Things to See and Do in Morocco

Morocco is a great place to holiday, and holidays can be really special here if you rent a villa to stay in for the time you are there. You’re bound to enjoy a really personalised holiday, and feel that you have been able to get away from the tourist crowds and have some time to relax, in a way that’s never quite possible when you’re staying in a hotel.

You can get all kinds of different styles of villas – from the very modern, newly built haciendas that come with all mod cons, to renovated farms and luxury pads with swimming pools and live-in staff to look after you during your stay. Some places even provide a car and driver. It really depends what you’re looking for and how much you want to spend.

There are so many villas to choose from in Morocco, and so many different places to stay. Many people on their first trip to Morocco like to be within easy reach of Marrakech, as there is so much to see and do there.

Here are just a few ideas for things to do in Marrakech. Firstly, have dinner in Djemma el Fna. This is a big square in the middle of the old town – or medina. As the evening begins, the whole square is turned over to entertainers as snake charmers, jugglers and musicians set up their shows for the night. The food stalls offer more substantial meals than they do during the daytime. There are also cafes all around the Djemma el Fna so you can watch it all happen in comfort if you’ve had a long day sightseeing and have been on your feet for the whole day.

Pretty much anywhere in Morocco you’ll find hammams – public steam baths. These used to be the public bathing houses for most of society in the times when private plumbing didn’t really exist, apart from for the very rich. Nowadays everyone has a bathroom at home, but you can go to a hammam for a massage or body scrub, and pretty much every hotel and riad will have a luxury hammam for tourists to use. There are also more basic hammams, often located near the mosque.

Of course, there are other cities that you might want to visit while you’re in Morocco. One place that’s on many visitors’ must do lists is the town of Chefchaouen (otherwise known as Chaouen). This town is found in the Rif Mountains and has lots of places to stay. It is a visual feast as the streets and pretty much all the buildings in the medina (old town) are painted a bright sky blue. At the end of each stunning olde worlde street you can see the silhouettes of majestic mountains in the distance, and the light in the town gives the whole place a magical aura. Don’t forget to pack some decent footwear like Merrell boots and a good weatherproof jacket like those at the North Face if you are planning to go hiking in the countryside around Chefchaouen.

Fes is often thought of as the old heartland of Morocco and is also popular because of the tanneries you can visit there. It’s the place to buy leather products, and the best place to buy is at the leather bazaar (souq) in the old town. Going to visit the tanneries is like entering another time – things haven’t changed much in Fes since the Middle Ages. If you go down to the tanneries themselves, be prepared for the smell of the animal hides and the fact that they use pigeon droppings to treat the hides!

One trip to Morocco and you’re bound to be hooked, and heading back for more next year.