Ait-Ben-Haddou
History lovers who visit Morocco must make Ait-Ben-Haddou a key part of their itinerary. Ait-Ben-Haddou is a fortified village, or ksar, located on a hill overlooking the Ouarzazate River. It is made up of several small fortresses (Kasbahs) which are approximately ten meters in height. The village was once a stop along the ancient Sahara Trade Route where traders carrying cargos of slaves, spices and other goods would pause to rest on their way to Timbuktu or the Western Sahara.
location de Riad Marrakech
The site has been a backdrop for many classic movies, beginning with Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 to more recent films like Gladiator in 2000 and Alexander in 2004. The many outstanding examples of Southern Morocco still led UNESCO to declare Ait-Ben-Haddou a World Heritage Site in 1987.
A trip to Ait-Ben-Haddou is like a visit back in time to an era when the pace of life was slower and more placid. Only a few families continue to live in the ksar as the majority of inhabitants have moved across the river to more modern homes. The ones remaining will gladly open their homes to visitors for a fee; some of the residents also offer traditional Moroccan art and jewelry for sale, which tourists can take back home as souvenirs of their trip.Book Riad Marrakech
Meknes
Meknes was once touted as the Versailles of Morocco, when Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672-1727) was pursuing his plans for a grand royal city. His plans never came to fruition, but the edifices he did succeed in erecting continue to attract hordes of annual tourists. Moulay Ismail’s royal city consists of more than 50 palaces, 20 gates and a city wall 45 kilometers in length. One of the most impressive of the gates is the Bab el-Mansour, named after its architect, a Christian who converted to Islam. At present, it is used as an arts gallery and entry to it is only through a side gate.
Riad in Marrakech
Of the surviving palaces, the best preserved one is the Dar el-Makhzen, which is still used today by Morocco’s king as the royal palace. Dar el-Makhzen is closed to visitors, but glimpses of the palace can be seen through the crumbling walls. Visitors may also be interested in visiting Moulay Ismail’s mausoleum, although non-Muslims are restricted from entering many parts of it. Other attractions where large areas are forbidden to non-Muslims include the Muslim school Medersa Bou Inania and the mausoleum of holy man Sidi ben Aissa.
Those interested in a glimpse of traditional Moroccan arts and crafts should drop by the Dar Jamai, whose exhibits focus on items such as ceramics, textiles and jewelry.
Marrakech Travel Guide
Snake charmers, magic potions and hidden palaces: Marrakech brings the most outlandish travellers' tales to life. The pink city has waylaid desert caravans since the 11th century, as visitors succumb to the charms of its bluesy Gnaoua trance music, steamy hammams and multi-course feasts.
Visitors to Marrakech often disappear down a maze of winding alleys and emerge days later, relaxed and refreshed from their stays in spectacular riads (courtyard guesthouses).
Adventure awaits in the medina (old city), with its fondouks (artisans' workshops), seven zaouias (saints' shrines) and stalls ladling up steaming bowls of snails and sheep's head soup.
The focal point of Marrakech is its celebrated square, the Jemaa el Fna. Towering over the scene is the stately Koutoubia minaret, a template for Hispano-Mauresque architecture and a reminder of the importance of Islam to the lives of the city's residents.
Always a byword for the exotic, the city that lured hedonists and idealists in the 20th century now attracts fashionistas and trendy couples in search of the souks, spices, spas, chic bars and clubs and riad life.
Fes Travel Guide
Bordered by the foothills of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and located on the crossroads of ancient caravan routes, Fès is one of the world’s best preserved medieval cities.
Over 1,000 years old, the most ancient and impressive of Morocco’s four imperial cities, Fès is still considered the country’s cultural and spiritual centre.
Fès (also spelled Fez and in Arabic, Fas) has three distinct parts but most tourists are drawn to Fès el-Bali (Old Fès), a continuously inhabited, medieval city and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its legendary medina is a labyrinthine maze of more than 9,000 narrow, sun-dappled, twisting alleys where mules jostle for space with playing children, men dressed in floor-sweeping jellabas (hooded robes) and street sellers. Heavily studded wooden doors, the warble of the muezzin’s call to prayer and the smell of freshly-cooked food are among the myriad intoxicating sights of smells of the medina.
Fès el-Jdid, south of the medina, is a 13th-century ‘new' town while the Ville Nouvelle is the city's modern centre with wide French-style boulevards, hotels, restaurants, cafés and bookshops.
Casablanca Travel Guide
Immortalised through the eponymous Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman movie and forever associated with honorary citizen Sir Winston Churchill, Casablanca is a sprawling, vibrant metropolis.
Though not the seat of government, Casablanca is Morocco's undisputed commercial capital, an enigmatic meeting place of western modernity and Arabic tradition. Its suburbs contrast sumptuous villas with dreadful slums, while its downtown mixes the dowdy with the exquisite. You take it as you find it in Casablanca. Tourism is welcome but, essentially, Casablanca is a commercial hub that goes about its life in its own way at its own breakneck pace.
There is certainly no shortage of great attractions in Morocco. 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 a 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. The country is romantic and mysterious and there is little wonder that Morocco is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa. location de Riad Marrakech
There is a never ending list of Moroccan attractions for the average visitor to enjoy and you will really need to do your homework to ensure that you make the most of your travels in this vast and varied country. The main starting points are the more popular cities such as Marrakech, Tangier, Fes and Casablanca. At each of these places, you will find the usual hodgepodge mixture of medinas, bazaars and riads. You will also find superb beaches and classy hotels where a hubbly-bubbly pipe may be arranged with relative ease. All these things are an essential part of the Moroccan experience and should not be missed. There are also a number of excellent attractions in Morocco that a visitor should definitely make the effort to see.
morocco tour guide
Asilah:
Believed to have initially been constructed by the Phoenicians as a trade post around 1500 B.C. and serving as home to a procession of conquerors thereafter and even to pirates at one time in its history, the seaside resort of Asilah (or Arzila) boasts well preserved gates and ramparts as a reminder of its colorful past. All development at this popular tourist destination has been carried out in such a way as to blend-in with, and complement, its ancient structures and visitors are assured of a warm welcome by the friendly locals.Riad Marrakech pas cher
History lovers who visit Morocco must make Ait-Ben-Haddou a key part of their itinerary. Ait-Ben-Haddou is a fortified village, or ksar, located on a hill overlooking the Ouarzazate River. It is made up of several small fortresses (Kasbahs) which are approximately ten meters in height. The village was once a stop along the ancient Sahara Trade Route where traders carrying cargos of slaves, spices and other goods would pause to rest on their way to Timbuktu or the Western Sahara.
location de Riad Marrakech
The site has been a backdrop for many classic movies, beginning with Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 to more recent films like Gladiator in 2000 and Alexander in 2004. The many outstanding examples of Southern Morocco still led UNESCO to declare Ait-Ben-Haddou a World Heritage Site in 1987.
A trip to Ait-Ben-Haddou is like a visit back in time to an era when the pace of life was slower and more placid. Only a few families continue to live in the ksar as the majority of inhabitants have moved across the river to more modern homes. The ones remaining will gladly open their homes to visitors for a fee; some of the residents also offer traditional Moroccan art and jewelry for sale, which tourists can take back home as souvenirs of their trip.Book Riad Marrakech
Meknes
Meknes was once touted as the Versailles of Morocco, when Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672-1727) was pursuing his plans for a grand royal city. His plans never came to fruition, but the edifices he did succeed in erecting continue to attract hordes of annual tourists. Moulay Ismail’s royal city consists of more than 50 palaces, 20 gates and a city wall 45 kilometers in length. One of the most impressive of the gates is the Bab el-Mansour, named after its architect, a Christian who converted to Islam. At present, it is used as an arts gallery and entry to it is only through a side gate.
Riad in Marrakech
Of the surviving palaces, the best preserved one is the Dar el-Makhzen, which is still used today by Morocco’s king as the royal palace. Dar el-Makhzen is closed to visitors, but glimpses of the palace can be seen through the crumbling walls. Visitors may also be interested in visiting Moulay Ismail’s mausoleum, although non-Muslims are restricted from entering many parts of it. Other attractions where large areas are forbidden to non-Muslims include the Muslim school Medersa Bou Inania and the mausoleum of holy man Sidi ben Aissa.
Those interested in a glimpse of traditional Moroccan arts and crafts should drop by the Dar Jamai, whose exhibits focus on items such as ceramics, textiles and jewelry.
Marrakech Travel Guide
Snake charmers, magic potions and hidden palaces: Marrakech brings the most outlandish travellers' tales to life. The pink city has waylaid desert caravans since the 11th century, as visitors succumb to the charms of its bluesy Gnaoua trance music, steamy hammams and multi-course feasts.
Visitors to Marrakech often disappear down a maze of winding alleys and emerge days later, relaxed and refreshed from their stays in spectacular riads (courtyard guesthouses).
Adventure awaits in the medina (old city), with its fondouks (artisans' workshops), seven zaouias (saints' shrines) and stalls ladling up steaming bowls of snails and sheep's head soup.
The focal point of Marrakech is its celebrated square, the Jemaa el Fna. Towering over the scene is the stately Koutoubia minaret, a template for Hispano-Mauresque architecture and a reminder of the importance of Islam to the lives of the city's residents.
Always a byword for the exotic, the city that lured hedonists and idealists in the 20th century now attracts fashionistas and trendy couples in search of the souks, spices, spas, chic bars and clubs and riad life.
Fes Travel Guide
Bordered by the foothills of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and located on the crossroads of ancient caravan routes, Fès is one of the world’s best preserved medieval cities.
Over 1,000 years old, the most ancient and impressive of Morocco’s four imperial cities, Fès is still considered the country’s cultural and spiritual centre.
Fès (also spelled Fez and in Arabic, Fas) has three distinct parts but most tourists are drawn to Fès el-Bali (Old Fès), a continuously inhabited, medieval city and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its legendary medina is a labyrinthine maze of more than 9,000 narrow, sun-dappled, twisting alleys where mules jostle for space with playing children, men dressed in floor-sweeping jellabas (hooded robes) and street sellers. Heavily studded wooden doors, the warble of the muezzin’s call to prayer and the smell of freshly-cooked food are among the myriad intoxicating sights of smells of the medina.
Fès el-Jdid, south of the medina, is a 13th-century ‘new' town while the Ville Nouvelle is the city's modern centre with wide French-style boulevards, hotels, restaurants, cafés and bookshops.
Casablanca Travel Guide
Immortalised through the eponymous Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman movie and forever associated with honorary citizen Sir Winston Churchill, Casablanca is a sprawling, vibrant metropolis.
Though not the seat of government, Casablanca is Morocco's undisputed commercial capital, an enigmatic meeting place of western modernity and Arabic tradition. Its suburbs contrast sumptuous villas with dreadful slums, while its downtown mixes the dowdy with the exquisite. You take it as you find it in Casablanca. Tourism is welcome but, essentially, Casablanca is a commercial hub that goes about its life in its own way at its own breakneck pace.
There is certainly no shortage of great attractions in Morocco. 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 a 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. The country is romantic and mysterious and there is little wonder that Morocco is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa. location de Riad Marrakech
There is a never ending list of Moroccan attractions for the average visitor to enjoy and you will really need to do your homework to ensure that you make the most of your travels in this vast and varied country. The main starting points are the more popular cities such as Marrakech, Tangier, Fes and Casablanca. At each of these places, you will find the usual hodgepodge mixture of medinas, bazaars and riads. You will also find superb beaches and classy hotels where a hubbly-bubbly pipe may be arranged with relative ease. All these things are an essential part of the Moroccan experience and should not be missed. There are also a number of excellent attractions in Morocco that a visitor should definitely make the effort to see.
morocco tour guide
Asilah:
Believed to have initially been constructed by the Phoenicians as a trade post around 1500 B.C. and serving as home to a procession of conquerors thereafter and even to pirates at one time in its history, the seaside resort of Asilah (or Arzila) boasts well preserved gates and ramparts as a reminder of its colorful past. All development at this popular tourist destination has been carried out in such a way as to blend-in with, and complement, its ancient structures and visitors are assured of a warm welcome by the friendly locals.Riad Marrakech pas cher