Morocco beyond Marrakech: mountains, the Atlantic, the north and the desert

Mountains: the High Atlas on foot

Imlil, about an hour and a half by road from Marrakech, is the gateway to the High Atlas. From here trails climb through walnut groves and terraced fields to villages built from the same reddish earth as the slopes, where lunch is often served in a family home with mint tea and a tagine. On village-to-village treks, mules carry the bags, and nights are spent in simple mountain guesthouses or kasbahs.

For those who want a summit there is Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak at 4,167 metres, which calls for good fitness, acclimatisation and, under current practice, a local guide. But the Atlas is generous without a summit too: the quiet Aït Bouguemez valley to the east, often called the 'happy valley', offers gentler walks between green fields and earthen villages. This direction suits active travellers, groups of friends and anyone who wants to feel Morocco underfoot.

The coast: Atlantic wind and slow days

Essaouira is Morocco with the hurry taken out. White medina walls, blue fishing boats in the harbour, fish grilled right on the quay, and a wind that is nearly always there: welcome in summer and a draw for windsurfers, though it can be too strong for those who want lazy beach days. South of town the coast grows wilder: Sidi Kaouki with its broad beach, and the surf villages around Taghazout and Imsouane, where lessons suit beginners too.

A good place to end a coastal journey is Taroudant, a walled market town in the Souss valley sometimes called a smaller, calmer Marrakech. This direction suits couples, families and anyone who wants Morocco without the desert and long drives: good food, sea air, argan cooperatives and days that don't need planning to the minute. It also appeals in the Lithuanian winter, when the coast is often sunny, though the water is cold and evenings cool.

The north: the Rif, the Romans and the Atlantic capitals

Northern Morocco remains a discovery for many travellers. Tangier, once a magnet for writers and artists, looks across the strait to Spain. Asilah is a white coastal town with murals on its walls. Chefchaouen in the Rif is famous for its blue-washed lanes and is best in the early morning before day visitors arrive, or over a few nights with walks into the mountains, towards the Akchour waterfalls for instance.

Further south lies Volubilis, one of the best-preserved Roman towns in North Africa, with mosaics still where they were laid, and nearby the imperial city of Meknes. The journey can end in Rabat, a calm, orderly capital on the ocean. This direction suits lovers of culture, history and city walking, and those who have seen Morocco before and want another side of it.

The desert: over the Atlas to the Sahara

A journey to the desert is above all a road. From Marrakech it climbs over a high Atlas pass, descends past the earthen fortress of Aït Benhaddou, winds through the Dades valley and the Todra gorge past palm oases and kasbahs, until the dunes of Erg Chebbi rise near Merzouga. A night in a camp among the dunes, sunset from a sand ridge and a sky crowded with stars are, for many, the high point of the trip.

But distances are long, and some days on the road take up most of the day. So the desert is best planned not as a two-day round trip from Marrakech, but as a one-way journey: over the mountains to the Sahara, and on from there to Fes, whose medina is one of the oldest and most alive in the Islamic world. That way every kilometre means something.

Morocco is smaller than it looks, and its roads are longer than you expect.

How to combine them, and when to go

A week to ten days usually suits one or two directions: Marrakech and the mountains, Marrakech and the coast, the desert with Fes, or the north with Fes. In two weeks you can combine three, as long as the drives follow a sensible sequence without doubling back. Because the flight from Lithuania is relatively short and the time difference small, Morocco also works for shorter breaks; just don't overload them.

Which direction to choose depends on what you're after: mountain quiet, sea air, history or a night under desert stars. Tell us what draws you and how much time you have. We'll explore the possibilities from there.