YALLAH MOROCCO!
Essaouira Courtyard
Finally! I made it to Morocco, and I fell in love. The cities, towns and villages, the natural beauty of the landscape, and the warm Moroccan people made this vacation unforgettable.
“Is it safe”, was the question I was most asked before departing. The short answer is YES! Not once did we feel threatened or afraid while walking alone, at night, or on unfamiliar streets. The Moroccan people are respectful, accountable and love their country striving to maintain peaceful environments. They do not see differences in one another (Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Berber, West Saharan), but are united by their shared Moroccan heritage.
Morocco is ruled by King Mohammed VI along with elected and appointed politicians. The King is well-regarded and respected for his visionary dedication to enhancing the Moroccan economy by creating growth sectors such as automobile manufacturing and aeronautics. A modern thinker, he has made great strides in enhancing the infrastructure not only for their citizens but for business expansion including tourism.
The capital of Morocco is Rabat where our tour began. Along with several clients and friends, we experienced the 15-day Moroccan Allure tour offered through Gate 1 (G1). This is a Discovery Small Group Tour with a maximum of 22 people giving us more flexibility, time to explore, and opportunities for immersive experiences. I am not a group tour person, but after experiencing this tour, I look forward to another Gate 1 experience.
Visiting Morocco on your own can be done but the language and the logistics intimidated me. The expertise and cordiality of our marvelous guide, Hisham, enhanced the tour as he (and other local guides) gave context to the cities and sites by incorporating history with humor and sharing anecdotes to give us perspective and knowledge.
Each evening we were introduced to enchanting riads and dars. Riads are small hotels featuring a garden. Dars are equally charming but without a garden. We stayed in riads, dars and hotels and every single one was unique, exceptionally clean, and staffed by gracious employees.
Keep reading to learn more about our days – what we saw, where we stayed and what we ate. Moroccan food has such flavor and everyone can find something to eat – meat lovers, vegetarians, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc. and every dish was delish!
RABAT (the capital of Morocco)
We had been on a cruise so flew directly from Barcelona to Rabat. The Rabat airport is undergoing expansion so it’s certain more direct flights will be forthcoming. The Casablanca airport offers more flights and is about an hour away.
Welcome to Villa Mandarine
Our Rabat lodgings were in the charming Villa Mandarine, a riad, located in a quiet neighborhood home to many foreign embassies. For just a few dollars, a taxi can take you into the main square. Not only is Villa Mandarine lovely, it is recognized on TripAdvisor as one of the top seafood restaurants in Rabat. We would agree.
A city tour took us to the Royal Palace, Bab Rouah or “Gate of the Winds,” the new “rocket” high-rise (Mohammed VI Tower), the unfinished Hassan Tower (started in the 12th century), a quick peek at Oudaya National Museum of Ornaments, their medina and a seafood lunch along the beautiful coastal flats. French President Macron was arriving the next day so the city was scrubbed clean as a whistle!
VOLUBILIS AND FEZ
On the way to Fes (also spelled as Fez), we explored the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Volubilis. The Roman Empire used this bustling city as their African administrative center and the ruins are impressive like those of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Ephesus.
Inside the medina is Riad Salem Fes which required a short walk as vehicles can not maneuver the narrow streets. Formerly, five residences, the riad is an explosion of rich color and style. Every guest room is different, and there are multiple sitting areas, fountains and pools. We ate dinner at the hotel enjoying traditional Moroccan cuisine of tagines and, one night, camel burgers were enjoyed by the adventurous. Their rooftop terrace was perfect for a nightcap.
Filled with twists and turns, the medina in Fes dates back to the 9th century and if you walked every alley and passageway, you’d log over 67 miles. Not only for tourists, the Medina is part of daily market life for the residents of Fes. It is also home to the world’s first university, al-Qarawiyyin, established in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, an Arab Muslim woman. Born in Tunisia, she and her sister inherited their wealth from their merchant father. It has been in continual operation since that date.
Part of our visit included stops at a rug merchant, the Choura tannery and later in the day, the Jewish Cemetery. [one great story was during WWII when the Germans demanded that King Mohammed V hand over the Jews, his response was that there were no Jews in Morocco only Moroccans.” And that if they took the Jews they’d have to imprison the Royal Family as well which did the trick.]
MIDDLE ATLAS MOUNTAINS AND ERFOUD
The Atlas Mountains
It’s a long drive from Fes to the edge of the Sahara through vast topographical changes. From the European styled ski town of Ifran through a 6,000-foot pass flanked by the Ziz Gorges (you could be in the American West), past man-made lakes to arrive in Erfoud. On the drive we watched shepherds herd sheep, donkeys working fields and macque monkeys in their hilltop forests. Date palms are a key crop in this region, and we passed thousands of trees which end in the Rissani wholesale market.
Our hotel this evening was the Kasbah Xaluca, a large resort, with rooftop putt-putt, pools, entertainment and plentiful food and beverage choices. The Xaluca chain in relatively new and is adding a footprint of luxury hotels in the region.
RISSANI AND THE SAHARA DESERT
This region has become a fossil wonderland attracting scientists and entrepreneurs who sell fossil relics from jewelry to tables to bathroom counters. The Rissani market tour was most authentic and eye-opening to how differently people around the world live. In one small doorway, we could watch the village baker accept dough from his neighbors which he baked in the communal oven which shares a wall with the hamman. The fire provides heat to bake the bread and heats the water for the bathing ritual of hamman.
After lunch, we climbed into 4×4’s for our Sahara adventure. G1 provided two immersive experiences that will forever be imbedded in our hearts. Our first was to a Berber family’s tent home. Driving along the approach to the legendary sand dunes, you see a small speck of black in the distance which turns out to be the tented home of these semi-nomadic families. They graciously accepted us into their tents and, through, our guide we asked questions of the grandmother about her life, her family, her work and her culture.
Is that camel trying to bite me?
Equally fascinating, was a nearby farm, an oasis, on the desert’s edge. The owner explained that his farm exists due to his grandfather’s luck with divination sticks which located an underground water source that still provides water. In addition to date palms, he grows pomegranates, figs, walnuts, vegetables and herbs primarily for his family’s use.
Finally, our desert experience was here! After dropping off our bags in our tents (complete with private baths and a/c) we met our camels, climbed atop, and set off on a ride to the top of the dunes for the sunset.
Sounds simple? It was magical. To be in the Sahara atop a docile camel amidst towering sand dunes and hearing the laughter of everyone who was equally happy is a memory, I’ll never forget. The only thing better was lying by the campfire on cushions staring up into a black sky filled with a billion stars surrounding the Milky Way. I loved every second of this adventure.
TODRA GORGE AND DADES VALLEY
Prior to checking into the Riad Ksar Ighnda, we continued our journey through the Atlas Mountains stopping at the magnificent Todra Gorge and through the rose growing region of the Dades Valley all within the Ouarzazate Region.
Ait Benhaddou is an ancient ksar (fortified city) along a former caravan path. Back in the days of caravans, it was not uncommon to find groups of merchants and travelers come through with several hundred camels and all the accompanying wares. Not only were goods bought and sold but information was passed along these routes. The caravans offered safety in numbers and followed routes along rivers that offered oasis in the desert.
MARRAKECH
Hot air ballooning in Morocco
A stunning drive through the High Atlas Mountains ended in the bustling city of Marrakech. Our property was the 2Ciels and, while a contemporary hotel, it offered another glimpse into the diversity of Morocco. Their restaurant, Patron, is highly rated. Hisham told us to order fish, and it was divine. Not only the sea bream but the myriad of appetizers that came first; thinly sliced and battered eggplant, baby clams in tomato sauce, croquettes and more. All of our meals included wine and this night was no exception.
Jardin Marjorelle
We spent three nights in Marrakech and visited everything there is to see, the Bahia Palace with the Saadi tombs, the Koutobia Mosque, the Casbah Mosque, the Jardin Marjorelle (Yves St. Laurent rescued it), and, of course, the market. You only need to see it once, but you surely should see it. Snake charmers, monkeys, hawkers and everywhere you turn someone has a way to separate you from your money! We did make a few purchases but quickly got out to walk the shaded streets and parks.
Right up there with the camels was our hot-air balloon experience. Our van picked us up at 5:30 a.m. for the 45-minute ride to the red desert surrounded by the Atlas foothills. There we were met with coffee in luxurious tents prior to climbing into our baskets to silently glide over the landscape watching the sun pink the sky as daylight came.
ESSAOUIRA
Moroccan Spices
We enjoyed two nights along the seaside in Essaouira. My only regret is not managing to get a photo of the camels on the beach! It’s a pretty city filled with white-washed buildings and lots of color pops. Popular in the summertime as a place to beat the heat, Essaouria attracts kitesurfers, surfers and wing foil enthusiasts. It’s the 6th cleanest beach in the world and was filled with activity even in November. Likewise, Game of Throne fans come to see the filming locations (S3E1). We did our last minute shopping in the medina and several of us came home with tagines to cook Moroccan at home. Our confidence was improved by our cooking class in Marrakech!
Fitting. Casablanca in Casablanca
Finally, our last night was in Casablanca. Other than the magnificent Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca doesn’t offer a lot for the visitor. Rick’s Cafe, recreated from the movie, is an option but we were warned that it is just for the tourists. With the tour over, now I have a few hundred photos to sift through!
Would you like to visit Morocco? Many tour companies offer a variety of itineraries, and Morocco is an affordable destination. Contact us to get more information on visiting this remarkable country!
When to visit: Just avoid visiting from mid-May to mid-September because of the heat. You may want to avoid Ramadan also as many business establishments may have different schedules and offerings.
GOOD TO KNOW
When to visit: Avoid mid-May to mid-September because of the heat. Some restaurants and shops may have different hours and offerings during Ramadan.
Alcohol: While Morocco is a Muslim country, you can enjoy wine, beer and spirits in certain establishments. We purchased wine and spirits at Carrefour grocery stores but not at Marjane.
Currency – Morocco’s official currency is the Dirham. It is considered a “closed currency” meaning you can’t get it at your local bank. We had no trouble accessing money at the local ATM’s.
Electrical – Bring the same converter you would use in Europe. Morocco runs on 220v.
Food – If you are a meatatarian, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or something else, you’ll find options in Morocco.
Definitions
- Medina – a walled old town with narrow street and alleys
- Souk – a marketplace or a stall in the Medina
- Kasbah – a fortified building generally inside the Medina
- Hammam – public or private bathhouses offering soaking and cleaning with separate hammams for men and women (they are divine!)
Written by Shelley Gudzak
