Medinas to mountains in Morocco

A two-week itinerary that covers Morocco’s highlights

Morocco was my first introduction to the African continent, and what an introduction it was. The vibrant, chaotic souks, the Atlas Mountains, and the tranquil Sahara Desert all combined to make the trip both exciting and relaxing. As a self-proclaimed foodie, Morocco also reinforced my belief that there is no such thing as too much tagine!

Morocco Itinerary Overview

Days 1 – 5: Marrakech

Days 6: Draa Valley

Day 7: Ourzazate

Day 8: Merzouga

Days 9 -12: Fes

Days 13 – 14: Tangier

Days 15 – 16: Casablanca

Day 1: Marrakech

Fly into Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK)

Stay at Le Méridien N’Fis: Disclaimer! My spouse is a Marriott Bonvoy loyalist so we rely heavily on hotel points when booking international travel.

Eat at NOMAD: For our first lunch, we checked out this cool fusion restaurant. The food was great, and the place has an epic view.

Take a street food tour for dinner: I wanted an evening street food tour that went beyond Jemma el Fna, the main square of Marrakech, into the streets and back alleys of the medina. This one by Moroccan Food Adventures was 5-stars.

Day 2: Marrakech

Explore Marrakech: We took a half day walking tour of the city, which included major highlights like Bahia Palace, Koutoubia Mosque, and the Ben Youssef Madrasa.

Eat at Naranj: Naranj offered a delicious menu of Moroccan / Lebanese fusion for lunch.

Drinks and dinner at Baromètre: Baromètre is the first restaurant and bar dedicated to mixology in Marrakech. The cocktails were outstanding and the atmosphere was so enjoyable that we went back on our last night in town. Make sure to sit at the bar because the bartenders are so much fun.

Day 3: Marrakech

Cooking class at Le Maison Arabe: You can’t leave a trip to Morocco without taking a Moroccan cooking class. The kitchen space was beautiful and the chicken tagine we made was mouth-watering.

Dinner at Al Fassia Aguedal: Delicious traditional Moroccan food. While the tagines are outstanding, the pigeon pastilla is the standout dish.

Days 4 and 5: Marrakech

Breakfast at Bacha Coffee: As a coffee lover, I was spoiled here with over 40 coffees to choose from.

Hammam at Farnatchi Spa: A hammam treatment is another must-do in Morocco. Hammams use steam and a vitamin E-rich, olive-based soap for a full body exfoliation. We opted for a couples hammam at Farnatchi Spa, which was so relaxing. *Quickly googles closest hammam in the US*.

Eat at Terrasse de Epices: Another great roof deck for lunch or dinner that offers Moroccan and Mediterranean fusion cuisine.

Yves Saint Laurent Museum and Jardin Majorelle: The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech celebrates the fashion designer’s life and work through a showcase of his haute couture creations and temporary exhibitions. It’s housed within the stunning Jardin Majorelle, which was created by Jacques Majorelle and later restored by Yves Saint Laurent himself.

Dinner at +61: The food at +61 blends traditional Australian with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. It was rightly named one of Middle East North Africa’s Top 50 Restaurants this year.

Days 6 – 8: Transit to Sahara Desert

A trip to the Sahara Desert was at the top of my Morocco bucket list. While there are a number of tour operators that advertise Sahara Desert excursions, many of them only take you to the edge of Merzouga to the smaller dunes. For a real experience in the Erg Chebbi dunes, we booked through Desert Luxury Camp. The team at Desert Luxury Camp planned three incredible nights for us, two nights en route to the Sahara Desert and one night in the Royal Camp.

Day 6 Highlights and Stay: We started our drive through the Tizi n’ Tichka pass toward Ouarzazate, which offered views of the Atlas Mountains and Berber villages. Our highlight stop was at Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco’s iconic Kasbah featured in films and shows like Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, and Game of Thrones. Continuing to Ouarzazate, we ended our first day in the Draa Valley at Dar Hnini, which was truly a hidden oasis. Our bungalow (complete with its own plunge pool!) was gated and surrounded by trees for ample privacy. The dinner service was also exceptional.

Day 7 Highlights and Stay: We drove through the Valley, passing Berber villages and palm groves into the Sahro volcanic mountains. The landscape shifted quickly, revealing incredible vistas as we approached Boumalne Dades. We ventured off-route towards Dades Gorge to see the unique ‘monkey feet’ rock formations before spending the night at Kasbah Hôtel Xaluca Arfoud, which had an incredible view of the city.

Day 8 Highlights and Stay: We finally made it to the Sahara Desert! It was crazy being able to see the dunes seemingly rise out of nowhere as we drove into Merzouga. We only stayed in the desert for one night, but we maximized our time there with plenty of camel rides, sandboarding, watching the sunset (and sunrise!) on the dunes, and enjoying a traditional Berber dinner and breakfast. While our tent was lovely, I would strongly recommend against going to the desert in July (where the low that day was 118F).

Days 9 – 12: Fes

Stay at Fes Marriott Hotel Jnan Palace: You guessed it… Marriott property.

Tour the Fes Medina: A Fes medina walking tour was a great way to see the major attractions like the Blue Gate, Chouara Tannery (pictured below), and the Bou Inania Madrassa.

Go to Shop 64: If you opt to explore Fes on your own, the best overhead view of the souk and the tanneries is from shop 64!

Enjoy lunch at Fes Café Restaurant – Jardin des Biehn: The terrace at Fes Café was so serene and offered a great escape from the chaos of the medina. The food was also delicious!

Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts: We stumbled upon this museum while strolling through the medina and are so glad we went in. Once a funduq (a traditional inn for merchants), the building has been restored into a museum with an impressive collection of historic woodwork (doors, musical instruments and religious objects) from across Morocco.

Experience French culinary influence: If you want a break from Moroccan cuisine for a night, Maison Blanche Restaurant was delicious and showcased French culinary influence (Morocco was a French colony until 1956).

Eat a camel burger: Hot take, Cafe Clock has the best camel burgers in Fes.

Days 13 – 14: Tangier

We took the train from Fes (which took just over four hours) to get to Tangier.

Stay at Hilton Tanger City Center Hotel & Residences

Explore Tangier: If you don’t want to rent a car, booking a tour in Tangier (like this one which we did) is helpful to see the highlights that lie just outside the city like the Hercules Caves and Cape Spartel, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea. Fans of James Bond’s Spectre also shouldn’t miss Dar Lidam restaurant, which was featured in the movie – the food isn’t great, but it is worth strolling by.

Tangier American Legation Museum: Fun fact! Morocco was one of the first countries to publicly acknowledge American independence in 1786, and this museum formerly housed the US’s diplomatic mission to Morocco. It was the first American public property abroad and is the only US National Historic Landmark in a foreign country. As a former student of international relations, I loved learning more about US / Morocco diplomatic history!

Grab a drink at El Morocco Club: You’ll find Tangier’s best mojito here, as well as some great piano bar entertainment.

Feast at Saveur de Poisson: You may have to wait up to an hour to get in, but you’ll be glad you did. There is no menu here (nor are there very strict hygiene standards…but just try to ignore that). Instead, you receive communal fish dishes based on whatever the cook feels like whipping up, depending on what comes off the boat that day. The baby shark skewers (pictured below) were *chef’s kiss*. If you don’t trust me, trust Anthony Bourdain.

Days 15 – 16: Casablanca

We booked a train from Tangier (which took just over two hours) to get to Casablanca.

Visit the Hassan II Mosque: This incredible mosque sits above the Atlantic Ocean, which is visible through one room’s glass floor. It is the second largest functioning mosque in Africa and is the 14th largest in the world.

Splurge on pastries from Pâtisserie Bennis Habous: Located near the old medina, Bennis Habous is considered to be one of the best pastry shops in the country. Try the hornes des gazelles!

Cocktails at Sky28: The drinks are average but panoramic view of Casablanca and the Hassan II Mosque is unmatched.

Brave the Camel Souk in Derb Sultan: Feeling adventurous? See 6:43 in the video. You pick the camel meat from the butcher and the café across the street cooks it for you.