Morocco: The Crossroads of Cultures

Morocco wears its history proudly.

A melting pot of cultures, this is where the ancient traditions of the Berbers, Bedouins, Arabs, and other peoples of North Africa don’t just intermingle but thrive. It’s a land of ancient cities unlike any other, where opulent palaces and labyrinthine medinas have attracted travelers for centuries. And it’s a land of great natural diversity, in which a mighty desert and snow-capped mountains conceal villages where time appears to have stood still.

The country has always welcomed visitors with open arms. This is especially true as Morocco looks to tourism to help recover from a September 2023 earthquake that killed thousands. Invitations to share a glass of mint tea and cheerful greetings of as-salamu alaykum (peace be unto you in Arabic) are easier to come

by than ever, as are palace hotels as exquisite as any in the world and jewellike riads that have been renovated into magnificent guesthouses.

Your time here could be spent exploring a nearly 500-year-old kasbah, indulging in French-Moroccan cuisine, and shopping for freshly ground spices in wonderfully chaotic markets. You can hike to the highest summit in northern Africa, camp in the desert under a blanket of stars, and stroll along white-sand beaches with a mesmerizing view of the Rock of Gibraltar. There’s a reason Morocco became the crossroads of Europe and Africa: it appeals to anyone with a sense of wonder and curiosity.

The Cities

Of Morocco’s four imperial cities—the historic capitals of the country— Marrakech draws the most attention and with good reason. Known as the “Red City” for the tint of the clay used to construct many of its medieval buildings, Marrakech is a place you won’t soon forget. Just one stroll through iconic Jemaa el-Fna square will imprint a series of visions, scents, and sounds on your mind: perfectly conical piles of colorful spices and softball-sized citrus, the dancing melodies of beating drums and reed flutes, and the scent of sizzling meat and earthly incense.

Surrounded by a desert, the city’s gardens are surprisingly splendid, especially the 800-year-old Agdal Gardens, often called the Islamic Versailles, as well as Jardin Majorelle, a colorful spot once owned and restored by French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. Even if you know nothing about the designer, the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, located next to the gardens, is a striking place to rest before heading to the Saadian Tombs, a centuries-old royal necropolis that is regarded as the epitome of Moroccan architecture.

While Marrakech proudly reveals its treasures, Fez is more mysterious. The medina, or ancient core of the city, is a warren of over 9,000 narrow alleyways, infamous for its Escher-like complexity. You’ll likely get lost traversing its endless corners, dead ends, and tunnels but in the best possible way. Once you get your bearings straight, you’ll discover the country’s oldest city is also its most charming.

It’s best to go through the medina, the oldest and largest in North Africa, with a guide to appreciate this UNESCO World Heritage Site to the fullest. Trusting the guide to stay on course, you are free to appreciate private courtyard paradises, see the work of skilled artisans, smell fragrant tagines, and taste sticky honey-laced treats. All of this is best experienced while staying in a riad—a traditional Moroccan house with an enclosed courtyard—where you can take a dip in the pool and relax amid mosaic-tiled floors and stained glass windows.

The remaining imperial cities, Meknes and Rabat, are equally beguiling. Rabat’s palm tree lined streets are ideal for strolling, giving you ample time to admire the 1,000-year-old vestiges of both the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and Hassan Tower. In Meknes, along with the monumental gate of Bab Mansour, you’ll also find Volubilis, the largest Roman archaeological site in Morocco.

The Desert and Mountains

While the imperial cities play a central role in crafting Morocco’s identity, the country’s natural features—namely, the Sahara and the Atlas Mountains—are also forces to be reckoned with.

The rolling dunes of the Sahara desert (covering 3.6 million square miles in total) stretch as far as the eye can see like soft, voluminous ripples frozen in time. Except they’re not frozen—the sand is constantly shifting, whispering across hills that reach up to 492 feet high to meet a seemingly boundless sky. During the day, the landscape is gorgeous in its minimalism—nothing but silence, sand, sunshine, and tranquility. Then the sun sets, and the windswept sand reflect its rays in a dazzling display of ethereal light, welcoming the night. Afterward, a deep darkness overtakes the land, and the stars explode with brilliant luminosity. You can experience all this on tours deep into the desert, crossing the dunes atop gently swaying camels and sleeping in traditional Berber tents.

It’s a whole different scene high in the Atlas Mountains, a series of ranges stretching over 1,200 miles across northern Africa. Here you’ll find the High Atlas Mountains, home to the snow-tipped peak of Mount Toubkal, the highest in the region. The eastern side of the range borders the Sahara, where the foothills create a wild, almost primordial landscape marked by deep gorges and sharp crags. On the more fertile western side, verdant terraced gardens decorate the valleys, while walnut groves provide welcome shade. The mountains are easily accessible from Marrakech, where a daylong excursion will allow you to hike through Berber villages, ride camels to waterfalls, and enjoy lunch with a local family.

In fact, you’ll have many opportunities to enjoy tea and snacks with locals, for the Moroccan culture resounds with graciousness. When they invite you into their homes or stores, be ready to respond to their greeting with wa alaykum as-salam (and peace be upon you too). For it is this exchange of peace, this welcoming of cultures, that has made the country such a wonder to experience.