4 Best Sights in Tangier and the Mediterranean, Morocco

This former sultan’s palace now houses a beautiful museum, with arts and crafts—including carpets, jewelry, ceramics, illuminated manuscripts, and textiles—alongside an overview of the region’s rich history from the Paleolithic period to colonial times. There are finely crafted examples of carved and painted cedar ceilings and the marble columns in the courtyard were taken from the ancient Roman city of Volubilis; other notable objects are the mosaic Voyage of Venus and the life-size Carthaginian tomb. There's also a lovely Moroccan-Andalusian garden to stroll through and a rooftop café with stunning views. Exit the palace via the former treasury of Moulay Ismail, the Bit el Mal; look for the giant, knobby wooden boxes that once held gold and precious gems. A palace has been here since the 12th century, but the current building was reconstructed in the 18th century by Ahmed Ben Ali.

As the first public real estate and the only U.S. National Historic Landmark outside the country, the Tangier American Legation Museum pays testament to the long-standing relationship between Morocco and the United States. Since the stately building was donated to the U.S. government by Sultan Moulay Suleiman in 1821, the museum has amassed a large collection of paintings, books, maps, and portraits. Exhibits to look out for include the original correspondence between George Washington and the sultan, and an amusing letter home from a panicked ambassador who was given an unusual goodwill gift by the Moroccan people: a now-extinct Barbary lion. Don't miss the Paul Bowles wing, dedicated to the American author's life in Tangier.

Close to Place Al Jala, this three-room museum holds a small collection of Roman mosaics and statuettes, coins, bronzes, and pottery found at various sites in northern Morocco such as Lixus and Cotta. It also has pictures of the archaeological site of Tamuda (which resembles Stonehenge), where Anteus is fabled to have been buried after his battle with Hercules. There are further exhibits in the garden.

Just under Ceuta's lighthouse, and named for a flat-nosed Amazigh pirate who made the cove his home in 1417, this fort built in the 19th century now houses a museum of military history showcasing the evolution of weapons from the 16th to 19th centuries. You can look out across Ceuta's port and, on clear days, take in a stunning view of Gibraltar from the ramparts.