Marrakesh. Marrakesh is the turning point between Moroccos north and south, Arab and Berber, big city and small town. If you see only one city in Morocco, make it Marrakesh.
Tangier and the Mediterranean. Many of Moroccos most dramatic social and economic contrasts are immediately and painfully evident in Tangier and vicinity. Both the mountain stronghold at Chefchaouen and the coastal city of Tetouan are also worth visiting.
Rabat and Casablanca. Moroccos economic capital, Casablanca, and political capital, Rabat, are the countrys most Europeanized cities. Meanwhile, the Atlantic beaches offer miles and miles of wild surf, sand, and sea.
Fez and the Middle Atlas. The Arab-Islamic and Berber chapters in Moroccos history are most evident in the cities of Fez and Mekns. Side trips to the Roman ruins at Volubilis and the holy town of Moulay Idriss are musts, while the Middle Atlas is an underrated mountain range of great natural beauty.
The High Atlas. Although parts of the High Atlas can be mobbed with hikers at certain times of year, you can still get away from the package tours on foot or mule and taste rural Morocco at its most colorful and hospitable. Decent roads offer pleasant rides to Setti Fatma and the ski resort Oukameden.
The Great Oasis Valleys. No trip to Morocco is complete without a taste of the desert. Some of Moroccos best scenery is on the way out to Merzouga or MHamid in the southeast, where arid hills and winding oases cling to the few rivers that sustain this region. The Dads and Todra gorges seem impossibly sculpted in the late afternoon light. The Zagora Valley along the river Dra south of Ouarzazate is known for its green-glazed pottery.
Agadir and the Southern Atlantic Coast. Busy, beachy Agadir contrasts with Essaouiras breezy grace. The triangle of Agadir, Tafraoute, and Tiznit is formed by curvy mountain roads studded with deserted hilltop kasbahs, villages, and centuries-old rural Koranic schools. People-watching is interesting here, as womens wraps vary widely within the region, from austere black or navy full-body coverings in Taroudant to brightly flowered garments along the southern coast.
Politics
Following the fall of regimes in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Yemen, and major unrest in neighboring Algeria, the worlds gaze shifted nervously to Morocco. Widely regarded as the most moderate and stable of North African nations, the kingdom acted fast to appease dissenters. Although a cautious modernizer in the past, King Mohammed VI, who had already introduced some economic and social liberalization, revised the constitution in 2011 in response to Arab Spring protests and appointed a new government in January 2012. His ability to calm his populace, most of whom remember the far fierier reign of his father, Hassan II, ensured the stability of his kingdom and won him the trust of Western nations. Encouraged by Mohammed VIs popularity with his people and his crackdown on suspected Islamic militants after deadly suicide bombings in Casablanca in 2003, Washington granted Morocco the status of non-NATO ally.
Despite the close proximity of the kingdom to Europe (it almost touches Spain in its north and was once ruled by France), Morocco remains friendly with the continent, but staunchly independent. Long-term efforts by the UN have tried to end the political deadlock that continues in the Western Sahara, which Morocco seized after Mauritania and Spain withdrew in 1970s, with little success.
Economy
Morocco is lucky to enjoy a vibrant and expanding tourist trade; a good annual supply of exports in the form of handicrafts, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oils; and an economy that has so far resisted the prolonged recession experienced by its European neighbors. As with other African countries, the kingdoms principal wealth comes from natural resources, with Moroccos key raw material being phosphate (used in pesticides, animal feed, and fertilizers). The Moroccan economy remained resilient in 2013, with a growth rate of 4.7%, bolstered by political and social stability. Despite these factors, the country has found it increasingly hard to tackle youth unemployment, which stood around 19% in 2013 and continues to cause concern, due to the vulnerability of the nations young men to radicalization. In a bid to disperse dissent, there has been a push in recent years to clear the shantytowns common in the major cities and move squatters into specially constructed concrete residences out of town.
Womens Rights
In recent years, King Mohammed VI has had to balance the demands of feminist organizations, calling for an expansion of womens rights, with resistance from the countrys Islamic political parties, who fiercely oppose change. A decade ago, Morocco made sweeping reforms to its family-law code, the Moudawana, creating one of the most progressive family codes in the Arab world. The new Moudawana gives women significantly more rights and protections. They now have the right to request a divorce, the legal age of marriage has leapt from 15 to 18, and polygamy is now severely restricted. Women also now have the right to child support and shared custody. Three years ago, the country passed a new constitution guaranteeing gender equality. That said, incongruities concerning womens rights remain, with inheritance laws still strongly in favor of male heirs (they receive double that received by women). Meanwhile, inequality in pay remains the norm, and judges are not averse to finding ways around the new laws (there are reports that courts are granting permission for the marriage of minors in 90% of the cases appearing before them).