MARRAKECH & FES
The highlights of Marrakech are less its museums and historic sites than the streets and souks of its medina, and you should allow plenty of time for wandering, stopping for mint tea , and getting inevitably lost. jemaa el fana makes a good place to start with a fresh organ juice in the square , is an easily - navigated introduction to the impressive palace museums of DAR SI SAID and BAHIA PALACE .the SAADIAN TOMBS are also a must - do n but can get very crowded. Get some lunch around here before heading north again to the KOUTOUBIA MOSQUE - Non-Muslims are not allowed in but the garden de la koutoubia is a good sport for a post - principal wander, and has good views of the minaret. shopping in the souks can be overwhelming ;then we will drive to the calming and colorful MAJORELLE GARDIN for a wonder among the greenery and glimpses of electric blue changing into something smart for dinner at one of the medina ‘s atmospheric Riad Restaurants But Fes is a fascinating city - perhaps as near to the middle agree as you can. The city has numerous historic buildings, centered on the Qarouiyine Mosque and some memorable souks, the Qarouiyine University founded 859, and one of the most prestigious centres of Morocco in the Arab world, the influence of university grew a few centuries later under the Merindis with the construction of colleges or Medersas. The two parts of Fes el bali were united by the almoravids in the 11th century and Fes became one of the major cities of Islam.
CHEFCHAOUEN (BLUE CITY):
Chefchaouen or Xaouen the Spanish version, is an exceptionally photogenic Andalucía Town in the Rif , The town itself could be explored in a day . The city also has many sanctuaries for pilgrims and each year thousands of visitors are attracted to pay homage to the memory of sidi ben ali. The bleu city was founded in 1471 by cherif Moulay ali ben Rachid , in order to halt the southwards expansion of the Spanish and Portuguese , the city’s population was later supplemented by Muslims and Jews expelled from Spain particularly from Granada. The old town is now ringed by a suburb of the usual three-story family apartment buildings, though it is now well established on tourist itinerary.
MERZOUGA AND DUNES OF ERG CHEBBI :
Some 60 Km southwest from erfoud , MERZOUGA has one attraction , The 150 m High Dunes of Erg chebbi, a vast pile of sand stretching into the Sahara. The Dunes are an offshoot of a much bigger area of Dunes across the border in Algeria but because of the relative accessibility of Erg chebbi they have often been used as a film set by Hollywood Dunes change color, from the palest cream to deep.
RABAT AND CASABLANCA:
Rabat : is a capital since only 1913 , Rabat has a long history. Behind its work -a-day facade, Morocco’s second city and the country’s political never centre bears traces of numerous civilizations. Thad roman beginning, as Colonia sale jonnie , a prosperous settlement watt to Berber Chellah , and then came the almohads , who made Rabat el Fath, the fortress old victory , an imperial capital « The unfinished Tour Hassan minaret dates from this time », in the 17th century , Rabat was rebuilt by Andalucian Refugees .Rabat has three sets of walls : Almohaden wall around the Kasbah , the 5km of almorabit wall around much of the city centre dating from the 12th century , and the wall now separating the Medina and the new city built by the andalucians in the early 17th century . The walls are bullet of pies, though considerably repaired, strengthened and adapted they are much as they were original. in Rabat you will find Four gates still standing in the almorabite wall : Bab El Alou , Bab el Had , Bab er Rouah and Bab e Zaer .In Rabat you will visit OUDAIAS KASBAH it is originally a fortified rebate, later settled by andalucians , is both beautiful and peaceful , and well worth a visit , it can be reached along Street of Consuls Through the Rabat Median . Casablanca : in the 1930s , only two French achievement are said to have surprised the Americans : first word war and Casablanca , a boom town , nicknamed « The African Marseilles » , « Casa » was city where we could drive at 130kph and where the streets were filled with luxurious cars, the city grew from a small trading part at the end of the 19th century . Casablanca has remained the Economic Capital of independent Morocco, The centre for trade and industry, finance and the stock exchange and with a population more than Four million people; Casablanca is now a modern, noisy and chaotic metro police with its fair share of urban problems, as well as interesting neo-Moorish and art deco architecture, an enormous mosque and an enviable seafront location. Orange and reds, and their beautiful shapes and patterns are constantly sculpted by the wind .Despite the popularity of the dunes it’s easy to escape any sign of human habitation.
