The Pearl of Africa: What Not to Miss When Visiting Morocco?

Being in Morocco and not stopping by Marrakech would be a sin of biblical proportions. Marrakech, also known as the "red pearl of the south," is one of the most visited cities in Morocco. This is mainly thanks to its main attraction – the color and sound-filled exotic marketplace at Jemaa el-Fnaa square, which turns into an open-air street theater at dusk. You will walk among fakirs with dancing cobras, and your taste buds will be attacked by delicious food from street vendors and select Moroccan specialties.

There is nothing better than looking at the hustle and bustle from a bird's-eye view. Definitely head to one of the many terraces of cafes and restaurants, where you can enjoy a view of this amazing theater under the stars while sipping a soft drink or Berber whiskey.

It might seem strange to you that even though Morocco is a Muslim country (meaning alcohol is not consumed here), you will see mentions of "Berber whiskey" everywhere. In this case, it is not actually alcohol, but just a humorous term. It is an extremely sweet green tea with mint, which is drunk absolutely everywhere in Morocco, and many locals will surely invite you for this "mint tea." It is polite to accept this invitation and chat with the locals over a "shot" of tea.

Fes is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco. What attracts thousands of tourists here is the old city, or Medina el-Bali, which is hidden behind massive walls. As soon as you pass through the famous blue Bab Boujeloud gate, you will find yourself in the Middle Ages as if by magic.

It is said that if you haven't gotten lost in the medina, you haven't really been to Morocco. Getting lost in the maze of nine thousand alleys of the Fes medina will certainly not be a problem. This is where you will experience the real Morocco. The bustle, vibrant colors, countless scents, and even smells. Fes is also famous for its tanneries, which you will smell from hundreds of meters away. From the viewing terraces of leather goods shops, you can watch in the shade how Moroccans, waist-deep in colorful vats, soak hides of various colors.

You will feel like you are in a different Morocco when visiting the small mountain town of Chefchaouen. In the northern part of Morocco, at the foot of the Rif Mountains, this blue pearl is hidden, which will captivate you with its incredibly blue medina (medina is a universal term for the old part of many North African cities). Houses, sidewalks, and stairs here play in all shades of blue – from azure to dark, reminiscent of a summer night sky.

There is nothing better than wandering through this blue maze of alleys and enjoying the view. You probably won't find a similar sight anywhere else. The interesting paint job is allegedly the work of Jewish refugees who believed that if you look at something blue, you think more about the sky and also about God.

Another amazing experience is spending a night in the desert under a sky with billions of stars overhead. You can find sand dunes in several places in Morocco. Among the most famous are the dunes in Merzouga, located approximately 50 kilometers south of Erfoud, a stone's throw from the border with Algeria. You can also set off on camels to one of the Berber villages and try to get a glimpse into the life of this desert nation and fully enjoy the views of the endless golden sand dunes.

Another interesting stop on the way to the desert can be the town of Ouarzazate, which became famous primarily as the Moroccan Hollywood. There are film studios here that provided locations for films such as Gladiator, Asterix and Obelix, Jewel of the Nile, or even Game of Thrones. Morocco changes its face here again, especially due to the frequent presence of Western celebrities.

However, just about 30 kilometers from the city lies another secret treasure that will captivate you. And that is the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, one of the most beautiful villages in the Atlas Mountains. It lies in the Ounila Valley at the southern foot of the High Atlas, on the caravan route between the Sahara and the city of Marrakech. Because of its uniqueness, it was even inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.

A remote mountain village located at an altitude of 1,740 m above sea level is considered the imaginary gateway to the High Atlas. It is from here that people set out on their journey to conquer the summit of Jebel Toubkal. The surrounding landscape might look familiar to you; it was here that Martin Scorsese filmed his 1996 movie Kundun. The local panoramas of mountain peaks simulated the environment of the Himalayas, and you can still see some remnants of that filming today.

In any case, it is an amazing place for walks in the surroundings and treks along mountain trails. The greening hills in the shadow of snow-capped peaks create magical corners that are definitely worth exploring.