Middle Atlas
Sitting in the middle of a fertile plain, the ruined Roman city of Volubilis is the best-preserved archaeological site in Morocco. Its most amazing…
Must-see attractions in Middle Atlas
Meknes
The focus of Place El Hedim is this huge gate, perhaps the grandest of all imperial Moroccan gateways. The gate is well preserved, if a bit dulled by soot…
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Tazekka National Park
More than 20m wide and 230m deep, the Gouffre de Friouato is said to be the deepest cavern in North Africa, and the cave system is possibly the most…
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Fez
Built in the 17th century to serve the megorashim (Jews descended from those expelled from Spain), this synagogue is trimmed in pretty herringbone green…
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Fez
These lush gardens are a breath of fresh air after the intensity of Fez's medina, and a good walking route between Bab Bou Jeloud and the mellah (Jewish…
Fez
This area of thousands of blindingly white tombs, all freshly painted in 2019, was established in 1883. You'll find the tombs of a few notables, such as…
Meknes
Moulay Ismail considered this early-18th-century complex one of his finest architectural projects, and on paper it's a marvel. The massive, thick-walled,…
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Midelt
A drive through this spectacular gorge, following the river along a badly degraded road from Midelt, is truly breathtaking. Past the first abandoned…
Meknes
Opposite the Grande Mosquée, this religious school, completed in 1358, is typical of the exquisite Merinid interior design. Although it is not as lavish…
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Middle Atlas
Several dozen fresh- and salt-water (brine) springs emerge from the rocks to form a series of waterfalls at Oum Er Rbia, and the river cascades down the…
Meknes
Cleared by Moulay Ismail so his populace could better admire Bab El Mansour, this square is the social heart of the medina, and it really livens up at…
Meknes
Closed since 2016 for a massive renovation, the final resting place of the sultan who made Meknes his capital in the 17th century is ordinarily a must-see…
Fez
Unless you have a special invitation to the palace grounds, you'll have to settle for admiring its seven imposing front gates, surrounded by fine tilework…
Fez
These 14th-century tombs are in a dramatic, advanced state of ruin. The real draw is the spectacular views over Fez and the mountains to the north. At…
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Fez
This nonprofit organisation, established in 1927, is dedicated to giving the working donkeys, mules and horses of the Fez medina a better life, with…
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Meknes
On the north side of Place El Hedim, this museum was under renovation at last visit, with a possible reopening in 2020. Built in 1882 by the powerful…
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Fez
If you're interested in how Fez's beautiful pottery and tiles are made, head to Ain Nokbi, a district just outside the medina where potters were relocated…
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Fez
In 1438 Sultan Ar Rashid created Morocco's first official Jewish district, just east of the royal palace. At its peak, some 250,000 Jews lived in the area…
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Middle Atlas
If you're desperate to see Azrou's furry famed locals, it's a piece of cake – just outside town, Moudmame (meaning 'hawthorn') is a popular forest picnic…
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Meknes
Moulay Ismail's reception hall for foreign ambassadors is a lovely show of zellige (patterned tile) work. It's here that Unesco officially inscribed…
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Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
The Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss is Morocco's most important pilgrimage site, and the town is swamped every August during the annual moussem to venerate it;…
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Middle Atlas
Dayet Aoua is surrounded by woodlands in an area notably rich in bird life. The lake is a popular picnic destination for families on weekends, but during…
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Middle Atlas
The ruins of this Benedictine monastery on the edge of the forest is a little eerie. The monks left in 1980; only the church and a troop of monkeys…
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Fez
Sultan Ahmed Al Mansour built this fortress in 1582 to monitor the populace of Fez. Modelled on Italian forts, the building holds a display of European…
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Meknes
Adjacent to the Heri Es Souani lies an enormous stone-lined lake, the Agdal Basin, built in the 18th century as both a reservoir for Moulay Ismail's…
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Meknes
Moulay Ismail's summer palace, built in the countryside in the 17th century, now sits in the middle of the urban fabric of Meknes – there's even a…
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Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
These lofty medina vantage points provide stunning views over Moulay Idriss and the green-roofed mausoleum. The Grande Terrasse is broader and better for…
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Meknes
Known as Cheikh El Kamel for his perfection in learning, Sidi Ben Aïssa (1465–1526) inspired the Aïssawa Sufi brotherhood, widely followed in North Africa…
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Meknes
South of Bab El Mansour lies this public garden and car park that's a popular place with local families in the evening – less raucous than Place El Hedim,…
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Ifrane
Ifrane’s landmark is the stone lion that sits on a patch of grass near the Hôtel Chamonix. It was carved by a German soldier during WWII, when Ifrane was…
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Middle Atlas
Not far from Bab Er Rih, and visible over the top of the houses, is the Grande Mosquée, which the Almohads began building in 1135 before they conquered…
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Middle Atlas
The most interesting section of Taza Haute's fortified wall is around Bab Er Rih, from where there are superb views over the surrounding countryside. Look…
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Meknes
Housed in the peeling old tribunal building in the imperial city walls, this small museum is long overdue for a refresh, but while the larger Dar Jamaï…
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Fez
The largest car-free urban area in the world, Fez El Bali (Old Fez) is a warren of twisting lanes and centuries-old monuments and mosques. As well…
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Middle Atlas
Just over the Guigou River east of the town are the showgrounds that host the livestock market on Sunday mornings. Come early to watch men test-riding…
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Middle Atlas
A spot for viewing Barbary macaques similar to Moudmame, this area has a large car park, picnic tables, toilets and an enormous dead cedar tree. There are…
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Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
The only cylindrical minaret in Morocco is found at the Sentissi Mosque. Built in 1939, it is covered in pretty green zellige (colourful geometric mosaic…
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Fez
The most architecturally impressive street in the mellah (Jewish quarter) is Rue des Mérinides, lined with houses that are distinguished by their wooden…
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Middle Atlas
Taza Haute's bastion, where the medina walls jut out to the east, was added to the 12th-century fortifications 400 years later by the Saadians, but it's…
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Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
The Roman Baths have a small circular pool that sometimes has water in it. When it does, it's often full of boys and young men, and women visitors might…
