Morocco travel attractions and the incredible sweeping desert? Djemaa El-Fna is the highlight of any visit to Marrakech and one of the top tourist attractions in Morocco. By day this square at the heart of the medina is largely filled with snake charmers and people with monkeys, as well as some of the more common stalls. As the day progresses the entertainments on offer change: the snake charmers depart, and in the afternoon and evening the square becomes more crowded, with story-tellers, magicians, and peddlers of traditional medicines. As dark descends Djemaa El-Fna fills with dozens of food-stalls, and the crowds are at their height.
This golden-stoned adobe kasbah (fortress) thrusts dramatically out of the earth amid scenery that wows all who visit. It’s a fairy-tale place, and unsurprisingly the orange-hued turrets and curvy lanes inside have become a favorite film location for Hollywood due to the surreal beauty of the place. You can even sleep within the kasbah if you want the full Ait Ben Haddou experience, though those who like their creature comforts should be aware that there’s no electricity within the fortress itself. If you’re heading out into Morocco’s inland regions, it should definitely be on your must-visit list. Try to come in the early morning or later in the afternoon, as the tour bus crowds descend from around 10am to 2pm.
The desert is absolutely a must visit when you’re in Morocco. From watching the gorgeous sunset over the dunes to gazing at the sky full of bright stars, every experience in the desert is captivating and unforgettable. Make sure that out of all the best places to visit in Morocco, you do keep a few days for a trip to the Sahara Desert, one of the finest places to travel in Morocco! See extra info at Casablanca Day Trips.
Erg Chebbi, near to Merzouga, is a dramatic 50-kilometre-long series of sand dunes. Reaching up to 150 metres’ height in places and with a width of five kilometres, the large dunes offer a spectacular experience in the Moroccan Sahara. Camel treks through the dunes and to local Berber villages are popular. A historic citadel, the majestic Ait Benhaddou is located close to Ouarzazate. On the edges of the desert, the picturesque UNESCO-listed village has been used as a shooting location for a number of films. Although many previous occupants now live elsewhere, a walk through the maze-like citadel shows how people used to live in the past. The multi-level dwellings, with the lower levels reserved for livestock, and merchants’ homes are all built from mud.
Also known as the Koubba Ba’adiyn, the Almoravid Koubba is Marrakesh’s oldest monument, built in the 12th century during Ali Ben Youssuf’s reign. Although its original use is unknown, some experts have suggested that it may have been the ablution house of a mosque that once sat next door. Its simple exterior design (a squat, square building topped with a dome) belies an interesting interior, with a dome ceiling covered in Almoravid motifs. The koubba was one of the few buildings to survive the damage inflicted by the Almohad conquerors, who destroyed much of the earlier Almoravid architectural legacy. See additional details at this site.