Morocco's Best Attractions
The essentials: Jardin Majorelle and Bahia Palace in Marrakech, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca (one of the only mosques in Morocco non-Muslims can enter, via guided tour), Ait Benhaddou's UNESCO-listed kasbah on the road to the desert, and Volubilis' Roman ruins near Meknes. Entry fees run roughly 70-200 MAD ($7-20). Arrive at opening (8-9am) for gardens and palaces to beat both the heat and the tour-bus crowds.
Morocco isn't short on postcard-perfect sights — it's short on honesty about which ones are worth a slot in a short trip and which are a nice photo with a gift shop attached. Here's the direct version.
Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech
A cobalt-blue garden of cacti, bamboo, and koi ponds, built by French painter Jacques Majorelle in the 1930s and later owned by Yves Saint Laurent, whose ashes are scattered here. Genuinely beautiful and genuinely Marrakech's single most visited site — which means it's also genuinely crowded by mid-morning. Entry runs roughly 150-200 MAD ($15-20) for the garden alone; a combined ticket adds the YSL Museum next door. Book online in advance and go right at opening.
Bahia Palace, Marrakech
A 19th-century palace built for a grand vizier, with carved cedar ceilings, painted stucco, and a series of courtyards that are easy to spend an hour wandering. Less crowded than Jardin Majorelle and, for many visitors, just as memorable. Entry runs roughly 70 MAD ($7).
Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca
One of the largest mosques in the world, built partly over the Atlantic Ocean, with a 210-meter minaret (the tallest in the world) and a retractable roof. Crucially, it's one of the only mosques in Morocco that non-Muslims can enter — but only via the official guided tour, which runs several times a day. Tour cost: 140 MAD (~$14) for foreign visitors. Modest dress required; shoes off before entering the prayer hall.
Ait Benhaddou, on the road to the desert
A UNESCO World Heritage fortified village (ksar) of red mudbrick buildings, used as a filming location for Gladiator, Game of Thrones, and Lawrence of Arabia among many others. Almost every Sahara desert tour from Marrakech stops here on day one — see our desert tours guide for the full route.
Volubilis, near Meknes
Morocco's best-preserved Roman ruins, with intact mosaic floors and a genuinely impressive triumphal arch, set on a hillside with views over the surrounding farmland. Usually visited as a half-day trip from Fes or Meknes (about 30-45 minutes' drive). Entry runs roughly 70 MAD ($7).
What to skip (or approach carefully)
- 'Free' henna from someone approaching you in the street or near a square — the price gets negotiated (upward, insistently) after it's already on your skin, not before.
- Photos of snake charmers, trained monkeys, or costumed performers without agreeing on a price first — same rule as everywhere else in Morocco's tourist squares.
- Argan-oil 'cooperative' stops on desert-route roads that promise a free demonstration — genuine women's cooperatives exist and do good work, but some roadside stops are pure tourist-bus commission plays. If a stop feels overly rehearsed, it probably is.
Buy skip-the-line or timed-entry tickets online in advance for Jardin Majorelle specifically — it's Marrakech's single most-visited site and lines at the gate in peak season (March-May, September-November) can run 30-45 minutes.