Marrakech is a captivating city that offers countless opportunities to explore Morocco’s countryside, spas, mountain ranges and desert areas. From Marrakech, an extraordinarily well-connected city, it is easy to travel to some of the most wonderful places in the country, including the impressive fishing port of Essaouira, the charming little town of Imlil on the edge of the Toubkal National Park, or the sensational Ait Benhaddou Kasbah. near Ouarzazate.

1. Essaouira

Essaouira is an absolutely charming fishing port on the Atlantic coast, about 110 miles west of Marrakech. Its climate is quite pleasant throughout the year, with temperatures between 60° F in winter and 80° F in summer.

Many celebrities have visited this wonderful city, from the internationally renowned filmmaker Orson Welles, who filmed his movie “Othello” in Essaouira from 1949 to 1952, to the rock legend Jimi Hendrix in 1969.

The beautiful medina of Essaouira is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and offers wonderful handicrafts, charming winding alleys, as well as countless types of spices, food products and traditional remedies and oils.

Essaouira is also known by surfers and windsurfers as one of the best places in Africa to practice these sports. Several international competitions are held in the city and many clubs and associations offer the opportunity to enjoy its fantastic surfing and windsurfing conditions.

Essaouira’s cultural scene is vibrant and varied, and the city’s most important cultural event is undoubtedly its Gnawa International World Music Festival which, although focused on the traditional Gnaoua music genre, also includes rock, folk, jazz and reggae. .

2. Imlil and Toubkal National Park

Imlil is a small town located about 40 miles south of Marrakech, in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains and at 5,700 feet above sea level. It is very close to Djebel Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa, making it an excellent base for attempting its summit or for organizing trekking and climbing expeditions.

Once in Imlil, it is worth visiting the Asni Berber market (only on Saturdays), visiting the Tahanoute souk, walking up to the Kasbah or having lunch at Kasbah Toubkal or Kasbah Tamadot. Imlil offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse yourself in a Berber village for a day.

Imlil is quite close to the Toubkal National Park, a 38,000-hectare park full of diversity and natural beauty. Also from Imlil, there is the possibility to visit Tin Mal, where an impressive mosque, built in 1153-54, shows a wonderful image of the skill of the sedentary tribes of the High Atlas.

3. Ait Benhaddou and the UNESCO site

Another fantastic day trip from Marrakech is a visit to the World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou, located about 105 miles from Marrakech and about 20 miles from Ouarzazate. Ait Benhaddou is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular ksours (fortified villages) in Morocco and one of the main places on the route of the trans-Saharan caravan route through the Atlas Mountains to Marrakech.

From Ait Ben Haddou, you can also visit the Berber village of Telouet, where its impressive Kasbah was long the dispute of the Lords of Glaoui.