It is the turn of a new itinerary in a place that I know very well having crossed it from the south, from the border with Mauritania to Tangier, in the north. And then the Atlas and its desert to the east, while to the west the waves of the Atlantic Ocean delimit its borders. I'm obviously talking about Morocco.
Marrakech
Morocco has been one of the favorite destinations of Italians for a long time, probably since the late 1990s, when a process in which tourism has become an integral part of the Moroccan economy has since started in Morocco itself. Mainly the trips to Morocco concern one of its most beautiful and most fascinating cities, namely Marrakech. Marrakech has a very important international airport where certain low-cost airlines also land and this has accelerated the times in which travelers chose Morocco as a destination for a do-it-yourself trip by renting a car and exploring its major cities. In Marrakech it is necessary to pay a greeting to the Jamaa El Fna square which is the largest and most frequented by traders since the days of the caravans, any traveler will appreciate the chaos, the scents, the colors, and the people that animate it. Marrakech has always based its importance on the trade square, becoming a crossroads between the caravans that had just crossed the Atlas and the traders who came from the north. Although extremely touristy, I recommend a tour of the Majorelle gardens, its architecture and colors will enchant you. A small gem is the ancient museum of photography that you find in the souk: very interesting to see how Marrakech has changed over the years.
The other cities
Among the other main cities, Essaouira deserves a mention, located south on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and for this reason, sea and wind, very popular with surfers from all over the world. The city is very pretty and its medina is right by the sea, while the best beaches are on the coast towards Agadir. If your passion is kitesurfing you should go even further south, in Dakhla, practically on the border with the West Sahara. Agadir is a very nice university city even if objectively among all the most important cities of Morocco it is perhaps the one with less postcard charm, but with a local charm, where you can find the real Moroccan life off the more touristy routes.
I have never been to Rabat, the capital of Morocco: in this interesting city I have never stopped, it has always been more than anything else, a passage. I believe that like all capitals it is worth a visit. Casablanca is a very famous and fascinating city like few others, it is absolutely worth a visit. In the list of cities to visit in Morocco, there is certainly also Fes. It is probably the city with the most beautiful medina of all and more, even its ancient concierge is a place suspended in time. Unfortunately, however, it is the city where I found myself worst in Morocco. Its salespeople are too insistent and arrogant, they ask you for money for anything, even just being able to take a picture at the tanneries. Equally beautiful but with much more welcoming and helpful people is Meknes whose medina is really precious. But the town that I liked the most is Chefchaouen or the blue city. This city populated almost exclusively by Berbers is a small jewel and you can visit it if you stop at nearby Tangier, whose medina overlooks Europe.
The atlas and the trekking of the Berbers
The cultural aspect of the Moroccan population is one of the main success factors of tourism in Morocco because it is very very interesting to observe its population in the markets and squares, its midines, in the souks. But Morocco is also crazy from a landscape and environmental point of view: you just need to cross the Atlas through a pass at almost 3000 meters - so be careful in winter! I once found myself stuck in a snow storm! - and descend to the Draa Valley to enter another world!
The Atlas Mountains are simply wonderful and is divided into various areas: the one I generally frequent is the so-called Low Atlas in the N'Kob area. N'Kob is a small Berber village famous in Morocco for having 43 kasbahs - a real fort, the most famous kasbah in Ait Ben Haddou where many films have been made! - and is a candidate to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This Berber village steeped in culture is the access to the low Atlas through treks that are simply spectacular: the landscape has nothing to envy to the American Grand Canyon or Monument Valley. Even more beautiful is to live this experience with the Berbers as I usually propose through my channels because the experience of living with real nomads during the migration from one place to another is unique! And then the evenings spent with the Berbers under the tent singing under the stars!
[embed = videolink] {"video": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO3s6DJzBck", "width": "100%", "height": "500"} [/ embed]
Other places not to be missed!
When you find yourself on the other side of the atlas it may be worth making a little stop in Ouarzazate because, speaking of films and television series, this city is Moroccan Hollywood, in fact, you can even visit the Studios, an experience for cinema lovers unmissable.
Do not miss a visit to the Rose Valley in May when there is the rose festival: these roses are flowers that are used above all to obtain extracts in the form of lotions or perfumes and are the main source of economy and of that specific area. How can we forget, not far away, the Draa Valley, where a river has given away a truly significant agricultural micro-economy made up of palm groves and dates but above all fruit and vegetables that are exported as far as Europe.
If you want to visit the Sahara desert in Morocco there is a destination that is very well known and therefore is very touristy but it is really valid and photogenic: I'm talking about Merzouga where you can admire the Sahara dunes as we have always imagined them. Of course, the village before the dunes is chilling if we consider above all its development thanks to tourism but despite this, I remain the place to visit to leave with an experience in the Sahara dunes.
Some practical information
The Food: To organize a trip to Morocco the first thing to consider is the cost: Morocco can represent an extraordinary opportunity because it is really a super cheap place: food will only cost you a few euros, especially if you eat the Tajine, the traditional dish. local. Culinary specialty of Berber origin takes its name from the dish itself which is generally made entirely of terracotta, often glazed or decorated, and is composed of two parts: a flat and circular lower part with low edges, and a conical upper part that is placed on the plate while cooking. The shape of the lid is designed to facilitate the return of condensate downwards and has a "knob" on the top that facilitates grip while the lower part is used to serve the dish on the table. The Tajine generally includes couscous, potatoes, carrots, chicken or fish of all kinds, it is really really tasty but there is not only this typical dish, there are many and Moroccan cuisines is one of the tastiest in the world where the spices even if it is not spicy but certainly very fragrant.
The plane: the plane ticket costs very little because the airport of Marrakech, but not only, also all those of the most important cities, are also served by low-cost airlines. Attention if you are transporting drones, entering Morocco with drones is forbidden and is immediately seized at the destination airport; think that there are metal detectors especially for drones.
Local transport: I mainly recommend you to rent a car, driving in Morocco is really easy, the roads are well maintained but be careful, do not drive offroad because it can be very dangerous for the conditions of the unpaved roads. In my countless trips to Morocco, I have also traveled by public transport: trains and buses. Safety is guaranteed, in my opinion, the greatest risk when traveling on public transport is simply paying an overprice on the ticket price. There are no risks from a physical point of view or of violence on the contrary they are absolutely cheap trips that really bring you into the local reality.
When to go: Morocco is one of those places that you can visit all year round but I would tend to exclude the July / August period because that period is really hot especially if there is the idea of going to the desert. Although winter is mild compared to Italy, it is still quite cold, especially during the night. Also in the house, there is no heating so you have to sleep with lots of blankets.
Where to sleep: in Morocco, there is a real sensational opportunity to sleep at the highest level by spending much less than similar standards in the rest of the world: the riads! These old houses in the Medina are real gems, often even enjoying a small pool within their courtyard and their cushioned terraces are spectacular. Many Europeans have moved to Morocco and over time have invested in these real estate structures making them authentic pearls of design and architecture. There is no shortage of super low budget solutions such as hostels: there are lots of them everywhere.
With or without a tour guide? Because Morocco is a very cheap destination, I would recommend that you take a local guide there because Moroccan culture is very different from ours. If you manage to get a Berber guide he will tell you about what the Berber people mean who are distinct from the Moroccan people, they are nomadic, borders do not belong to them, it would be a memorable experience! I personally highly recommend Morocco Sahara Adventures which is run by my dear friend Mohammed. With him, the Berber experience (he actively supports associations to preserve Berber culture and give support to nomadic populations) is guaranteed and his services are among the best in Morocco. You can contact him on Facebook or Instagram or his website. Speaks a little Italian but very good Spanish and English;)