Who hasn’t dreamed of spending the night in a tent under a starry night in the middle of the Sahara desert, enjoying some of the most beautiful cities in the country or visiting Volubilis, the best preserved Roman site in North Africa? Although Morocco has many places to visit, in this post we will review the 6 most beautiful cities of Morocco that I consider essential and you can not miss.
So which is the most beautiful city in Morocco?
Without a doubt, the most beautiful city in Morocco is Chefchaouen. This place is not only one of the best known and most sought after destinations in the country but a place that will transport you to another time and where you will discover unique and dreamy places by walking through its steep streets and lively squares.
CHEFCHAOUEN
One of the country’s greatest jewels is undoubtedly Chefchaouen or Chaouen, which is what it was called when it was founded by the Berbers in the 15th century. Located in the north of Morocco it is a small city tinged with blue with a certain air of an Andalusian village.
In Chefchaouen you have to visit its winding medina where you will find a lot of magical corners, the Uta al-Hammam square, the most important in the city, surrounded by numerous restaurants and hotels that offer a variety of menus at very good prices, the Great Mosque of the fifteenth century, the Kasbah, an impressive medieval fortress completely walled by solid red walls, and of course the souk, full of shops of carpets, accessories, bags, perfumes, spices etc.
MARRAKECH
Marrakech, known as the Red City, is not only considered one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco, but may also be the best known in the country. A walled city full of palaces, like the Bahia Palace, one of the most important architectural works of Marrakech built with the aim of being the most impressive of all times; gardens like those of Menara, the most famous gardens of the city, and mosques like the Koutoubia Mosque the most impressive and important of Morocco and one of the biggest of the Islamic world.
This is a city where you can get lost in its medina and haggle in its impressive souk, as well as stay in a riad or drink tea in one of its terraces.
Of course you can’t miss the Jemaa el Fna Square which is the central square of Marrakech and the most important place in the medina, where during the day you will find all kinds of characters and stands of orange juice, spices, mint and snails; and where you can have dinner at night in one of its many food stands while you enjoy a street show.
ESSAOUIRA
Located less than 200 kilometers from Marrakech is Essaouira, a beautiful coastal town in the south, considered one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco. It is also another of the most visited destinations in the country so due to the large influx of tourists who come in search of its beautiful beaches, mainly French, the city has become a cosmopolitan summer resort and one of the main tourist destinations in the area.
In addition, in Essaouira you can stroll through its beautiful medina, declared a World Heritage Site in 2001, enjoy the frenetic activity of its fishing port, walk through its beautiful Mellah (Jewish quarter), or walk over the walls and watch the waves of the Atlantic in Skala de la Ville.
FEZ
Known as the capital of Islam, a pioneer in the Muslim worship of this country, Fez is one of the 4 imperial cities along with Meknes, Marrakech and Rabat. It also has one of the oldest universities in the world.
In Fes you can visit its great Medina, a Moorish city of the ninth century composed of more than 9,000 streets that is considered the best preserved in the Arab world and the largest pedestrian urban area on the planet.
You will also be able to visit the numerous medersas (Koranic schools), the Karaouine mosque, the second largest mosque in Morocco, the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss which houses the tomb of the founder of Fez in the heart of the city, and the Mellah district, the oldest structured district in the country, among others. Fès is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco.
ASILAH
Asilah is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northern Morocco, about 46 kilometers from Tangier. Also called as Arcila, Arzila or Assilah, it is known mainly for its long beaches of fine sand, for its beautiful medina, the cleanest and most well cared for in Morocco, and for the international festivals that take place in summer, it is also considered one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco.
In Asilah you can eat in its famous fish restaurants, walk around the New City visiting buildings from the time of the Protectorate, such as the medersa or others like the Catholic Church of St. Bartholomew, walk along the Avenue Moulay Al Hassan Ben Mehdi, the promenade that is surrounded by a wall under which lies the main beach of the city or visit the port.
RABAT
Rabat is the capital of the kingdom of Morocco and the fourth imperial city. It is a city that has known how to combine like no other its modern area with its historical center, and although it is not one of the most visited cities of the country, I can affirm that it is one of the most beautiful cities of Morocco.
In this singular city you can’t stop visiting its most symbolic monument, Hassan’s Tower, whose construction was ordered by the sultan Yacub Al-Mansur, in the 12th century, who wanted to build the biggest mosque in the world with a tower of 86 meters high. However, the sultan died and the tower was left with its current 44 meters. This monument reminds of the Giralda of Seville and the Koutoubia Tower, so it is said that they shared the same architect.
Very close to the Hassan Tower you will find the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, which is the family pantheon of the Alaouite.
Other places you can visit in Rabat is its beautiful Medina, founded as such by the Andalusians in the seventeenth century and has a very well preserved wall or the Kasbah of the Oudayas, a walled city within the city of Rabat, built by the Almohads in the twelfth century by the sea with many houses painted in blue.
On the outskirts of Rabat you can visit the Necropolis of Chellah Sellah, an ancient and prosperous Roman city abandoned, rebuilt in the thirteenth century by the Almohads as a necropolis and destroyed in the earthquake of 1755.
