It was a hard decision to make when choosing how to spend my time when going to Morocco. I had limited time and I knew I really wanted to see Chefchaouen. I didn’t want to spread myself too thin. As much as I wanted to spend time in the desert I decided to stick to the north and explore it more extensively.
I ended up doing a 2 week road trip through the North of Morocco. Let me take you on my journey.
A Road Trip Through the North of Morocco
Casablanca
Everyone knows Casablanca. In some ways it might be more famous than Marrakesh (to Americans) because of the film that shares the name.
“Of all the gin joints, she had to walk into mine.”
There is a Rick’s Café in the city that is surprisingly good, for what could be considered a tourist trap.However, the movie was not filmed in Morocco. The restaurant is a replica. But if you like Hollywood kitsch then you should go.
Casablanca is a good city to start in because there isn’t too much to do. You can see the highlights in about two days. Or you can add a day tour in there. It is their financial hub, the city for business.
I also happened to book my trip during Ramadan. When I got to Morocco it was the last few days of Ramadan and a lot of tours and restaurants weren’t open. I booked my trip for late March. It is good to be aware of this. It can affect booking activities and restaurants being open. Also it can affect alcohol consumption. Morocco is not a dry country. Although there are areas that dry, mostly outside of the cities, there is no alcohol consumption during the holiday season. Casablanca is known for its beach clubs but due to the holiday they were shut down the entire time I was there.
Since I was flying into Casablanca to start my Northern Road trip I added two days on. My first full day I spent exploring the city. The star of the city is the Hasan II Mosque. The second largest mosque in Africa, it sits right on the water, overlooking the coast for spectacular views. Luckily it is open to non-Muslims. Not all are. The main prayer hall can accommodate up to 25,000 people. The outdoor esplanade can hold another 80,000. It is a sight to behold. Truly breathtaking inside and out.
I did a full day city tour because it isn’t a walkable city and the main sights are spread out. This is the tour I took. It is a great way to get to know Casablanca.
My second full day I decided to take a day trip about an hour north. I was told the city of Rabat was worth it.
Rabat
Rabat is worth the day trip. I booked a full day tour here. It covered everything you wanted to see in one day.
This is the city for history and architecture. It even has a fully intact Kasbah (of the Udayas) with winding streets filled with blue and white houses you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The views from the terrace at the end of the Atlantic Ocean are breathtaking.
Other major points of interest
The Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V both located in the same complex. The area was built to became the largest mosque in the world but was never finished due to the Sultans death at the time. But the complex is beautiful regardless. Over 200 unfinished marble columns remain and what remains is still a testament to Moroccan craftmanship.
When I went the Chellah Castle was closed but it is a UNESCO world heritage site. Inside is an ancient archaeological site that is still being excavated and a Merinid necropolis.
Like any good city in Morocco Rabat of course has a Medina to explore that is not nearly as overwhelming as Fes or Marrakesh. And I enjoyed my lunch on the beach since it’s a coastal city. Highly recommend this as a day trip.
Or if you spend the night in Rabat it will cut an hour off your drive time to Tangier which is either approx. 3 hours from Rabat or about 3 hours and 40 mins from Casablanca. OR you can take the TGV fast train from Casablanca to Tangier and be there quicker to start your drive from there. I did this.
Tangier
Tangier is the most northern point of Africa. It sits on the coast where the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean meet. These two things are reason enough to stop in Tangier.
The main attraction is the Medina and Kasbah. This one isn’t as big as Fez or Marrakesh which makes it more accessible to meander around. Built into the hillside and located along the Grand Socco which is the bustling central square lined with palm trees, it has spectacular views of the ocean as well. I had a guide to explain the history of it all, hiring a local guide in each city makes the trip.
Tangier has always been a major port city for Morocco. It was the original gateway between Europe and Africa as it is only about 9 miles from the coast of Spain. The food and culture has heavy Spanish influences as the southern parts of Spain have heavy African influences. Now Tangier has become a high-end destination for beaches and cruise ships.
I would tack on an extra day (or two) if you would like to spend some time at the beach as well. You could do all the main sites in a day and then spend some down time lounging at the beach and enjoying the seafood.
Then it is about 2 -2.5 hour to Chefchaouen.
Chefchaouen
The inspiration behind my trip to Morocco was Chefchaouen. I know it is a touristy city and that it isn’t even originally the blue color everyone has come to know. It was painted that way in the 70’s on purpose to draw crowds. And it worked. It worked on me.
What it actually is, is a beautiful city located in the Rif mountains. The blue paint lends to the surrounding beauty. The blue hues don’t come out of nowhere. In the 1930’s a large amount of Jewish refugees showed up trying to escape Nazi Germany. They painted their doors and added blue hues from the Jewish tradition of weaving blue thread into prayer shawls to remind people of the sky and the heavens. Originally the color was more confined to the Jewish Quarter and expanded in the 1970’s when it was realized that the aesthetic was unique and drew crowds.
You don’t need too much time in Chefchaouen. Wandering the alleys, taking photos in doorways and drinking tea (or in my case coffee) is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. If you can hire a guide for a walking tour I would. Learning the history of the area.
There is a Kasbah in the main plaza that was a 15th century fortress with a beautiful Andalusian garden inside. The view from the towers inside gives great views of the city and the surrounding mountains.
Sunset at the Spanish Mosque: Up on a hill just outside the city there is an abandoned mosque and on clear days you can get a great sunset view. It is a 45 minute uphill walk. The path is fairly easy and the uphill isn’t too intense. It would take me longer than 45 mins to get to the mosque so if you have any physical ailments or disabilities or happen to be a slow walker you can account for the time.
The next day you can head to Moulay Idriss, a very important place in the Muslim religion. It is an approximately 3 hour drive to the village of Moulay Idriss.
Moulay Idriss
This is a sacred village where the great-great-great(did I forget a great?) grandson of Mohammad is buried. Mohammad is the prophet who brought Islam to Morocco. Moulay Idriss is considered to have founded Morocco and ruled the place from about 788 to 791.
The city was completely off limits to non-muslims until 2005 now only the main shrine is off limits to non-muslims but there is still enough to see in the markets and alleyways. I stayed in a wonderful homestay and highly recommend doing this at least once in Morocco. Dinner and breakfast were included and made by the family. We ate communally and it may have been the best meal I had the whole time I was there. The son lead an evening walking tour for us to see the small town and to a sunset view point. An important note: the town is very steep. The walk to my homestay was only 5 minutes but it was a steep 5 minutes. Luggage was brought up by donkey.
Another reason to stay overnight here is to see Volubilis. These ancient Roman ruins are less than a 10 minute drive from here and if you love history, archaeological sites and mosaics,this place is for you. I had never heard of it until I came to Morocco which is sometimes what I love about travel. You learn as you go.
Originally built in the 3rd century by Carthaginian traders then taken over by the Romans. It became an outpost. At one point over 20,000 people inhabited the city. Even after the Romans left people lived there until 1755 when there was an earthquake that led the city to be uninhabitable.
Volubilis has some of the most amazing mosaics. It is incredible what remains perserved after all these centuries left out in the elements. Highly reccomend going with a guide in order to fully understand what you are looking at and get a good dose of the history. The site is quite large and its always a better experience with someone who knows their stuff.
From Volubilis it is about a 45 minute drive to Meknes
Meknes can also be just a stop on your way to Fes. It is one of the major imperial cities of Morocco and it is much queiter with less to see than Fes. Still worth a stop in for the history, the impressive gates and the resting place of Moulay Ismal. I spent an afternoon here with a local guide. Mostly taking photos and walking through the gates and market. It is a good place for lunch after Volubilis before heading the rest of the way to Fes.
It is about 1 hour drive to Fes from Meknes
Fes
This is a sprawling city. The medina is the largest mediaval medina in Morocco. 9,000 alleys connect this labrynth. Making it easy to get lost. You could spend a full day just exploring the Medina.
Start with The Blue Gates, Bab Boujloud, one of the main enterances into the medina and made of gorgeous mosaics. We all know I am obsessed with the mosaics in North Africa. I recommend doing a tour of the medina that way they cover all the important historical stuff inside and prevent you from getting lost. Inside the medina you wont want to miss the Bou Inanaia Madrassa, a 14th century Islamic school with amazing tile work. The Mosque and University of Al-Qarawiyyin, considered the worlds oldest university and Al Attarine Madrassa which has some incredibly unique architecture. Depending on your guide, might depend which schools you are taken to.
You can watch the coppersmiths at work and I suppose the big draw is the Tanneries. I didnt go into an actual tannery. You can view them working from some of the leather shops. The smell is awful and the work is brutal. Watching it bothered me. Not just the brutality of the work but the fact that most likely these men are underpaid and put in situations that are dangerous in order for tourists to be able to buy leather bags. I didnt realize it was going to be part of my tour, I would have opted out of it.
There is also a royal palace. You can’t go inside but the doors and grounds outside are worth a stop. Built in the 13th century and restored to its full glory, it is a great photo stop.
I spent 2 days in Fes. This is also a great place to take a cooking class, I did one where we made these stuffed chicken pies, Pastilla, and then sat down to a whole dinner. We were in a tradtional riad and it was led by a local family. There are also lots of hammams in Fes and you can spend a morning or afternoon relaxing at one. In smaller towns it is sometimes harder to get into one. I tried when I was in chefchouan and I was unable to get in.
It is about a 5.5 hour drive to Marrakesh from Fes. Otherwise a train can be an option as well.
Marrakesh
Everyone knows Marrakesh. It is probably a major reason you have headed to Morocco. I actually only had two days here. It wasn’t the main draw of this trip. I intend to go back to Morocco to explore Marrakesh, the Saharah and the south of Morocco on their own.
Marrakesh wouldn’t be complete without a Medina. This one is a vibrant 11th century square that connects all aspects of Marrakesh life. Yes it is touristy but its a must see. Be aware of your surroundings. It can be very crowded. Marrakesh’s Medina does look like Epcots version of Morocco just add in snake charmers. Which I suggest avoiding. This Medina was a bit different since the other ones didnt have a main square that connected theirs. This draws performers to the center. Aside from snake charmers you might see monkeys or other animals, street performers, people selling street food and drinks or trinkets. In the evening the square is very lively and there are lots of restaurants or cafes that line the square. Grab a drink and people watch.
Other things I did in Marrakesh were visit the Palais Bahai, a stunning 19th century palace with gardens and all the mosaics I could ask for.
Visit a Hammam
Since I didnt get to do this in Chefchouan I wanted to try to out before I left. It was an interesting experience. For anyone who hasn’t been before. You get completely naked, lay on a stone bed and a woman (or a man) scrubs you down with hot water and soap until all your dead skin is gone. Then you get a massage. It is a little rough during the scrubbing part and its complete nudity and you arent always alone. You can book a private but a lot of Hammams are public and you go into rooms with other people of the same sex. They are always seperated by gender. Honestly 10/10 would do it again.
This didnt even scratch the surface of the city before I needed to head back to Casablanca by train to catch a return flight. I cant wait to return to Morocco and explore more of this lovely country. Driving around and hiring a guide was truly the best experience. Having a local helped me avoid getting scammed during haggling, being harassed by men and just enjoying my experience over all. I never once felt unsafe or bothered.
