How many cities: Three to five cities is the right number for most trips of 10 to 14 days. Fewer than three wastes the variety that makes Morocco worth visiting. More than five turns the trip into logistics, because each hop costs 3 to 8 hours and each medina needs at least a full day to stop feeling like a maze.
Choosing between kinds: First-timers should choose at least two
imperial medina cities, since they are the core of the country. Culture and craft seekers should pick the older, less polished medinas, which are more authentic and more confusing. Travelers who want ease and comfort should add one
coastal city for air, seafood and a break from touts. Hikers should weight toward an
Atlas gateway. The modern business hubs are not worth the time beyond a transfer, an airport night or a …
read more 👉 How many cities: Three to five cities is the right number for most trips of 10 to 14 days. Fewer than three wastes the variety that makes Morocco worth visiting. More than five turns the trip into logistics, because each hop costs 3 to 8 hours and each medina needs at least a full day to stop feeling like a maze.
Choosing between kinds: First-timers should choose at least two imperial medina cities, since they are the core of the country. Culture and craft seekers should pick the older, less polished medinas, which are more authentic and more confusing. Travelers who want ease and comfort should add one coastal city for air, seafood and a break from touts. Hikers should weight toward an Atlas gateway. The modern business hubs are not worth the time beyond a transfer, an airport night or a bank run.
What it costs: Budget US$30 to 50 a day (roughly 300 to 500 dirhams) in dorms or simple riads, with street food and local cafes. Mid-range, with private riad rooms and sit-down meals, runs US$60 to 100. Dorm beds cost about US$8 to 15, double rooms in a decent riad US$35 to 80, and tagines or grilled meals US$3 to 8 at local places, with tourist-square restaurants charging double.
Per visit, most monuments and museums cost 70 to 120 dirhams (about US$7 to 12). An official licensed guide runs roughly 250 to 400 dirhams for half a day, which is worth paying in your first medina to learn the layout. Trains between cities cost about 50 to 250 dirhams depending on distance, and local taxis within a city are cheap if the meter is used.
Safety and culture: Morocco’s cities are generally safe, with the main problems being scams, pickpocketing and aggressive touts. Politely decline “the road is closed” helpers, and agree on a price before accepting any service. Keep valuables out of back pockets in crowded souks. Women traveling alone often get repeated attention, and calm firmness plus modest dress helps. Shoulders and knees covered is the practical standard in medinas, especially away from tourist districts.
Ask before photographing people, and expect to be refused or asked for payment. Alcohol is limited to licensed bars and some riads, and public drinking is discouraged. During Ramadan, avoid eating or smoking openly in the street in smaller towns. Learn a few words of Darija or French, since both open doors that English does not.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.