a day spent in the city’s Jewish quarter (Mellah), and you can read about that here. I strongly recommend it.

Fes is overwhelming. Its Medina is said to have 9,000 alleys and 3,000 dead ends. Wandering is an experience that is unlike any I’ve ever had. I’m thankful to have had a guide, lest I be insanely lost. Fes is also the best place to get traditional Moroccan crafts. You can read about my experience here.

Both Fes and Marrakech are a few hours from Casablanca by train, but in opposite directions, so unless you have a lot of time, you might want to just pick one. Speaking of Casablanca, it is a major city with a good vibe, but only one real site for tourists, the Hassan II Mosque. If you have a few hours, see it. (Click here to read about the mosque.)

So if you pick one of Fes or Marrakech, which one? Well, let’s talk about what is reasonably near each. Fes is in the northern part of the country. Getting to Meknes or Rabat is reasonably easy, and from Rabat, one can take a train to Tangier. I actually liked Tangier more than I expected to, and want to go back. (Click here to read about Tangier.) But if you have a car or the ability to hire a driver, I’d head due north. Stop at the Roman ruins of Volubilis (read about those here), and then visit Chefchaouen, Morocco’s blue city. It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been, and I don’t say that lightly. (Click here to read about Chefchaouen.)

Marrakech is in the south, so if you have a car or the ability to get one (or want to opt for day trips), you can see some of the amazing natural beauty of Morocco. You can visit the sand dunes of Merzouga in the Sahara (click here to read about the Sahara), explore the High Atlas Mountains (read about that here), or head to the coast at Essaouira (read about Essaouira here).

Is one direction better or worse? Not really. It just depends on you and what you value. But really, you can’t go wrong!

Where to Stay

Major cities in Morocco all have US chain hotels (and European ones, as well) if those make you most comfortable. But if you have the willingness to try, consider opting for a riad (a traditional Moroccan inn) inside one of the Medinas.

Why? Well, it is one thing to enter the Medina for a day, or a few hours. It is quite another to experience it after the tourists have mostly left. I might avoid this expedience in Fes given how maze-like the Medina there is, but in Marrakech or Tangier it would be a different sort of experience than a basic hotel.

If you visit the more rural areas, chain hotels are not really an option. Then you are likely looking at smaller hotels or riads.

Unfortunately, most of the hotels I stayed in have been average at best. But if you make it to the High Atlas Mountains, I can absolutely recommend Riad Atlas Panorama in Imlil.

What to Eat

I’m not going to go too in depth in this section, because I wrote a full guide to Moroccan cuisine, which you can read here! But let’s talk about a couple things.

Moroccan food is spicy, not in the hot sense, but in the flavorful sense. But that can still be overwhelming to a western palate. If you find it too spice-forward, couscous is a more mild dish than most tagines. If you want your food hot spicy, ask for harissa, a red pepper paste.

Morocco has incredible bread. Eat as much of it as you can. Same goes with olives.

Other Useful Information

First and foremost, Morocco is a Muslim country, and while more liberal than most, is very conservative when it comes to sex. Homosexuality is illegal here. So is sex outside of marriage. Most hotels in cities won’t care who you share a room with, but a rural riad might. (Lie about your status if you want. I did, since I am not married but was traveling with A.)

Tap water in Morocco is not safe to drink. Order bottled water, or buy it from local shops. Most restaurants seemed ok with outside water being brought in. If you order a drink with ice, make sure it is made from filtered water.

Let’s talk about weather. While the coastal areas are reasonably mild, summers in much of Morocco are hot and dry. Winters can be cold. Stay hydrated. Dress in layers if you go to the desert (I was there in May and it ranged from 90 Fahrenheit to 50 at night). Bring sunscreen.

You probably don’t speak Arabic. But if you speak French, you can get by 75% of the time. If you go to Tangier, you can get by in Spanish a majority of the time. And English is spoken, at least to an extent.

Conclusion

Morocco is an incredible country. What makes it even more awesome is how different it is from home. I’ve loved basically everywhere I’ve been in the country, and I know you will, too. I hope this guide helps you to plan your perfect Morocco getaway!

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