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Morocco Travel Guide

The latest travel Information on Morocco, includes ideas on Things to See and Do, Local Events, Consulate & Embassy Contact Addresses and much more, all from a first-time visitors point of view.

Morocco Information

Overview

As you relax in your hammam (steam bath), tuck into your tagine (stew), bargain in the souks or slide into your comfy caftan (ankle-length gown) - Moroccan trends much copied elsewhere but never equal to the originals - you may be surprised how easily you slip into another culture and another century. In these small signature moments of pleasure, Morocco warps all sense of time and place as surely as a desert mirage.

To get your bearings, just look to the horizon. You will notice refined minarets and rugged mud-brick ksour (fortifications), sparkling coastline with silken sand and striped canyons carved out of the High Atlas Mountains. Morocco has been staunchly independent throughout its history yet remained open to ideas, creating a heady mix of cultures, religions and languages with ancient roots and a strikingly modern outlook. The influence of Romans, Arabs and Europeans is spotted in monuments throughout the country. Though you will hear French spoken in city boulevards - a vestige of the 50-year French Protectorate - a half-dozen Berber languages and Moroccan Arabic are still widely spoken. So is Morocco Mediterranean, African, Arab or Berber? Correct answer: all of the above.

For centuries travellers have crossed shifting sands and braved mountain passes in search of mythic Morocco, expecting to be dazzled by its royal palaces, unexpected oases, distinctive handicrafts and spectacular feats of hospitality. Modern-day Morocco doesn’t disappoint. Whether you’ve come to relax in family-style riads (guest houses) or stretch your imagination on treks to distant Berber villages, you’ll meet Moroccans who go out of their way to exceed your expectations. The people who have called Morocco home for millennia have proved themselves adaptable to Sahara Desert silences and chatty market-day medinas (old towns), mingling in Tuareg trading posts and ancient mellahs (Jewish quarters). The greeting that reaches your ears today echoes across the centuries: Ahlanwasahlan, you are welcome in Morocco.

Author

Richard Hopton

Top Things To See

Witness the dazzling, shape-shifting dunes of the Sahara at Merzouga, where the next stop across the sands is the legendary Timbuktu.

Marvel at the non-stop drama in the Djemaa el-Fna, the highly irregular UNESCO-protected public square of old Marrakech, where you can see henna-painters, potion-sellers, snake-charmers and acrobats by day, and storytellers, Gnaoua musicians, cross-dressing belly dancers and the world’s biggest grilling competition nightly.

Boggle your mind with the spectacular outer-space landscapes of the Todra Gorge, reached through the dramatic Dades Valley carpeted with wild roses in spring.

Unravel the mystery of Fes, the refined ancient centre of sacred learning and imperial power with its labyrinthine streets anchored by the soaring minarets of the Al-Qarawiyin and Al-Andalus mosques (not open to visitors) and captured in centuries of history at the Dar Batha Museum.

Take in the art colony charms of seaside Asilah, where whitewashed walls are a ready canvas for colourful murals.

Explore the third-century Roman ruins at Volubilis, which are on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, and the nearby archaeological museum preserving the area’s Jewish, Berber and Roman past.

Mellow out in the blue-tinged medina of Chefchaouen, where Moroccan archways harmonise with Andalusian architecture.

Wander the streets of Casablanca ’s whitewashed old-town and admire its faded Moroccan art deco glories, from wrought-iron geometric arabesque gates to faded movie palaces.

Flashback to the decadent Bohemian days of Tangier in the Grand Socco and Petit Socco, where writers like Paul Bowles, Beat poets and rock stars like the Rolling Stones found inspiration.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Top Things To Do

Bargain your best for handicrafts at the souk (market) in historic Fes, a UNESCO World Heritage landmark. But don’t expect a brisk business transaction: in Morocco, successful negotiations unfold in a leisurely, sociable way, accompanied by bottomless glasses of mint tea.

Experience a climatic moment atop Morocco’s picturesque High Atlas Mountains. One of the most popular treks is the ascent of Jebel Toubkal (4,167m/13,671ft), North Africa’s highest peak, starting from the idyllic Berber village of Imlil, built right into the base of the mountain.

Let off some steam in a traditional hammam (steam bath), where the tabaya (assistant) will slough away your cares and a layer of skin using traditional savon noir (black soap) and a rough glove, followed by a massage with rejuvenating essential oils.

Head boldly into the Sahara on your trusty steed. Camel treks (méharrées) can be arranged throughout the Sahara Desert region in southwestern Morocco, where you can camp under the stars on a camel caravan.

Get into the summer groove at May’s TANJazz in Tangiers, June’s Gnaoua and World Music Festival in Essaouira, July’s Marrakech Festival of Popular Arts and the Festival of World Sacred Music in Fes, also in July.

Storm the battlements of the spectacular desert kasbahs built right into cliff walls lining the Drâa Valley. You won’t get much resistance these days. Some fortifications like Aït Benhaddou have been used as Hollywood film sets.

Swim, surf, windsurf and splash around in the Atlantic in the sheltered, sandy coves of Agadir and Oualidia and the one-time Portuguese pirate ports of El Jadida and Essaouira.

Spot millennia-old Berber petroglyphs as you rock-climb and spelunk your way across the Middle and High Atlas Mountains and get a foothold on the rock faces of the Dades and Todra Gorges.

Hit the rapids white-water rafting as you pass through spectacular gorges on the rivers of the High and Middle Atlas ranges.

Mountain-bike through desert oases and rugged terrain trails in the Anti-Atlas and Drâa Valley, and enjoy nature without the environmental damage to the fragile local ecosystem caused by dune buggies and 4-wheel drives.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Going Out

Food and Drink

Fusion isn’t a new trend in Morocco, where the cuisine is a blend of Mediterranean, Arabic, Jewish, Persian, West African and Berber influences. Meals range from the diffa, an elaborate multi-course feast featuring elegantly presented cous cous and grilled meats, to quick bites of Merguez sausages and shwarma (spit-roasted lamb sandwich) at a curbside snak, or casual restaurant. Produce is seasonal, grown locally and typically without chemical pesticides or fertilisers. Local specialities are often grown in small quantities, so the fresh cherries you may enjoy in Sefrou might be impossible to find in Agadir. Although some sit-down Moroccan restaurants now offer à la carte menus, a three-course fixed-price menu is still common at dinner. Restaurants offer a good selection of food, including typical Moroccan fare, plus French, Italian, Spanish and fusion dishes. Many souk stalls sell kebabs (brochettes), often served with harissa (hot pepper sauce). Laws on alcohol are fairly liberal (for non-Muslim visitors) and bars in most tourist areas stay open late. Wines, beers and spirits are widely available, although drinking alcohol in view of a mosque or during Ramadan is discouraged. Locally produced wines, beers and mineral waters are a fair value, but imported drinks tend to be expensive.

National specialities:
• Harira (a tomato-based soup).
• Pastilla (a pigeon-meat pie layered with flaky dough and dusted with cinnamon and sugar).
• Couscous (a savoury semolina dish cooked with local vegetables and/or meat).
• Tajine (a rich, fragrant stew, with some combination of lamb, chicken or fish with onions, olives, almonds, tomato, herbs or dried fruit).
• Mechoui (slow-roasted, stuffed lamb or beef).

National drinks:
• Mint tea (aka ‘Berber whiskey’) is strong green ‘gunpowder’ tea mixed with fresh mint and heavily laced with sugar.
• Coffee is French press, espresso or Turkish style.

Tipping: Tips range from a few Dirhams for cleaning service to 5-10% of total meal cost.

Nightlife

Morocco offers a variety of diversions nightly, including bars, discos and restaurants, often with live music or belly dancing as part of the evening’s entertainment. The party usually gets started around midnight, when dining tables are shoved out of the way to accommodate serious hip-shaking, and the fashionable make their entrance in nightclubs. There are also casinos in Marrakech, Mohammedia, Tangier and Agadir. But high-stakes entertainment can’t compare to the cheap, fantastic thrills of halqa, the street theatre performances by acrobats, musicians and cross-dressing belly dancers who perform for spare change in city squares across Morocco, especially Tangier and the Djemaa el-Fna in Marrakech (UNESCO’s World Heritage site for oral history).

Shopping

About as far as you can imagine from the typical department store, the souks are a maze of stores and artisans’ workshops loosely organised by trade: leatherwork, basketry, carpets, jewellery, herbal remedies, metalworking or ceramics. These local handicrafts are produced by artisans and maalems (master craftsmen) whose techniques and tools have been handed down through generations, and the handiwork can range from charmingly rustic to flat-out astounding. To gauge what prices are considered fair, visit a state-run cooperative. Bargaining is essential in souks, and good buys generally work out at around a third of the asking price, or whatever you’re happy paying. In the south, there are Berber carpet auctions, especially in Marrakech, Taroudannt and Tiznit. For fixed prices shops, head outside the souks to the nouvelle villes, or new town areas.

Shopping hours: Mon-Thurs 0900-1230 and 1530-1900, Fri 0900-1100 and 1530-1900; large stores are open Mon-Sat 0900-1300 and 1530-1900; souks (traditional markets) are open Mon-Sun 0900-1300 and 1530-1900.

Climate

The Moroccan climate varies according to season and region. The coast has a warm, Mediterranean climate tempered on the eastern coast by southwest trade winds. Inland areas have a hotter, drier, continental climate. In the south of the country, the weather is very hot and dry throughout most of the year, though temperatures can drop dramatically at night, especially in the months of December and January. Rain falls from November to March in coastal areas, and the country is mostly dry with high temperatures in summer and a cooler climate in the mountains. Marrakech and Agadir enjoy an average temperature of 21°C (70ºF) in the winter.

Required Clothing

Lightweight cottons and linens are worn during summer, with warm mediumweights for the evenings, during the winter, and in the mountains. Waterproofing is advisable in the wet season, particularly on the coast and in the mountains.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
10 Jan Fatih Muharram (Muslim New Year).
11 Jan Manifesto of Independence.
20 Mar Aïd al-Mawlid (Prophet’s Birthday).
1 May Labour Day.
30 Jul Feast of the Throne.
14 Aug Fête Oued Eddahab (Oued Eddahab Allegiance Day).
20 Aug Révolution du Roi et du Peuple (Anniversary of the King and the People’s Revolution).
21 Aug King Mohammed’s Birthday.
2 Oct Aïd al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
6 Nov Marche Verte (Anniversary of the Green March).
18 Nov Fête de l’Indépendance (Independence Day).
9 Dec Aïd al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
29 Dec Fatih Muharram (Muslim New Year).

2009
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
11 Jan Manifesto of Independence.
9 Mar Aïd al-Mawlid (Prophet’s Birthday).
1 May Labour Day.
30 Jul Feast of the Throne.
14 Aug Fête Oued Eddahab (Oued Eddahab Allegiance Day).
20 Aug Révolution du Roi et du Peuple (Anniversary of the King and the People’s Revolution).
21 Aug King Mohammed’s Birthday.
21 Sep Aïd al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
6 Nov Marche Verte (Anniversary of the Green March).
18 Nov Fête de l’Indépendance (Independence Day).
28 Nov Aïd al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).

Note

Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon, and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Aïd al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted until the end of Aïd al-Fitr. Aïd al-Fitr and Aïd al-Adha may last two to 10 days, depending on the region.

Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: Yes

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No

Health Care

There are good medical facilities in all main cities, including emergency pharmacies (see postings in pharmacy windows listing the nearest pharmacie du garde, or after-hours pharmacy) and clinics in major hotels outside normal opening hours. Government hospitals provide free or minimal charge emergency treatment.

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Moroccan Dirham (MAD; symbol Dh) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of Dh200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of Dh10, 5 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.

Currency Exchange

Moroccan Dirhams can only be obtained in Morocco. The most convenient way to obtain Dirhams is through an ATM, where official rates automatically apply, but daily withdrawal limits can seem low for customers paying cash for rugs in the souks. National currencies should be exchanged at official bureaux de change only (identified by a golden sign); changing money in the street is illegal. There is no commission charge and visitors will be issued with a receipt which they must keep in order to exchange Moroccan currency back into the original national currency upon departure.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

Some credit cards are accepted in larger restaurants, hotels, guest houses and the occasional shop in the souks. Cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in larger towns.

Traveller's Cheques

To avoid additional exchange rate surcharges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.

Currency Restrictions

Restrictions apply.

Banking Hours

Mon-Thurs 0830-1230 and 1500-1830, Fri 0830-1200 and 1500-1830.

Passport/Visa

British