Throughout the centuries, several dynasties have shaped the rich and diverse history of Morocco, building its traditions and lifestyle. Each dynasty had a capital, known today as an imperial city. There are four such cities in Morocco—Fes, Marrakesh, Meknes, and Rabat.
I grew up and lived in Morocco for most of my life, so I’ve been to all of these cities numerous times. So, fasten your seatbelts and join me on a tour around each one of these beautiful places.
Fes
Fes is the oldest Moroccan and the first imperial city, built more than 12 centuries ago. There are several stories about the origin of its name. One of them refers to the time of the city’s construction when workers kept repeating, “give me the fes.” In Arabic, “fes” means “pickaxe.” The second legend talks about an old city—Sef—which was discovered at the same spot. People decided to name the new city after it, but spelled backwards.
Everything about Fes is full of history and culture. The city is known for the authenticity of its old town—called a medina—Fes el Bali, with its narrow streets, architecture, and shops. There you can also find the Quaraouiyine University, which is considered to be the oldest functioning university in the world, the famous Moroccan leather tannery, and more. Fes is famous for many handicrafts, such as silver and gold, but if there is one that tops the lot, it’s leather.
A fun fact about Fes: Walking around the tiny streets of the medina, you might notice the presence of small windows on the walls. These are for women to see what’s happening outside, without being noticed by strangers.
Marrakesh
Marrakesh is Morocco’s second imperial city and the number one tourist destination in the country. It’s also known as “the city ochre” because of the color of its walls.
Unlike Fes, where all important must-see places are located in the medina, in Marrakesh there are several interesting spots outside of the old town. One of them is Jamaa el-Fna, seen by many as the image of Marrakesh. It’s a huge square with different attractions during the day, such as storytellers, acrobats, snake charmers, and more. During the night, some of these attractions are still present, but a large part of the square becomes a giant restaurant, with open stands where you can have a nice dinner with friends and family.
Other popular places that are worth visiting outside the city’s medina are the Koutoubia mosque; the Menara gardens which boast a huge basin full of fish; the Majorelle garden with its wide variety of plants and Yves Saint Laurent museum; and the palmeraie—an enormous field with palm trees, surrounding almost the whole city.
A fun fact about Marrakesh: The La Mamounia Hotel is famous for being one of the sets where Alfred Hitchcock filmed some scenes for the movie The Man Who Knew Too Much, starring Doris Day and James Stewart.
Meknes
Our next stop is Meknes, known as the Ismailian capital because of Sultan Moulay Ismail, the ruler at the time the city was capital.
It is impossible to visit Meknes and not take a photo or a selfie in front of Bab Mansour. This big gate is considered to be the symbol of the city. Around it is the unique splendor of the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail with its royal stables and the underground Qara prison, where many Europeans were kept slaves in secret during the era of Moulay Ismail.
Another must-visit place is Volubilis, called “Oualili” in Arabic. Located about half an hour by car from Meknes, Volubilis represents an old Roman city, where visitors can contemplate the beauty of its remains and mosaics.
A fun fact about Meknes: Legend has it that Sultan Moulay Ismail wanted to marry the daughter of King Louis XIV of France, but the king didn’t approve it.
Rabat
Rabat is the capital of Morocco and it has always been my favorite city. I like everything about it—the atmosphere, the ocean, and especially the buildings.
The streets of Rabat’s medina are wide and, just like in Marrakesh, most important things to see are outside of the old town. The first one is the Chellah fortress, with its Roman heritage, old Islamic mosque, and old-time school, called medersa in Arabic. Next comes the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, where previous Moroccan kings are buried.
The same road leads to the Kasbah of the Udayas, a fortress which encompasses a museum, a huge garden, and a coffee shop with a view of the river Bou Regreg, flowing into the Atlantic ocean. In this same coffee shop you can enjoy the favorite drink of the Moroccan people—a glass of tea with mint, accompanied by some local sweets. There is no place like the Udayas and its fort!
A fun fact about Rabat: The only thing that separates Rabat from its neighbouring city, Sale, is the river Bou Regreg. During the 17th century, Sale was famous for its pirates, and even Daniel Defoe’s book character Robinson Crusoe was one of their captives.
Things to avoid in Morocco
If you want to buy something, never agree to pay the first price the shop owner tells you. Cut the price at least in three and start bargaining from there.
Avoid drinking water from the tap. Not that anything bad ever happened to me, but some foreign friends of mine have had funny experiences.
Be careful of fake tourist guides. There are many fake tourist guides that come to you if they see you’re not local, and ask if you want to see this and that. Then of course, they ask for a generous fee.
Avoid drinking alcohol or kissing in public places. This is not accepted by the Moroccan society.
Have you ever visited Morocco or any of its imperial cities? Share your impressions and photos in the comments below.
