Scene by Laurie

There’s so much to explore in Morocco that it would be impossible to cover it all, or even all of my favorite discoveries, in just one blog. Even thought it was tough, I’ve culled the favorites list to the top four. If you’re venturing to Morocco, these are the must do’s.

1. Visit Djemaa el Fna at Night
This is the main square in the heart of the Marrakech medina, connected to the hundreds of streets of the souk (market), and it really comes alive at night in an almost exotic way. It’s massive and hordes of people from all over the world come to enjoy the spectacles and food. Circles of people form around the wild and various Moroccan entertainment in the square: snake charmers, drummers, dancers, fire eaters, story tellers, musicians of every type, and henna artists.

It’s also a huge open air food market. In the middle of the square are rows of food tents with all sorts of Moroccan delicacies and they aggressively and creatively hawk their wares like auctioneers trying to get you to stop at their tent rather than the one next to them. They fill the square with light from their lamps and smoke billows from the grills. Along the perimeter of the square are smaller food stalls with dates, nuts, sweets, orange juice squeezers, and all sorts of amazing finds. For the ultimate culinary experience, try the snails and the cinnamon spiced aphrodisiac tea!

Tips: Watch your personal belongings in the crowds. During the day, be prepared to tip the snake charmer or monkey trainer a little bit if you snap a picture.

2. Afternoon tea at the Rabat Kasbah
Rabat’s Oudayas Kasbah, or fortress, sits on a hill along the ocean and dates back to the 11th century. Meander through its beautiful interior and stop at the café for tea and excellent views of the ocean and Salé, Rabat’s neighboring city. It’s a peaceful oasis to relax, enjoy the scenery, sip Moroccan minty, sugary tea and nibble on a traditional Moroccan sweet. Watching the tea pouring is a real treat: glasses are filled from a height to add froth and cool the temperature a bit and it’s served steaming in glasses so you can see the generous mounds of mint.
Tip: Take a stroll down to the beach and along the rocks that jut into the ocean to enjoy the great views.

3. Fez Medina
You can explore the Medina and souks on your own, but it’s well worth the nominal fee to hire a guide to show you the way. With over 9,000 winding maze-like streets it’s easy to get lost or at least waste precious time trying to figure your way around. You’re also bound to see and learn more with a guide. We spent an entire day in the medina soaking it all in (which wasn’t enough time to cover Morocco’s largest 2,700 acre medina).

It’s a feast for the eyes and senses: stalls of every imaginable food and spice, the many craftsmen at work, the Mosques, including the oldest Islamic University in the world, the magnificent Karaouine Mosque, the souks as well as visits to a carpet maker, weaver, and leather tannery.

As a UNESCO site it’s being preserved as it is today and alwlays was, a medieval city, evident in so many ways: mules and donkeys as the mode of transportation, carts of snails and eggs for sale, chickens and meats in the open air (heads in the middle of the dirt road to indicate that day’s specialty). The Fez Medina is truly a medieval Moroccan experience.

Tips: You can tell your guide what you want to see so that the tour is tailored to your taste. Haggle for merchandise at the souk and be strong by being prepared to walk away but hang tough for the deal. Stay in a traditional Riad (old Moroccan house with internal garden), there are so many lovely affordable ones.

4. Camel Trek into the Sahara Desert
There are many options ranging from a couple to many days and different spots to visit in the Sahara: Erg Chegaga near Zagora/M Hamid (the shorter route from Marrakech) or Erg Chebbi in Merzouga. This is the only thing I booked in advance from the states and I chose the longer route to Erg Chebbi, 3 days and two nights. I was told that the dunes are bigger and the route to Chebbi more scenic.

We left from the medina in Marrakech and traveled through Berber and Kasbah country stopping along the way for rock climbing in Dades Valley, to experience Berber life, and for a camel ride across the river to visit a Kasbah, reaching the desert in time for our camel trek to the campsite as the sun was setting. The group I was with was so much fun, we sang to the accompaniment of drums and guitar before sleeping in the dunes under the stars.

Tips: It’s hot during the day and cold at night so bring some layers with you. When you make it to Marrakech, you’ll be in sore need of shower, so head to a hammam for the ultimate cleansing.