Hotels4U Morocco Travel Guide

7/30/2019 Hotels4U Morocco Travel Guide

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AT A GLANCE

Morocco is the ideal city break destination, enticingly exotic,

but yet just a short flight away from most airports within the

United Kingdom. Shop for handmade carpets and silverware in

the souks, relax after a days sightseeing with a traditional

Hammam massage, or take a camel train into the desert to

enjoy mint tea with the Berber. This country just has so much

to offer.

WHEN TO GOThere are cultural festivals that take place throughout the year in Morocco, which means that

tourists will usually find some reason to visit this fascinating country. However, in terms of the

climate it has to be said that April to early June and then September through to November are the

best times to visit some of the larger cities, such as Fes and Marrakech, as the tourist numbers are

lower and the climate is tolerable.

Weather

Winter: In Northern Morocco, winter is usually mild and wet. It isnt

uncommon for the northern areas to be covered in a light dusting of

snow. Snowfall is particularly plentiful around the Atlas Mountain

region. If you venture down into Southern Morocco youll find thewinters to be drier and cooler.

Spring: Many people believe that Morocco is at its best during

spring. The scenery is green and the temperatures are usually

around 23-26 in Marrakech and Agadir

Summer: The coastal breeze means that the hot summer temperatures are usually kept in check.

Many holidaymakers like to take advantage of the cooling Atlas Mountains during this period,

particularly the Ifrane Valley with its waterfalls and cycle tours. Outside of the mountains

temperatures can reach up to 38 especially in the south.

Autumn: This is a relaxing season in Morocco. The nights draw in

and the temperatures start to drop. At this point the rains have notyet arrived and you will still be able to swim in the sea.

Atlas Mountains by NotCreative123 / Morocco Sahara by Hasna Lahmini


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THINGS TO DO

Morocco has plenty to offer with a wealth of attractions stretched out throughout the country.

Youll find historical highlights in all the major cities and the hardest part will be trying to fit them all

in whilst on your break. Here are our top picks:

Attractions:

Agadir

Museum Municipal du Patrimoine Amazigh: Berber objects from the18-19

thcenturies

La Medina DAgadir: Italian architect Coco Polizzi has recreated atraditional Medina

Valle des Oiseaux: A small zoo featuring animals from all over theworld

Casablanca

Old Medina: A small traditional walled town in the north of Casablanca The Corniche: An ocean side neighbourhood featuring western

restaurants

The King Hassan II Mosque:The largest mosque in Morocco and third largest in the worldEssaouira

Diabat: A small village famous for its association with JimiHendrix and Berber ruins

Essaouira Beach:Perfect for watersports especially kite andwind surfing

Fes

Bou Inania Madrasa: A 14th century religious college andexample of Islamic architecture

Merenid Tombs: Panoramic views across over the medina andwider city

Tanneries: Hire a local guide to take you around thefascinating leather dye pits

Marrakech

Djemmaa-El-Fna: Moroccos main square is full of musicians, bellydancers and story tellers

Souks: Marrakechs souks sell everything from live chickens to replicadesigner handbags

Koutoubia Mosque:This is Marrakechs most discerning feature andis beautifully lit at night

Rabat

Hassan Tower and the Royal Mausoleum: The 44 metretower is one of Moroccos symbols
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Kasbah of the Oudaias: In the heart of Old Rabat this kasbah sells ancient treasures Chellah: A 14th century necropolis overrun by bird and wildlife

Nightlife

Youll need to escape the medinas to experience nightlife in Morocco. Marrakechs Djemma-El-Fna

might look like a fascinating place to spend the evening, and indeed it is, but no alcohol is allowed

into the walled city and indeed every medina in Morocco has the same rules!

Dont let that put you off though; Moroccos might not be a Mecca for bars and nightclubs, but each

main resort offers a smattering of places to spend the evening. Agadir is the main holiday resort in

Morocco and it offers a small but fun range of drinking establishments. Casablanca is second only to

Marrakech in terms of nightlife and no visit here would be complete without a classy cocktail in

Ricks Caf. In laid-back Essaouira, restaurants double up as bars and provide the perfect place to

grab a sundowner. Fes is a conservative and quite orthodox city and most of the nightlife revolves

around non-alcoholic activities. Grab a mint tea in Baghdadi Square or attend a literary event at Caf

Clock. Marrakech is the best city for nightlife; youll find Pacha on the outskirts of the medina and

the ultra-cool Marrakech Casino. The nightlife in Rabat can be a little expensive and as such most

visitors opt for cultural pursuits such as the theatre instead.

LOrange Bleue: An Agadir bar with a happy hour from 5-8.30pm and themed nights Ricks Cafe: A exact replica of the bar that features in the film Casablanca Le Chalet de la Plage: A restaurant in Essaouira with an extensive wine list Caf Clock:Attend literary events and film screens in conservative Fes Pacha: The largest nightclub in North Africa and the most exotic of the Pacha clubs Amnesia: An American themed nightclub with a diner in the back room

Day Trips From Moroccan Resorts:

You can take day trips from most of the main resorts in Morocco to places of interest nearby. To

make things easier for you weve selected one ofthe best day trips from each major Moroccan city.

However, check out websites such asViatorandAuthentic Moroccofor a wider range of ideas:

Agadir

Tafraout & Tiznit: Leave the seaside resort of Agadir and venture up

into the Atlas Mountains for spectacular views. Tafraout is famous for

its stone houses carved into the rocks, whilst in Tiznit you can learn all

about the silver industry in the original silver capital of Morocco.

Travel time: 12 hours

Casablanca

El Jadida: The capital, Rabat is only an hour away from Casablanca by train so

would make an excellent day trip. Also try El Jadida which has a charming

Portuguese Old Town and a beach with myriad restaurants serving up seafood.

Travel Time: 1.5 hours
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Essaouira

Imsouane:A coastal village famous with surfers. Surf shacks are

dotted around the beach, which is sheltered by large sandy cliffs.

The beach is usually deserted and visitors are advised to bring a

picnic along with them as there are only a few small shops selling

food and snacks.Travel Time: 2 hours

Fes

Meknes: Moroccos former capital can be easily visited from Fes.

The city contains some of the most stunning architecture in

Morocco, including the carved gates which are prime examples of

Islamic art. Attractions include the Royal Palace, Sidi Said Mosque

and the Tomb of Moulay Ismail.

Travel Time: 1 hour

MarrakechTelouet and Ait Ben Haddou: Take a day trip out of the city and

cross the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, the highest in Morocco. The drive will

take you through Berber villages to Moroccos most famous

Kasbah, Ait Ben Haddou, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage

Site.

Duration: 12 hours

Rabat:

Temera: Casablanca is just an hours drive from Rabat, but for something slightly different visit the

small seaside resort of Temera. The many sandy beaches make it an excellent spot for bothsunbathing and surfing. The town also contains a Grand Mosque and a National Zoological Park.

Duration: 15 minutes

King Hassan Mosque by Palindrome6996 / Essaouira beach by Mwanasimba / Fes Tanneries by Shawn Allen / Koutoubia by Jim Callendar /

Chellah by Shawn Allen / Tiznit by Martijn.Munneke / El Jadida by Axel Rouvin / Imsouane by avoulot / Meknes by El Mostrito / Ait Ben

Haddou by Lin Padgham

SHOPPING

Shopping in Morocco is something of experience and a world away

from your favourite department store back at home. For a start you

need to be prepared to haggle. Although this experience may seemdaunting the first couple of times, practice can make perfect. To

start with smile and ask for the price. The first price given is usually

60-70% more than the amount that the item will sell for. You

should aim to start at 20% of the initial price and then work your

way to your desired price, meeting the salesman somewhere in the

middle. Dropping in a few words in Arabic can help reduce the amount.

Shopping Areas:

Marrakech Medina: One of the highlights of a trip to the city. Expect everything from antiquesto sunglasses

Fes el Bali: Fes is the best place in Morocco to purchase a carpet and this medina contains someof the best workshops
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Essaouira Medina: Shops here sell everything from jewellery to Argan oil supplies Rabat Medina: There is no hard sell in this medina. Browse carpets and furniture hassle free Souk-el-Had: An authentic souk in Agadir selling spices and ornate metalwork Souk es Sebbat: This Meknes souk specialises in Moroccan slippers Tahar-El-Alaoui: An area in Casablanca selling handicrafts and metalwork

Shopping Centres:

Morocco Mall: Africas largest shopping centre in Casablanca offers guests the chance to scubadive in their tanks

Rabat Mega Mall: Shops range from designer boutiques to traditional kaftan shopsImage: Shopping by TGraham

FOOD & DRINK

Moroccan food is known for its flavoursome spices and Mediterranean

feel, and many of the spices that make up Moroccos cuisine are home

grown. Lemons and oranges are from Fes and mint and olivestraditionally come from Meknes. Meat is used in many of the dishes,

particularly beef and mutton. However with this being a Muslim country

you wont find pork on the menu. Perhaps the most traditional of all

Moroccan dishes is a tagine served in a traditional lidded dish on a bed

of couscous.

Popular Morocco Hotspots:

Agadir: Restaurants here mainly cater to tourists from Europe particularly around Blvd de 20 Aout

Casablanca: The Corniche is home to Western fast food chains but there are many seafoodrestaurants elsewhere

Essaouira: There are many seafood restaurants in Essaouira which will cook that days catch

Fes: Join one of the many food tours in Fes to discover the gastronomic delights of the medina

Marrakech: The food stalls at Djemma El Fna are a highlight of eating out in Marrakech

Rabat: Exclusive restaurants intermingle with traditional cuisine. Try the seven vegetable couscous.

Image: Tagine by McMorgan08

CULTURE & ETIQUETTE

Morocco is an Islamic country and you might find certain shops

closed on Friday when their holy day takes place. During the month

of Ramadan, which changes each year, Muslims must fast from

sunrise to sunset. To avoid causing offence, holidaymakers should

avoid eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum in public during

this period.

When haggling, you should expect to be served a lot of mint tea during negotiations. It is polite not

to talk business or discuss money until you have finished your mint tea. Moroccans like to think of

themselves as hospitable and turning down an invitation to drink mint tea could be seen as rude.

Never eat communal food with your left hand as this is used for personal hygiene. The right hand

should be used to greet and eat.
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Useful Phrases

Hello/ Peace be with you Salam Alikome Please Afak How much does it cost? - Shahal taman? Thank you Shukran

Dos and Donts

DO accept the samples of biscuits and sweets handed out in the medina, you are not boundto buy and the Moroccans are showing hospitality

DONT enter the mosques in Morocco unless youre Muslim, these are strictly Muslim only DO try a traditional Moroccan Hammam massage DONT take photographs of the locals. Moroccans value their privacy DO try the fresh orange juice from the street sellers in Djemma El Fna DONT take photos of monkeys and snake charmers unless youre prepared to pay DO buy swim passes at the major hotels which will give you use of their facilities

Tipping

Most tourists will find that a 10% service charge is usually added onto

their restaurant bills. If it isnt there is no rule of thumb for tipping and

most Moroccans usually just leave a few dirhams. In taxis just round

up to the nearest 5 dirhams and 10 dirhams per bag is usually enough

to tip the person who carries your bag up to your room.

Images: Mint tea by Austin Evan / Dirham by DaveyII

TRANSPORT

Its relatively easy to get around in Morocco owing to the countries extensive public transport

network. Hiring a car can be expensive and is not entirely necessary.

Getting Around

Buses: Compagnie de Transports runs an extensive and cheap network through the country Trains: There are two networks, one running from Tangier to Marrakech and another from

Marrakech to Oudja.

Grand Taxis: Running between neighbourhood towns these take 6 passengers leaving when full Petit Taxis: Small taxis run between the city limits and are metered Airports: There are 12 main airports in Morocco: Agadir, Al Hoceima, Casablanca, Errachidia,

Essaouira, Fes, Marrakech, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat and Tangier

Fare Information

Buses: Fares between Marrakech and Casablanca are between 80-86 dirhams Trains: Fares between Marrakech and Casablanca are around 82 dirhams. Children under 4

travel free.

A 15 minute petit taxi ride is around 15 dirhams


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HEALTH & SAFETY

British Embassy in Morocco Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Emergency numbers:

Police: 19

Fire and Ambulance: 17

TOP FIVE MOROCCO BLOGS

1. My Marrakesh

2. Life in Marrakesh

3. The View From Fez

4. The Good Life in Morocco

5. Dinners and Dreams
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Documents

Hotels4U Morocco Travel Guide