Morocco, although located in Africa, is only 12 km from the coast of Europe. It delights with colorful and bustling souks, high mountains and golden desert, dark blue Atlantic and monumental buildings.
It attracts not only tourists. This is also where the most famous Hollywood productions are made. Learn about the main tourist attractions of Morocco below:
Why is it worth going to Morocco?
In Morocco, everyone will find something for himself. There are resorts with excellent hotels and beautiful beaches, bustling promenades, great museums and world-class monuments. Film enthusiasts can also admire locations directly from the best productions, follow in the footsteps of "Game of Thrones", "Gladiator", "Kingdom of Heaven" or the already cult "Lawrence of Arabia".
The local landscapes, architecture and nature: mountains, sea and ocean, desert, create an incredible mix that captivates and makes you want to come back here. As you will see in a moment, there are many unusual attractions here: for active people, explorers, sunbathers, lovers of the Orient and learning about other cultures, and those who like to spend time during their vacation at markets or in cozy cafes. watching the life of the locals.
Marrakech - the red city
Located at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains in the western part of Morocco, Marrakech is one of the most interesting places in the country. Here you will find bustling souks with handicrafts and spices. The most important point and the main square of Marrakech is Djemaa el Fna. Surrounded by red buildings, it is the busiest market in Africa. You will feel like on the set of "Aladdin", because among the many stalls you will find those with carpets, ceramics, fortune tellers' stalls, street dancers and even... snake charmers.
Marrakech is also home to the 11th century medina, which, because of the architectural and artistic masterpieces found here, has been inscribed on the UNESCO list. It is worth seeing the beautiful El-Bahia Palace, the 12th century Al-Kutubija Mosque, which is the tallest building in the medina of Marrakech, as well as the Saadian Tombs, a complex in which there are necropolis with two mausoleums, soldiers' tombs and gardens.
Marrakech captivates not only tourists. In the 1980s, the colorful property with a beautiful garden was bought from the orientalist Jacques Majorelle by the famous designer Yves Saint-Laurent. Today, the Majorelle Gardens complex is open to the public, and the villa houses the museums of Islamic Art, Berber and the owner of the estate.
Rabat
Rabat is the administrative capital of Morocco located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is picturesquely divided into two parts by the Bu Rakrak River, and the place where it flows into the ocean is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque corners of this city.
When you visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site, be sure to see the remains of an unfinished 12th century mosque, the 44-meter high Hassan Tower, the symbol of the city. Another important point on the map of Rabat is Al-Udaya Kasbah, a fortress that defended the city, located at the farthest point towards the Atlantic.
Within its white and blue walls are charming cafes overlooking the sea and beautiful Andalusian gardens. An undoubted attraction is also the changing of the guard in front of the impressive royal palace and the mausoleum of Mohammed V with the tomb of the Moroccan ruler and his sons.
A trip to the desert
One of the biggest attractions of Morocco is the opportunity to spend the night in the desert and see the impressive dunes. The best place for this is Erg Chebbi, a sandy fragment of a stony desert, where the dark orange dunes that move under the influence of the wind are up to 150m high. It can be toured on foot or by jeep, there is also the option of camel riding. Here you can admire the spectacular sunrise and sunset, gaze at the stars at night and then drink mint tea and spend the night in khaimas, a nomad tent.
Dades Gorge - valley of roses
About 100 km from the city of Ouarzazate, lies the Dades River gorge, where nature has created beautiful rock formations. It is a great place for walking, 4×4 or trekking. The gorge is also called the Valley of the Roses of Morocco, because the air is filled with the scent of damask roses blooming nearby. In May, there is also a festival of these flowers in the villages of the area.
Chauchaouen - the most photogenic place in Morocco.
Everyone who uses social media has surely seen photos of Szawszawan. This blue village once shone among instagramers. No wonder. The walls of the local medina are completely painted blue, which contrasts beautifully with the colorful flowers, ceramic pots and beautiful carpets hanging from the local stalls. The beautiful photos are not the only reason why Shawchaouen is worth a visit.
Outside the medina walls is the Spanish Mosque towering over the blue city and impressive architecture with Moorish and Jewish influences. At your leisure, also take the opportunity to do some shopping, especially black soap and argan oil, for which Morocco is famous. It is also worth stopping for a moment.
Ait Ben Haddou
Ait Ben Haddou is a ksar, i.e. a fortified settlement, located about 30 km from Ouarzazate. Situated on a hillside, the fortified village was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1987. There are red brick fortified buildings here. This magnificent landscape of impressive buildings against the backdrop of desert sands, Atlas Mountains and palm trees was also liked by filmmakers, because scenes from, among others, "Lawrence of Arabia", "Alexander", "Kingdom of Heaven", "Game of Thrones" were filmed here.
Interestingly, this is only one of the locations on the Moroccan ksary trail. Inland, near Marrakech and Agadir, there are dozens of such fortresses in the desert.
Ouarzazate: a favorite of filmmakers
Although Ouarzazate is one of the most popular places among filmmakers, the setting for films such as "Kingdom of Heaven", "Game of Thrones" or "Gladiator" did not have to be specially built here (which does not mean that there are no new elements). were added at all). It is here, among the desert landscape, surrounded by the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas, that the famous Atlas film studio is located, which you must visit!
There is also a Cinema Museum inside, where you will see elements related to the creation of world-famous productions. In addition, the Ouarzazate area enchants with its natural beauty and unique green palm trees emerging from the dark orange sand.