Adventure World

Morocco

Magical Morocco certainly has no shortage of great attractions. The country enjoys a strong sense of culture and a long and ancient history. The cool blue water flowing over the sand of the beaches is in direct contrast with the hot white sands of the desert, while the greens of fertile valleys contrast with the browns and whites of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains.

Tangier, Casablanca, Marrakesh… just the names of these cities stir a hint of spice in the nostrils. Morocco has been thoroughly mythologized and for good reason. Travellers extol the country's unique living history, its shimmering light and its extraordinary art. Morocco is the ideal African starting point for the traveller. Open-air markets throughout the country are piled high with rugs, woodwork, jewellery and leather - said to be the softest in the world.

Top Highlights

Fès: The oldest of the imperial cities, Fès is arguably the symbolic heart of Morocco. Its labyrinthine streets and crumbling grandeur add to its intrigue. The medina of Fès el-Bali (Old Fès) is one of the largest living medieval cities in the world, and its gates and walls are magnificent.

Marrakesh: One of Morocco's most important cultural centres, Marrakesh is a lively former capital famed for its markets and festivals. Follow its twisting arteries to its pulsing energy source - the Place Djemaa el-Fna - a huge square in the medina. Your nose will guide you to row upon row of open-air food stalls whose pungent smoke fills the air with mouth-watering aromas. Be drawn back into a world of frenzied motion, where jugglers and storytellers jostle for position with snake charmers, magicians, and acrobats.

Rabat: The fourth of the imperial cities, Rabat is a curious mix of a long past and a highly modernised present. In the 12th century, the then sultan used the Kasbah (citadel) as a base for campaigns against the Spanish. It was during this time that the city's most famous landmarks sprang up. A haven for Muslims driven out of Spain in the early 17th century and a capital city only since the days of French occupation, Rabat's ambience comes from Islam and Europe in fairly equal proportions. For every place of worship there are three or four European-style cafes.

Volubilis: Volubilis is the site of the largest and best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco. Dating largely from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, excavations have revealed that the site was originally settled by Carthaginian traders even earlier. At its peak, it is estimated that the city housed up to 20,000 people. Take a guide, a hat and plenty of water. It’s magical at dusk.

Fès el-Bari: The medina of Fès el-Bari (Old Fès) is the largest living medieval city in the world. Its incredible maze of 9400 twisting alleys, blind turns and souqs are crammed with shops, restaurants, workshops, mosques, medersas (theological colleges), dye pits and tanneries. Although a World Heritage site, Fès can be difficult to come to grips with. The medina can be totally bewildering. Though the amount of hassle is far less than it once was, the constant attention of unofficial guides, small boys, touts and shopkeepers does not help. It is a veiled, self-contained city where life moves to centuries-old traditions - a city that doesn't easily bare its soul. With time, visitors begin to glimpse behind the anonymous walls and appreciate the rich culture and spirituality that is Fès.

Fact Sheet

• Country Dialling Code: + 212
• When to Go: The most pleasant seasons to explore Morocco are spring (April & May) and autumn (September & October). Midsummer can be lovely on the coast, but viciously hot in the interior. Likewise, winter days can be idyllic in Marrakech and further south, but you can be chilled to the bone at night.
• Clothing: In summer, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are a must. For women, a large cotton scarf is useful to have. Shorts are a bit of a no-no - they may be OK on the beach and unavoidable when hiking in mid summer, but elsewhere you are better off wearing long, loose lightweight skirts and cotton shirts that cover the shoulders and upper arms. If you plan to hike in the Atlas Mountains, it is really worth having decent hiking clothing. It gets chilly and wet in the mountains, even in summer, so bring a warm jacket and waterproof clothing.
• Food & Water: Morocco’s traditional haute cuisine dishes are excellent and good value for money. They are often exceedingly elaborate, based on a diet of meat and sweet pastries. Hotel restaurants usually serve French cuisine. Restaurants offer a good selection of food, including typical Moroccan dishes, French, Italian or Spanish meals. Many of the souks have stalls selling kebabs (brochettes) often served with a spicy sauce. Laws on alcohol are fairly liberal (for non-Muslim visitors) and bars in most tourist areas stay open late. Wines, beers and spirits are widely available.
• National specialities:
  • Harira, a rich soup.
  • Pastilla, a pigeon-meat pastry made from dozens of different layers of thick flaky dough.
  • Couscous, a dish based on savoury semolina that can be combined with egg, chicken, lamb or vegetables.
  • Tajine is a stew, often rich and fragrant, using marinated lamb or chicken.
  • Hout is a fish version of the same stew.
  • Djaja mahamara is chicken stuffed with almonds, semolina and raisins.
  • Also popular are mchoui, pit-roasted mutton.
  • Kab-el-ghzal, almond pastries.
• Currency: The Moroccan currency is the dirham (Dr), which is divided into 100 centimes.
• Tipping: Tipping is an integral part of Moroccan life. Although you needn’t feel obliged to part with your change at the drop of a hat, the judicious distribution of a few dirham for a service willingly rendered will certainly make your life a lot easier.
• Language: The official language in Morocco is Arabic, although French is still widely used in the cities.
• Email: Email access is widely available at hotels and Internet cafes in the major centres.
• Electricity: Throughout most of the country, electricity supply is 220V at 50Hz AC, although in some places you will still find 110V; check before plugging in any appliances. Sockets are the European two pin type; travel adaptor is recommended.