Things to do in 

Morocco

Look for alternative things to do across Morocco’s medinas, mountains, and coast, swapping big sights for small workshops, village paths, and markets where everyday life sets the pace.

Cultural experiences: In Fes, watch dyers work at Chouara Tannery from a cooperative terrace, then shape a zellige tile at a pottery atelier in Ain Nokbi. In Marrakech, meet a herbalist near Jemaa El-Fnaa to blend ras el hanout before a relaxed tagine lesson in Gueliz, a hands-on afternoon families enjoy. In Chefchaouen, learn loom basics with a weaver in the Kasbah quarter as couples wander blue lanes between sessions. In Essaouira, follow fish from boats to grill stands on the harbor, then browse thuya wood workshops; luxury travellers can end with a sunset camel amble along the beach.

Day trip ideas: From Marrakech, ride to Imlil in the High Atlas for a village walk and lunch in Aroumd under Jebel Toubkal. From Marrakech, slip into the Agafay Desert for sunset tea and stargazing by a quiet camp, gentle for seniors. From Fes, pair Meknes and Volubilis for imperial gates and Roman mosaics, finishing with a late-afternoon stroll in Moulay Idriss. From Tangier, follow the coast to Asilah for sea walls and murals, a laid-back outing for couples that’s easy by train or car.

Explore Morocco's regions: The High Atlas around Imlil, Ouirgane, and Aït Benhaddou mixes terrace paths, red kasbahs, and cool river bends. The Sahara fringe near Merzouga and Erg Chebbi offers camel treks over sunrise dunes and tea in palm groves by Erfoud, with luxury desert camps for comfort. The Atlantic Coast from Essaouira to Agadir blends argan cooperatives, surf schools, and wind-brushed beaches like Sidi Kaouki. The Imperial Cities—Marrakech, Fes, Meknes, and Rabat—layer palaces and medinas, while the Rif around Chefchaouen stays slower and greener.

Travel tip: Plan 10–12 days for a Marrakech–High Atlas–Sahara–Fes loop; a single region like the coast or the Atlas works in 7–8 days. Distances are long, so build in travel days between hubs.

More places to see in Morocco

Beyond Marrakech, the country opens into old scholarly lanes, wind-bent coasts, cedar-scented hills, and a sea of sand. Travel slow, follow the rhythm of the day, and you’ll find crafts, music, and meals that stick with you.

Fes: Look down over the Chouara Tannery from a leather shop terrace mid-morning, then step into the carved calm of Bou Inania Madrasa. Pause at the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts for the cedar scent and rooftop view before a simple bowl of bissara on a side street.

Chefchaouen: Start by the Ras el-Maa spring where locals rinse rugs, then drift through blue lanes to the kasbah and a mint tea on Outa el Hammam square as the day cools. Climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset over the Rif ridges and the town below.

Merzouga (Erg Chebbi): Wake before dawn to watch first light reach the tall dunes, then visit Khamlia to hear Gnawa musicians play in the afternoon. After dinner at a desert auberge, step outside to the quiet and a sky thick with stars.

Essaouira: Walk the Skala de la Ville ramparts while the Atlantic crashes below, then pick your fish at the port grills for a simple lunch. Wander Rue Chbanat for thuya wood workshops before the evening wind sends kites and gulls across the beach.

Seasonal activities

Spring: Mild, sunlit days make this often the best time to visit, when medinas feel relaxed and valleys in the Atlas burst into green. Walk Roman ruins at Volubilis, hike to Ouzoud Falls, or catch steady surf in Essaouira before unwinding in a quiet riad courtyard, an easy rhythm for families, couples and seniors.

Summer: Expect heat inland, so trade city afternoons for Atlantic breezes in Essaouira or Agadir, or head up to Imlil where the mountain air stays cool. Plan sunrise and sunset for Sahara dunes, save museums and hammams for midday, and let teens learn to surf while couples chase golden-hour photos along the ramparts.

Fall: With temperatures easing and harvests underway, this is another best time to visit for long city walks and desert overnights. Wander olive groves near Meknès, taste new-season dates in the oases around Erfoud, and watch light turn the kasbahs honey-coloured, a calm pace that suits photographers, food-lovers and senior travellers.

Winter: Crisp mornings and clear skies favour culture-packed days in Fès and Marrakech, while Atlantic swells peak for surfers around Taghazout. Ride a mule through snowy Atlas villages or try a day on the slopes at Oukaïmeden, then warm up in a traditional hammam; Christmas and New Year bring a festive buzz to riads and coastal resorts without the summer crowds.

From late spring into early summer, music drifts across cities as the Fès Festival of World Sacred Music, Rabat’s Mawazine and Essaouira’s Gnaoua celebration animate streets and squares. In May, roses scent the Dades Valley around Kelaat M'gouna, while early autumn sees date fairs in Erfoud and the highland Imilchil gathering, and farther south the Tan-Tan moussem revives desert traditions with parades and fantasia.