If Morocco seems to you like a deserted Muslim country with hotels along the entire coast, sleepy camels and annoying hookah sellers, you should definitely go there to disabuse yourself of all this. Morocco differs from other countries of northern Africa – Tunisia and Egypt – in its style, atmosphere, culture.
Here everyone will find what they want: a beach holiday, a spirit of adventure, new cultural discoveries, and a variety of curiosities that you won’t find in any European mall.
Russian citizens do not need a visa to visit Morocco for a period not exceeding 90 days; you can vacation here at any time of the year, which means you can always keep this picturesque country in your head in case of an impulse idea “And tomorrow we flew to the sea?”
HOW TO GET THERE
Direct flights from Moscow are provided only by charters, the number of which depends on the season.
Regular flights will take you to any major city in Morocco (Rabat, Agadir, Casablanca, Marrakech or Fez) in no less than 8 hours with a transfer in one of the European countries.
My journey to Morocco from Europe began with the fact that at 9 am I crossed the Strait of Gibraltar by ferry and within two hours my passport was stamped on the border of the African kingdom – in the Spanish city of the semi-enclave of Ceuta. Here you can watch Moroccan emigrants trying to climb over the six-meter-high Ceuta Wall to illegally enter Europe, but their chances are very low, since border guards quickly catch troublemakers, and CCTV cameras and noise and motion sensors are installed on the wall itself. Despite this atmosphere, crossing the border in this place is safe, especially for tourists, who receive increased attention at the border – they will tell you everything, show you, guide you through everything.
Immediately after border control, you have a choice – take a regular taxi or a Grand Taxi. The latter costs 4 times cheaper and is the Moroccan version of a minibus – a beige Mercedes from the 80s, the back seat of which must be occupied by at least 4 people, and two more must be placed in one seat in the front.
This option is worth using at least once for the unique sensations; and the path from the border to the city of Tangier is a good opportunity to feel like a Moroccan herring in a jar.
From Tangier you can continue your journey around the country by train, plane or renting a car. And if you are able to withstand 3 hours in cramped conditions with unfamiliar Arabs in a Gran Taxi, then you can continue to move on it from city to city, in the name of His Majesty the budget. In my case – with a height of 188 cm – this option disappeared after the first trip.
You should also not forget about Morocco if you are in the Canary Islands, from where you can fly from Gran Canaria to Agadir in an hour and a half. This is a good option to get a different experience from a beach holiday.
WHAT TO DO
It is worth budgeting at least 2 weeks for Morocco, depending on what you want to take away from this trip. Each city is unique in its own way, you want to spend three days in each, and if you are traveling by car, then you have the opportunity to stop by some small city where tourists do not visit – to get acquainted with authentic African exoticism or, say, to stay in the middle of the desert for a series of cool shots. All this takes time.
By the way, about deserts. From the southern part of Morocco it is easy to get to the famous Sahara, where travel companies organize camel tours and overnight stays.
Marrakech is the most popular city in the kingdom among tourists. It is located far from the coast and is surrounded by mountains, so in the summer months the temperature can reach 40 degrees and sometimes even higher.
There are large casinos, malls and European restaurants that serve alcoholic drinks even during Ramadan. In other parts of Morocco this is much less or not at all.
In North African countries, the old city is called a medina: low residential buildings are adjacent to a large market, where you can find anything you want: rare video equipment, musical instruments, clothes for every taste, the most fragrant parsley in the world, and so on.
In Marrakesh, the medina is called the “red city” because of the red hue of the buildings and structures.
In its center is Jemaa el-Fna Square, where you can see performances by acrobats, snake charmers and musicians. Wandering around the Medina, you willy-nilly stop at all kinds of shops and bargain for things you need or don’t need. If you don’t look like an Arab, then the price of any product automatically increases 4 times for you. Your task is to knock it down as much as possible. And the better you do this, the more the seller will respect you.
Historically, Moroccans are a people of merchants. For them, the buying and selling process is a certain ritual, a psychological game. If you don’t want to play by their rules, you’ll overpay for everything.
Of course, the language barrier plays an important role. The official language of Morocco is Arabic, the unofficial language is French, but not everyone speaks it. The language of facial expressions and gestures, as well as numbers on a calculator, are the most popular ways Moroccans communicate with tourists.
WHERE TO STAY
Riad is a traditional house in a Moroccan city. From the street, such a house looks inconspicuous: blank plastered walls and a wooden front door. But inside there is a real decorative riot: a garden on a patio, a fountain or a swimming pool. The rooms are luxuriously decorated with mosaics, colored glass and cedar wood. I would recommend staying in such riads, especially with a swimming pool, which can be a salvation in the forty-degree heat.
WHAT TO WATCH
The more you travel around Morocco, the more you will realize how diverse this country is. It’s hard to imagine, but there is even a ski resort there – a city Ifrane, which was built by the French in the 1930s in European style.
As for beach holidays, the beaches of Agadir are more suitable for lovers of passive pastime by the sea, and the beaches of Essaouiraand its surroundings – for lovers of surfing, windsurfing and similar activities.
Personally, I liked Essaouira more than other cities. There is a special atmosphere of leisure and serenity here. That same feeling when time stops. It’s not for nothing that this place was so loved by Jimi Hendrix, who, as they say, wanted to create a hippie commune here.
Fans of “Game of Thrones” will immediately recognize the locations from their favorite series – the city’s fortresses have still retained their medieval appearance.
A wide beach, a warm sea wind, long-haired surfers with a snow-white smile, buildings painted in all shades of blue – you quickly get used to it and want to delay as much as possible the moment when you need to fly home.
Casablanca – this city seemed to me like a kind of concentrate of African romance – because of the famous melodrama of the same name, which, to be honest, was filmed in 1942 not in Morocco, but in Hollywood.
The atmosphere of romance was created solely by the characters in the film, and the city itself today serves as the economic center of the kingdom. It is interesting from a business point of view, but not tourism.
Local residents advised not to stay there for a long time, since there is nothing really to see there except the great Hassan II Mosque, and for a beach holiday it is better to go to Agadir and Essaoueira. But if you do end up in Casablanca, don’t miss the opportunity to dine at the famous Rick’s Cafe (book a table in advance).
IN CONCLUSION
You will love Morocco once you get rid of all preconceptions. The whole country is like a riad—inconspicuous on the outside and luxurious on the inside. Communicate with locals as much as possible, try new things, don’t be afraid of distances – in most cases, a journey of 300 kilometers promises you new discoveries and adventures. This is definitely not a country where you want to spend your entire vacation on the beach.
Even during the high season, in June, I could afford not to know where I would sleep the next night, but to book accommodation on the fly. This gave a certain freedom in actions and movements.
Be respectful of the Moroccan culture and they will do the same to you (especially if you know how to bargain!)
