I'm guessing you have seen the beautiful images displayed on your instagrams of the vibrant Morocco. It’s made you want to visit but you just don’t know what to see and do there?
Well here are my top 15 places that will make your instagram feeds look irresistible. But before I mention these beautiful places I thought I would give you some hints and tips to consider when travelling to Morocco.
My Top Tips for Visiting Morocco
➳ When arriving at the airport make sure you have someone from the hotel or someone they recommend pick you up do not use the taxi’s outside as it is not considered safe. Most tour providers pick you up and are pretty helpful.
➳ You cannot drink the water. You will have to buy bottles of water from the shops. Factor this in with your spending costs.
➳ If you ever leave the hotel or apartment that you're staying in leave in a group if you have gone on your own to Morocco I would be extremely careful. Our tour guide never let us wander the streets on our own.
➳ Barter with the locals. If you really like some of the ceramics, leather bags or clothing items. you can barter with the shop owner to get the price knocked down. Great to grab a bargain!
➳ People say when travelling to morocco you have to have your knees covered and shoulders covered. This isn’t true, there are so many tourists in Morocco most of them wear shorts as it's very hot there, however when entering mosques you will be required to be covered up. I brought a pashmina with me so that I could put it over my shoulders and always wore long dresses or skirts.
➳ When travelling to Morocco check when they are doing Ramadan. This is when the locals fast for about a month. This means they only eat once the sun has gone down. If you go whilst during ramadan. It means it’s quieter on the streets which is great to get your epic shots.In the evenings it does become more lively though as the locals come out as it's cooler and to celebrate the fast.
➳ If you are a drinker and you go during ramadan it's less likely for the restaurants and supermarkets to be selling alcohol.
➳ Locals do not like to have their photos taken. They prefer if you ask for their permission. I had people shouting at me even when my camera wasn't on and just hanging around my neck, some can get a bit violent so you may want to work on your sly camera game.
➳ Make sure you have plenty of memory on your phones and cameras, no matter where you are in morocco it is all instagram and photo worthy.
➳ If you visit the sahara desert make sure to have sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sand it only minimises the chances of sand getting in them. Sand does get everywhere, especially when there is an unexpected sandstorm !
➳ And finally if you eat in restaurants and have a salad most restaurants will wash the vegetables in local water which will make you sick. Be cautious when going to restaurants.There are also vegan restaurants.
After Reading these tips you are pretty much ready to go but first as promised your instagram worthy spots to visit.
Top 15 Sites to see in Exotic Morocco
Well here we are the moment you have been waiting for. I never thought Morocco would be one of the places I ever wanted to visit until a friend of mine went and I was blown away by her pictures, It is full of hidden gems that you will not regret to add to your travel list. Morocco seems to have everything, great morrocan food, shopping, adventures with 4x4 drive in the deserts and camel rides to watch the sunset over the orange sand dunes. Medinas are filled with locals selling vegetables and colourful spices, hand painted ceramics and made locally to be sold globally. Palaces with large golden gates, mosques that will leave you in complete serenity, even woods with hungry monkeys and wild horses.
This place honestly has it all, leaving Morocco seeing all that you have will make you truly grateful.
➳ Bahia Palace & Dar Si Said Museum
The first place I saw in Morocco and I fell completely in love with. The colours in the palace are so vibrant It was calm and quiet when we went so you could spend a few hours there getting some beautiful photos. There is an archway that leads to what felt like a secret garden, the garden led to a museum that has stain glass windows, which reflected the vibrant colours onto the marble floor. This place is great for people who like to get a bit creative behind the camera.
➳ Casablanca Hassan II mosque
This mosque is breathtaking being one of the largest mosques in Africa. Photos will not do this stunning place any justice. Bare in mind that when visiting you do have to have your shoulders and knees covered so you are able go in, you will also have to remove your shoes. At the time of visiting, the wooden retractable roof of the mosque was open (see picture below) this is a rare opportunity as it only opens for worshippers. The natural light came through and light up the hand crafted wood and mosaic marble in vivid multi colours. It is truly so beautiful and feels so surreal. I watched the roof close and let the last bit of light creep through the roof, the place filled with darkness and once more the mosque showed us it's true beauty in a different light. The mosque is huge, you could spend a good few hours here and you can only visit the mosque through a tour. Hassan II mosque can fit up to 105,000 people to put into perspective how big this place actually is. Not only does it look over the Atlantic Ocean but its minaret (tower) has a torch that shines to Mecca.This is a place where you can relax and gather your thoughts it will leave you feeling calm collected and mesmerised with the every inch of detail that has gone into building this beautiful mosque. You will not want to miss this one!
➳ Rabat Mohammed V Mausoleum & Hassan II Tower
Another stunning place where you can grab some great shots, have a walk around and check out the golden gates, pillars and some beautiful steps that lead to the mausoleum.
➳ Chefchaouen
For someone like me who absolutely loves blue I was in my element when visiting Chefchaouen, when they say blue city they quiet literally mean everything is blue from the homes to the pathways. This is the place where you can pay Dirham to get a couple of shots in secluded places without people getting into your photos, however most people que for different spots so you can quite easily go to other places and not have to pay for these instagram worthy spots and they are just as good. This place is an intertwining maze, walking around exploring can easily find yourself getting lost but who doesn't love a little adventure. After exploring and having dinner overlooking the square I watched the sunset by the spanish mosque, this sits on a hill that overlooks the city. As we watched the sun set between the hills, the lights began to light up the city of Chefchaouen in all its glory.
➳ Merzouga - Sahara Desert
Where do I even begin, Sahara Desert you completely stole my heart. When arriving your sky filled with an orange haze, a surprise sand storm appeared.The morning after the sand storm cleared and our camels walked through the desert carrying us to our destination, where we then had to climb the sand dunes to watch the sun rise. If you have never been to sand dunes it is much harder than it looks. Later that day we went on a 4x4 drive where the driver was ruthless. It was so much fun we screamed and laughed a lot. Our driver gave us the true moroccan experience with amazing moroccan music to get our adrenaline rushing through our bodies. We later met a Nomad family that had next to nothing which really brought into perspective how truly lucky I am to have everything that I have. In the evening we had our special dinner with an african dance show in the desert with a campfire, we learnt how to play the african drums and danced around the fire. After an eventful evening celebrating our last few days together I dragged my bed from my tent to sleep under the stars, there are no words to describe the millions of stars In the sahara, I have never seen anything like it and it was truly magical. The Sahara Desert stole my heart and I am sure it will steal yours too.
➳ Marrakech Medina
This Place comes alive at night, with snake chanters, food Markets, and lanterns .You will not want to miss the activity. Bring your purse there is so many lovely ceramic dishes, silky pashmina's and colourful clothing. It's the perfect place to grab your family and friends some gifts to return home to.
➳ Kasbah Mosque
Situated in the heart of Marrakech, watch thousands gather round to pray here. You will hear prayer calls echo through the city.
➳ Port of Essaouira
Want a little different scenery? Essaouira is the place to go, you can watch the sunset over the ocean. In the Medina you will find the streets coming alive with talented dancers. You can also take a stroll along the beach to get some sea air and dip your toes into the sandy beach.
➳ Essaouira Beach
If you fancy a break from sightseeing and the busy markets take a break and relax by the beach, and maybe have a bite to eat by the seafront restaurants.
➳ Touraga Royal Palace
This is the kingdom of Morocco.This is based in Rabat
➳ Rabat - Walls Of Chellah
The defensive walls and towers of Chellah. If you are into your history this would be a great place to visit.
➳ Kasbah of Udayas
Walk through the streets of white and blue homes with mosaic water fountains and hand painted wooden doors, the windy streets leads you to a beautiful view of the ocean.
➳ Royal Palace Place Des Alaouites
Well where do I start with this place if I'm honest I couldn't wait to photograph this place. I was itching to get over to the brassy gates to take some amazing shots therefore I wasn't really listening to the history of the palace, but can you blame me when this was displayed in front of a photographer. Up close you can see every inch of detail that has gone into this, the large brass doors engraved so carefully and the colourful mosaics surrounding the door, knowing how much care and procession that has gone into building the palace is astounding.
Now knowing the top tips and top 15 sites to see in Morocco you are all set to go, the real question is when are you going ?
If you have any questions regarding Morocco I am more than happy to speak with you please contact me. Information is found in the contact page or contact me through any of my social media threads.
I can't wait to hear all about your trip.
Love Always
Lucy x
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