Lara Brunt for CNN recently wrote "10 things to know before visiting Morocco." I'm sharing that here along with our own experiences and additions in purple.
(CNN) -- Rainbows of color, spice-market smells, an urban orchestra of sounds: Morocco can be overwhelming at first.
Lying 13 kilometers, or 8 miles, from the coast of Spain, the North African country mixes Middle Eastern magic, Berber tradition and European flair.
Tourism has more than doubled since 2002, to nearly 10 million visitors in 2011. King Mohammed VI wants to increase the annual visitor numbers to 18 million by 2020.
The royal ruler's strategy is underpinned by infrastructure development, making traveling around the country even easier.
Add to this a program of ongoing social, political and economic reforms, and Morocco is one of the most moderate and peaceful countries in the region.
Cafes dominate life in Tangier
Cafes are the key place to socialize, for Moroccan men at least. They gather to drink sweet mint tea and watch people as they go about their affairs.
The northern port city of Tangier has a history of literary bohemianism and illicit goings-on, thanks to its status as an International Zone from 1923 to 1956.
The Interzone years, and the heady decades that followed, saw writers, rock stars and eccentrics flock to the city's 800-plus cafés.
Two must-visit spots: Cafe Hafa (Ave Hadi Mohammed Tazi), overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar, was a favorite hangout of Tangier's most famous expat, Beat writer Paul Bowles.
Smoky and slightly edgy, Cafe Baba (1 rue Sidi-Hosni) is the coolest spot in the Kasbah. A photo of Keith Richards, kif-pipe in hand, still adorns the grimy walls.
(Now, we haven't yet visited Tangier, but cafes dominate life throughout Morocco. I believe Lonely Planet refers to them as "masculine," a kind way of bypassing the social stigmas and unfortunate reality that make these a social space almost exclusively reserved for men. Depending on the area/conservatism, women either don't enter, would be asked to leave, or allowed to stay being labeled a prostitute. While this isn't the case in most larger cities, like Tangier, it is still certainly more commonly filled with men. This observation would be more or less meaningless if cafes were as we imagined them in the states, a spot on the corner to get a quick coffee or a quiet place to read or study. Cafes in Morocco are incomparable, though perhaps could most closely come to a golf course. They are at the center of news, business, and relationships. With high unemployment, it isn't an exaggeration that men will spend several hours, every day, watching soccer and talking business, politics, or philosophy at their favorite cafe. They aren't on every other corner, streets are often lined with them. To illustrate, I once asked a new acquaintance in my town what he did for work, he laughed and said that his job is to sit half of the day in the cafe.)
Most mosques are off-limits to non-Muslims
Nearly 99% of the population is Muslim, and hearing the muezzin's melodic call to prayer for the first time is a spine-tingling moment.
While very few Moroccan mosques are open to non-Muslims, one exception is the towering Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca (Blvd Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah; +212 522 22 25 63).
Located on a promontory over the Atlantic Ocean, the mosque was completed in 1993 and can hold 105,000 worshipers inside and out.
Tradition and technology sit side by side, with colorful zellij (mosaic tiles), intricate stucco and carved cedar complementing the retractable roof and heated flooring.
If you can't make it to Casa, Marrakech's 16th-century Ali ben Youssef madrassa-turned-museum (Pl Ben Youssef; +212 524 44 18 93) is open to all and also features impressive Islamic design.
(It is true, they are beautiful, and on Fridays people spill out of them onto the streets to pray and listen to the Imam.)
Multilingual Moroccans will put you to shame
Moroccans switch languages mid-sentence, reflecting the cultures -- Berber, Arab, French and Spanish -- that have crisscrossed the country.
Arabic is the official language, and you'll hear the Moroccan dialect, Darija, spoken on the street.
French continues to be widely spoken in cities; foreigners are often addressed in this first. Spanish is still spoken in Tangier.
There are also three main dialects spoken by the country's Berber majority: Tashelhit, Tamazight and Tarifit.
You'll be able to get by with English in the main tourist hubs, although "La, shukran" ("No, thank you" in Arabic) is one phrase to master.
(This is true especially among educated Moroccans in cities and larger towns. In the public school system, they study Modern Arabic, French, and Tamazight before they leave primary school. Many then have choices ranging from Spanish, German, and Italian before a required three years in English. However, because of the rote learning in the education system and little opportunities to practice in smaller areas, often times for us meeting a Moroccan that says "I speak a little english," means they memorized that phrase along with "Jane runs fast" having little idea of what it means. That said, it certainly is a country that encourages multilingualism.)
Don't get stuck in Marrakech
Marrakech is justifiably popular, but there's so much more.
Fez tops the list for its maze-like medina, fabulous foodie scene and annual Festival of World Sacred Music.
For a slice of the Sahara, there's the desert town of Merzouga, near the impressive Erg Chebbi sand dunes, accessible via camel treks.
Active types can hike between Berber villages in the High Atlas or head to the blue-hued Andalusian town of Chefchaouen to explore the Rif Mountains.
Beach bums will love laid-back Essaouira and Sidi Ifni on the Atlantic coast, while surfers often head south to Taghazout.
For quiet contemplation, Morocco's holiest town, Moulay Idriss, is hard to beat. Plus, you'll have the nearby Roman ruins of Volubilis pretty much to yourself.
(Just like the language, Morocco is incredibly diverse while being incredibly nationalized..? I don't know if that makes sense, but we are constantly amazed when the accent and traditions of a town 10 kilometers away are different, yet from the very south to the very north, everyone is still eating couscous on Friday. Bottom line, there is so much to see. Don't get stuck anywhere if you don't have to, we say.)
If you don't like cumin, you may starve
Cumin is one of the main spices used in Moroccan cooking. This pungent powder is used to flavor everything from tagines to mechoui (slow-roasted lamb).
Cumin is used as a condiment on most Moroccan tables, along with salt and chili. It's also a popular natural remedy for diarrhea.
"Cumin has anti-parasitical properties, so if you've got an upset tummy, a spoonful of cumin knocked back with water will help," said food guide Gail Leonard with Plan-It Fez.
(I wouldn't say starve. We don't feel like we have it that much, though you should expect your breakfast hardboiled eggs sprinkled with it. That being said, in one host family's salt and pepper shakers, the pepper was replaced with cumin. Salt and cumin shakers. That might tell you something.)
Trains are cheap, comfortable and reliable
First class train travel in Morocco is affordable and worth it. Just be prepared to share your food.
Train company ONCF operates one of the best train networks in Africa, making it the easiest way to travel between cities.
It's worth paying extra for first class, which comes with a reserved seat and A/C.
First class carriages have six-seat compartments or open-plan seating. Stock up on snacks, or buy them onboard, as it's customary to share food.
When it comes to traveling to smaller towns and villages, buses and grand taxis, usually old Mercedes sedans that can seat six (at a squash), are best.
(Trains are great, though don't worry about first class. Second class is also comfortable unless it is holiday with a lot of travelers.)
Couscous is served on Fridays
You'll see it on every restaurant menu, but traditionally, couscous is served on Fridays, when families gather after prayers.
This is because the proper (not packet) stuff takes a long time to prepare.
Coarse semolina is hand-rolled into small granules to be steamed and fluffed three times. It's pale in color, deliciously creamy and served with vegetables and/or meat or fish.
Bread is the staple carb and is served with every meal, except couscous.
It's baked in communal wood-fired ovens, one of five amenities found in every neighborhood (the others being a hammam, or bathhouse; a drinking fountain; a mosque and a preschool).
(We live for Fridays. That's all)
Riad rooftops rock
The traditional Moroccan house (riad) is built around a central courtyard with windows facing inwards for privacy.
They're decked out with elaborate zellij, stucco and painted cedar and are easily the most atmospheric places to stay.
While Moroccans tend to use their rooftops as clotheslines, a riad roof terrace is the place to be come sunset.
In Marrakech, Italian-designed Riad Joya (Derb El Hammam, Mouassine Quarter; +212 524 391 624; www.riadjoya.com) has prime views of the Koutoubia Mosque minaret, while five-star La Sultana (403 rue de la Kasbah; +212 524 388 008;www.ghotw.com/la-sultana) overlooks the Atlas Mountains.
Top picks in Fez are the bohemian Riad Idrissy (13 Derb Idrissi, Sieje, Sidi Ahmed Chaoui, +212 649 191 410; www.riadidrissy.com) and its suntrap terrace, while Dar Roumana (30 Derb el Amer, Zkak Roumane; +212 535 741 637; www.darroumana.com) has sweeping views of the world's largest living medieval Islamic city.
(Rooftops are great. For those traveling on a budget, many hostels/hotels will rent out a spot on their roof for cheaper. Many Moroccans sleep outside in the summer, so you'll be following suit!)
When you hear 'balak!' watch out
Morocco's souks are not for the faint-hearted. The narrow streets teem with hagglers, hustlers, mule-drivers and motor scooters.
Rule No. 1 is to step aside when you hear "Balak!" It means there's a heavily laden handcart or mule bearing down on you.
You'll inevitably get lost, as maps don't usually include the warren of small alleys that make up the medina.
A guide can help you get your bearings and fend off touts, but be aware that anything you buy will have his commission built in to the price.
Alternatively, taking snaps of landmarks with your smartphone can help you find your way back to your accommodation.
(Don't try to not get lost. Getting lost is the best part. When you're ready to get out, follow one of these mule carts to the light, and while you're learning vocabulary, try "Feen Kane L'Bab?" to get you to a gate out.)
It's not weird to be bathed by a stranger
There are plenty of posh hotel hammams, but nothing beats a visit to a no-frills public bathhouse.
Spotting the entrance can be tricky, as most signs are written in Arabic. Look for a shop selling toiletries or a mosque, as these are usually nearby.
It's advisable to stock up on black olive oil soap, ghassoul (clay used as hair conditioner), a kiis (exfoliating glove) and a mat to sit on. Visitors need to take their own towels, comb and flip-flops.
Women strip to their knickers (no bra), and men wear underpants. Then you'll be steamed, scrubbed and pummeled until you're squeaky clean.
(Public hammams are the best, especially if you're traveling in cooler months. With frigid temperatures and no central heating in most buildings/cheap hotels, a steamy tile room with running hot water and people to exfoliate and rub you with olive oil is pretty wonderful. If you go, watch and follow your naked peers. There is a process depending on the hammam. You wouldn't want to go to the 3rd hottest room too late after exfoliating or the first rinsing room to wash your hair, when it is clearly meant for the 2nd room. How embarrassing. Just kidding, kind of. We also both found that we have never been so clean always feeling happy and exhausted afterwords. We currently go to ours once a week.)
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