Discover Morocco: regions, heritage, and know-how

Choose a region and a pace

For medinas and historical cities, start with the presentations of Fez, Meknes, Rabat, and Marrakech. To combine city and coastline, ONMT notably suggests Tangier, Tetouan, Essaouira, and El Jadida. These are discovery ideas to be selected according to your preferences rather than combined into a single stay.

For rural landscapes, compare Ifrane and the Middle Atlas, Azilal and the Atlas valleys, or the Ouarzazate–Zagora–Tinghir area and its oases. These geographical groupings are not a list of administrative regions. Allow time for travel and confirm connections before setting your stages.

World Heritage sites

The UNESCO Morocco page lists nine cultural properties inscribed on the World Heritage list as of the review date. The table lists their names and years of inscription. A nomination from the tentative list is distinct from an inscription; the recognized perimeter does not necessarily coincide with the entire city.

Museums, monuments, and visit conditions

The collections complete the tour of the cities. The directory of the National Museum Foundation makes it possible to locate, among others, Dar Jamaï, the national museum of music in Meknes, the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat and the Dar El Bacha Confluences Museum in Marrakech.

Open the chosen museum's sheet to check the exhibition, closing days, ticketing, and contacts. For a monument, place of worship, or inhabited neighborhood, separately confirm accessible areas and photography rules. Also ask about conditions for strollers or people with reduced mobility; no general accessibility is presumed.

Meet the professions and choose an object

Ceramics, weaving, leather, metal, or wood: craftsmanship is discovered through gestures as much as objects. The ONMT notably presents clay work in Safi and Fez, carpets in Ouarzazate, and leather in Marrakech. A workshop visit is an opportunity to ask who manufactures, with what materials, and according to which steps.

The ministry describes collective certification trademarks, including the national Morocco Hand made label, for origin, quality, and traceability. If a vendor claims a label, ask for its reference and what it covers. Before purchasing, have the price, material, dimensions, delivery, and receipt specified; the guide does not certify any vendor.

Explore cuisines and products

Tajines, pastilla, rfissa, couscous and pastries offer several entry points into Moroccan cuisine. The ONMT highlights its Amazigh, Arab-Andalusian and Jewish heritages. Also choose according to the products offered and the day's preparation; ask directly about ingredients and the possible adaptation of your meal.

In 2020, the knowledge and practices of couscous were inscribed on the intangible cultural heritage list following a joint nomination by Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The inscription concerns preparation and sharing practices, and does not constitute a restaurant label.

Understand living heritage

Living heritage also concerns practices transmitted by communities. UNESCO inscribed Gnaoua in 2019: a set of music, brotherhood practices, and rituals, beyond a simple concert. This inscription and that of a world heritage site fall under different lists.

Before photographing a person or attending a ceremony, ask for permission and respect a refusal. Have the conditions of a demonstration or workshop clarified, including its price, before participating. A respectful encounter leaves locals the choice of what they wish to share.

Holidays, moussems and festivals

ONMT notably cites the Tan-Tan Moussem, the Sefrou Cherry Festival, the Roses Moussem in Kelaat M’Gouna, and the Essaouira Gnaoua Festival. These examples make it possible to choose a discovery theme; they do not provide the dates for an upcoming edition.

Before booking a trip or accommodation for an event, consult the organizer's announcement for the relevant edition: dates, locations, reservation, and any modifications. Do not reuse a past year's program as a future calendar. Civil public holidays and religious announcements are explained in the Living guide.

Nature and prepared outings

ONMT presentations offer ideas around the forests and lakes of Ifrane, the valleys of Azilal, and the oases of Ouarzazate–Zagora–Tinghir. Choose an activity suited to the participants, respect the site guidelines and leave with your waste. The description of a landscape does not, by itself, indicate the condition of a trail.

For a mountain outing, check the local weather, the state of the route, supervision and insurance coverage before departure. France Diplomatie recommends preparing the itinerary with professionals and taking local rescue capacities into account. Consult updated advice for your area; no duration, difficulty or route safety is guaranteed here.