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Relax! I am not saying that you should ignore one of the most beautiful cities in the world, just because it is so full of tourists all year long. What I am trying to say is that Morocco is an amazing country and that it would be a sin to stay and tour only one city there. In fact, there are at least five other amazingly breathtaking places equally beautiful and full of experiences as the capital city. Take a look at these photos and you’ll be booking a hotel in no time!
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1. Blue Amsterdam in Morocco
Chefchaouen City is located in the mountains, but tourists from Europe began streaming to this beautiful city for a pretty odd reason – here it is super easy to find and buy hashish. To be honest, the so-called “Moroccan Amsterdam” city has a lot more to offer than cheap drugs. The city amazes with its fascinating and one of a kind architecture: all the buildings, walls, stairs, and sidewalks are painted in blue. There are a lot of legends surrounding why the city is blue. Some say that this color deters mosquitoes, while others provide a bit more romantic version and say that a bluish tone recalls to the power of God. While admiring the city, it is worth purchasing woolen fabric from local vendors – such quality materials are hard to find anywhere else.
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2. Silent mountains
Just two hours by car from bustling Marrakesh you can find probably the quietest place in the country – the Atlas Mountains. The largest array in North Africa, Toubkal, the highest peak, reaches 4167 meters, but to travel there you might need to be a real brave heart – you will have to travel throughout very narrow serpentine roads which will make you feel very insecure. If you decide to explore the region on foot, take at least three days to do that – verdant slopes and snow-capped mountain peaks will make your vacation unforgettable.
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3. The religious city where handbags are born
Fez city, located just nearby the Atlas Mountains, is often considered Morocco’s most spiritual and one of the best preserved Arab towns.
The fence surrounding this high area secures a confusing maze of streets and buildings, and at each entrance you will find artful local guides, enthusiastically offering their services. Fez is famous for its high-quality leather goods, so here it is necessary not only to buy a new handbag but also get acquainted with their method of production.
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4. Sea of sand from which the sun rises
While it may seem that the desert landscape is always the same, Erg Chebbi, the desert wind on a daily basis “reconstructs” up to 150 meters in reaching dunes. Local say that this sea of sand was sent by God as a punishment for turning away a tired traveler. Whether you believe the legend or not, you can still appreciate sitting on a camel and enjoying the sunrise.
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5. Romance in the city
Located in the legendary town of Casablanca the Great Hassan II Mosque will take every traveler’s heart instantly. This is the second-largest Islamic temple in the world, and many believers come here just to enjoy its beauty. The mosque is one of the few of its kind in Morocco which opens its doors for people of other faiths. This stunning temple also amazes with its size – it is said that more than 25 thousand worshipers can fit into this mosque at the same time.
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This is a sponsored post, but as always, all opinions are my own.
Morocco is a beautiful country indeed … great job in profiling some of the best places to visit aside from Marrakesh!
First i need to get to Marrakesh before I can leave! Haha! Would LOVE to go to Morocco- it looks stunning. Pleased to say that Fez is on my list, although I didn’t know the handbag bit. So I should probably bring some extra cash when I do go!
Beautiful photos. Morocco has always beckoned to me and I think I will be there soon – and not only in Marrakesh! This post shows clearly exactly why people love to visit.
I have been getting increasingly tempted to visit Morocco, Mags, and you just fanned the flame! Knowing about these fantastic outlying areas will help with my planning. I am especially tempted by Chefchaouen City, the Great Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, and the photo ops potential of watching the sun rise at Erg Chebbi.
I’d love to visit Morocco. It’s great that you’ve featured 5 other fantastic cities outside of Marrakesh, although that will probably be my first stop. It’s great to learn about why Chefchaouen City is painted in blue. I like the idea of going to Fez too and see all its preserved Arab wonders.
Thanks for the article! I’m definitely going to check out all the places you’ve suggested. Nice photo of Chefchaouen City 🙂 Have you done any of the desert Jeep or Camel tours?
Otherwise known as 5 reasons Morocco has been on my travel wishlist for years. I really want to go trekking in the Atlas mountains!
Oh Mags, talk about inspiration for somebody who loves photography. I just want to see myself wandering around Blue Amsterdam and The Fez. I’m not really sure why Morocco falls off my radar, but you have firmly planted it back on there again.
Morocco is definitely on my radar, especially Fez. True fact, several years ago (when I had a corporate job) my husband bought me a SUPER luxury vacation to Morocco (he and I) for 8 days as a Christmas present. It had one stipulation. I had to drive 8 hours to some remote location where we would board camels and ride many hours into the desert to camp. Then come back the next day same route. So that would have been 2 days of misery for me in my limited vacation time schedule so I just forfeited the trip and said no way. I am sorry I did not get to visit but that sounded absolutely dreadful to me at the time.
That photo of Chefchaouen alone makes me want to get on a flight and go. I’m somewhat obsessed with beautiful doors and windows and tiny alleyways and I can only imagine how much I would love being there.
This came at a great time. Living in Nice, it’s so close for us to fly into Marrakesh. We are thinking of visiting in October and I’ve been trying to figure out where else to visit while in Morocco. I like all the blue in Chefchaouen City, so that one is definitely going on my list.
You are so correct. Every time I hear a traveler mention Morocco they always speak about Marrakesh. You have given some good recommendations that deserve some time. In addition to Marrakesh I would love to visit Great Hassan II Mosque, Chefchaouen City and Atlas Mountains.
I want to go to Morocco so bad! Chefchaouen City sounds really neat and I would love to see the desert! Another place I would like to see is Essaouira, and not just because Game of Thrones was filmed there, although that’s a big part! It looks like a quaint fishing town.
I agree. There are plenty more beautiful places to see than Marrakech. It is nice for a few days, but there is so much more to Morocco than Marrakech.
I so want to get back to Morocco and these places all look amazing! We had a terrible trip there cross over from Spain, and doing a tour, they were basically crooks, but we were in a group and this is what everyone wanted to do, so I’m wanting a “take 2” of Morocco! Beautiful photos too!
I’d love to visit Morocco, would love to visit Marrakesh, Fez, Atlas mountains and Chefchaouen City… Thanks for taking me on this virtual visit, not sure when I will make it there but saving the post for reference when we make it out there!
I’ve been wanting to travel in Morocco for years now, and this post only reaffirms my desire to visit Fez, Chefchaouen, and Casablanca. A friend of mine from Morocco says Casablanca is overrated, but I don’t really believe him. I’m showing him this post as proof that he’s crazy. 🙂
Agreed with you wholeheartedly! I love Marrakesh, but Fez definitely captured my heart when I went. There are so many places in Morocco I still want to visit!
Beautiful photos! I am yet to pay a visit to Morocco, but this post is definitely making me want to go soon! 🙂
I already found Morocco irresistible but this list brings it to a whole nother level. From Blue Amsterdam to the place where handbags were born it just looks so interesting.
Nice!!