Whether visiting coastal beaches of Agadir and Essaouira, or the bustling souks of Fez and Marrakech, Moroccan culture beats through the country’s veins with an energetic intrigue. And in no other nation is this as enticing a reality than Morocco. Regardless of the region, handcrafted goods of leather, carpet, and silver keep local souks’ booming, while the call to prayer is a serene soundtrack echoing through the old city’s walls. Meanwhile, luxurious restaurants sit alongside dilapidated villages, beckoning all who visit to truly engulf themselves in the nation’s lifestyle; full understanding of which is only made possible through the native’s eager hospitality.

Though bigger city markets can find tourists overwhelmed by eager salesmen, the warmth of other locals more than make up for it. Whether you’re sipping mint tea in a Berber’s home or enjoying chicken tagine at a Saharan nomad’s tent, you will find Moroccans as interested in your life as you are in theirs. That said, a lesson in French or Arabic would aid any visitor hoping to communicate with locals unrelated to the tourism business