Morocco: More Than Marrakech

Marrakech is beautiful. That's true. The Djemaa el-Fna at nightfall, when snake charmers, storytellers and grill stalls share the light and noise, is one of the great squares of the world. But Marrakech is also overcrowded, expensive, and after three days you get the feeling the Medina already knows your face. Those who want to truly understand Morocco must drive on.

Fes is another world. The Medina Fes el-Bali is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered one of the largest car-free urban areas on earth – around 150,000 people live here, with donkeys as the main form of transport. The Chouara tannery, viewed from one of the surrounding terraces, is one of those sights that stays with you: dozens of round stone vats in red, yellow and brown, men standing waist-deep in dye, the smell of ammonia in the air. Fes is rawer, more uncomfortable and more honest than Marrakech – and that is precisely its value.

Crossing the High Atlas transforms the landscape around you within a few hours. Beyond the Tizi n'Tichka pass, at around 2,260 metres, the view opens onto the southern flank of the mountain range: drier, more rugged, more dramatic. The road to Ouarzazate winds through the Draa Valley with its date palm oases and ksour – mud fortresses that are barely distinguishable from the ochre landscape. Ouarzazate itself is a modest town that owes its reputation as "Africa's Hollywood" to the film studios on its outskirts – Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and scenes from Game of Thrones were shot here.

Aït Benhaddou, half an hour's drive from Ouarzazate, is Morocco's most famous ksar and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mud castle above the dried-up riverbed is impressive and simultaneously a good example of what happens when a place becomes too famous: souvenir sellers everywhere, guided groups in queues. Coming early in the morning – or better still after 5 pm – you experience Aït Benhaddou as it was meant to be: as a backdrop, not as a spectacle.

The destination of many Morocco travellers is Merzouga, gateway to the Erg Chebbi dunes. Riding camels at sunset over sand dunes to a Berber camp sounds like a cliché – and yet it works as an experience. The silence in the desert after dark, the sky without light pollution, the tea by the campfire: these are not staged moments but simply what the desert has offered for millennia. Morocco is big enough for all of this – you just have to be willing to drive further than the nearest souk.

What You Should Know

• 01Best travel time October to April: Summer is relentlessly hot in desert regions (over 40°C). October to April offers pleasant temperatures, though the Atlas can have snow in winter.
• 02Dress appropriately: In rural areas and small towns, modest dress is appreciated – shoulders and knees should be covered. This applies to all genders and is a matter of respect.
• 03Cash in medinas: Old city quarters and markets operate almost exclusively in cash. Exchange money at official exchange offices or banks, not on the street.
• 04A guide is worthwhile in Fes: The Medina of Fes is one of the most complex urban labyrinths in the world. An official guide from the tourist office is worth it for the first day – after that, you find your way better.