Which Moroccan city should you start your first trip in?

For a first visit, the city you start in sets the tone. Any of Morocco's big cities can work, but they ask different things of you.

Why we usually say Marrakech

It is the easiest to fly into, with direct routes from much of Europe. The old city gives you the full picture quickly — the souks, the Jemaa el-Fna, the palaces and gardens — and there is enough infrastructure that a first-timer never feels stuck. It is also the best jumping-off point for the High Atlas and the desert, so a few city days can roll straight into a tour.

The alternatives

• Fes is the more traditional choice, and our home city. The medina is extraordinary, but it is also a maze, and some people find it a lot on day one.
• Casablanca is modern and well connected, with the Hassan II Mosque, but it is light on old-city atmosphere.
• Rabat is calm, walkable and underrated — a gentle landing, if a quiet one.
• Chefchaouen is beautiful and peaceful, but small, and further from an airport.
• Essaouira is relaxed and coastal, and a lovely place, though not the fullest introduction to Moroccan city life.

If you start in Marrakech

• Stay in a riad inside the medina for a night or two, then move somewhere calmer.
• Walk with a local guide the first morning to get your bearings, then explore on your own.
• Learn the rhythm of haggling — friendly, unhurried — before you buy anything.
• Build a garden or a hammam into the busy days.
• Plan at least one day out: the Atlas valleys, or the start of a desert route.

The honest answer

There is no wrong choice. If you want ease and energy, start in Marrakech. If you want depth and don't mind being disoriented for a day, start in Fes. Tell us how you like to travel and we will point you one way or the other.