Morocco at a Glance: Regions, UNESCO Sites and What to See

Morocco has about 36.8 million people (the official 2024 census count is 36,828,330), a capital in Rabat, and a coastline on both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. For visitors it breaks down into a handful of very different regions: imperial cities, the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara and the Atlantic coast. This overview shows what each offers and links to our detailed guides.

The Imperial Cities

Fes, Meknes, Rabat and Marrakech were each a capital at some point in the country's history. Fes (inscribed by UNESCO in 1981) is the oldest of the former capitals; Marrakech (1985) is the best known; Meknes (1996) and Rabat (2012) are quieter. The Roman ruins of Volubilis (1997) are nearby. See our imperial cities and desert guide.

The Atlas and the Kasbah Road

South of Marrakech the road crosses the High Atlas to Ouarzazate and the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, inscribed in 1987 — read our Ait Ben Haddou guide. Further east are the canyons of Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley.

The Sahara

The dunes of Erg Chebbi, near Merzouga, reach about 150 meters according to most sources and are the classic desert stop. Merzouga is a long way from the main cities — roughly nine hours' drive from Marrakech and seven from Fes — so most itineraries split the journey. Compare options in our Merzouga vs Zagora vs Agafay guide.

The Coast and the North

On the Atlantic coast, Essaouira (UNESCO, 2001) is the relaxed seaside option; see our Essaouira guide. In the north, the Rif town of Chefchaouen is known for its blue medina — see our Chefchaouen guide.

Nine UNESCO Sites

Morocco has nine UNESCO World Heritage sites: Fes (1981), Marrakech (1985), Ait Ben Haddou (1987), Meknes (1996), Volubilis (1997), Tétouan (1997), Essaouira (2001), Mazagan/El Jadida (2004) and Rabat (2012). Several of them fall on the standard tourist routes.

Choosing Where to Go

With limited time, pick a theme rather than trying to see everything: cities, mountains and desert, or coast. Start with our guide to how many days you need and the best time to visit, then browse our tours or ask for a custom route.