getting to know
Morocco
bound
Only an hour away from Spain, Morocco feels like a world away
from Europe, says Robert Seymour. But if you want to
experience a different way of life, this could be the perfect choice.
M
orroco, especially
Marrakech, was for
many years a must-
stop on the old hippie
trail. Although the
magic that brought
the tuned-in and dropped-out crowds in the
1960s and 1970s is still here, things have
changed, not least that instead of spending
several days in a crowded minibus travel-
ling overland, you can now fly direct from
the UK not only to Casablanca but to Fez,
Agadir and Marrakech itself. It’s also very
good value for money, though it would
sound strange to describe it as a budget
holiday destination.
Despite decades under Spanish and
French colonial rule – which produced the
new town quarters to mirror the old Medina
districts in the major cities - this is still obvi-
ously very much a traditional Islamic culture
with the vibrant indigenous Berber way of
life in no sense under threat. My own first
introduction to Morocco was as a 19-year-
old student when I spent the whole of a sum-
mer wandering around the country. It was a
marvellous experience, one that I’ll never
forget (especially as it was my first introduc-
tion to the art of haggling: see below for
some hardwon advice!). You could easily
spend six months travelling around the
country and only scratch the surface – on
that first visit I spent most of my time in
Marrakech and the High Atlas mountains
and while I didn’t regret a minute of it, the
brief time I then spent in Tangier,
Casablanca (which feels more French than
6 The Travel & Leisure Magazine
Moroccan in many ways) and Fez gave me
an appetite to return.
World Heritage Site
Fez – a former capital of Morocco - may
not have the international fame of
Marrakech and is rather more traditionally
conservative, but it is more than a match for
it architecturally and is arguably the coun-
try’s intellectual centre, home to probably
the world’s oldest university and nearly 800
mosques: the Al Qarawiyin Mosque,
Morocco’s oldest, retains its original
minaret, built in 956. The city has over 8km
of fortified walls but it’s the medina, the
whole of which is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, which is absolutely unforget-
table, not least because it’s so narrow and
mazelike that first-time visitors are almost
guaranteed to get lost within it.
‘...that Tardis
feeling of hidden
depth and light is
truly astounding...’
It’s also a bustling and very much work-
ing area where transport is by bike or don-
key, never car, and you can happily stumble
around for others, enjoying the specialities
of each district, whether they be dyers, pot-
ters, woodcarvers or weavers. As in the rest
of Morocco, if you get the chance of quick
peek beyond these labyrinthine walls into
the patios behind, make the most of it – that
Tardis feeling of hidden depth and light is
truly astounding. As well as being famous
for the high standard of its handicrafts, Fez
is also home to one of the world’s most
important music festivals, the annual week-
long Fez Festival of World Sacred Music
which attracts internationally famous musi-
cians such as Ravi Shankar and Youssou
N’Dour. A great blog about Fez is The View
From Fez at http://riadzany.blogspot.com.

Tangier, like many of Morocco’s famous

cities, has a strong eccentric and cosmopoli-
tan feeling to it: once it was famously an
international zone which was home to writ-
ers such as Paul Bowles and particular pop-
ular among artists such as Matisse, as well
as being religiously very multicultural. It’s
still good to factor in a visit to the city
today, especially as it is so close to Spain.
But the focus of many travellers’ attention
is Marrakech and the first stop is almost
always the Djemaa el Fna.
During the day, this square in the epicen-
tre of the medina is fairly quiet. It’s pleasant
to do a bit of people watching from one of
the many café terraces around the square

The Travel & Leisure Magazine 7

with a nice hot and sweet mint tea or try an
orange juice from one of the sellers on carts.
Later on you could try out one of
Marrakech’s bathhouses or ‘hammams’ (your
hotel will be able to give you details of the
best local ones as well as opening times). But
as the night begins to draw in, it becomes a
real festival spectacle space with musicians,
dancers, acrobats, storytellers, snake charm-
ers and dentists (complete with pulled teeth
in a massive bag to indicate how successful
they’ve been…), all enclosed within circles
of spectators as they pull off their finest
tricks. There are also endless food stalls
where you can pick whatever you like and
see it cooked fresh right in front of you – eat-
ing out is a great way to get genuine feel for
the city. Once it’s properly dark, look out for
the Gnaoua musicians who play trancelike
hypnotic music on drums, flutes and three-
string guitars. These are a revelation. Take it
all in from one of the rooftop terraces, such
as the Café de France’s or the Hôtel CTM’s.
To Go Exploring
The Djemaa is a great place to start your
exploration of the area. Close by is the mar-
vellous Koutoubia Mosque (nearly 70m
high and a useful landmark if you get lost,
it was begun around 1150 and is atmospher-
ically illuminated at night) and Avenue
Mohammed V, the street which takes you up
into the newer areas of the city known as
Gueliz. And of course, it’s right next to the
souks. Although you can visit these ancient
Eating and drinking
You can eat and drink well in
Morocco on a low budget in places
around the older parts of town in the
medinas although it’s worth splashing
out to try out a more upmarket
restaurant or two.The country’s
signature dish is tajine, a kind of stew,
often with lamb, prunes and almonds,
eaten with couscous, and traditionally
with your hand rather than a knife
and fork: remember, eat only with
your right hand in someobody’s
house. Also delicious is the spicy bean
soup harira and there are always
delicious pastries available. Personally,
I enjoyed the pigeon pies but can see
why these might not be everybody’s
first choice of dinner.You mustn’t
leave the country without several
mint teas inside you either.This is
brewed simply – a massive bunch of
mint and an equally vast amount of
sugar – but is lovely. Orange juice is
widely available, but it’s often wiser to
ask for it without ice or water if your
stomach is delicate.Tread carefully
with alcohol – it’s not possible usually
for example to find it in medinas.
However if you get the chance to try
some of the country’s red wines,
you’ll almost certainly enjoy the taste.
markets any time of the day, and it’s maybe
wiser to try them in daylight hours for the
first time to get your bearings, in the early
evening they become a whole new world
without end. They’re loud, they’re colourful
and they’re terribly tempting (a good blog
about Marrakech and shopping in general
there is My Marrakesh at http://
moroccanmaryam.typepad.com).
There are maps of the souks and it is well
worth consulting them before you go in for
a general feel, but the joy of them is simply
wandering around (don’t worry about get-
ting lost – the ubiquitous ‘guides’ will seek
you out and give you a helping hand). Each
area specialises, so look out for:
● Souk Smarine, if you’re interested in tex-
tiles which leads onto a section selling
herbal remedies
● kissarias, the covered markets which tend
to sell more expensive goods, interesting
but not really what you’re here for
● Souk des Bijoutiers, for jewellery
● Souk Cherratin, for leatherwork
Haggling
And when you buy in a souk, you are
expected, almost encouraged, to haggle for
everything. For the uninitiated, you should
first choose your haggling spot carefully. In
Morocco, the deeper into a souk you
explore, the less likely you are to encounter
inflated tourist prices. Above all, avoid mid-
dlemen like guides – their commission for
delivering you to their ‘brother’s’ carpet
The Travel & Leisure Magazine 9
with a nice hot and sweet mint tea or try an
orange juice from one of the sellers on carts.
Later on you could try out one of
Marrakech’s bathhouses or ‘hammams’ (your
hotel will be able to give you details of the
best local ones as well as opening times). But
as the night begins to draw in, it becomes a
real festival spectacle space with musicians,
dancers, acrobats, storytellers, snake charm-
ers and dentists (complete with pulled teeth
in a massive bag to indicate how successful
they’ve been…), all enclosed within circles
of spectators as they pull off their finest
tricks. There are also endless food stalls
where you can pick whatever you like and
see it cooked fresh right in front of you – eat-
ing out is a great way to get genuine feel for
the city. Once it’s properly dark, look out for
the Gnaoua musicians who play trancelike
hypnotic music on drums, flutes and three-
string guitars. These are a revelation. Take it
all in from one of the rooftop terraces, such
as the Café de France’s or the Hôtel CTM’s.
To Go Exploring
The Djemaa is a great place to start your
exploration of the area. Close by is the mar-
vellous Koutoubia Mosque (nearly 70m
high and a useful landmark if you get lost,
it was begun around 1150 and is atmospher-
ically illuminated at night) and Avenue
Mohammed V, the street which takes you up
into the newer areas of the city known as
Gueliz. And of course, it’s right next to the
souks. Although you can visit these ancient
Eating and drinking
You can eat and drink well in
Morocco on a low budget in places
around the older parts of town in the
medinas although it’s worth splashing
out to try out a more upmarket
restaurant or two.The country’s
signature dish is tajine, a kind of stew,
often with lamb, prunes and almonds,
eaten with couscous, and traditionally
with your hand rather than a knife
and fork: remember, eat only with
your right hand in someobody’s
house. Also delicious is the spicy bean
soup harira and there are always
delicious pastries available. Personally,
I enjoyed the pigeon pies but can see
why these might not be everybody’s
first choice of dinner.You mustn’t
leave the country without several
mint teas inside you either.This is
brewed simply – a massive bunch of
mint and an equally vast amount of
sugar – but is lovely. Orange juice is
widely available, but it’s often wiser to
ask for it without ice or water if your
stomach is delicate.Tread carefully
with alcohol – it’s not possible usually
for example to find it in medinas.
However if you get the chance to try
some of the country’s red wines,
you’ll almost certainly enjoy the taste.
markets any time of the day, and it’s maybe
wiser to try them in daylight hours for the
first time to get your bearings, in the early
evening they become a whole new world
without end. They’re loud, they’re colourful
and they’re terribly tempting (a good blog
about Marrakech and shopping in general
there is My Marrakesh at http://
moroccanmaryam.typepad.com).
There are maps of the souks and it is well
worth consulting them before you go in for
a general feel, but the joy of them is simply
wandering around (don’t worry about get-
ting lost – the ubiquitous ‘guides’ will seek
you out and give you a helping hand). Each
area specialises, so look out for:
● Souk Smarine, if you’re interested in tex-
tiles which leads onto a section selling
herbal remedies
● kissarias, the covered markets which tend
to sell more expensive goods, interesting
but not really what you’re here for
● Souk des Bijoutiers, for jewellery
● Souk Cherratin, for leatherwork
Haggling
And when you buy in a souk, you are
expected, almost encouraged, to haggle for
everything. For the uninitiated, you should
first choose your haggling spot carefully. In
Morocco, the deeper into a souk you
explore, the less likely you are to encounter
inflated tourist prices. Above all, avoid mid-
dlemen like guides – their commission for
delivering you to their ‘brother’s’ carpet
The Travel & Leisure Magazine 9
 TOURISM EXHIBITION
Moroccan Travel Market (MTM) is the new international tourism exhibition to be
held annually in Morocco following this year’s successful launch in Marrakech
which showcased the Maghreb and Africa. Extremely well organized by Zeyneb
Ghoti, all visitors from the UK were made to feel very welcome at the first event.
Tourism is a key part of Morocco’s economy: in 2006, visitor numbers topped 6.5
million and last year the number of overnight stays was well over 14.5 million, a
record for the country. Enjoying the Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI,
MTM is part of the Kingdom’s tourism policy aiming to reach 10 million tourists
by 2010. Although it traditionally relies on French visitors, Morocco is attracting
increasingly international visitors and businesses from Europe and the Gulf. In
response to the rise of the internet, the emergence of new distribution channels,
the birth of new niche tourism, the culture, welfare and tourism itself, Morocco,
not just for its own growth but also for those of the African continent had to
create an international exhibition on tourism, hence MTM was born.

shop is added onto any price you eventually
pay. Chat to the stallholder before you
begin. You’re initiating a relationship, doing
more than just buying. You are entering a
ritual: consider giving him or her a postcard
from home or an instant Polaroid photo of
themselves to create a positive mood. If
you’re with your kids, introduce them to
make the transaction more personal.
Once you’ve spotted what you want,
ignore it. Pretend to be interested in some-
thing completely different. After a while,
casually pick up whatever you’re really after.
Ask the price and show astonishment at how
high it is. Emphasise you want a serious fig-
ure before making an offer, perhaps one third
to a half of the original sum. When the trader
gives you their patter (‘You think I’m mad?
You are crazy man my friend. Crazy. What is
your last offer, your very last offer?…Ha, ha.
Crazy price. I have many children,’ etc,) give
him some back. Maybe a ‘friend’ of yours
has bought the same thing much cheaper. Or
perhaps you’ll come back ‘tomorrow’? Keep
asking for the best price (they’ll ask you the
same) to bring it down although don’t bar-
gain at length unless you’re genuinely inter-
ested. Keep the haggling friendly but consid-
er walking away to encourage him to lower
his offer and hang onto your sale. If you buy
more than one item, ask for a reduction for
buying in bulk or offer something in part
exchange. Finally, if you’re getting close to
your target price, don’t be too forceful over
the last few pesetas - remember that this is
how the stallholder lives.

10 The Travel & Leisure Magazine

 Palace. The tombs are now restored after cen-
ts
YO U R M o ro cc o Fac turies of neglect and the garden and courtyard
areas contain the final resting places of more
rocco is well linked
al air po rts at the major cities so Mo than a hundred princes and members of their
There are int ern ati on ys, Royal Air Maroc,
rou s car rie rs including British Airwa household. The gravestones are works of art
to the UK wit h nu me anair and Thomsonfly
t low co st air line Atlas Blue, Easyjet, Ry in themselves with some gorgeous tiling
North Afr ica ’s firs Algericas in Spain and
. Ple nty of ferries operate between work. The palace is ruined, but still gives an
offering dir ect flig hts raltar to Tangier but
als o hig h-s pe ed ferry options from Gib impression of wealth and power and what
Tangier.T he re are get ferries to Ceuta
eti me s be a bit bumpy.You can also easily remains today to be visited is the area where
these can som from Almeria and
roc co (te chn ically Spanish territory) ambassadors were received.
and Me lilla in Mo ing from France.
u co uld alw ays take a car ferry too, includ Enjoying the cities of Morocco is only part
Malag a. An d yo o.uk) and Southern
de tai ls at Di rec t Fer rie s (www.directferries.c of its appeal – to get to grips with the country,
More head for the hills. The High Atlas mountains
ferries.co.uk).
Ferries (www.southern ou could think about
hin the country is just as easy.Y rail are a showcase for the traditional Berber peo-
Getting around wit very good value, bus and
ern al flig hts bu t the re’ s also a ver y good, and h sle ep ing car
ples and a stay in any of the small villages that
int swift wit
ndable, comfortable and are dotted around the hillsides is a memorable
network.Trains are depe b site (w ww .seat61.com) has plenty experience. Although you can get up into the
t Sixty One we
options. The Man In Sea fro m London to Morocco in
48 hours on
mountains under your own steam, there are
ing ho w to get
of information includ of taxis around and a
rney.There are also plenty many companies which offer safari-type trips
a really pleasant train jou y Me rcedes, for hopping betw
een towns, a
into the High Atlas, whether it be walking or
, bas ed on spe ed
shared taxi system cycling including Epic Morocco’s Walking
.
great way to meet locals eri ng trips to and around Mo
rocco is Epic with Nomads option, as part of which you fol-
ny op era tor s off ted to Travel
Among the ma .uk , mentioned above); Addic low a family in a migrating tribe through the
icm or oc co .co
Morocco (www .ep ng into what’s
ted to tra ve l.c om a good site for researchi mountains on their six-monthly move to fresh
http://www.ad dic -voyages.ma; Hip
lan ca- bas ed Ca rav an Voyages www.caravan pastures in the Jebel Saghro range in the south
on offer; Casab om and
at www.hipmorocco.c of the country. Like so much of Morocco, it’s
Morocco/Hip Marrakech offer English-speaking ria
ds. Once inside an experience as much as a holiday.
ch .co m wh ich
www.hipma rra ke – one of the most
are ma ny op tio ns for seeing the sights
the country the re ss of champagne
is in a ho t air bal loo n over Marrakech with a gla Agadir
interesting
://cieldafrique.info). Morocco is not simply a feast for the brain,
with Ciel d’Afrique (http three, four and five
e cho ice of accommodation, from it’s also a marvellous place to kick back and
There is a ver y wid ticularly luxurious
e Ma mo un ia (w ww .mamounia.com) is par relax, and there’s nowhere better for that than
star hotel s (th lar riads and dars,
spl urg e) to the increasingly popu Agadir on the country’s south-west Atlantic
if you’r e loo kin g to – often by foreigners
ho use s which have been restored coast The city, once a fishing village and
tradition al Mo roc can uil boutique hotels.They
cro ss be tw een sec on d homes and rather tranq now a major fishing port, has a genuinely
– as a start your
ally co mm on in Ma rrakech. A good place to beautiful bay with 10 kilometres of white
are esp eci ’s own site at
dat ion sea rch is the Moroccan Tourist Board sand and around 340 days of sunshine a year
accom mo ensive.
g which is pretty compreh so it’s not surprising that it has also become
www.visitmorocco.or nt to lea ve, you might also want to
it so mu ch you don’t wa s in the country’s major holiday resort. The
An d if yo u like GEM Estates are specialist
nsi de r bu yin g a sec on d home in the country. tat es.co m) . swimming and watersports are great here but
co .gem-es
their web site at (www don’t expect to find the narrow old streets of
Moroccan property – see a ran ge of Mo rocco adventure options the country’s other cities: after an earthquake
.co.uk) has
Explore (www.explore into the High Atlas and
camping, Marrakech, a trip in 1960, the city was comprehensively
such as 11 days including photos from their trips.
also has very atmospheric rebuilt. For a little historic trip, head for the
into the Sahara.The site hilltop Kasbah which gives great views. TL

12 The Travel & Leisure Magazine

 Epic Morocco

• Tailor-made holidays
• Group adventure tours
• Hiking with nomads
• Corporate groups

www.epicmorocco.co.uk
escape@epicmorocco.co.uk 020 8150 6131

An eclectic selection of riads and A selection of English speaking riads

hotels throughout Morocco in Marrakech

www.hipmorocco.com www.hipmarrakech.com
info@hipmorocco.com info@hipmarrakech.com
0208 816 7065 0208 816 7065
The Travel & Leisure Magazine 13
 NOMADIC EXPEDITIONS

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Hotels - Riads - Apartments
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14 The Travel & Leisure Magazine