Morocco – Your Next Destination
We proudly present Morocco, your next destination. In the north-west of Africa by the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, between the Atlas Mountains and the Atlantic coast, between Africa and Europe, Morocco’s truly diverse landscape of majestic peaks, impressive deserts and superb beaches – each one a magical experience.
Morocco’s climate is equally varied. The northern Atlantic coast enjoys the warm summers and mild winters typical of the Mediterranean, while the regions around the Atlas Mountains are hot in summer and snowy in winter. Inland, summers are hot and dry, while the winter months turn cold both on and away from the coast.
Essential Info
The gateway to Africa, Morocco is easily and safely accessible in less than four hours from London airports.
Passport validity: At least six months from date of arrival (recommended)
Global health insurance is essential for any trip abroad and can save you from both high costs and serious problems. We, therefore, recommend that you take out an appropriate insurance policy before your trip.
Fact Box
Golf Mogador
Hammam
Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship Agadir
Val d’Argan Winery
Argan Oil
Moroccan Mint Tea
Moroccan Cooking
The Story
Ask any traveller what they find so fascinating about Morocco, and you’ll never receive the same answer twice. Some people are attracted to the royal cities and their medinas, which have been proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Others are drawn by the incredible power of the desert and its palm-lined oases, or the extraordinarily rugged mountains. Some love to visit the luxurious beaches and golf courses, spend their nights in the sophisticated hotels favoured by Hollywood stars and explore the culinary delights of Morocco’s restaurants and gourmet scene.
Moroccan Mint Tea
A day without Morocco’s national drink, mint tea, would seem unimaginable. This refreshing drink is served several times a day: for breakfast, after a meal or at the end of the day. Mint tea is more than a beverage; it’s an integral part of the Moroccan way of life and a symbol of hospitality. Green tea with fresh mint is also served during business transactions and when haggling at the bazaar. The tea is usually prepared by the head of the family.
Authentic Cuisine
Morocco’s delicious food combines Arabic, Mediterranean and African influences. Wherever you go in the souks and markets, you’ll find fresh fruit and vegetables as well as freshly caught fish. Herbs and spices are also used extensively, with saffron, cumin, coriander, cloves and cinnamon providing indispensable ingredients. The best-known Moroccan spice is ras el hanout – a mix of around 35 different spices used in the preparation of couscous and tagines, Morocco’s national dishes.
Couscous is one of Morocco’s national dishes and traditionally eaten on Fridays after prayers. Couscous is made of small steamed balls of crushed durum wheat, semolina, barley or millet and is traditionally served with a meat stew spooned on top – usually poultry, beef or lamb – as well as vegetables including tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, chickpeas and pumpkin.
A tagine is a Maghrebi dish named after the earthenware pot in which the food is cooked. The tagine pot consists of a circular base and a cone-shaped cover. Poultry, lamb, goat or camel meat and fresh vegetables are slowly braised at low heat inside the pot. There are countless varieties, savoury and sweet, of this North African stew, which is typically cooked on a charcoal fire. When it’s ready, the whole tagine comes to the table and everyone helps themselves.
“Morocco combines its own traditions with European lifestyle and warm hospitality.
The Gateway to Africa
Morocco envelops all of your senses from the moment you arrive. You’ll see, hear, smell, taste and touch a world of vivid colours, stunning patterns, beautiful rugs, delicious herbs and unfamiliar scents. Experience one million years of history, tradition, culture and art up close in UNESCO-protected medinas with their vibrant souks, majestic palaces and the enormous fortresses of the royal cities. Magical riads and gardens. Idyllic beaches and promenades.
Whether it’s a city break fit for royalty, a luxurious beach holiday, a golfing trip or a desert adventure, Morocco’s cultural riches offer an array of unforgettable experiences. Follow in the footsteps of Berbers, kings and film stars as you explore a country with far more to offer than just camel rides beneath the stars.
Explore Morocco
Essaouira’s charms have proven irresistible to artists such as Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, the Beatles and Bob Marley. The city’s completely preserved medina and the Skala de la Kasbah are definitely worth a visit. The 5km beach promenade looks out onto the Atlantic, the sand dunes to the south, and the windsurfers and kitesurfers who have fondly dubbed it Wind City.
Known as the pearl of the Atlantic or the sleeping beauty, Essaouira is just two hours from Marrakech. Home to 80,000 people, it has a historic medina – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – that has remained true to itself over the centuries, preserving its mysterious, winding streets and its fishing port. The spectacle of everyday life has changed slowly here.
Art and culture. Sport and nature. Experience the Moroccan way of life and meet the friendly people as you explore Essaouira, the city by the sea, the city of longing …
A city of possibilities. A phenomenal beach. Agadir is Morocco’s ultimate coastal resort: 10km of honey-coloured sand by the Atlantic, the mild Mediterranean climate and guaranteed sun make this a paradise for fans of surfing and other water sports. Agadir is around 230km east of Marrakech and home to a bustling fishing port.
With 6,000 market stalls, North Africa’s largest souk is the perfect place to feast your eyes on Moroccan crafts, rugs, clothing, jewellery and much more. Delicious dishes made with fresh fruit, vegetables and aromatic herbs and spices will stimulate all your senses. Agadir is an important seat of learning and an excellent starting point for exploring the region’s flora and fauna. Head to Crocoparc to watch 300 Nile crocodiles in beautiful botanical gardens, swim with dolphins at Dolphin World and visit Paradise Valley for the stunning cliff views.
Agadir has everything your heart could desire from a Moroccan beach holiday: one of the world’s most beautiful bays, a vibrant beach and promenade, wellness, culture and excursions along the coast and further inland.
Feel your senses become attuned like the strings of a melodious guitar. See, smell, taste and feel the red city of Marrakech, and listen as it composes a song just for you. The trendiest of Morocco’s four royal cities, it is diverting, diverse and intense.
Marrakech is a city of contrasts – and dreams. Located in the south-west of Morocco at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, around two hours from the Atlantic coast, it can get very hot in summer. Both traditional and modern, Morocco’s fourth largest city offers cultural and natural treasures galore. Visitors can walk in the footsteps of Yves Saint-Laurent and Alfred Hitchcock, experience the rush of colours in the souks or pave their way between snake charmers, storytellers and artisans. Marrakech is an unforgettable place to explore.
The royal city embraces visitors with its joyful charms: fascinating, multifaceted and incomparable. Marvel at Marrakech’s markets, mosques and museums and immerse yourself in the flavours and fragrances of its culture, nature, tradition and modernity.
Just 60km apart, the royal cities of Fez and Meknes are located on the northern flank of the Central Atlas Mountains. Both cities are brimming with classical sites – richly decorated palaces, breathtaking madrasahs, authentic souks and exciting museums.
As visitors stroll through the world’s largest medieval Islamic old town, they can’t help but be amazed by its 9,000 alleys. The medina of Fez was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 and is the religious heart of the country. It has the feel of an outdoor museum, enchanting art lovers, culture buffs, gourmets and shopping addicts alike.
Gaze in awe at Bab Bou Jeloud, the famous blue gate, and haggle in the souks. Perhaps the world’s most romantic city, it charms visitors at every turn with its splendour and opulence, a living Moroccan treasure.
If you’ve ever found yourself fascinated by the Palace of Versailles and Louis XIV, the Sun King, you’ll be in your element in Meknes, where Sultan Moulay Ismail Ibn Sharif ruled for 55 years. The Ville impériale, the ruler’s former residence, is Moroccan absolutism on a grand scale. The palace and fortress are surrounded by 40km of walls, an emphatic statement of power and dominance. Your private guide will be happy to organise an excursion to beautiful Meknes, the Berber city of Sefrou or Azrou and its famous cedar forests.
Nicknamed the ‘blue pearl of Morocco’, the north-western city of Chefchaouen is home to 45,000 people and surrounded by the Rif Mountains whose twin peaks give the city its name (Chefchaouen translates as ‘two horns’). Blue and whitewashed gabled houses with tiled roofs meander upwards in a labyrinth of narrow streets. One of the continent’s most beautiful old towns – a 15th-century medina – enchants with picturesque squares, pretty flowers, mosques and colour.
At 600m above sea level, fresh mountain air flows through an expanse of beautiful little shops and fantastic restaurants. The colours, the mint tea, delicious local food sampled in the shade of olive trees … there are many reasons why Chefchaouen’s cuisine has been added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. Subtly relaxed, this is where Morocco shows its picturesque and enchanting side. If you can maintain your sense of time and space despite your beguiling surroundings, then you will leave the city with vivid sensory memories.
Casablanca, city of contrasts. A buzzing, modern metropolis with 3.4 million inhabitants, it is Morocco’s economic capital and boasts North Africa’s largest port. Modern, ambitious urban development meets astounding historical sites such as the Hassan II Mosque, the third-largest in the world with a 210m minaret, and the Old Medina where traditionally attired water sellers, knife sharpeners and artisans ply their trade.
Historic town quarters and architectural jewels display the local vernacular as well as Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Neoclassicism, Modernism and Futurism. On the Atlantic coast, Casablanca is also a great place to enjoy the beach and pleasant summer temperatures. It’s a hotspot for surfers, brilliant for shopping, and has a diverse gastronomic scene.
Its fast-paced, exuberant lifestyle with arcades, gardens and street art culminates in the cosmopolitan night-life on the palm-lined coastal road. Holiday in Casablanca, and you’ll be met by diversity and variety.
The centre of Morocco’s film industry, Ouarzazate is situated 1,150m above sea level between the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara. Known as the ‘ochre pearl’, it is a picturesque base for excursions across the Draa Valley and into the desert.
Lawrence of Arabia, Game of Thrones and Gladiator are just some of the blockbusters and series that were filmed here. On the edge of the city, Kasbah Taourirt – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – offers the perfect filming location, with towers and battlements that lend it the appearance of a sandcastle. Its 300 rooms are dedicated to Moroccan and Berber culture and the desert backdrop creates a scenic contrast under the scorching sun. Ouarzazate’s Hollywood aura makes it feel like one big museum. With fountains, palm-lined streets and oases, it’s a film-maker’s dream.
Take a fascinating tour of the Atlas Corporation Studios, Atlas Film Studios and others, if they’re not closed for filming.
Rabat is around an hour’s drive north of Casablanca on the Atlantic coast. Morocco’s second-largest city, it is home to the royal palace, international embassies and is the country’s administrative and educational centre. With plenty of green spaces, its standard of living surpasses many of Morocco’s major cities. The newer parts of the city are excellent examples of modern urban development.
Marvel at the details of one of the most neatly arranged medinas and the heritage buildings that have been named UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Whether you prefer art, sport, shopping or culture, Rabat is a diverse city of modern museums, historic buildings, golf, paragliding, jet skiing and surfing. Fans of culture, water sports and golf will be in their element and can explore the wealth of local crafts in Rabat’s shops.
Tangier is the interface between Africa and Europe at Morocco’s north-west tip. A coastal city and international centre of trade and finance by the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, it is the gateway to Africa, a bridge between cultures. It is also Morocco’s oldest city and, with 1.2 million inhabitants, one of the largest.
Tangier’s medina isn’t the largest in Morocco, but its bustling markets – frequented mainly by locals – are the perfect example of everyday Moroccan life. Every trade has its own little quarter. Stroll around, enjoy the exotic aromas and stop for a mint tea on one of the shaded terraces.
Mediterranean and vibrant, Tangier is the best of all worlds: trade, culture, nature. Life by the white sandy beach is captivating, and at night music brings the vast promenade to life. Throughout the city’s history, the stunning view of Tangier’s harbour has been a source of inspiration, a place where stories and dreams are made. It’s also a magnet for artists, eccentrics and intellectuals: Delacroix, Matisse, Tennessee Williams, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote and the Rolling Stones have all found themselves drawn here by a longing for a different world.
Morocco & Middle East Representative
Your Private Concierge
SAÏD BOUMAHDI
- Education:
BA from Mohammed V University, 1992 - 2006:
Tourism and Hotel Industry Diploma from Ecole Pigier Essaouira 2009:
Management and Administration Diploma from Ecole Pigier Essaouira- Long-standing expertise in hotel and tourism management
- Private concierge and Morocco expert
Explore a World of Wonders With Your Private Concierge
INSIDER TIPS
Making calls from Morocco to Europe can be expensive, particularly from a mobile! Ask your mobile provider about roaming charges before leaving for your trip. To make cheaper calls, you can purchase phone cards from companies such as Maroc Telecom. These are available from all post offices (La Poste) and can be used in public phone booths. Morocco also has many téléboutiques with coin-operated telephones and internet access. You can also visit an internet café or simply use the Wi-Fi in your hotel.
NOTE:
You will need to enable international roaming on your mobile and connect it to the Moroccan network.
Your Private Concierge for Morocco
A private concierge can organise your trip from A to Z and take you from place to place, discreetly withdrawing as you enjoy your experience. Unless, that is, you go shopping in a traditional market where they will be delighted to help with the haggling! Your private concierge can arrange restaurant visits and will also take you there on request; they will set up teeing off times at the golf course, horse riding on the beach or some precious me time at the hammam.
A Holiday With Added Value: Authentic and Stress-Free
Thanks to in-depth expertise, exceptional local knowledge and their understanding of the country and people, a private concierge can add special inspiration to your holiday. Guests experience the country from the point of view of a local. Private concierges know the hidden places, the secluded cafés and restaurants. Far from the mainstream and typical travel guide content, your private concierge lets you look – and step – behind the scenes so you become a participant in local life.
A Journey as Unique as the Destination Itself
Discover Morocco with Saïd Boumahdi, our local Morocco representative and private concierge. All-inclusive deluxe – including insider tips on the must-see places in all nine destinations and the best locations for your unforgettable Moroccan adventure. Explore Morocco’s enchanting diversity from the ocean to the desert on a holiday tailored to your needs and wishes. Luxury riads and the best hotels in Morocco. Extraordinary experiences courtesy of your local Pur Life Maroc private guide. A holiday as unforgettable as Morocco itself.
© Photo credits: Mike Huber, Said Boumahdi, unsplash, pixabay, iStock
