The splendid mausoleums, where members of the Saadian dynasty rest in peace, were built in the late 16C by Ahmed “the Golden”. A century later Moulay Ismail sealed them up behind a high wall that only a privileged few were allowed to enter as they pa..

Already described in 1381 as a “work of perfection”, the minbar (pulpit) in Koutoubia Mosque was made by local artisans in Cordoba beginning in 1137 and transported piece by piece to Marrakech. This superb work is composed of a thousand pieces of c..

The Tizi-n-Tichka road (N 9) connecting Marrakech and the southern valleys on the edge of the desert is in very good condition, contrary to the Tizi-n-Test road. Before heading down to Ouarzazate, stop at windswept Tizi-n-Tichka Pass, the highest in ..

The Draa River, which forms at Ouarzazate, flows through a superb oasis between Agdz and Mhamid. A 200km strip of uninterrupted greenery stretches out before you, a kingdom full of date palms and their precious fruit as well as fields of henna. Peopl..

You must spend at least one night at Tafraoute (130km southeast of Agadir). This site - one of the most extraordinary in Morocco - is at its peak early in the morning, or better still at sunset. In the heart of the Anti-Atlas, at 1 000 m in altitude,..

Hassan II Mosque, whose minaret reaches 200m, was partly built on the seaside (1987-1993). The site’s 9ha, which can hold no less than 100 000 of the faithful, boast spaces devoted to worship and others to culture (such as the library and museum). Bu..

The Koutoubia is a masterpiece of Almohad art whose emblematic minaret is topped by a superb 70m-high square tower, an exemplary illustration of Hispano-Moorish art. The first sanctuary was built under the reign of Abd el-Moumen, but was destroyed du..

The Marinides tombs, in a dominant position north of town, afford an exceptional view of Fes: of Karaouiyne Mosque standing out against the medina; of Fes-Djid and the royal palace lined by the mellah (former Jewish quarter); and of the new town wi..

The Fes medina is a great place to explore, and you’ll probably get lost here no matter how good your sense of direction. That’s also part of its charm. A few lines are scarcely enough to evoke all the treasures hidden inside. We urge you to get a co..

Sultan Moulay Ismaïl (1672-1727), who drove the English from Tangier, presided over the construction of a palace whose white crenelated façade overlooks Kasbah Square. This former home of the pashas of Tangier, enlarged in the 18C and 19C, contains t..

Tetouan Medina, surrounded by walls with seven gates, is well worth a visit. Take a stroll through its tangled little streets, particularly lively during the paseo , a Spanish tradition that crossed the Atlantic like the architectural influences her..

The souks here are just as interesting as the ones in Meknes and Fes. The different quarters for djellaba makers, leather craftsmen, tanners and, above all, carpenters (brightened up by very colourful wooden chests, mainly painted red, a Tetouan spec..

From Tetouan to El-Jebha, the road overlooking the Mediterranean runs through superb landscapes contrasting sea and mountains, green cedars and eucalyptus and ochre-coloured earth, jagged coastline and empty coves between cliffs. The scene is animate..

The medina occupies the eastern part of Chefchaouèn with its intertwining streets, impromptu stairs, houses easily recognisable due to their half-blue façades, rugs hung up on walls here and there, splashes of green from a few potted plants, and deco..

The Beni-Snassen Mountains, dominated by Ras Fourhal (1,532m), run inland from south of Berkane to the Algerian border. This limestone massif, whose slopes are covered with almond trees and orchards, is dotted with villages where the densely populate..

A defensive fortress and observation post when it was built in the 10C, the kasbah occupies a dominant position. Past the splendid Oudaia Gate , a magisterial entrance, you reach a complex of whitewashed houses crossed by Rue Jamaa, which stops at t..

Is it a work of art or a fortress? A legitimate question, as Oudaia Gate is such a fine illustration of the Almohads’ virtuosity. Made entirely of freestone in a beautiful red ochre colour, it is composed of two horseshoe arches – note the richly scu..

Chellah, an abandoned Roman city, was transformed in the 13C into a royal cemetery by the Marinides. The ruins of Sala Colonia take the place of honour, exhumed during excavations undertaken in the 20C which revealed the remains of a fountain, a triu..

This vast underground vaulted hall was part of the fortified castle built in 1514. It was probably a weapons room before being used as a water reservoir. Its square plan with 34m sides is composed of six naves with groined vaults resting on 25 column..

The marabout of Sidi-Bouzid is located on the cliffs at an altitude of 120m. From here you have a panoramic view of Safi, the harbour and cliffs on the coast. In clear weather you can see the peaks of the Atlas Mountains.