Day 1. Casablanca to Fez
After arriving at Casablanca Airport early in the morning we met our driver Mohammed. An unusual way for us to travel but worthwhile in our opinion as we had never travelled to a North African country before with its different religion, culture and way of life. When I did the sums it wasn't more expensive than paying for a few of the lengthy transfers between places we wanted to visit, enabled a bespoke, jampacked itinerary including all the sites I wanted to visit and we had an informative driver who shared his own insights and an air conditioned car to work in with Wifi in a country not even zoned for Telstra day passes !
Casablanca, has an old Medina but not one as ancient as Fes nor as beautiful as Marrakesh so our plan was purely to visit the Hassan 11 Mosque before continuing on our way !
The Hassan 11 Mosque
The Hassan 11 Mosque is an impressive must see. With the Tallest Minaret in the world and the third largest size after Mecca and Medina, the mosque was built in 1987 and took only 6 years to build - 2000 tradesmen and builders worked in 3 shifts day and night, 7 days a week to perfect this modern masterpiece. The roof opens, the floor is heated and the floor glass fills with water for special occasions. Designed by a French architect using Moroccon materials ( except the Venetian chandeliers), it is both stunning and humbling. One feels overwhelmed by the spirality of this place. With an internal capacity of 25,000 and additional prayer space for 80,000 outside, it can fit the entire capacity of the MCG on Grand Final Day - Amazing !!
*Don’t miss the guided tour run by the Mosque which will also take you to the ablution rooms below & no need to wear a head covering - its not required !
Marrakesh - The Red city
A 2 1/2 hour drive takes us to the “Red City” of Marrakesh and it’s seriously red! The colour derives from the iron in the soil and so every building, pebbled boulevard and wall bears this colour. From the first moment, we are spellbound. The crowds, the pleasant temperature, the artisans producing their wares, amazing mosaics, herb towers and fortified red walls, all the beauty and even the busyness makes Marrakech magical. Before retiring to our hotel we venture to El Fen square, an enormous square on the edge of the Medina and the hub of Marrakesh Old town. Its Vivid, dirty, but lively with Snake charmers , story tellers and entertainers. Its just as you expect from the movies.
* Don’t Miss a mint tea in a rooftop cafe so you can people and activity watch from the rooftops
Day 2 Full day Marrakesh One of the 4 imperial cities of Morocco, there is much in Marrakesh to show of History and Royalty, however we begin the the 20th Century at the spectacular Yves St laurent Marjorelle garden & museum as the queues only get bigger throughout the day and they are substantial !
Jardin Majorelle
Just one and a half kilometres from the Medina you will find the Yves Saint Laurent Museum and the Jardin Majorelle. The spectacular @jardinmajorellemarrakech is an oasis of diverse cactus, bamboo, fountains and plants forming what once was the gardens and private villa of firstly Jacques Majorelie ( of “Majorelle Blue” fame and then of iconic @yves_saint_lauent_ and his partner Ivette Berge ! A haven of serenity, cobalt blue and the final resting place of YSL, it is now run as a not for profit by the Berge foundation supporting the education and bettering the life of Morrocan people. A special place not to be missed 💕
Grand Al Badi Palace
El Badi Palace is a ruined palace located in Marrakesh, Morocco as most of its detail was removed to build the new palace. However, its still worth a visit particularly to show the enormity of and layout of the Moroccan family palaces, the sunken internal gardens and to imagine it in its prime which is made easy by the use of a digitally reconstructed video on site. It was commissioned by the Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur of the Saadian dynasty in the 16th Century.
El Bahia Palace
I highly recommend this palace, because of the peace and beautiful mosaics that you see everywhere. Wander from room to room to enjoy the spectacular woodwork, carvings and mosaics and then move on to the courtyards with their mosaic tiled floors. El Bahia was constructed for the Crown Princes' servant, who rose the the rank of Prime Minister due to the education, teachings and opportunities he was afforded as the Crown Princes companion. A brilliant rags to riches story and beautiful home.
Saadien Dynasty Tombs
Make sure you visit the nearby Saadien Tombs, the funeral complex of the Saadien kings and queens. The lines are always long however the intricacy of the carvings and mosaics are exquisite and well worth a visit. Taj Mahal Vibes.
Ben Youseff school for architecture & Mellah Jewish quarter
This spectacular Koran school has been recently renovated and reopened . The intricately carved woodwork, plaster carvings and central courtyard make this hidden Gem a must see. Climb the stairs to see the study rooms of various sizes. You can picture the children as they pass the narrow corridors with Koran in hand.
The Souks
You shouldn’t miss the Colour, vibrance & an incredibly hardworking community of artisans, dyers, embroiders and sellers that make up the Souks. It truly is an education in how life was before machinery and a community of individuals who find happiness and satisfaction in their family, friends and religion. That’s worth thinking about and defiantly worth viewing.
* Don’t miss : Acquainting yourself with different artisans. The dyers will show you how earth pigments can change colour with other minerals, the tanners, how leather is prepared and cut, and the dressmakers diligently sit there making their one kaftan a week by hand. We found the Fes Medina preferable for true artisan hunting but both are a hive of chaotic activity and well worth a visit and shop. Always haggle ( it's a sport to them ) and don’t pay more than something is worth to you !!
Special Places to Eat & Stay Marrakesh
Don’t miss: The Spectacular Mamounia Hotel- whether its for a drink at the bar or buffet lunch by the pool, This impressive Hotel was favourite to the likes of Churchill, Yves St Laurent and more recently Kim Kardashian but it is the spectacular gardens that blew us away. Vast acres of grass, paved walkways, orange trees, olives and cactus, this was once the gardens of royalty and feels every bit of it !!
Stay: Almaha Marrakech & Spa for a warm family run Riad where you choose your dining spot and generous rooms, Maison Arabe for a detailed old worldly experience or Marrakesh Sultana for something a bit more fabulous . All serve excellent food and cater to your every whim
Drink : El fenn The new Richard Brandon Virgin Hotel for a stunningly gorgeous rooftop view and people watching
Day 3 High Atlas Mountains
Firstly the drive is spectacular so make sure to leave some time to stop for photos
Guided Walk of Mt Toukbal to Asni
This was hands down one of my absolute favourite experiences in Morocco and if you love hiking, enjoy spectacular scenery of soaring peaks, sensational coloured dirts owing to the phosphates & iron in the soils, cascading waterfalls and experiencing culture and yesteryear, its absolutely for you. We hired a Berber guide to take us to Asni, the highest village in North Africa which I would absolutely recommend, both for their explanation of the mountains, flora and fauna, making sure you don’t get lost ( there are no signposts!) and to explain to you the Berber way of life and customs. You feel like you’re in a time warp and have gone back hundreds of years. Aqueducts are used to irrigate the crops of walnut, apples and cherries in an efficient and well organised manner, the friendly Berber people looking up from their ploughs or weaving of carpets. Truly a peak into another culture and time I felt very humbled to share. Electricity was only introduced in 2011! A bucket list must for anyone venturing to Morroco.
* Don’t Miss : Having mint tea or dinner in a traditional Berber House.
* If you don’t like hiking stop off at Moulin Brahim to see a traditional Berber village and Kasbah on your way back to a Marrakesh!
Special place to Stay or eat : Kasbah Tamadot. Kasbah Tamadot is Sir Richard Branson's magical retreat in Morocco's Atlas Mountains. This 28-bedroom hotel in a restored Kasbah ( old fort) is perched at the top of a valley with views up to Mount Toubkal and over to some of the traditional Berber villages that dot around the region. If the views are not enough, this Kasbah has been restored to perfection. From the stunning library & games room in a Berber tent, to the outdoor terraces and restaurants, spectacular gardens and pool, this destination is somewhere you should not miss if the bank balance allows it and maximise the time you have. There is a Berber kitchen where fresh bread is made traditionally all day and is open for sampling, wood fire to table, there is a small zoo of camels and mules for a guided ride to the surrounding villages, there is tennis, croquet, gorgeous Berber sun tents underwhich to relax and to generally feel like Royalty. Bus tours are available from Marrakesh for lunch if you are unable to stay. Great fact : When the Kasbah was established, Eva Branson set up schools for all the villagers, not just the staff of the Kasbah and now all of the staff are Berber. Eva Branson has continued to educate women in the area and to support their learning of weaving and old customs so that these incredible talents are not lost - Hat off to her, that impresses me greatly!
Don’t miss the trek to Asni with a Berber guide and or the 1 hr mule trek to the local village to see how the Berber people live
Consider driving the route to Moulin Brahim back to Marrakesh if you haven’t been to a Berber Village
