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MOROCCOFor Moroccan Highlights - CLICK HERE Agadir - Enjoying over 300 days of annual sunshine, Morocco’s largest beach resort is set on a vast protected beach. Once a traditional Moroccan town, Agadir was completely rebuilt as a result of a devastating earthquake in 1960. Today, a modern resort, Agadir’s beach is home to a variety of watersports, horse and camel riding, and of course relaxation. A lively resort with many bars and restaurants and a great deal of entertainment, Agadir also offers a quieter district for those in search of relaxation. Resort style hotels provide, amongst many facilities a selection of restaurants, bars, sporting equipment and plenty of space in which to relax. Agadir holiday highlights • Just south of Agadir, where the Souss river flows to the Atlantic, estuarine mud flats are home to a staggering 414 species of birds including greater flamingo, cormorants, little egret, bald ibis (in winter months) and black winged stilts. The migratory periods of February to April and September to November offer the best sightings. • Imouzzer is a paradise like valley lined with towering palms and just 35 miles north east of Agadir. The Berber village, is renowned for its honey production and is celebrated in a May festival. There is also a weekly souk or market, and spectacular seasonal waterfalls which are best seen in spring. • An hour along the Souss Valley is Taroudant. Known as the small Marrakech, it is definitely worth a visit either as a day trip from Agadir or as an overnight stop. • There are three excellent courses for golfing. Golf Du Soleil, Golf les Dunes and the Royal Golf Club host 63 holes of challenging golf. • Maybe one of the most interesting markets is the Dromedary Souk that takes place on a Saturday morning at dawn. Those taking part are called the ‘men of blue’ named after the indigo coloured wraps they wear. For details of holidays and latest offers in Agadir CLICK HERE The Atlas Mountains, North Africa’s highest mountain range stretches 600 miles diagonally across Morocco and is renowned for the beauty of its remote snow capped mountains and deep gorges. Covered in snow from November to April there are a surprising number of ski resorts only sixty miles from Marrakech. Sharing the same ochre hues as Marrakech, Taroudant is often referred to as the small Marrakech. Unlike its larger twin, Taroudant doesn’t have a Ville Nouvelle or new town. The Berber town is a small treasure set against the back drop of the High Atlas it is a good base for trekking or exploring the western or Anti–Atlas. An hour drive from Agadir the town makes a good stop over en route to the Marrakech or any of the other Atlas towns and cities. For details of holidays and latest offers CLICK HERE Casablanca The setting of a Bogart classic, home to Africa’s largest port and the largest mosque outside Mecca Casablanca is a hugely important city. A mix of art deco, contemporary, and Moorish architecture contrasts the cool palm tree lined boulevards and quiet parks that surround the medina. The city’s corniche provides a break for both locals and tourists from the hustle and bustle and leads to the Hassan II Mosque. The mosque’s minaret is the tallest structure in Morocco and dominates the city’s skyline. The city of Casablanca is however very different to the studio based film that brought its fame and trade and industry mark what is a cosmopolitan city with a surrounding area that is a must see on any trip to Morocco. Casablanca holiday highlights • Completed in 1993 and located on the shores of the ocean, Hassan II Mosque is the third largest religious monument in the world. • Inland, the historical Medina is flanked to the north by the remains of the 18th century walls. The biggest park in the city, Parc de La Ligue Arabe, is French in design but African influenced in the flora. • Sixty three miles south of Casablanca is El Jadida. The city was held for 250 years by the Portuguese who built the fortress and moat around the medina. Although it was mostly rebuilt in 1815, original remains of the city still stand. Its lanes and ramparts are still visible; including the underground pillared cistern that was used as a setting in Orson Welles’ Othello. Regardless of the size of your budget, you can find a superb place to enjoy a meal in Casablanca. Generally accepted as the best place to eat when in Morocco, Casablanca has a large variety of traditional, seafood, and take-away eateries. Essaouira is one of the most enjoyable and attractive of the Atlantic coastal towns, famous for its laidback atmosphere and its long sandy beach. Intimate and romantic this seaside town is ideal for relaxation. The town has enjoyed agreat love affair with the film industry having been the setting of Orson Welles’ Othello and Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven. Frequented by the likes of Hendrix and Jefferson Airplane, Essaouira has became a ‘hip’ place to stay. Today, going through a great revival Essaouira is now home to a number of chic boutique hotels, maison d'hotes and riads, quickly becoming Morocco’s sought after beach destination. Frequented by photographers, artists, the rich and famous the cooling winds of the Atlantic, its proximity to Marrakech, and the great atmosphere amongst the many medina cafes have helped put Essaouira on the map. Marrakech Nestled between mountain and desert, it is perhaps not surprising that Marrakech is a city of contrasts. The bustling atmosphere of the Djema el Fna could scarcely be further removed from the tranquillity of the many beautiful gardens, and the intricate medieval streets of the medina are at bewildering variance with the wide, tree-lined boulevards of the New Town. Everywhere though, the city's character and infectious charm shines through. Marrakech holiday highlights • The fascinating history of a city considered the 'heartbeat' of Morocco, particularly the spectacular, 12th Century Koutoubia Mosque, towering benevolently over the Old Town, dates back as far as the 12th Century, the bizarre El Badi Palace and the Saadian Tombs. • Private riads, where more recent, French colonial history comes to life - these elegant, whitewashed villas, remain peaceful and cool even in the bustle and heat of the day...the ideal base from which to discover the ancient gems and modern-day excitement of Marrakech. • Excursions to the intriguing Berber villages of the High Atlas and the breathtaking kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, star of numerous Hollywood epics. Strategically situated with both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, but with a rugged mountainous interior, it stayed independent for centuries while developing a rich culture blended from Arab, Berber, European and African influences. Morocco has been a popular tourist destination for two centuries, particularly helped by the nearness to Spain, but always motivated by the fascinating cultures of the country, and the spectacular nature. Modern Morocco is everything but a rich country, but only few suffers want, and the infrastructure is impressive if you compare it with the overall economical situation of the country. Morocco is a monarchy, and the democratic structures are less developed than what is the situation in Western countries. Even with a continuously high unemployment rate, and discontent among many city dwellers, Morocco is still a stable and safe country to live and travel in. Morocco is a country of contrasts, where only short drives out of modern city centres, leads you right into societies where large parts of the social fabrics remain intact from centuries back in time. Morocco is a country of sparse and unpredictable rainfall, strong sun, high mountains, hot winds from Sahara — as well as pollution and ruthless exploitation on nature. The result is a country of extreme shifts in nature zones. Everyone seems to know that Morocco has oases and desert. The fact is that if you look apart from the southern part (which is internationally considered as the Republic of Western Sahara) there are few oases and very few sand dunes. Morocco is mainly steppes and mountains. In the north, there are many green areas, landscapes of sweet hills of agriculture and some few forests. The further south you come the more unreliable rainfalls become, and many araes can be close to uninhabited, even if this is the part of Morocco with most pf the large cities. Down here, rivers is the source of life — even if they only has water through parts of the year. Oued is the name of this type of river, the seasonal river.
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