Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Morocco

With high mountains, rugged coastline, sweeping desert, and the winding alleyways of ancient Medina souks and cities, Morocco has a diversified collection of tourist attractions. Morocco is surely one of the most visited countries in Africa. Here are top ten tourist attractions in Morocco that no avid tourist should miss experiencing if he or she ever visits this beautiful country.

10. Agadir Beach

The Agadir Beach is one of the most visited beaches in Morocco. It is ideally located in the city of Agadir on the Atlantic Ocean shore and close to the Atlas Mountain. Agadir is considered as the most popular beach in Morocco because it is the most ideal for swimming with beautiful natural views all around. Here families and couples enjoy the best of Morocco seaside, with the magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Atlas Mountain to boast of. So, the best beach in Morocco easily makes this list of top tourist attractions in Morocco.

9. El Badi Palace

The El Badi Palace basically in ruins and substantially reduced right through to its pisé walls. But there is enough of it remaining that can prove why it was called El Badi, which means “The Incomparable”. The palace was commissioned in 1578 by Saadian Sultan Ahmed el Mansour. The scale of the El Badi Palace is really grandiose and definitely unrivaled. It has beautiful sunken gardens and the huge 90-meter long pool that really entices visitors to keep coming back. The palace also has a central court, summer pavilions, dungeons, stables and the Koutoubia Minbar (or the pulpit, which was considered as one of the most fascinating works of art of the Muslim community). So, ruins El Badi Palace are one of the most visited tourist attractions in Morocco.

8. Jardin Majorelle

The Jardin Majorelle (Majorelle Garden) is a 12-acre landscape garden and botanical garden that can be found in Marrakech in Morocco. The garden was designed by Jacques Majorelle – hence the name – in the 20s and the 30s (40 years of dedication and passion to art). That time Morocco was France’s territory. The garden is considered one of the most visited tourist attractions in Morocco simply because it indeed a true masterpiece. There are shady lanes where visitors can take relaxing walks as they pass pools of water filled with lotus flowers and water lilies. Simply put, this palace is the place to go if you want to indulge in arts, nature and Moorish charm.

7. Agdal Gardens

The Agdal Gardens also made it to the list of the top tourist attractions in Morocco because it is as magnificent as the rest. There are several gardens that are linked together (one leading to the next) that comprise the Agdal Gardens. It was in the12th century when the Almoravids laid out the orchard garden. Underground ditches and channels were created so that waster from the Ourika Valley can reach the gardens. Some of the most popular places here is the olive plantation and the orange grove. There is also that famous lake known as the Tank of Health.

6. Erg Chebbi (Morocco Sand Dunes)

In Moroccan legend, it was believed that the Erg Chebbi or the Moroccan sand dunes came from God and were sent as punishment. Today though, the sand dunes are one of the most visited tourist attractions in Morocco. These are giant hills with smooth sand lines and the sight is really something to look out for. The best thing about visiting the Erg Chebbi today is that it is definitely easier to get there now than decades ago. One need not walk and get lost, you can take the guided tours complete with 4X4 land cruiser tour and camel trekking options.

5. Hassan Tower

Probably one of the most fascinating structures in Morocco is the Hassan Tower and it was constructed in the late part of the 12th century. It was designed as a minaret of a large mosque and it was supposed to be 80 meters in height was planned by Yaqub al-Mansur (Almoha leader). Unfortunately, the ruler passed away in 1199 and the entire construction had to be halted when it was just 50 meters in height, which is the height that it has now. The mosque was finished with its cedar roof and completed columns. It was sad though that the 1755 earthquake destroyed the structure. What remains though is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Morocco.

4. Cathédrale Sacré-Coeur (Casablanca Cathedral)

The Cathédrale Sacré-Coeur is a huge and surprising sight that can be found right at the heart of Casablanca. It is very popular because of its unique architecture, making it look very much out of place with its surrounding, while blending well with it at the same time. The church was designed by Paul Tournon, a French architect who also designed many churches and cathedrals in France. This particular church is designed and constructed in Neo-Gothic style with both Moroccan Muslim and Art Deco influences. The sheer extravagance of the church is enough to entice visitor from all over the world to come and see it, making it one of the top tourist attractions in Morocco.

3. Ait Ben Haddou

The Aït Benhaddou is a ksar or a fortified city that can be found along the previously used caravan route between Sahara and Marrakech. It is considered as one of the top tourist attractions in Morocco simply because it has enticed many film makers to shoot their movies here. Some of the movies filmed here include Oedipus Rex, Sodom and Gomorrah, Jesus of Nazareth, Marco Polo, The Bandits, The Mummy, Alexander, Gladiator, Babel, Son of God, Kingdom of Heaven and many more. Today, there are only eight families living with the city, which was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

2. Volubilis

Volubis is an archaeological site that was established in 3rd century B.C., and it was a Mauritanian capital. What makes this site very fascinating is that it served as a very significant outpost for the Roman Empire and it housed several of the finest buildings during that time. In 1997, the site was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, giving it more reason to be considered as Morocco’s top tourist spots.  The site has gone through misuse and abuse and it was for marble and granites. Despite those human intervention, the site remains magical as the mosaic and structure that remain portray the image of how flourishing the ancient city was.

1.Hassan II Mosque

The number one spot for the top tourist attractions in Morocco goes to the Hassan II Mosque and it can be found in Casablanca. The structure was finished in 1993 and it was definitely one of the most beautiful masterpieces of 20th century Morocco. It is considered as one of the world’s most fascinating and largest mosques. The mosque has a 689 feet tall minaret, which happens to be Morocco’s tallest structure. If you want to witness some kind of magic, it is recommended to see the mosque at night because laser beams shine from the minaret top pointing toward Mecca – meaning pointing to God.