Morocco

Holidays by Destination Africa Morocco Where to Go 

For the adventurous there is enough to see and explore in Morocco to keep you busy for at least a couple of months. Given that most visits are considerably shorter, it's worth prioritising where you go.

A key issue is that attitudes to tourists in the north tend to be more hard-nosed than in the south, with some towns renowned for particularly aggressive touts. And outside the towns even the Rough Guide describes the Rif mountains for example as wild and isolated, mentioning the possibility of hold-ups by gangsters. The Mediterranean coast is much less dangerous but with some uninspiring towns and access to the sea limited over a significant part of it.

Fes however is a major attraction, considered the world's most untouched medieval Muslim city, boasting also the attractions of the city of Meknes and Roman Volubilis nearby. But given that the main draw is history and historic culture, combined with the daily hassle, it may be too much like hard work with children, especially as the city is 500km from major attractions to the south.

This leaves Marrakech as the big urban draw. This can be combined with the Atlas mountains, just an hour away; with the edge of the desert, around half a days' drive to the south; or with the Atlantic, around three hours to the west.

South of the Atlas are river valleys, and beyond that the classic oases of Timehir, Zagora, and Erfoud with their extended palmeraies, and the Sahara. The Draa valley, dotted by kasbahs and date and olive plantations is a particular draw. Accommodation however is not of the standards of further north and the tourist hotels cater to the coach tour market and are large and impersonal and, more worryingly, rely on buffet meals which are left to fester quietly all evening.

Options on the Atlantic include Agadir with a long, sandy beach with shallow water but a serious Atlantic undertow (largely ignored by operators) so sea swimming is not suitable for children. There can be strong breezes, particularly autumn and spring, and sea water can be cool in winter and spring. Other smaller centres attract those seeking a more Moroccan experience are Essaouira, Sidi Ifni and El Jadida.

Two of the above can be combined in a week. For more you would need 10 or 14 days. If you can only spare two or three days for a single centre stop, there is of course no jetlag to worry about.

Note that wherever you go, if you want to do something on which no commission is paid (go-karting or skiing near Marrakech) neither the guides nor the hotel concierges will tell you about it, and you will need a decent guidebook and/or the help of a knowledgeable tour operator.