Morocco – close to Europe but a world apart

With its sparking coast, exotic cities and desert dunes, Morocco is a diverse and exciting country that feels a world away from Europe. Low cost airlines have transformed it into an easily accessible destination and the journey to Marrakech takes only three and a half hours. Morocco is consequently one of the best holiday destinations outside of Europe, providing a far-from-home feeling and plenty of adventure without breaking the bank.

One of Morocco’s most appealing qualities is its magical city life, horses and carts still common in the streets, minarets and domes decorating the skyline. Most flights arrive in Marrakech, where visitors should stay at least a couple of days to experience this enchanting city, parts of which have changed little over hundreds of years. Exploring the markets is a treat not to be missed. Mountains of multi-coloured spices are sold between silversmiths and treasure-trove antique stalls.

Leather goods, jewellery and handmade musical instruments are also abundant, and haggling for souvenirs is a fun part of the Moroccan shopping experience. At night, the main square is filled with snake charmers, story tellers and acrobats. Moroccan dining is world class, tagines of couscous, steaming vegetables and fresh fish served in lantern-lit restaurants around the square. Restaurant interiors add to the magic, terracotta, tile work and silver upholding traditional Arabic design. The Medieval city of Fes is also a highlight, as is the charming city of Chefchaouen, where the traditional hillside houses are all painted white.

A trip to the Sahara is an experience of a lifetime and guided tours on camel back are offered throughout the capital. On a two day trip, groups are led into the desert where large tents and a campfire are set up for the night. No matter what you are told about the clearness of the night sky in the Sahara, you will still be humbled and astounded when the stars come out, so many and so bright that they light up the desert. Sleeping on the sand is magical, guides pointing out constellations and shooting stars after supper. The stars are rivalled only by the morning sun, rising like a golden orb over the rolling dunes.

Morocco’s coastal destinations are the perfect place to relax and soak up the sun. Bohemian Essaouira is a famed location amongst musicians and artists, past residents including Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley. Cobbled streets are alive with colour, North African rhythms and art pouring from cavernous shops. Surfing is a popular pursuit and the town has a laid-back vibe to match. For a classic beach experience Agadir is the destination of choice. A sun-seekers paradise, pristine sandy beaches hem the turquoise waters of the Atlantic. Resorts offer first class accommodation and family friendly activities including water sports and sightseeing.

With breath-taking hiking trails in the high Atlas Mountains and world class skiing to boot, Morocco has all the components to make it one of the best holiday destinations in the world.

Many thanks for this guest post from Tom Volpe from Heading There, a guide written by travellers, for travellers

More holiday ideas in North Africa

Seagulls and salt spray in Essaouira – Morocco
Travelling in Egypt – Alexandria, Marsa Matrouh and Siwa
6 misconceptions I had about Alexandria – in Egypt

Photo credits: Essaouira by Primeroz,  Chefchaouen by Fulvio’s photos. Other photos by Tom Volpe.

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Seagulls and salt spray in Essaouira – Morocco

My guest post from Lara Dunston will leave you longing to visit Essaouria in Morocco, a gorgeous seaside destination that has been on my list to visit ever since I read about it on Lara’s Grantourismo blog. It’s an ideal place to combine with a trip to Marrakech as a place to relax and enjoy a slower pace of Moroccan life.

Why should I visit Essaouria?

Essaouria has that wonderful and unusual combination of Middle East exoticism that you find in places like Marrakech (a tangle of narrow laneways, colorful souqs, carpets draped over balconies etc) and the delights of a laidback seaside holiday town (an attractive beach, salt spray in the air, seagulls everywhere, and even watersports – Essaouira is famed for its windsurfing).

What will I enjoy doing in Essaouira?

Stroll the long wide beach, watch the kids kick a football around on the sand, relax in a steaming hammam, haggle for handicrafts, go watch the fishing trawlers unload their catch at the port, walk around the windswept city walls, feast on fresh seafood, drink cold beers as you watch the sun down, check out a local gnaoua band from a rooftop bar.

What will I be eating in Essaouria?

Seafood, seafood and more seafood, and when you tire of that tajines, cous cous and other traditional Moroccan treats. We like Le Chalet de la Plage right on the beach with sea views for plump juicy oysters and tasty fish soup, despite the staff occasionally having a bit of an attitude. The staff are friendlier at Chez Sam, an atmospheric nautical themed place by the port. There are plenty of cheap outdoor stands near the fish market that do fried fish, but they’re unlicensed and we have trouble eating seafood without being able to wash it down with a glass of Moroccan white.

Where will I stay in Essaouria?

Don’t think of staying anywhere except within the walled medieval medina. It has so much atmosphere and even if you want to spend your days on the beach, it’s only a 5-10 minute walk to the sand. Nothing compares to a stay in a traditional Moroccan riad or courtyard house; see our tips for renting a rhiad in Morocco – they’re so romantic and super-affordable compared to Essaouira’s boutique hotels and you have the added advantage of being able to shop the markets and cook at home. Do take a look at the pretty apartment,  Dar Lazuli where we stayed, which can be booked at Holiday Rentals here. It has cute, colorful apartments, each with their own bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room, spread across a few floors and set around a central courtyard. They’re cool in summer and have open fireplaces for winter. But there are plenty of other riads dotted all over the medina that can be booked through Holiday Rentals.

What will I want to bring home from Essaouira?

Essaouira is fabulous for shopping – you’ll find plenty of Moroccan souvenirs to take home! There are wonderful stores all over the old town, and if you step into the sidestreets you’ll still see artisans, especially woodmakers, at work in many shops. Essaouira is famous for its marble-like thuya wood, and they do beautiful polished wooden trays, dishes, salad bowls, and so on. Bold-coloured kilims, textiles, babouches (the pointy leather slippers), jellabiyas (the long loose-fitting robes with hoods), and silver jewellery are all great buys, and it is perfectly acceptable – even expected – to bargain. Essaouira is also famous for its naïve art movement and the gallery to head to for local art is that of Frédéric Damgardor, just outside the medina walls.

Anything to watch out for in Essaouira?

When shopping for handicrafts, carpets and souvenirs, always shop around – no matter how much you love something don’t buy it straight away unless you’re happy to throw money around. It’s best to check the prices at a few places, and then once you’ve made your mind up, start bargaining on the thing you really want. I always start at half the offered price and work my way up to a compromise. Remember the sales guys are never going to settle on a price they’re not happy with, so don’t feel guilty if it does end up being half the price they initially suggested.

How will I get to Essaouira and get around when I’m there?

Most travelers fly into Marrakech and then head to Essaouira for a few days on a side-trip or a longer stay, some drop in as part of a longer trip around the country, while others will fly into Agadir and head up to Essaouira. There are cheap buses from Marrakech, though you can also hire a driver which is more comfortable. You can see a lot in a weekend, but it’s a wonderful spot to really relax for a week or two. Or three. Or four…

Thanks so much to Lara Dunston of Granstourismo for this wonderful guest post – now I want to visit Essaouria even more. Lara and her husband Terence Carter who provided these wonderful photos, are travelling for a year in partnership with HomeAway Holiday-Rentals. They’re travelling slowly, living like locals, staying in apartments and holiday homes to get in touch with the local neighbourhoods they stay in. You can read more about their experiences at Grantourismo

You can also hear more about their travel project in my podcast interview with Lara Dunston here.

All photos copyright Terence Carter and may not be reproduced without permission

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

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Blogs to enhance your travels

I’ve come late to this whole blogging thing – I’m of the generation that can still remember when computers took up a whole room. So I decided to take a peep at what other travel bloggers might be up to and shamelessly steal their best ideas to improve my own posts.

Being nothing if not methodical I started off with a few blogs, checked out their blog lists, then checked out their blog lists, then…. you get the picture. The whole process was pretty tedious to tell you the truth and once I got going the lists seemed never-ending.

But then it dawned on me that it could be fun to use these blogs like a friendly resident who can guide you on their home turf, and take you to the places most tourists would miss. So now I’ve spent hours wading through all those blogs and hand-picked this list of my favorites to help us all when we go travelling.

Paris
Eye prefer Paris
Blogging from the fashionable Marais district of Paris, the author aims to give you an insider’s view on the parts of Paris that most visitors don’t get to see.

Paris Daily Photo
As the name says, a quirky photo for each day to give you the essence Parisian life.

I V Y Paris News
Five artists in Paris have created a blog for the creative community in Paris covering art events and creative inspiration for those passing through.

Italy
Really Rome
Shelley manages two holiday apartments in the heart of old Rome, and started this blog to give people a look behind the scenes in her adopted city.

Bleeding Expresso
Michelle has moved back to her ancestors’ hilltop village in Calabria, finds love, her roots and nurses her coffee addiction.

Ms Adventures in Italy
The author cooks, explores and tastes her way around Italy with a sprinkling of cultural insight and irony.

Morocco
My Marrakesh
Maryam is an American living in Marrakesh, soon to open her guest house and boutique, The Peacock Pavilions. If you love design, food, fashion and shopping for beautiful things you’ll like this.

The Morocco Report
Written by an American with great insights on Moroccan culture – loads of other useful info for visitors and wouldbe expats and a long blog-list on all things Moroccan.

The view from Morocco
The insider’s view of where to visit, stay, eat and shop when in Fez or other parts of Morocco.

China
Beijing Notebook
Suzie covers all aspects of creative life in Beijing – design, culture, life around the city and lots of links the help the visitor.

South Korea
This time in Seoul
About beautiful places, cafes, shopping – photography and observations on life in Seoul.

Caribbean Now is Wow
This is the creative portal of Elspeth based in Trinidad and Tobago – photos, music, video, writing about her life in the caribbean.

I still haven’t found blogs about all the places I’d like to visit, so I’ll try and do a little more research each time I write about somewhere new.

For the full list of blogs I found click here.

Thanks to the following on Flickr.com for the use of their photos under Creative Commons; Danorbit (Paris) , Pensieros (Rome), Hunda (Marrakesh), frenz_69 (Beijing),Taliesin (Seoul), Island Boy (Tobago)

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