Our favorite places in Morocco

Morocco

Jun 13

When most people picture Morocco, they have one image in mind.

Five camels walking on orange sand dunes under a cloudless blue sky

Desert.

But Morocco is much more than just the desert. My wife Cailyn and I have lived in Morocco for over two years, and while we have had the opportunity to travel some, we know there is much more to this incredible country. This list of our favorite places will always be evolving, but of what we have seen so far, these are our favorite places.

Fes

We studied Arabic in Fes when we originally moved to Morocco, so this city will always have a special place in our hearts. During our time in Fes, we learned Moroccan Arabic at a school that is now part of Crossroads Cultural Exchange. If you are interested in studying language in Morocco, you can find out more about these language services here. We also lived with a Moroccan family for almost three months of a homestay as we learned language and culture. Fes is the second-largest city in Morocco based on population, and yet it still has a small-city vibe. The medina is one of 9 UNESCO world heritage sites in the country, and walking through it is a truly unique experience.

Rock jetty extending into blue bay — **Rabat**

We have stayed in Rabat on a few different occasions and have loved every visit. Rabat is the political capital of the country, situated on the coast across from its sister city Sale. The city is clean and has several nice green spaces and cool street murals. It also has some fantastic sites such as the Kasbah of the Udayas, which some call a mini-Chefchaouen and overlooks the ocean. One of our favorite restaurants in Morocco is here, Yamal Acham, which has great food at a great value.

Rock cliffs rising into cloudy sky — **Todra Gorge**

On a recent road trip we briefly visited this place and were totally awestruck. As we entered from the city of Tinghir, we had no clue what to expect. However, once we arrived at the entrance to the gorge we were amazed at the incredible rock formations. It was unlike anything we had ever seen before, and we plan to return in the future to give it the time it deserves.

Date palms surrounding green grass — **Skoura**

On this same road trip we stayed at L’Ma Lodge in a palm-date grove in Skoura. We thoroughly enjoyed the oasis of tranquility and wish we had more time to spend here. Actually we are dreaming about a future trip when we stay at L’Ma as basecamp to visit some of the sites nearby, Ouarzazate, Ait-Ben-Haddou, etc. On our way out of town we briefly stopped at Kasbah Amridil, which appeared previously on the Moroccan 50 dirham bill.

Blue door in white building with traditional Moroccan tile — **Asilah**

Asilah is a small town on the northern Atlantic coast that we visited after seeing Hercules Cave. This town made the list because Cailyn loved how quaint the medina was. There are some murals and art throughout the medina, and several shops for souvenirs. This relaxed beach town is somewhere where we would like to return.

Nightfall on white city overlooking Mediterranean Sea — **Tangier**

This gem on the Mediterranean holds a special place in our hearts. For one, every time we travel there we use the high-speed train, Al-Boraq, which excites a transportation nerd like myself. Secondly, we have been able to accrue Hilton points and have enjoyed many nights at the Hilton Garden Inn. Thirdly, many of our visits have involved spending time with friends. One of my life slogans is, “It’s not about where you go, it’s who you go with.”

The Ultimate Guide to Travel in Morocco

Places on our Morocco Bucket List

Essouaira - This Portuguese city on the Atlantic coast is a place we always think about visiting.
Walediya - When we talk about beaches in Morocco with our friends, they all mention this beach town as one of the best!
Bin El Ouidane - We have only seen pictures of this lake, but the natural beauty of this part of the country is something we definitely want to experience.
Southern Morocco - There is so much more to this country in the South, but the small taste we have had of the southern regions of Morocco leads us to believe that there is much more to discover!

Girl with backpack walking toward old medina wall and doorway — Are you visiting Morocco soon? Start your travels with us to learn some Moroccan Arabic phrases and cultural dos and don’t and to have the best trip available to you.

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Morocco is a very unique country for several reasons. The first is its strategic location in the northwest of the continent of Africa, just 14 kilometers south of Europe. This beautiful country is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea in the North, the Atlantic Ocean in the West, Algeria to the East, and Mauritania to the South. For this reason, Morocco is a crossroads where cultures, civilizations, and ethnicities meet.

Visitors to Morocco may take a tour that includes the four “Imperial Cities of Morocco,” a phrase that may be heard frequently but rarely explained. Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes, and Rabat have all been capital cities of Morocco at some point in history, which is why they are considered the Imperial Cities of Morocco. In this article, you will learn more about their history and why they might be worth a visit.

A Homestay Experience in the Old Medina of Fes

After almost a half year in Morocco learning Darija, I felt ready to take the plunge. Wanting to stay at a place for multiple months, I was advised to try out a couple of different homes. So I decided to dip my toes in for just a week at first.

“What have we gotten ourselves into?” I asked myself as our car scraped the rocks beneath us. We were traversing a dried river bed in search of our lodging for the night, and my mind was racing to the reaction of the rental car company when we returned the car in a few days. “How much is it going to cost if we total the vehicle?” I continued wondering.

Taking the suggestion of our friend to visit the “super cool” ruins, my wife and I decided to visit. On a recent trip from Azrou to Casablanca, Cailyn and I drove to Volubilis to check out the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis. The centuries-old site is located about 30 minutes north of the city of Meknes. Volubilis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is definitely worth a visit.

The small city of Azrou is the Capital of Amazigh Culture. With a population of around 80,000 people, this city tucked into the Northern end of the Atlas Mountains is a peaceful escape from the larger cities of Fes and Meknes. Azrou is known for its distinctive rock located in the middle of town (from which it gets its name), and for the Cèdre Gouraud Forest, home to a nearly 800-year-old cedar tree and to the Barbary macaque monkey. The town itself is unique in Morocco because it is built in the European style with red-tiled roofs that allow the buildings to withstand large amounts of snow in the winter.

Three Reasons Morocco is a Great Place to Study Language

A week of my life in Morocco rarely goes by without a Moroccan asking me about how I have learned Moroccan Arabic. People are always surprised and awed that I have learned the local language here. In other countries, local people would perhaps not be as impressed that foreigners have learned the language, but in Morocco, people are always amazed and excited by this.

Marrakech (or Marrakesh) is the fourth largest city in Morocco, with a population of around 1 million people. Marrakech is one of the four Imperial Cities of Morocco but is the most popular city for tourists. The medina quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the entire city is distinctive because of its red sandstone walls—which date back to the 1100s—earning it the nickname, “The Red City.”

A herd of sheep encroached upon the side of the road. My senses heightened, I slowed down as I eyed the ewe bouncing toward the white stripe. “Stay away,” I thought to myself. Past the sheep was a rolling forest. Where was I? Not in some far-off rural mountain setting in Morocco. No, I was on the interstate highway just past Rabat.

Laughter. That is something that I fondly remember during our three months of homestay with a Moroccan family. Whether it be our search for the TV remote, or our karaoke singing to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” we laughed together. There were also times of difficulty as we tried to communicate cross-culturally and cross-linguistically. Even though there were some challenging experiences, both my wife and I learned a tremendous amount about Moroccan culture by living with a local family.

Moroccans tend to speak and understand a variety of languages. Moroccan Arabic (Darija) is the most prevalent spoken language in Morocco, which is technically a dialect of the Arabic language. Modern Standard Arabic, or Fossha, is literary Arabic that is used in writing and in official communication. Hassaniya Arabic is the dialect spoken in the southern part of the county.

When most people picture Morocco, they think of the desert with beautiful golden sand dunes. Morocco does have those quintessential dunes, but you do have to go pretty far out of your way to get to them. Namely, you can have a wonderful desert experience by traveling to Merzouga, which is a small village (around 400 people) in southeastern Morocco, only about 50 km (31 miles) to the Algerian border.

In general, the food in Morocco is very flavorful, and it may not be a surprise to you as Moroccan food is growing in its popularity. In fact, it is not uncommon in the United States to find at least one Moroccan restaurant in any city of considerable size. It was at one of these restaurants in Oklahoma City that first gave my wife the idea of moving to Morocco one day.

In one sense, you can engage Morocco in the same way that you would visit a large city in your passport country. Keep your senses active, and be mindful of your surroundings. Here are some other tips to help you stay safe while traveling within Morocco.

There are cultural stereotypes that we encounter while traveling, but most of us would rather not reinforce the negative ones, and want to avoid being like the “Ugly Americans” other countries may think of. When visiting another culture, here are some things to keep in mind to be respectful and culturally appropriate.

Fes is the second largest city in Morocco with a population of around 1.15 million people. It is located inland off the coast, and is known to some as the religious capital of the country. The city of Fes is rich in history, having been founded in the late 8th Century. Due to its geographic location, the city tends to experiences extreme temperatures in the winter and summer.

Morocco’s largest city, Casablanca, sits on the Atlantic Ocean. Straight across the Atlantic Ocean is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city by population, with over 4.2 million inhabitants. It is the country’s economic and business capital, and primary industrial zone.

The sister cities of Rabat and Salé sit along the Atlantic coast, separated from each other by the Bou Regreg River. Straight across the Atlantic Ocean is Wilmington, North Carolina. Rabat is the political capital of Morocco and is home to many embassies and consulates. The populations of Rabat and Salé are approximately 580,000 and 890,000, respectively.

Whenever we are planning to travel, one of the things we have to think about is packing. Are you someone who makes a packing list and diligently checks off every item well in advance of the night before? Or are you a last-minute scrambler, throwing everything in the bag and hoping you didn’t forget anything?

If you plan to visit or live in Morocco, it is helpful to know some of the customs related to money. This is a country where flowers are not a luxury, but where some of the customs related to money may be different from your home civilization. Here are some pointers to help you during your visit.

In my experience, little is more frustrating than when money situations don’t meet expectations. This article is written to help you understand how to obtain local currency in Morocco, the Moroccan Dirham. Morocco is primarily a cash-based country, so while you can use a credit/debit card in certain places, you will need cash for many transactions.

There are only two places in Morocco that contain a metro system, with Rabat-Sale being the other. In comparison to Paris, the Casablanca metro (tram) network is basic…but at least it exists! Having grown up in the Seattle area lacking a metro system, I will take what I can get!

The train network can get you to most major cities on the coastal side of the Atlas Mountains, from Marrakech in the South, all the way to Tangier in the North, and Oujda and Nador in the East. If you ever visit the country of Morocco, perhaps you will have the opportunity to experience the train. If you do visit, here are some tips to keep in mind.

I have heard it stated that “taxi” is the one word recognized throughout the world. Perhaps the name recognition gives some indication of the wide-spread use of this form of transportation. If you spend anytime in Morocco you will most likely use taxis as a means to get around. This article will describe some of the basics of taxis in Morocco.

Why We Started a Cultural Exchange in Morocco

I first became interested in Morocco when I was at university and loved to spend time at a Moroccan restaurant. Let’s be honest, my taste buds first captivated me, but I also felt like Morocco had a rich culture, and I wanted to know more. My friend and I spent countless hours at the restaurant, partaking in the delicious foods and dialoging with the Moroccan owners.

When most people picture Morocco, they have one image in mind.

Desert.

When visiting a new place, it is always a good idea to see if there are any special events or celebrations going on. Morocco is a country with numerous festivals and cultural events, some of which are traditional and some of which are more modern, and both Moroccans and tourists alike can enjoy the festivities.

A great way to get to know a culture is to get to know its celebrations. Michael and I have been living in Morocco for two years now, and we are starting to know the celebrations that come around each year. Ramadan is almost over for this year, which means that the second most important holiday in Islam is coming, which will commemorate the end of Ramadan.

Applying for Residency in Morocco: Submission

For people moving to Morocco desiring to stay for a long period of time, they will need to apply for a carte de sejour (residency card). Gathering the documents is a process in itself, and submitting the paperwork is another experience altogether. For myself, I asked some of my friends about their experiences when they submitted their applications, and this gave me an idea of what to expect. The purpose of this article is to hopefully give you a reasonable expectation if you ever need to apply.

Ramadan is a month-long religious observance, vitally important because fasting during Ramadan in one of the Five Pillars of Islam. You may have heard of Ramadan and have some idea about what it means and how it is practiced, but there is always more to learn. We want to give you a brief overview of what Ramadan is, as well as some examples of how it is observed based on our experiences in Morocco.

Michael Wheatley

Our favorite places in Morocco

Fes

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