The best things to do in Morocco.

Marrakech rewards travellers who slow down: a walled medina of souks and palaces opens onto serene gardens, rooftop cafes and the snow-capped Atlas beyond. From sunrise calls to prayer to the nightly theatre of Jemaa el-Fna, here are the experiences worth your time.

Morocco's spiritual and craft capital rewards slow exploration. From the maze of Fes el-Bali to working tanneries, Merinid medersas and ancient Roman ruins nearby, here are twelve experiences worth your time.

Tucked into Morocco's Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen is the famous blue-washed town where lime-painted lanes, mountain waterfalls and Andalusian culture meet. Here are the best things to do in the Blue City.

Tucked in the Rif mountains, Chefchaouen is small enough to enjoy in a single day — but its blue-washed lanes reward slow wandering. This itinerary covers the medina, the kasbah, the best photo spots and the Spanish Mosque sunset, with room to simply get lost.

Behind every blue door in Chefchaouen sits a small workshop or shop. The Blue City is one of Morocco's most relaxed places to buy crafts — woven wool blankets, hand-painted pottery, leather and Rif mountain food — with far less hassle than the big-city souks. Here is what to look for and how to buy it well.

Chefchaouen is one of Morocco's easiest towns to visit with children. The blue medina is small and walkable, there are no big crowds or traffic to manage, and a slow pace, friendly cats and a mountain stream keep younger travellers happy. Here are the best family-friendly things to do in the Blue City.

Chefchaouen is one of the most photographed towns in Morocco, and for good reason — its blue-washed lanes, doors and stairways are endlessly photogenic. But timing, light and a little etiquette make the difference between snapshots and great images. Here is a practical photo guide.

Beyond the blue lanes, Chefchaouen is a gateway to the green Rif mountains and Talassemtane National Park. The waterfalls of Akchour and the natural arch of God's Bridge are the area's best day hikes — turquoise pools, forest trails and dramatic rock. Here is what to know before you go.

On a hill just east of the medina stands the small Spanish Mosque (Mosquée Espagnole), also known as Bouzaafer. Built in the 1920s during the Spanish protectorate, it was never put into regular use and has long stood empty — but the hilltop it sits on is now Chefchaouen's classic viewpoint, with a sweeping panorama back over the blue city and the green Rif mountains. It is the go-to spot for sunset, and a quieter one for sunrise. Here is what to know before you make the climb.

In the heart of the medina, set right on the main square of Plaza Uta el-Hammam, stands the Kasbah of Chefchaouen — a red-walled fortress whose warm ochre stone makes a striking contrast with the famous blue lanes outside. It dates to the 15th century, the era of the town's founder Moulay Ali ben Rachid, and was extended in later periods. Inside its walls you find tranquil Andalusian-style gardens, a small ethnographic museum, old prison cells, and a tower you can climb for rooftop views over the blue town and the Rif mountains. Here is what to know before you step inside.

At the eastern edge of the Chefchaouen medina, where the lanes give way to the hillside, a mountain stream emerges from the rocks at a spot known as Ras el-Maa — Arabic for the "head of the water" (you may also see it written Ras el Ma). A small waterfall tumbles down beside the river here, cafes are built into the rocks and terraces alongside the cascade, and locals still come to riverside washing platforms to do their laundry as they have for generations. It is a cool, relaxed gathering place and the natural starting point for the uphill walk to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint and the trails toward Akchour. Here is what to know before you go.

Chefchaouen is known the world over as Morocco's "Blue City" — a medina where walls, lanes, doors and stairways are washed in shades of blue, from pale powder to deep indigo. There is no single proven reason for the colour, and several explanations circulate side by side: a Jewish heritage said to date from the arrival of refugees from Spain, a practical belief that the blue helps keep homes cool and deters insects, and a more recent story driven by tourism, with residents repainting the lanes each year. Whatever the true origin, the result is one of the most atmospheric old towns in the country. Here is the story behind the blue and how to enjoy walking it.

Chefchaouen sits on the edge of Talassemtane National Park, a protected stretch of the western Rif Mountains established to safeguard its rare fir and cedar forests. Beyond the famous Akchour waterfalls, the park offers ridge walks, mountain villages, viewpoints over the Blue City and some of northern Morocco's best high-country scenery. Here is what to know before you explore it.

The Rif Mountains give Chefchaouen a kitchen of its own: fresh goat cheese, mountain herbs, fava beans and slow-cooked tagines, all shaped by Andalusian and Berber roots. These hands-on cooking classes and food experiences let you shop the souks, learn from local cooks and eat your way around the Blue City.

Essaouira pairs a UNESCO-listed walled medina with windswept Atlantic beaches, a working fishing port and a deep Gnaoua music heritage. Here are twelve experiences that capture the salt-air spirit of Morocco's coolest coastal town.

Rebuilt after the 1960 earthquake, Agadir pairs a six-kilometre Atlantic beach with world-class surf, a hilltop kasbah, busy souks and easy access to Souss-Massa's wild coast and Paradise Valley.

Where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, Tangier blends Moroccan, Andalusian and international history. From its hilltop kasbah and tangled medina to dramatic Atlantic capes, here are twelve experiences worth your time.

Merzouga is a small Saharan village beside Erg Chebbi, a sea of wind-sculpted dunes rising up to around 150 metres. It is Morocco's classic desert base, and here are twelve experiences worth your time.

Nicknamed the 'Door of the Desert' and Morocco's Hollywood, Ouarzazate guards mud-brick kasbahs, vast film studios and palm-fringed oases at the edge of the Sahara. Here are twelve experiences worth your time.

Meknes, the imperial city of Sultan Moulay Ismail, blends monumental gates, vast granaries and a relaxed medina with easy day trips to Volubilis. Here are twelve experiences worth your time.

Morocco's capital pairs Atlantic light with monumental history, from a riverside kasbah to Roman-and-Merinid ruins. Here are twelve experiences worth your time in calm, walkable Rabat.

Morocco's largest city and economic heart pairs Art Deco boulevards with a vast oceanfront mosque. From the Atlantic Corniche to the old medina, here are twelve experiences worth your time.

Asilah is a whitewashed Atlantic town on Morocco's north coast, famous for its mural-covered medina, Portuguese ramparts and breezy beaches. Here are twelve experiences that capture its artistic, seafaring spirit.

At 1,740 metres in the High Atlas, Imlil is Morocco's gateway to Mount Toubkal. This Berber village trades souk crowds for walnut groves, mule paths and snow-tipped peaks. Here are the experiences worth lacing your boots for.

Once a sleepy fishing village north of Agadir, Taghazout has become Morocco's surf capital. Reliable Atlantic point breaks, laid-back yoga retreats, argan groves and golden beaches make it a relaxed base on the Souss-Massa coast.

Set high in Morocco's Middle Atlas, Ifrane is an alpine town of red-roofed chalets, cedar forests and clear mountain lakes. Built in the 1930s, it offers cool air, winter snow and easy access to a national park rich in wildlife.

Tucked into the Middle Atlas near Azilal, the Cascades d'Ouzoud are Morocco's tallest waterfalls, tumbling some 110 metres in red-rock terraces. Here are the experiences worth your time around the falls.

Dakhla sits on a slender peninsula where the Sahara meets the Atlantic, framing a vast flat-water lagoon. Steady trade winds, year-round sun and turquoise shallows have made it one of the world's premier kitesurfing destinations.

Cut into the eastern High Atlas near Tinghir, the Todra Gorge funnels travellers between sheer limestone walls rising up to roughly 300 metres. River, palm groves and Berber villages reward those who linger here.

Often called 'little Marrakech', Taroudant is a walled market town in the fertile Souss Valley. Its earthen ramparts encircle bustling souks, palm-shaded squares and artisan workshops, with the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas rising on either side.

Tucked into the High Atlas about an hour south of Marrakech, the Ourika Valley pairs a rushing river with Berber villages, terraced gardens and waterfall hikes. Here are the experiences worth your day.

Around 45 minutes from Marrakech, the Agafay is a rocky stone desert of arid hills, not dunes. Its lunar hammada frames sweeping Atlas Mountain views, luxury camps and quiet adventure within easy reach of the city.