Morocco

Marrakech

Best time to visitMarch to April and October to November are ideal: warm, mostly dry days of 23–28°C (74–83°F), well clear of summer highs near 38°C (100°F). Marrakech lies inland, one of Morocco's imperial cities, a short flight from the Mediterranean coast.

• Stay
  Royal Mansour MarrakechForbes Five-Star and two MICHELIN Keys

  A medina-walled estate of private riads built for the King of Morocco in the imperial city.

• Dine
  La Grande Table Marocaine

  The Royal Mansour's Moroccan restaurant, led by Hélène Darroze with chef Karim Ben Baba, is the only African member of Les Grandes Tables du Monde and won the Art of Hospitality Award at MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026.

• Beach
  None that meets our standard yet.

The full Marrakech guide ›

Tangier

Best time to visitJune and September are ideal: dry, sunny days of 25–27°C (77–81°F) and a sea at 22–23°C (71–73°F), without the July and August surge, when Moroccans living in Europe come home through the port.

• Stay
  Royal Mansour Tamuda Baytwo MICHELIN Keys

  Morocco's Mediterranean-coast Royal Mansour, about an hour east of Tangier on the Tétouan coast.

• Dine
  None that meets our standard yet.
• Beach
  None that meets our standard yet.

The full Tangier guide ›

Fes

Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, a medina of souks, tanneries, madrasas and the al-Qarawiyyin mosque and university, founded in 859. The Medina of Fez was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.

Best time to visitMarch to May, and September to November.

• Stay
  No hotel here yet meets our standard; Fes needs a night, so plan a short stay with a private guide for the medina.

Meknes and Volubilis

Meknes was the imperial city of Sultan Moulay Ismail, with monumental gates and walls; half an hour away, Volubilis is the best-preserved Roman town in Morocco, known for its mosaics. Volubilis (1997) and the Historic City of Meknes (1996) are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Best time to visitMarch to May, and September to November.

• Stay
  No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit from Fes, an hour away.

Marrakech

The red city at the foot of the High Atlas, with the Koutoubia mosque, the Jemaa el-Fna square, palaces and gardens inside its medina walls. The Medina of Marrakesh was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Best time to visitMarch to April, and October to November.

• Stay
  Royal Mansour Marrakech

  A medina-walled estate of private riads, rated Forbes Five-Star for 2026 and holding two MICHELIN Keys; La Mamounia, with three MICHELIN Keys, is the city's other great address.

High Atlas and Mount Toubkal

Berber villages, walnut groves and terraced valleys lie in the shadow of Jebel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, an hour's drive from Marrakech. It is the base for mountain walks, mule treks and the climb to the summit.

Best time to visitApril to June, and September to October.

• Stay
  Kasbah Tamadot

  Sir Richard Branson's kasbah in Asni, with views of Mount Toubkal, recognised by the MICHELIN Guide.

Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate

A fortified earthen village (ksar) climbing a hillside above a river on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech, used as a setting for films including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Best time to visitMarch to May, and October to November.

• Stay
  No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit as a day trip from Marrakech, a long day over the Tizi n'Tichka pass.