The essence of Morocco lies in its Atlantic port towns, refined Imperial Arab cities, rugged Atlas mountain villages, and remote Saharan desert oases. The varied landscape makes the country a perfect year-round destination. Fragrant herbs and wildflowers cover the Atlas Mountains in the spring, the summers are pleasant, and the tremendous bird migrations are the hallmark of spring and autumn. Morocco is an exciting, rewarding destination with a wealth of attractions that are as wide-ranging as the landscape. The country is a nature lover's paradise with a multiplicity of rare plants and birds flourishing in its unique climate. Lovers of ancient history will spend many a happy hour exploring the museums and medinas - or old cities - that showcase the nation's architectural richness. A powerful national pride and awareness of the high quality of its buildings and monuments is fueling a vigorous movement to preserve and restore the country's many architectural treasures. This artistic renaissance is fostering a new generation of wood and stone carvers, and mosaic artists. Moroccans know how to live well: multi-course banquets, musical concerts and festivals are commonplace throughout the country. Short walks and extended treks through the mountains are enhanced by the chance to visit a broad range of Berber villages with each community weaving rugs according to patterns unique to their people. Visitors are overwhelmed by true Moroccan hospitality. From luxurious five star resorts, to the most humble mountain village, Moroccans welcome you with a warmth and honesty fast disappearing from the modern world.

Morocco's recorded history dates back to the Phoenicians. It was the farthest western corner of the Roman Empire, and the provincial capital. Today, its Roman ruins illustrate a quirky fusion of Roman styles with traditional Berber motifs. Most of Morocco's cultural and social history has been dominated by two parallel cultures: the Sultanate dynasties, and the tribal culture of the Berbers. The dynasties thrived amidst the Imperial cities and coastal regions, while the Berber tribes controlled the mountains and deserts. Traveling north to south, one can clearly see the separate realms of influences, with the north still maintaining a much more classically Arabic culture. The southern reaches of the country present a distinctly different aspect to the visitor, with a much more relaxed Berber atmosphere, and a landscape dotted with kasbahs or fortresses. Fertile oases, such as the Draa and Ziz valleys, support lush date palmeries that to this day are some of the wealthiest regions of the country. Seemingly remote desert towns have actually been vibrant political, scholastic, and economic centers, with tribal groups controlling the salt, gold and slave trades that passed through the desert oases for centuries.

Much of Morocco's history has been shaped by Islam, which reached the country in the 8th century. The arrival of Moulay Idriss, a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed, led to Morocco's first great dynasty. Moulay Idriss established Fes, which grew increasingly Arabicized, and became one of the greatest cities of the Arab world with students flocking to the vast Kairaouine University. Fes became a key link in the trade routes between Spain and the East, and between the northwest coastal nations of Africa and the lands south of the Sahara. This influential position can still be seen in Morocco's unique architecture and arts. The nation's history, and that of Morocco's dynastic culture, was shaped by endless conflict between the Berber tribes and central urban Arab administration. At its peak, the dynastic culture of the 11th - mid 13th century ruled an area from present day Morocco to Libya, south to Senegal and north to Spain. As power shifted to the tribes, Morocco entered a three-century period of increased domestic instability and a relative isolation from the European and Muslim world. By the mid-17th century, the Arab dynasty of the Saadians had risen to power, bringing a new period of economic growth and impressive building works - the Saadian tombs of Marrakesh are a high point of Arab architecture.

The country's last great domestic ruler was the ruthless but revered Moulay Ismail, who ruled from 1672-1727, and single-handedly created the Imperial city of Meknes. He built a palace that rivaled Versailles, negotiated on equal terms with his European counterparts, and was the first foreign ruler to recognize the United States of America. He fostered a spirit of Moroccan independence that would keep his country free of foreign colonial rule for years after his death. Eventually, the French and Spanish began to exert control over the country, culminating in the Treaty of Fes, of 1910. This ushered in a period of French and Spanish domination of the country. Spanish rule was marked by a callous conqueror's mentality, which triggered the Rif rebellions of the 1920's. The French attitude was slightly less arrogant, but still triggered the crystallization of Moroccan nationalism, which culminated in independence in 1956. For most of the post-independence period, Morocco was ruled by King Hassan II, who steered the country on a remarkably stable path of development. Confronted with endemic poverty, illiteracy, and a near-absent infrastructure, King Hassan spearheaded a movement of intense modernization. Today, Morocco is ruled by his son, a young and popular leader whose personal warmth and style is likened to that of Princess Diana. Morocco still has its challenges, not the least of which is the severe population explosion and high unemployment. Today, the country is proud of its political stability in a region often associated with corruption and despotism.