Lonely Planet Morocco: Perfect for exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled (Travel Guide)

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Casablanca’s most iconic landmark is the Hassan II Mosque, one of the world’s largest mosques, open to non-Muslims on guided tours. The monumental prayer hall can hold 25,000 worshippers – another 80,000 can fit in the courtyards outside – and it showcases the finest Moroccan crafts, with hand-carved stucco, painted wood, and stunning zellige (mosaic tilework).

So if you're one of the tourists planning to visit Morocco soon, what do you need to know before you go? The fabled Red City of Marrakesh is a sensory overload of sights, sounds and smells. Its ancient medina is a maze of narrow streets with the Djemaa El Fna – arguably Africa’s most famous square – at its heart, and its nightly circus of storytellers, snake charmers and musicians. At the Majorelle Garden, gates open earlier than usual at 8am so you can beat the heat and the crowds. You can book online for easy access, too. In the garden, the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Art has just reopened after a period of renovation.In Morocco, you drive on the right side of the road and seatbelts are mandatory, even though some taxis don't have them. Car horns are used often - not in an aggressive way, but as a means of communication.

On the road, keep numbers for emergency services to hand in case of breakdowns, and drive slowly – speed limits are strictly enforced – and defensively.Marrakesh has few accessible facilities, but the city is not necessarily out of bounds for travelers with a physical disability and a sense of adventure. Narrow medina streets and rutted pavements can make wheelchair access difficult; the neighborhood of Gueliz is easier to navigate. Buses in Marrakesh are not wheelchair friendly, but the City Tour Marrakech is wheelchair accessible and an excellent way to get between many of the city's top sights. Petits taxis in Marrakesh are too small to accommodate wheelchairs, but grands taxis should be able to – they typically cost about 50% more per journey. Closed for renovations now is the Batha Museum in Fez but a sparkly new version is due to open its doors again in January 2023, located as before in the old summer palace of the sultan with its lovely garden. The Heri Es-Souani granaries in Meknes are also being restored and are scheduled to reopen sometime in 2023 (insha'Allah). And slated to open in September this year is the spectacular, Zaha Hadid-designed Grand Theatre in Rabat. Detour: Stay atop the hill overlooking Plage Sfiha at Casa Paca, a friendly bed-and-breakfast run by the half-Spanish, half-Moroccan owner, Joaquin, and his wife, Nabila. Dinners here are delicious. Open June to October. 6. M’Diq One of Morocco’s most dramatic drives is roughly halfway between Marrakesh and Ouarzazate. The Tizi n’Tichka pass reaches the heady heights of 2260m (7415ft), but it’s a less challenging drive than the Tizi n'Test through a harsh but no less spectacular landscape.

Eating and drinking get the most out of your gastronomic experience as we reveal the regional dishes and drinks you have to try I am originally from the UK and have been living in Morocco since 2018. There are things I wish I'd known before jumping headfirst into the seemingly lawless world of Moroccan taxis and bargaining in the souqs.You can find these authors and more in the historic bookstore Librarie des Colonnes, which opened its doors in 1949 and was frequented by the likes of Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote. 12. Ride the rails on Africa’s first high-speed train September: Dance your way to the Into the Wild boutique festival on September 23 and 24 in Dakhla. The festival is an offshoot of the Oasis Festival in Marrakesh and features electronic, house and techno music, and wellness activities like yoga on the beach. The Rif (reef) is the greenest and most northerly of Morocco's mountain chains. It's an excellent place to explore, especially on foot. There are plenty of good hikes, particularly in Talassemtane National Park. You might also like: The souqs are filled with fake tennis shoes, which are just that: fakes. Many Moroccans don't care whether their Nikes are original; they just want the best price for the latest styles. 6. Cash or card? Make your first stop on the scenic R203 (the A3 is a newer, faster, and tamer route to the Souss Valley and Agadir) in the pretty Ouirgane Valley, where you could while away a few days hiking and cycling, or just relax at Ouirgane Ecolodge. Then follow the sinuous road to the architectural wonder of the 12th-century Tin Mal Mosque, 18km (11 miles) from Mouldikht and the start of the pass.

Buses are a wallet-friendly way to crisscross the country. The two major national bus companies offer a reliable, comfortable service – you’ll even get wi-fi and extra leg room if you go for the “luxe” option. Local insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - whether it's history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, politics Keep your papers to hand for any dealings with the police. There’s no legal drunk-driving limit, so drivers should strictly abstain. Longer treks at Jebel Siroua (3,305m) include a dramatic volcano for those hardy hikers looking to spend several nights wild camping.With great fish and seafood – the town is renowned for its oysters – and a range of accommodation options, it's a popular weekend and summer retreat for Marrakshis and Casablancais, and the perfect destination for those in need of a break from the city hubbub. As the oldest city in Morocco, Fez proudly keeps one foot firmly planted in the past. Its crumbling medieval medina is vast, and it's almost guaranteed that you will get lost wiggling your way through a maze of workshops, apothecaries and market stalls. The Kairaouine Library and Mosque houses the world's oldest library and is Morocco's renowned spiritual and study center. From golden sand dunes to the lofty peaks of the High Atlas mountains, Morocco is an adventurer's dream. Epic landscapes carpet this slice of North Africa like the richly patterned rugs you’ll lust after in the souqs. Morocco has declared an end to the latest wave of the Omicron variant and cases of COVID have dropped substantially to single-digit figures of positive cases. That's not to say it's over, though, and there are still requirements, such as wearing a mask on public transport and when you enter a hotel or restaurant. Marrakesh will satisfy the most insatiable shopaholic. The labyrinthine passageways of the souq are devoted to everything from aromatic spices to leather babouches (slippers) and shaggy wool rugs, with artisans weaving, hammering, and carving out their wares as they’ve done for centuries. And now homegrown and ex-pat designers are working alongside them, giving age-old crafts a contemporary twist.