- For the Imperial City of Fès, Marrakech and Meknès. They are surely place among the best conserved medieval cities in the world, still able to place you centuries ago.



- Because of the natural spectacle of the Dades greed, at 100 km to the west of Ouarzazate. Gigantic rock formations of okra color, near a small berberi village.



- To do trekking over the high footpath of the Atlantes, this is one of the highest mountain chains of the continent. On winter you may absolutely ski, as the summits are snowy during the whole year.

- Because of the color and confusions of the souk. Among all market from the north of Africa, those of Morocco are probably the most funny and vivacious.

GEOGRAFIC DATA

Morocco is located in the northwest extreme of Africa; divided by the Atlantic and Mediterranean costs. In its interior it crossed by four mountain chains, one of them the Atlantes, has snowy summit during the whole year. The plateaus between the sea and the mountains are very fertile and rich I water. To the south on the contrary, takes its place the Saharan desert, which does not aloud any kind of agriculture.

Time zone: -2.0 (summer), -1.0 (winter)

Day’s Duration: maximum 14.5 hour (June); minimum 9.5 hours (December)

WHEN TO GO

On the northern coast the weather is tourist-friendly pretty much all year round, although winter can bring cool and wet conditions. Beaches further south are prone to fog in the summer months, a phenomenon caused when the heat of the desert meets the chill Atlantic current.

In the lowlands, the cooler months from October to April are popular among visitors. This time of year is pleasantly warm to hot (around 30°C) during the day and cool to cold (around 15°C) at night. Winter in the higher regions demands some serious insulation. If you're heading into the hills, the ski season usually lasts from December to March. April to October is the main trekking season, when the mountain snows start to thaw.

In high season (mid-June-mid-September) you'll need to book or you may find areas full.

WEATHER

Summer at Morocco is torrid; the heat is bearable only along the cost. So, we advice you not to visit the Imperial City in August. Winter is more at less moderate, anyway with cold nights, particularly in the interior, where in the atlantes mountain is absolutely possible to ski.

On the Atlantic-Mediterranean coastline June to September are the most pleasant times to visit Morocco, offering mostly rain-free days and moderately humid and warm conditions, with the mercury lingering around the high 20°Cs (low 80°Fs) during the daytime. Further inland, rain is sparse the year round and it can get quite hot. More comfortable conditions on the central plateau will be found during March to June and September to December. Don't underestimate the extremes of heat and cold in the higher mountains, where some peaks can remain snow-capped from November to June.

What to take

For summer take with you light dresses, with light sweaters for the afternoons. In winter take clothes of half season. Do not forget clothes for the city, although you are planning to have vacations at the beach. Those who want to ski may buy everything in the place.

TRANSPORT IN MOROCCO

With international airports at Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir and Marrakesh, Morocco is well linked to Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The introduction of new budget airline routes to most main Moroccan cities has also made flying to Morocco considerably cheaper. Taking your own vehicle to Morocco is straightforward. There's a variety of car ferries and jetfoils operating between Algericas and Ceuta in Spain and Morocco's Tangier.

CULTURE/MUSEUM

Archeological Museum

Address: Rue Al-Brihi, Rabat

Schedule: 8.30-12, 14.30-18; closed on Tuesday

Entrance is paid

It is perhaps the best archeological museum in Morocco. It conserved the archeological findings from the whole country, with lots of testimonies of the Imperial Cities of Fes, Marrakech and Meknes.

Morocco’s Museum of Arts

Address: Rue Riad Zitoun El-Jedid, Marrakech

Schedule: 9-12, 16-19; 11.30-15 Friday; closed on Tuesdays

Entrance is paid

This Morocco’s museum is hostess in the ancient Palais Dar Si Said. You may find practically all the craft of every ethnos, present in Morocco, from the most simple to the most complicated, included splendid ancient carpets.

The Mosque Hassan Museum

Address: Blvd. Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdullah, Casablanca

Schedule: Guided visit from 9, 10, 11 e 14, everyday but not on Saturdays.

Entrance is paid

It is the one of the biggest monument in the world built in honor of a sovereign. Surely the one which has cost more, as the manufacturing expenses has surpassed the 800 million dollars. And also seeing the effort made by the contribution of more than 10 thousands men. It is understandable the reason why of this quantity of money.

Art Museum Morocco

Address: Place of Istiqlal, Fès

Schedule: 9-12, 15-18; closed on Tuesdays

Entrance is paid

It is an old building of the last century, and gathers lots of craft coming from other ruins. You may see ancient and tribal ceramics belonging to a period that goes from the XIV century up to the present days.

THE MOROCCAN CUISINE

The foods of Morocco take great advantage of the natural bounty of a country where eating is both a practical and social ritual. The cooks in the kitchens of the four royal cities (Fez, Meknes, Marrakech and Rabat) helped to refine Moroccan cuisine and create the basis for what we know as Moroccan cuisine today. The midday meal is the main meal, except during the holy month of Ramadan, and abundant servings are the norm. The meal usually begins with a series of hot and cold salads which are followed by a tagine, or stew. The heartiest plate, often a lamb or chicken dish, is next, followed by a heaping plate of couscous topped with meats and vegetables. A soothing cup of sweet mint tea is the grace note to this repast. It is not uncommon for Moroccans to eat using the first three fingers of a hand, and to use bread as a "utensil."

The strong Arab influence found in two of the royal cities, Fez and Marrakech, contributed greatly to Moroccan cuisine, as did the Andalusian sensibilities of Tetuan and the Jewish traditions from the coastal city of Essaouira. Aspects of all of these cultures can be found in four of the best-loved Moroccan dishes: couscous, plumped semolina grains which are served with a variety of toppings; bisteeya, a delectable three-layer pie which is both savory and sweet and wrapped in the thinnest of pastry; mechoui, tender roasted lamb; and djej emshmel, succulent roasted chicken cooked with olives and lemon.

While spices have been imported to Morocco for thousands of years, many commonly-used raw ingredients are home-grown: mint and olives from Meknes, oranges and lemons from sunny Fez, prickly pear from Casablanca and shad from the Sebou river. Also cultivated in Morocco are pomegranates, almonds, dates, walnuts, chestnuts, honey, barley, cherries and melon. Seafood is abundant along the Atlantic coast while lamb and poultry are raised on higher ground.

The Moroccans are quick to point out that the best meals are found not in the restaurants but in the homes. In this land of good and abundant food, the emphasis is clearly on preparing your own. It is worth mentioning that women do virtually all of the cooking in this very traditional country.

SHOPPING IN MOROCCO

Moroccan Crafts

Craft, or artesanie, traditions are still highly active, and even the goods that are mass-produced for tourists are surprisingly untacky. However, to find pieces of real quality is not that easy. Some crafts have become dulled by centuries of repetition and others have been corrupted by modern techniques and chemical dyes. If you’re planning on buying something, it’s always worth getting as close to the source of the goods as possible. You can get a good idea of the original standards by visiting one of the various traditional craft museums that are spread around the country. There are pretty good ones in Fez, Meknes, Tangier, Rabat, and Marrakesh.

Carpets Rugs and Blankets

Moroccan carpets aren’t very cheap, you can pay thousands of dollars for the finer Arab designs in Fez or Rabat. However it is possible to find rugs and kellims which are woven rather than knotted, at more reasonable prices.

Pottery

Pottery in Morocco is colorful if fairly crudely made on the whole, though the blue-and-white designs of Fez and the multicolored parts of the Chefchaouen are highly attractive.

Food

You’ll find quite a big variety of food products in Morocco that you won’t find very easily back at home, and which will make an easy and inexpensive gift or souvenir. Locally produced olive oil is very easy to find, they are distinctive with a very strong flavor. Olives also comes in numerous varieties, and there are many shops that specialize only in the selling of olives.

Bargaining

Bargaining is entirely natural in Morocco. Never pay attention to initial prices. This is simply a device to test the limits of a particular deal or situation. The best thing to do is to visit a fixed price store to determine the real prices of the crafts. Set your mind on how much you are willing to pay and then go back to the souks to negotiate the prices of the articles. You should always take your time when bargaining. You might get a better deal than some other tourist with less patience or experience. So be patient and stick to what you feel is a fair price.

Furriery

Furriery in Morocco is as famous as in France; where people use the word “maroquinerie" in order to indicate all business selling leather articles. With the hide tehy make all kind of objects, from the classic shoes and belts up to more complex articles, as masks, object holders, and puff embroidered in silk. You must avoid the slippers which are not useful not even at home.

Cesare Ambrosi

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