Morocco’s imperial cities are a sensory overload in the very best way. Labyrinthine medinas, ornate tilework, the call to prayer echoing between ancient walls, and the scent of spices drifting from the souks — a circuit of Marrakech, Fes, Meknes, and Rabat is one of Africa’s great urban adventures.
Marrakech: The Red City
Begin in Marrakech, where Djemaa el-Fna square transforms from an orange juice market by day into a carnival of storytellers, musicians, and food stalls by night. The 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque anchors the skyline. Lose yourself in the souks where master craftsmen produce leather goods, carpets, and metalwork.
Fes: the World’s Largest Living Medieval City
Fes el-Bali is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most complete medieval Islamic city in existence. Over 9,000 streets connect mosques, madrasas, and the famous Chouara tanneries, where leather has been dyed in stone vats by the same method since the 11th century.
Meknes and Rabat
Meknes rewards the curious with its monumental Bab Mansour gate and the ruins of the royal stables. Rabat, the capital, offers the 12th-century Hassan Tower and the peaceful Udayas Kasbah overlooking the Atlantic.
Practical Advice
- Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are ideal
- Stay in a riad — a traditional courtyard guesthouse — in the medinas
- Bargaining is expected and good-humoured in the souks
- Moroccan mint tea is an institution; accept every offer
