Morocco Attractions

Lots of tour operators in and around Malaga offer day trips to Morocco. There are some beautiful beaches and the street market is amazing.

big international city with a good introduction to a lot of what you will see on the interior of the country.

Enter a world of mosques, camels, snake charmers and bustling markets. Travel to Tetouan, a serene North African town whose culture and architecture reflect the area’s Moorish past. See the Andalusian and Islamic-influenced architecture as a local guide leads you through the medina.

This club near Boulevard Mohammed V best known as a gay hang-out attracts a wide diversity of people - both Moroccans and foreigners, men and women - especially on weekends. The music is mainly a mixture of rai (meaning it has folk influences) and house. Though not considered one of the city's best clubs, it is undoubtedly one of the most interesting for its atmosphere. The entrance is 100MAD on the weekends.

One of Marrakech's most stylish nightclubs, Le Palace is conveniently situated at the Palmeraie Golf Palace & Resort. The male and female go-go dancers attract a mixed, upmarket crowd. The music is mainly western and the best time to visit is on the weekend. The entrance is 150MAD.

Paradise is one of the city's larger clubs, with three bars. It is a little difficult to reach as it's situated outside the city center, near the airport. Nevertheless, it is worth the visit if you have proper transport. The music usually alternates between rock 'n' roll, R&B, house, and techno. It is frequented by an amicable bunch of people and is at its best on the weekends.

Popular with the likes of soccer star Zinedine Zidane and songstress Bonnie Tyler, Bo&Zin is unlike anything one could ever imagine. It has a very calm, serene, zen feel, yet it is still a place to party. The lounge bar has a piano and a verandah - the perfect place for a quiet meal. Those who prefer starlight have the option of alfresco dining in the garden. The cuisine is a blend of Moroccan and Thai. For those who really like to bump and grind, Bo&Zin has multiple salons with djs spinning into the wee hours of the night. Try it, you won't regret it.

This is one of the few places in Marrakech where you're guaranteed to have good food and a great party on any given day. Sought-after for its lounge atmosphere, the Comptoir Darna, has long been a hangout for the jet-set in Marrakech. While having a drink or dinner, you will enjoy the fine music and the great belly dance show. The menu is as festive as the atmosphere, and you will find a Filet of Red Mullet Preserved with Wasabi as well as a Chicken Curry or a Tajine of Veal Hock with curry and coco, a joyful eclecticism that will continue through to dessert! Le Comptoir opens early but the party atmosphere kicks in by 10p with djs at the bar upstairs.

Little brother of Ibiza's famous nightclub Pacha, Marrakech's Pacha isn't small - it occupies a 9000 square-meter surface, big enough to welcome its numerous crowd of aficionados. In an immaculate white setting, renowned DJ's rock the clubbers with their electronica and house jams while others take a rest at the lounge bar area called "Chill Out."

Tourists and Marrakech's youth alike meet at Jad Mahal for a drink or dinner in the smooth upstairs lounge atmosphere. After midnight, the action shifts to the nightclub downstairs, where you'll find a rock band performing live many nights. The setting, with its Indian-inspired touches, is very trendy, and this element of decor is the primary reason for the club's popularity.

Since 2003, white nights at ThéâtrO rock Marrakech's clubbers with the techno and house jams of local or invited DJs from abroad. This nightclub neighbors the Casino de Marrakech. Every Tuesday entrance is free for women.

Rigorously razed during the 17th century by Alaouite sultan Moulay Ismail to use its luxurious materials for the edification of buildings in Meknes, the El Badi Palace, or rather its ruin, still tells of great splendor. It was the Saadian sultan Ahmed El Mansour who ordered the palace built after the 1578 victory against Portuguese in the Battle of the Three Kings. All that remains of the "incomparable" palace (as it was once called) are remains of the ceremonial buildings. These now serve as venues for the annual Festival National des Arts Populaires, the country's biggest folklore and music festival. The entrance for the palace's ruins is 10MAD.

The Museum of Islamic Art is situated in the original studio of the French painter Jacques Majorelle (1886-1962) in the wonderful garden created by the painter and open to the public. It exhibits the personal collection of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé who are the present owners of the building. The collection consists of carpets, pottery, jewelry, furniture and ancient doors from various countries. One room is specially dedicated to Majorelle's engravings and paintings depicting the Moroccan landscape. But the real reason to visit are the beautiful gardens. They first opened to public in 1947 and feature a fabulous array of plants from various countries. This wonderful botanical garden, with its big cactus, palm-trees, and bamboos is a true beauty and its colors harmonize with the famous deep blue chosen by Majorelle for his studio's façade. This museum opens daily at 8am.

The mansion Dar Si Said is situated in the lower Medina, close to its larger equivalent - the Bahia Palace. It was built in the 19th century by Si Said, minister of War under the regency of his brother Grand Vizier Ba Ahmed. It is a beautiful building made of two riads, pooled courtyards, surrounded by lemon trees, palms, and flowers and is home to a regional museum. The Big Riad has original Moorish Andalusian decorations and are a great testimony of 19th century luxury. The museum's main focal points is its current collection of woodwork from various origins, some dating as far back as 1000 years. It also displays jewelry, carpets, weaponry, musical instruments, pottery, ceramics, and some traditional wedding chairs from the Berber regions. The entrance fee is 20MAD.

A structure that has stood for over 800 years, the Koutoubia Mosque, with its 70 meters-high emblematic minaret, is the largest mosque in the city. It got its name from the Arabic word for "librarian", since around the time of its construction and completion in the early 12th century, the site used to be surrounded by manuscript sellers. The Giralda of Seville and the Hassan Tower of Rabat were constructed using the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque as a model. Entry into the mosque is prohibited for non-Muslims. This place is open daily.