Morocco

A lesser-known country, and one close to my heart, is Morocco. My love for all things Moroccain started waaaaay back in my teens after meeting my step-father, who grew up in Meknes. I was introduced to couscous served in ornate clay platters, mint tea, tagines, lemon chicken and all things delicious (taste and scent), and fell I love from afar. I traveled there with my mom and step-dad in 2000, and brought Shawn this time around. And what an amazing two months it was.

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The history of Morocco can be traced back more than 3,000 years. Subjected to period of foreign interference, Morocco maintained its cultural history and traditional customs, which can still be seen today. Made a French protectorate in 1912, French is commonly spoken along with Arabic and English; the country regained its independence in 1956 and is the only monarchy in North Africa.

Most surprising to those less familiar with the small country is its varying landscapes: in one trip, you can see the Atlantic and its beaches, bustling cities and small villages. The Rif Mountains in the north offer lush, green scenery, while the High Atlas range is seated on the edge of the Sahara. Roman ruins, mosques and Jewish temples sit side-by-side in a number of towns.

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We can’t stress how amazing the culture is – the food, the scents, artisan crafts and especially the people. Several times during our trip we were asked where we were from; when we replied, people were incredibly welcoming, and proud that we were experiencing their country. We often heard the phrase “Welcome to my country!”, accompanied with a genuine smile.

During our travels, we know we are limited by the space of our luggage and tend to not buy much beyond Jen’s fridge magnets. But here? We couldn’t stop buying things – a full tea set, a soft wool blanket, pillows, leather goods, all the stuffs. We ended up paying a fair bit to ship a box back to the kids; some things for them to keep, and some to put into storage for us. The products here are just so beautiful that we couldn’t resist.

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We started our journey in Mehdia, a small, coastal resort town on the outskirts of Kenitra, about 90 miles (144 kilometers) from Casablanca. Known by the locals for its beaches and water park, it’s a popular place during the summer and only 30 minutes by train to the capital city of Rabat from Kenitra train station. Our Airbnb was located near the main street of Route de Mehdia with a view of the Atlantic from the balcony.

While not logistically ideal due to limited transportation options in the village, we chose that location because it allowed us to stay near my bonus uncle, who was gracious enough to invite us over for several fantastic meals while we visited. Nearby Kenitra is a 10–15-minute cab ride from the taxi station next to the mosque; think of them as small buses, as you will likely share a cab ride with other riders.

Our second month was spent in Marrakech at an amazing private riad. We stayed in the heart of the medina between Bahia Palace and Jemaa el-Fnaa Square, two of the area’s popular tourist spots.

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Northern Morocco

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With our home base near Kenitra, we had easy access to the cities of Northern Morocco, including Fes, Tangier, Meknes, and Rabat. Trains are reliable and cheap, and some lines offer express transit. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time online or at the stations. Rail service is operated by ONCF. The weather on the coast is mild and humid, with warmer temps as you move inland, and higher chances of rain in the Rif Mountain towns like Chefchaouen (a.k.a. The Blue City).

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Here are some of the highlights from our first month:

Fes

A beautiful city, with a legendary medina. Stop by the tannery, where they’ve been processing leather since the 16^th century (you’ll smell it before you see it – the mint sprigs they offer for the tours are helpful in battling the odor). We would recommend hiring a local tour guide so you don’t get lost in the more than 9,000 streets and alleys of the medina. Recommended by our guide, we ate at Ryad Nejjarine, a beautiful restaurant in a regal riad, where we experienced our first (of many) Pastillas, a sweet and savory pie typically made with chicken and almonds

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Tangier

We stayed in Tangier at the Pestana Tanger City Center hotel – “city center” indicates the new part of the city. We visited for the weekend primarily for one reason: Chefchaouen. We were pleasantly surprised by Tanger Ville, as it’s called in Morocco: the beaches are beautiful, and the city is very clean. Visit the white-washed, hillside medina, and if you fancy a romantic, ocean-side dinner, make a reservation at Nono Sea Taste.

Chefchaouen

Also called Chaouen, and internationally known as Morocco’s Blue City, this was a bucket-list destination and is often seen on Instagram due to the blue-painted walls in the medina. We booked a tour from Tanger Ville, with driver Rian providing transportation to the city in the Rif Mountains, and local tour guide Abdenour. According to legend, the walls were painted blue to represent the sky and bring the faithful closer to God. Other rumors say it keeps the city cooler in the harsh heat and is a deterrent for mosquitos. Either way, the city is gorgeous, and worth a visit to see its beauty for yourself. We stopped at Restaurant Triana and enjoyed a delicious lunch with more pastilla. And we would recommend Machkour Mohamed, an artisanal cooperative where we found ourselves purchasing a Berber rug for a home that we don’t own (and a hand-woven blanket for our daughters). Quality workmanship, and absolutely beautiful products.

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Casablanca

Gonna be honest – we were not that impressed by Casablanca compared to other areas we visited. It’s long been a port city, but didn’t become the chief port for Morocco until around the time of the French protectorate beginning in 1912. It doesn’t have the charm of some of the older cities with their ancient medinas, but there is one reason we found to visit: the Hassan II Mosque. It’s one of the few mosques open to tours for non-Muslims, and we would highly recommend a visit, as it is stunning. Keep in mind that it is a working mosque and is open daily for prayers, so the tour times are limited.

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Rabat

We had a very unique opportunity while in Rabat – family friend Mustafa met us at the train station and took us on a personalized tour. Rabat is lovely; not only is it a modern capital city, it is a university town with green spaces, historical landmarks, and gorgeous beaches. Nearby Salé (right across the river – think of it as the Twin Cities of Morocco) is known for its pottery; if you’re looking for a tagine or Moroccan platter, you’ll find the best in the country here.

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Marrakech

The fourth-largest city in the kingdom of Morocco, it was once the capital and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985. Known as The Red City due to the clay of the buildings and ramparts, the city is a popular spot for European tourists and Moroccan citizens alike.

We had the privilege to stay At Dar Zouina, a private riad located between two of the city’s more popular tourist spots: Bahia Palace and Jemaa el-Fnaa Square. Riads, or ryads, are a traditional Moroccan house with an indoor courtyard or garden located in the medina. (The word “riad” literally translates to garden.) As an added bonus, on-site concierge/host Kaissar is available 24/7 to help with recommendations, arrange transportation, and make reservations as needed.

A short walk from our front door through quiet alleys and we were on Rue Riad Zitoun el Jdid, one of the main streets leading to the square. Along this narrow street you can find shops, patisseries, restaurants and fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s recommended to walk single-file, and watch for the scooters, motorcycles and donkey carts.

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Much more present in this part of the country is the Berber culture, a nomadic people of the Sahara and High Atlas Mountains. Known for their expertise with camels, they have been herding and trading livestock for centuries, and still keep to many of the traditions practiced for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Generally speaking, Arabs make up about 67% of the population of Morocco, while Berbers make up 31%. We spoke with many tour guides and locals who proudly claim some mixture of both cultures.

We didn’t take a ton of trips outside the city, apart from our excursion to the Sahara, but we do feel like we experienced some of the best Marrakech has to offer. Here are some of the activities we would recommend:

Desert Adventure – By far the favorite tour of our stay, and maybe one of our favorite tours so far in all of our travels, was the 2-Day Desert Excursion. Many will book a tour to Merzouga, which includes two full days of driving and two overnight stays. For Jen, 10-12 hours in a car is a big “nope”, so we opted for the two-day option that took us to Zagora and the Zagora Desert Camp. Yes, it’s a long drive, about 6-8 hours in an air-conditional van each way, but the stops along the way make it worth it, especially the visit to Aït Benhaddou, the most famous ksar (fortified village) in the valley – if you’ve seen Gladiator or Game of Thrones, you’d probably recognize this place. Once we arrived to the area near the camp, the highlight of the tour began: a camel ride through the Sahara to the camp where we spent the night in a Berber tent. Unbelievable, and camp guides are awesome.

Food Tour – always, always, book a food tour; we toured with Yaya, a local who grew up in the medina, who personally curated the stops for us. We had close to 10 tastings before he informed us that we were now headed for a sit-down dinner. We were stuffed, and it was delicious. We’d recommend you try one of Marrakech’s specialties, Tangia (we tried it at at Tiznit restaurant); meat cooked in an urn-shaped clay in the heat of the Hamman (see my article about the Hammam experience)

Historic Marrakech Walking Tour – part of the fun of being in a new city is seeing the historical landmarks and learning a little about where we are. Mohamed was great and took us through Bahia Palace, the medina, the Saadian Tombs, and Koutoubia Mosque. Fun fact: Koutoubia stands as the tallest building in the city and by law, no structure built in the new part of the city can be taller.

High Atlas & 5 Valleys Tour – local guide Abdel drove us though the valley of the High Atlas mountains, featuring a hike to the Ourika Falls with mountain guide Hicham, and an absolutely amazing lunch experience with a local Berber family on the rooftop of their home.

Essaouira – located along the coast to the west of Marrakech, Essaouira is a port city and resort protected by 18^th century ramparts. We found it much easier to book a tour rather than rent and drive ourselves; guide Abelouahed drove us to and from Essaouira with a quick stop at a local argon cooperative. At the right time of year, you might be able to see the goats in the trees eating argon berries; not the right season while we were there, but we did get to hold baby goats.

Dinner and Sunset in the Agafay Desert – just outside of Marrakech, this small Berber camp welcomes you with mint tea and music, followed by a camel ride and a walk to the hilltop to watch the sunset. Dinner was really good, and it’s a nice excursion for those who want to experience a camel ride in the desert without the 8+ hour drive.

Eats

So. Much. Food. Moroccan cuisine blends the most delicious spices, herbs and ingredients that result in amazing flavors. There are several things you will want to try while you’re in Morocco:

Tagine – a cone-shaped clay pot, meats and vegetables (and sometimes couscous) are slow-cooked to deliciousness inside
Couscous – traditionally served with chicken or lamb on Friday afternoons after prayers, enjoy it family-style by rolling it into small balls (or eat it with a big spoon, if you’re so inclined)
Moroccan Mint Tea – served as a welcome to guests, this tea is delicious
Tangia – specialty of Marrakech, meat is cooked in a clay pot with preserved lemons
Pastilla – a chicken or pigeon pie made with a phyllo-like dough and sprinkled with powdered sugar; Morocco has mastered the savory-meets-sweet cuisine
Harira – a lentil soup with chickpeas and noodles, it’s eaten to break the fast at Ramadan
Khobz – flat, round bread, you can find it at grocery and convenience stores throughout the country
Cornes de Gazelle – crescent-shaped cookies filled with almond paste (yummy)
Kefta – ground meat seasoned with spices and herbs
Msemen – crispy Moroccan pancake, you can eat it with jam or honey for breakfast or tea time
Chebakia – spiced-sesame dough is deep-friend and coated with a honey and orange blossom syrup; eaten with Harira to break the Ramadan fast

Looking for a place to eat? Here are some recommendations and observations of some of the restaurants we experienced.

Merzouga (Mehdia) – good food, huge portions. And the view from the terrace is beautiful.

Rosa Marina (Mehdia) – pizza is pretty delicious; we stopped here several times on the fly and were not disappointed.

SEAZONA (Mehdia) – a small, family-owned restaurant owned by a friend of uncle Bouchta’s

Sun 7 (Mehdia) – great (and big) breakfasts, located across from the beach

Ryad Nejjarine (Fes) – tucked into the medina of Fes, good food in a beautiful riad

Nono Sea Taste (Tangier) – delicious food and top-notch service, right on the beach

Restaurant Triana (Chefchaouen) – good lunch option in Chaouen

Le Marrakchi (Marrakech) – one of the few restaurants that serves alcohol and has a great view of the square

Café Amornakoch (Marrakech) – friendly staff, good food

Café de France (Marrakech) – popular meeting point for tours, we didn’t try the food due to poor service. The view is great, but choose another restaurant if you actually want to eat

Tiznit (Marrakech) – really great Tangia

Le Salama Skybar (Marrakech) – also serves alcohol, and the food is really good. The top terrace is beautiful: one drawback? They allow smoking inside their enclosed terrace

Nomad (Marrakech) – high on the list of must-dine spots in the city, but we were underwhelmed by the quality of the food

Le Jardin (Marrakech) – restaurant in a gorgeous riad, the food is good

Jardins Dar Mimoun (Marrakech) – stunning riad-turned-restaurant, Shawn’s favorite of all Morocco’s pastillas (and he tried about 10 different ones)

Dar Essalam – dinner and a show; featured is Berber music performances and dances. The food was very good, we especially liked the Moroccan salads

Mandala Society – fresh, simple and delicious breakfast and lunch options

Al Jawda – patisserie and sweets of all kinds; the avocado smoothie is apparently a meal within itself

A few things to note about Morocco:

The conversion for the Moroccan dirham is approximately 10 to $1 USD.
If you take a tour, pretty much anywhere, your guide will lead you to other vendors for things like rugs, Argon products and local crafts. Yes, they probably get a little kick-back but no, you don’t have to buy anything and can politely decline offers.
Morocco is a Muslim country: you will not find a lot of alcohol in restaurants, and liquor stores are not as common as in other countries. And if you visit during Ramadan (which we did), some restaurants and stores will not sell alcohol at all.
Cabs are pretty cheap – we could take a shared cab from Mehdia into Kenitra for about 80 cents (8 dirham) per person each way. In Marrakech, cab rides were typically about $5 USD. Having said that, if you look like a tourist, drivers will try to charge you more for your rides. Check with your hotel or with locals about what the normal price is before you hop into a cab.
In places like Jemaa el-Fnaa Square, you’ll see snakes, monkeys, performers, etc. If you take a picture, they will come after you and demand money. Don’t let them place an animal in your hands, or you will have to pay. Same goes for performers; if you want a picture, you need to give them a coin or two.
If you are interested in Henna art while in Marrakech, you’ll see many artists in Jemaa el-Fnaa Square. Fair prices are approx. $5 per each side of your hand or similar area. If you’d rather not have to haggle for the price, try the Henna Art Café, where quality work is done by experts and the prices are posted (no haggling required/allowed).
If you are in a medina and prices are posted, don’t barter. No priced displayed? Barter away. And if you’re looking for something specific, know the value before you go.