Imperial cities, the Atlas and the dunes, and why the month you choose changes everything.
Morocco is close enough to Europe to feel easy and varied enough to defeat a badly planned itinerary. The three components are the imperial cities, the High Atlas and the desert, and the season decides how comfortably they fit together.
Spring, from March to May, is the strongest period. The Atlas passes are open, the valleys are green, the desert is warm rather than punishing and the cities are pleasant to walk in the afternoon. Autumn, from late September to November, is a close second.
Midsummer is difficult inland. Marrakech and Fez regularly exceed forty degrees, which turns a walking tour of the medina into an endurance exercise. If summer is the only option, weight the itinerary towards the coast, Essaouira and the mountains, and treat the desert as a short, well timed visit.
Winter is underrated for the cities and the dunes, provided you accept genuinely cold desert nights and the chance of snow closing a high pass.
On routing, the usual mistake is trying to include Fez, Marrakech, the Sahara and the coast in a week. A realistic minimum for the desert loop from Marrakech is three days, and the drive over the Tizi n'Tichka pass deserves to be a day rather than a transfer.
Etiquette is simple and worth respecting: ask before photographing people, dress modestly away from the resorts, and expect a conversation before a price. Guides in the medinas are not a luxury, they are the difference between a maze and a city.
Written by Beatrice Barazzetti for the Dream Destination Journal.
