What is Morocco best known for?

Of course, in this list of “What is Morocco famous for in the world”, we had to start with one of our favorite places, the Sahara Desert. The feeling when you first step into those sand dunes, is indescribable.   

The Sahara, is the biggest desert in the world and it covers parts of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia, which in total is 9 million square kilometers (3,500,000 square miles), around 31% of the whole continent. That just tells you how impressive it is.

Maybe it isn´t as extensive as the Sahara, but the Atlas Mountains also covers a lot of the country´s land and it is also an important part of Tunisia and Algeria.

Throughout the whole Moroccan Atlas, you will be able to find the highest peak in north Africa, called Mount Toubkal, incredible valleys and canyons and few Oasis.

The best thing about the Atlas, is how the landscapes change from one side to the other. If you want to fully discover it, you will need at least two weeks, as it is also fun to meet the locals and understand how is the life over there.

The last site of our list is located in the most popular city in Morocco, it is an icon of the country and you may have seen photos of it, its name is Djeema El Fna.

This square is the gate to Marrakech medina and it is where life takes place, just so you can have an idea, it is like the Times Square of the city.

Locals and tourists visit it in the evening, to listen some music, spend some time with the friends and of course see what´s going on in the market.

Mint Tea is one of those Moroccan specialties everyone loves and they serve quite ofently. If you happen to be staying at any Riat or at a local guest house, you will see how they always offer you mint tea before or while you do the check in. At some places they even serve it daily, which is the best way to relax after a long day visiting places.

There is a reason why these teas are so good, which is the incredible amount of sugar they add to them and in case it isn´t enough sugar for you, they usually come with Moroccan pastries, which are also delicious.

Don´t think too much about gaining some weight, because you are in Morocco and you really need to have the whole experience.

Moroccan food is very tasteful but not too spicy, this is primarily thanks to all the type of spices they add. Some of the most popular ones are the saffron, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and white pepper. They also use other international spices like pepper, salt, and ginger.

If you are visiting Morocco, make sure to get some, because they are super cheap, and you will find rare and unique ones. The best place to get them are of course the Moroccan Markets which are all over and by the way, are coming next in our list of What´s Morocco known for ?

Carpets are one of those things to buy in Morocco. The will for sure catch your attention, but if it is your first time in the country, don´t let yourself be fooled by the sellers, these carpets do not fly or have any kind of magic like the one in Aladdin. That said, we must admit they are a real piece of art.

Moroccans have been producing these carpets for many years, and the detail they have is speechless. If you are lucky enough, you might be able to see how they make them in one of the many market stalls.

Maybe carrying with a huge carpet at the airport is not so comfortable, but don´t worry, because you will be able to see many other great things in Morocco to decor your home. As it happens in other Arab countries, like Tunisia or Turkey, lamps are everywhere in the markets, they are super colorful and again the details are impressive.

The best of all, is that as we said before, these products are like art for them. So, you will be able to see many different types of lamps with different colors and materials.

Camels were traditionally used in Morocco to transport products from one place to another. Now a days, their function is totally different, and they are primarily used by tourist.

Almost everyone who thinks about traveling to Morocco, imagine themselves riding a camel through the Sahara, they even see it as a dream they would like to achieve. We are sure they would think twice before doing it, if they knew what those camels have go through almost every day of their lives.  

Carrying humans isn´t an instinct a camel has, therefore, they are force to do it, many times being mistreated by their owners. If we keep joining this kind of activities, those camels will never get to have the free live they deserve.  

Another things that is also very famous in Morocco are their cats and this time it isn´t a bad thing, but an interesting fact.

Almost every city and town you visit in the country is full of cats. You will see many domestic cats, but there are also some wild ones. At this point, the population of these cats is out of control, so don´t be surprised if you are having some lunch at restaurant and a bunch of them come by your side to get some food.  

People tend to leave some water and sometimes even food outside their homes, so they don´t starve.

That´s right! Some episodes of the most popular show in the last years and probably the best one ever (at least for some people), was filmed in Morocco.

The different scenes took place in the popular Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah and the Atlas Studio in Ouarzazte, as well as the city of Essaouira.

The most famous one of them, is of course Ait Ben Haddou, which represents the slave city of Yunkai in Game of Thrones.

If there is one things Moroccans are really known, is for being businesspeople, somehow, everyone has the idea that locals from this country can only think about business.

Even though it is true they are sometimes a little bit aggressive and try to sell you everything they can when they see you as a tourist, this is something you would only see at the stores and markets of the big cities. It isn´t so common to see it in small towns and if you have a conversation with them, they can perfectly be friendly and kind.

In this case, it is true. Religion is very important in the day-to-day of Moroccan people. As it happens in other Arab countries, you will hear the call to prayer quite often and they must pray at least 5 times per day.

Comparing with other religions, this can be a bit too much, but you should also know that there is a 1-2-hour window within which to pray, so they are more flexible than other Islamic countries.

Moroccans are also known for being truly kind and welcoming.

Every time we visited the country, we meet people who after just 1 hour talking, would invite us to eat lunch at their house or offering to guide us around the city.

Not just that, but also the hotels and guest houses always try their best to make you feel like at home and they always serve you a delicious mint tea with pastries after you arrive.

Another reason why Morocco is famous is its Medinas. They are like the old towns of the European cities. It is where all the important buildings and mosques are located, and they are usually surrounded by a huge wall.

Walking and getting lost through the narrow streets of the medinas is a must and it is the way to really explore Morocco. Usually these are the most vivid parts of the city and where all the markets are located.

The most famous medinas in the country are the ones from Fez, Marrakech, Chefchaouen and Tanger.

• Ibn Battuta: As travelers that we all are, we had to start with him. He was one of the most important explorers in the world and he even managed to keep traveling while the Black Death was happening. If he could make it, that means we will all be able travel again after these last pandemic!
• Jean Reno: He was and still is an important actor in Hollywood and probably one of the most famous people from Morocco now a days. You may have seen him in movies like “The Da Vinci Code”, “The Pink Panther” and “Godzilla”.

Morocco is known for being very hot and the main reason this happens is the Sahara Desert, but actually, once you start traveling around the country, you realized the temperatures and weather change a lot from one region to another. Just so you can have an idea, it is even possible to see snow here, head to the Atlas Mountains in Autumn or Winter and you will see how cold it can get.

If you are planning on making a road trip, make sure to check the climate of each of the places you are visiting, because again, they change a lot.

If we had to define Morocco, dangerous would for sure not be in the definition. Years ago (even now a days), many people thought Morocco was an extremely dangerous country and because of it, they wouldn´t even think about going.

Well, we have been many times there and we have never had any problem. Of course, you need to be careful with the places you visit and check where are you going to leave your stuff, but that is something you should always do while traveling. There is nothing to worry about, and we would 100% recommend visiting Morocco.