Morocco is not a stopover. Morocco is the destination. The country has so much to offer which makes it difficult to visit it in a short period of time. One main reason is that many of the sites and attraction to see are a far distance from each other, even with a short plane ride between them, many hours in a car still await you. Second reason is the best time to travel are between the months March to May and September to November; this is because the summer season is too hot for locals let alone tourists and the winter has too much rain. But be warned these are their spring and fall months (as like in Canada) and it still rains a bit. Here are some tips to make sure your trip to Morocco lets you experience all it have to offer:
Timing: My visit to Morocco was going to Marrakesh for 8 days in October and it was not long enough. I thoroughly saw Marrakesh but I didn’t get to see everything else that the country has to offer, like Fez, Casablanca, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert. It wasn’t just due to my limited amount of time there but also the weather had a major factor as many activities can’t happen with rain and cold temperatures (like riding a camel).
Food: By far my favorite part of Morocco was the food! I ate my fair share of couscous and chicken and tagine, a traditional meal of slow cooked meat with spices and vegetables, named after the cone shaped dish it is cooked in. Morocco, as known for its many spices and herbs, had its famous mint tea on the ready which was nice given the colder weather. And lastly, Shisha (or also known as Hookah) with its array of flavors made our evening seems that much more Moroccan.
Accommodations: Having booked my trip somewhat last minute, I was very lucky to have found a room at the gorgeous Hotel & Spa Riad Al Jazira. A traditional hotel in Morocco is called a Riad which is like a town house with the rooms based around courtyards that host gardens or a fountain/pool of some sorts. The Riad Al Jazira is small but a very traditional Riad in the center of the old city only 15 minutes away from Jema El Fna square, hidden in the small winding streets behind the bazaar. This Riad host a traditional Moroccan breakfast with all there breads and jams served with eggs and tea and freshly squeezed juice.
Bazaar: Happy with all the purchases I made, the gifts I was able to treat myself to and others, gave me great memories to take back home from Morocco. Not so great memories was the struggle it was to bargain with the shop keepers. Some advice: pick YOUR price and don’t take no for an answer! Be prepared to walk away; you can find the same thing at 20 other stores within the bazaar!
Excursions/Activities: Morocco is filled with tons of activities to do just outside the city. A few that I got the chance to do were Atlas Mountains Day Trip with Camel Ride which was hosted by a very nice local from a Berber village named Ibrahim. Along with a lovely stroll in the Bahia Palace through the breathtaking courtyards. Or a bumpy ride on a quad through Palm Grove. And many more must have’s like Jardin Majorelle.
