Moroccan Cities

Morocco's cities vary considerably in their desirability as holiday destinations. The Moroccan cities most popular with tourists are those where the old town or medina has been preserved, and modern development has been undertaken in a sensitive manner on the periphery of the city.

Marrakech

The city of Marrakech is Morocco's most popular tourist destination, host to more visitors each year than even the popular seaside resorts of Agadir and Essaouira. This pre-eminent position is deserved, for Marrakech is a city with which one can easily fall in love. Marrakech boasts an abundance of historic buildings, a well preserved medina and some of Morocco's finest hotels, together with an abundance of luxurious private riads and palaces available for vacation rental.

Tangier

Located on the Straits of Gibraltar, and almost within spitting distance of mainland Europe, Tangier has a more international flavour than other Moroccan cities. In the early 20th century, Tangier had something of a louche reputation and has long been a magnet for writers and artists. The city retains much of its old world charm, with the historic port overshadowed by the Medina, which includes the monumental Kasbah Mosque and many fine secular buildings, notable amongst which is the Moroccan Museum of Art and Antiquities, housed in a 17th century former sultan's palace.

Fes

For the 'culture vulture', a visit to Fes, the oldest and best preserved of Morocco's imperial cities, is an imperative. Highlights include the Karaouiyine Mosque, which dates from the mid 19th-century and incorporates stunning examples of zellij tile work, the Merinid Tombs which stand majestically above the city, and the souks, where one can witness craftsmen using techniques and tools that have remained unchanged since the Middle Ages. Fes is the main centre of leatherwork in Morocco and the sight, and more particularly the smell, of the tanneries are not easily forgotten.

Rabat

Situated on the north Atlantic coast, Rabat is Morocco's second-largest city after Casablanca, and the centre of political and financial power. Rabat is not on the 'a-list' of tourist destinations in Morocco. This is a pity, as the city, with its wide avenues, abundant green spaces and well preserved medina, is a great deal more pleasant than some Moroccan cities. Principal attractions for tourists include the Oudaia Kasbah, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Hassan Tower.

Casablanca

Casablanca is sadly a city which fails to live up to its reputation. Indiscriminate development has overwhelmed the heart of the old city, leaving an unhappy amalgam of the ancient and modern. Those who wish to relive that Humphrey Bogart moment and lovers of art deco architecture will find features of interest in Casablanca, but it is a city that is really best visited on a day trip, rather than as the destination for a Moroccan holiday.

Meknes and Volubilis

Meknes, located in the heart of Morocco's agricultural region, is an attractive city and a popular place in which to stay for those visiting Volubilis, which is nearby. Volubilis is Morocco's most important archaeological site, where can be found the remains of an ancient settlement which was occupied from the third century BC until the early Christian era, together with the ruins of a forum, basilica and capitol built in the second century.