![]() ![]() ![]() Just to the north is where the main souks unfold. One of the largest urban spaces in the world, it’s a circus of animal tamers, snake charmers, street dancers – you name it. Its historic heart is anchored by the vast Jemaa el-Fnaa. Of all the cities in Morocco with a medina, Marrakesh seems to hit the headlines most often. So, prepare for a haze of music, noise, aromas, and Moroccan people – a real feast for the senses. In addition, with one of the largest airports in the region, it’s likely to be your first port of call. This hectic and frenetic city bursts with souks and markets and bazaars. No visit to Morocco could possibly be complete without a jaunt to Marrakesh. Closer to home, you can spy the pass of Tizi Mzik and the first crags of Oukaimeden to the east. ![]() On the horizon, the mightiest mountain in the Atlas looms Toubkal, at 4,167 meters up. A single central street weaves past teahouses and mud-built mountain lodges. Up there, the weather in Morocco is noticeably cooler than on the Maghreb. They paint a streak of green chestnut trees and pines where any water flows. Past little Asni town, soaring mountains erupt to the left and right. Then the land crumples and its dusty hills and escarpments start to shoulder up. Leaving the Marrakesh medina, you soon start to pass adobe villages and rural farms. It rarely disappoints.Įven the journey in is something to write home about. For backpackers, this has long been the gateway to the fabled Atlas a place to wallow in the beautiful scenery of the Moroccan highlands. Stunning stuff.Ī rattling ride in a local bus to the south of Marrakesh will bring you to the mountain town of Imlil. And there are age-old bulwarks where you can stroll to see the evening light dying across the Atlantic Ocean. Argan workshops and carpet traders and scented coffee shops command the wide alleys there. Delve beneath one of the strong babs (gates) to find them. It’s a glowing scythe of yellow sand filled with surf rentals and small bars.īut the real treats lurk behind the salt-stained walls of the Essaouira old city. You can try your hand at that by making for the long beach to the south of the medina. It’s kissed by the summertime Alizee – a powerful coastal wind that’s helped to establish the town as a kitesurfing mecca. This is known as the windy city of Morocco. And paint-peeling fishing boats cluster around the docklands as the sunsets. There are hawkers touting argan oils and scented candles in the souks below. Seagulls cry out from battlements built by Berber kings. The waves of the Atlantic crash against a craggy shoreline. ![]()
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