Fez is Morocco’s cultural and spiritual capital. It’s full of history, colour and life: one of the most fascinating cities in Morocco, and it’s easy to reach thanks to direct flights from Gatwick and Stansted, and thrice-weekly internal flights from Marrakech, which take an hour rather than seven-plus by bus or train. Day One Discover the…
This journal entry was written by Sharmeen Suleman, Founder of Vacations MAROC. She is a British Mother who has travelled to over 25 countries worldwide but somehow fell in love with Morocco. She shares her experience on family travel and her passion for Morocco on her website and www.vacationsmaroc.co.uk .You can follow the family’s travel adventures…
Flying to Morocco from the UK has never been easier, with over eighty flights making the journey every week. Flying to Morocco is simple and quick, bringing the kingdom even closer to the UK. It’s a perfect place to escape for a quick weekend getaway or a longer exotic holiday, with departure airports across the…
Morocco has one of the most diverse landscapes on earth. While most attention is drawn by the Sahara desert and four mountain ranges, the country also has wetlands, tidal lagoons, deep forests, cultivated farmland and coastal and marine habitats. There are eleven National Parks in Morocco, covering over 7,700 square kilometres between them. These important…
Slate grey skies, freezing rain, and perpetual sniffles – that’s Britain for the next few months. The days of long, light evenings, bright blue skies and glorious soul-warming sunshine seem an awfully long time away. But you can reclaim that summer feeling in under four hours with a visit to Morocco. Average highs in Marrakech…
Why let your golf game go into hibernation, when you can be in Morocco playing on some of the best courses in the world this winter? There are three types of winter golfer. The first sadly consign their clubs to the cupboard until the spring rolls around, looking wistfully out of the window as driving…
Take your marks for a fantastic year of racing in Morocco. From the high-octane thrills of the World Touring Car Championships to one of the most punishing foot races around, people from all over the world will flock to the kingdom to watch and compete in some of the most exhilarating races on the planet….
We wish you all a happy Christmas and a peaceful, prosperous New Year.
Are you looking for a real challenge to take on in 2017? If so you’ll find that Morocco offers you the perfect opportunities to achieve something truly remarkable that you’ll remember for the rest of your life. The Marrakech Atlas Etape is one of the newer sportives on the circuit, but has already built up…
We’re delighted to announce that Marrakech has been chosen by National Geographic as one of its 21 Best of the World Destinations 2017. The selection process for this award is extremely competitive and involves getting nominations from their worldwide network of editors, writers, and explorers. Coming first in the ‘Cities’ category, the Red City was…
It can be very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that, aside from its gorgeous coastline, Morocco is a dry, arid kingdom, with nothing but dusty roads threading between sandy fields and sun-baked cities. In reality however, Morocco is dotted with verdant fields, large wooded areas and sparkling streams. In the south near…
Mention Morocco and most people think of ancient medinas, camel rides and colourful Marrakech. It conjures up images of stepping back in time, haggling for souvenirs and getting lost in the labyrinth of the local souqs surrounded by the aroma of exotic spices. Sure, it’s all there in the heart of Marrakech. The assault on…
As the world’s gaze turns to Rio this August, Morocco will be among the 206 nations competing at the 31st Summer Olympics. The Kingdom is sending 49 athletes to Brazil who will complete in disciplines as varied as golf, Judo, cycling and equestrian. The bulk of the team is made up by runners, with twenty…
Are you a Slow Traveller? Curious about the concept? Never heard about it before? Well this style of travelling is swiftly growing in popularity and Morocco is the ideal destination to practise it. Linking to the concepts of mindfulness and sustainable travel, Slow Travel is the polar opposite of the ‘cram-it-all-in four-cities-in five-days’ style of holidaymaking….
You can’t spend too long in Morocco without noticing the intricate tiling that adorns so many walls, floors and even ceilings across the land. Painstakingly created, this captivating style of art is Zellige, and is to normal tiling as oil painting is to potato printing. It’s a form of Islamic art that came to prominence…
The Marrakech Biennale is a major festival in North Africa focusing on innovative modern art, photography and film. It was first held in November 2005 and over the last decade, has become a huge success in promoting the status of the artists and art in North Africa and in mobilising a creative dynamic between artists…
Fez, Marrakech, Meknes, and Rabat. Four historic cities that have played pivotal roles in the history of Morocco. Fez has been the seat of power in Morocco for four different dynasties, for a total of around 650 years. Built by Idris I between 789 and 808, since then the Marinids, Wattasids and Alouites have all…
Getting up early the next morning was no trouble at all – we just wanted to get moving to warm ourselves. By 6:30am we were dressed and eating breakfast, which consisted of breads, jams, and packet coffee (I decided to skip the tea, an unforgivable heresy). Since the sun was not yet up, we had…
We set out on Thursday afternoon from Rabat on a train bound for Marrakech. We each carried a backpack, a small duffle bag, and the shared vision to climb the tallest peak in North Africa: Mt. Toubkal. At 4,167 metres (13,671 ft.), Toubkal towers over the High Atlas mountain range, situated about an hour’s ride…
diariesof – Morocco – travel by motorcycle through Morocco Jorge and Anabela are hardcore travellers, journeying the world and documenting it through photography and their travel magazine. On a trip around Europe they decided to visit Morocco as it was so close. It was to prove a wise decision … and they’ve been good enough…
Morocco is a fantastic place for family holidays, but like any holiday with children, it’s always good to have some games up your sleeve for when the attention wavers. Below you’ll find our suggestions for keeping everyone entertained, some of which are universal favourites, some of which are specific to Morocco. Enjoy! Driving Games A…
Before arriving in Fez, one of Morocco’s Imperial Cities, it wasn’t on my list of favourite cities. But after enjoying a week of concerts in some of the most magical venues, combined with exploring the region and meeting the friendly locals, I left with my opinion changed forever. The festival was one that I had…
I’d had my eye on the Toubkal National Park ever since I landed in Marrakech six months ago, and as it was a glorious spring day and I had the weekend off so I grabbed my backpack and took a petit taxi to Asni. The sun shone brightly as I began my Toubkal trek along…
Most places in Europe and North Africa fell under the influence of the Roman Empire, and Morocco is no exception. There are Romanic remains scattered across the kingdom, and the site at Lixus is one of the most impressive. The Romans, however, weren’t the first power to live in these parts; the Phoenicians and Carthaginians…
Who are the Moroccans? Dive through the mists of time and even as far back as Paleolithic times (between 90,000 and 190,000 years ago) you’ll find the land that’s now known as Morocco was inhabited by the Amazigh. Closer to our time, just two and a half thousand years ago, the Phoenicians established colonies here,…
The Japanese tea ceremony is famous the world over for its precise ritualistic nature and cultural significance. Mint tea is just as important in Moroccan culture. You’ll find that even in the poorest regions, families who may have no utilities, furniture or even a door to their house, will have a Moroccan tea set sitting…
The Marrakech Atlas Etape is one of the newer sportives in the world – the first was in 2013 – and I was determined to take part early. For me there were several pluses to the event, mainly Morocco itself. It was a chance to visit a kingdom that I’d long admired from afar. It also…
There are plenty of long and testing rides in Morocco, but this is about the best road to bike in all of Morocco: the Tizi n Test road. It’s labelled on maps as ‘difficult or dangerous’, which encourages people in search of a challenge. The Tizi n Test pass runs over the High Atlas mountains…
Here are three of my favourite sweet treats from this amazing kingdom: Ktefa is a traditional Moroccan dessert made with warqa pastry. It’s layered with delicious, sweetened fried almonds and covered with a custard sauce that’s scented with orange flower water. Ghoriba, or Moroccan cookies, can come in many different forms and flavours. One of…
Over the years I’ve picked up some good bits of trivia living here, and I’d like to share these Moroccan facts with you. The name of Jemaa el Fna, the vast market square in Marrakech, Morocco, can be literally translated as ‘Assembly of the Dead’ and may refer to the traditional display of the heads…