The port city of Essaouira, on Morocco’s Southern Atlantic Coast, is known for its white-washed walled medina (old city), fabulous seafood from its working port, a windswept sandy beach great for watersports and swimming and its annual music festivals, which reflect its culturally diverse past. Essaouira is also known as a town of artists – both indigenous and international – who are inspired by the relaxed atmosphere, creative environment and fabulous light. The streets of the Essaouira medina are lined with boutiques and galleries, which present plenty of opportunities for purchasing locally produced pieces.
Month: March 2015
There is a much-photographed sign in Zagora, in the spectacular Draa Valley in Morocco. Beside the image of a blue-swaddled desert nomad is written: “TOMBOUCTOU 52 JOURS.” The journey is considerably quicker today, but if you go by camel, it probably still takes 52 days. Zagora is a popular starting point for trips on camel back into the Sahara Desert and this famous sign gives some indication of the significance of this area back in the mists of history.
Morocco is a trekker’s paradise with its diverse scenery and various levels of difficulty. With hundreds of miles to cover and many trekking paths in every region Morocco is a top choice for those looking to experience a trekking adventure. The best regions to trek in Morocco are the High Atlas, Anti Atlas, and the Great North. In the High Atlas you can climb a mountain or walk in the Ourika Valley or in the beautiful village of Ouirgane gateway to scenic walks in the fields and forests of the Toubkal National Park and meet the local Berber people in their villages . To have these trekking opportunities so close to Europe means that a world of adventure awaits you with snow capped mountain peaks like Jebel Toubkal at 4167 meter canyons, rivers and waterfalls and the forests in the National Parks with their wildlife. If you want a day’s walk from the village of Azimiz or a ten day trek with an English speaking guide, these can be easily arranged and pre booked during a tailor made private trekking tour to Morocco.
Marrakech is a city of light and vibrant color. From it’s bustling souks to new museums and art galleries, wide Moroccan restaurants, lavish designer hotels and opulent riad gardens there is something for everyone. There’s no better place to take it all in then one of Marrakech’s fabulous courtyard gardens. Riad courtyard gardens are intimate spaces filled with lush, leafy green flora and fauna often centered around a stone or marble fountain filled with rose petals. In the majority of Moroccan courtyard gardens roses and oranges are grown and in every home courtyard garden a mixture of exotic spices that are brought from Mecca. A Marrakech courtyard garden should be part of a Morocco travelers experience when visiting the city particular in spring and summer. Riad Courtyard gardens serve as the perfect escape to read a book, enjoy a typical Moroccan meal, a sunset cocktail or simply decompress and take in the sights and sounds.
Fes is the culinary and cultural capital of Morocco. The city of Fes is a leader in Moroccan cuisine. The ancient traditions of Fes cuisine come alive at a variety of riads and restaurants throughout the old city of Fes. New on the scene are a wide variety of boutique riads that have opened their doors to the public and are merging traditional Fassis table cuisine with French and International flavors. Morocco Travel Specialist, Alecia Cohen, takes a look at the best places to dine and experience cuisine in Fes to tempt your pallets on a Morocco Tour.
The Moroccan Kasbah was a place for the local Caid or Pacha to live in and a place of defense when a city was under attack not unlike the medieval European keep. Sometimes, they were built on hilltops so that they could be more easily defended such as the famous Ait Benhaddou near Ouarzazate. It is no accident that many great films like Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator were filmed here because it retains the character and atmosphere of centuries ago when it was an important post on the camel caravan route from Africa to Morocco.
On Marrakech’s Djemaa El Fna Square amongst the orange juice stalls and story tellers you will find stalls with CD’s testifying to the popularity and importance of Morocco’s contemporary music scene which began with the accession of King Mohammed VI in 1999 when greater liberalization of musical genre especially for young people who sought music which reflected their aspirations was gradually phased in and supported with musical festivals organized with royal support and sponsorship like the annual Mazawine Music Festival in Rabat, The Gnawa Festival in Essaouria and the World Sacred Music Festival in Fez. Moroccan TV and radio channels also play an important role with live performances. The Moroccan contemporary music scene and its festivals have successfully fused elements of its ancient Berber musical traditions with modern music such as Chaabi, Hiphop and Rai and Rap.
The city of Marrakech has been voted the World’s Top Holiday Destination by Trip Advisor. Based upon travelers’ reviews compiled by Trip Advisor to choose the best world travel destination, Marrakech, Morocco came in on top in March 2015.
In modern day times it is possible to visit a local Berber family on a Morocco Tour and experience the culture from bread baking in the mountains and enjoying tea with a Berber family. On a Berber Village Tour a traveler will experience the authentic Morocco that is often not experienced when traveling in large groups or with a company that does not have interconnections with local Berber families.
Even if your trip to Morocco is mainly centered around the major cities, it is worth getting out for a day into the countryside to see rural life. Although the majority of the Moroccan population now officially lives in urban areas, many retain an attachment to the land and their native town or village. It is worthwhile, therefore, seeing Moroccan life in a different context, as it is still lived by many people. Despite increasing urbanization, the agricultural sector in Morocco still employs around half of the workforce and there is nothing quite like the hub of activity on a Moroccan market day!