Fes seen through Bab Bou Jeloud Gate © Leonid Andronov | Dreamstime.com
Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert, the North African destination of Morocco offers natural beauty as well as Berber, Arabian and European cultural influences, present in its culinary traditions, lively souks, colorful architecture and historic mosques. Here are the top seven things to see and do in Morocco.

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Fes is the oldest city in the Kingdom of Morocco — the best representation of the destination’s history and cultural traditions. While visiting Fes, stop in at one of the iconic local tanneries, where the ancient system of treating leather is still practiced. See the impressive stone vessels and witness the natural process of leather making start to finish at the Chouara Tannery, the city’s oldest and largest.

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Feed the senses at Jemaa el-Fnaa, a large square and market place in Marrakesh, Morocco’s medina quarter, or old city. Locals and visitors alike frequent the main square, occupied throughout the day by food and drink stalls, local artisan crafts and entertainers including snake charmers, storytellers, magicians and music performers. The square is edged on one side by the Marrakesh souk, a traditional North African market, and hotels, cafés and gardens on the other sides.

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Located in northwest Morocco is the distinctive city of Chefchaouen. Noted for its buildings washed in various shades of blue, the historic city feels like a fairytale. Popular with visitors because of its iconic hue and its proximity to Tangier, there are more than 200 hotels in the city. It also boasts a popular shopping scene with locally crafted goods not available anywhere else in Morocco.

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Visiting a hammam, sometimes referred to as a Turkish bath, is one of the city’s oldest, most popular traditions. Combining ancient Greek and Roman practices of public baths with modern-day saunas, a hammam experience entails relaxation in a pool of water in a hot, steamed room. The public baths, often located near mosques, serve as places for spiritual cleansing, but also centers of socialization and relaxation. The ruins of the oldest-known hammam in Morocco dates to the 8th century.

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A visit to Morocco would be incomplete without a Sahara Desert excursion. The iconic red, rolling sands of the world’s largest hot desert offer an unforgettable, visceral experience. There are several excursion options available through environmentally conscious companies, like Journey Beyond Travel, from Morocco including camel treks and ATV adventures. Excursions range from two-hour trips to two-day expeditions with stops in small towns, Berber villages and natural wonders like the Dades Gorge and Ziz Valley.

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As the saying goes, great things take time. This is certainly the case for Majorelle Garden, one of the most beautiful places in Morocco — and the world, for that matter. French Orientalist artist Jacques Majorelle created the 2.5-acre botanical and landscape garden, a process that took nearly 40 years. The breathtaking villa complex houses local flora and fauna, sculptures, the Islamic Art Museum and Berber Museum.

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Here’s looking at you, kid. The Hassan II Mosque is a must-see on a trip to Morocco. Located in the famous city of Casablanca, the mosque is Morocco’s largest with a minaret of 60 stories, topped with a laser directed toward Mecca. It sits on a promontory looking over the Atlantic Ocean with handcrafted marble walls, a retractable roof and space large enough for 25,000 people inside and another 80,000 outside.