The Northern region of Morocco is noticeably different to the southern areas of the country. One differences is the predominance of blue and white architecture (in contrast to the ochre-tinted south), another is the level of rainfall that shapes the landscape which is considerably more verdant.  The influence of Spain is also in evidence and where French takes its place as the leading foreign language in the south, Spanish is the most useful foreign tongue in the north. This is also reflected in the history and architecture and one can see glimpses of Andalucia in many parts of the north. For the visitor, Tangiers, Chefchaouen and the Rif Mountains are the north’s headlining destinations.

To our knowledge, there isn’t really anywhere else in the world like Chefchaouen, which explains its Instagram fame in recent years. It’s surely the prettiest of Morocco’s towns and it’s appeal lies in its colour. Its pale blue-washed dwellings give it a surreal calm and its mountainside location and quaint winding streets give it the feel of a Moroccan take on a Spanish Pueblo Blanco. Accommodation is rather basic, and sights are limited, but for many it’s a must-see destination.  

Morocco is home to numerous high-mountain ranges, and the northernmost of these is the Rif. Famed for its fields of Kif (the local name for cannabis), the Rif has a lot more to offer than is immediately apparent. The hard-to-pronounce Talassemtane National Park is stunningly-beautiful, boasting cedar forests, mountain lakes and wild, remote scenery with a very low population density and journeying from the Mediterranean through the mountains to Chefchaouen is highly recommended for travellers who want to get off the tourist trail.  

Situated at the extreme north-western tip of Africa, separated from Europe by the 14km wide Straits of Gibraltar, it’s no wonder that through time Tangiers has always had a certain cache and a story to tell. In the last 50 years the city has gone from Beatnik destination of poets, writers and artists, to a rather more clean-cut image. Having said that, scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find the town’s darker underbelly in amongst the pretty streets of the Kasbah and the regal architecture dotted around the place. It’s well worth a visit and staying in the lofty Kasbah, taking an al-fresco breakfast staring across the sun-drenched Straits of Gibraltar towards Spain, is a treat for any traveller.