Thursday, January 16, 2014

Travel To Morocco For The Holiday Of A Lifetime

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By Marissa Velazquez


Choosing your next holiday destination can be quite a challenge. After all, it's difficult to find a destination that has great food, a fascinating culture, beautiful landscapes, unique experiences and great beaches all rolled into one. Even harder is to find a place like this that's still affordable. If you travel to Morocco, though, you'll find that the perfect destination is not only a pipe dream.

Morocco is located on the northwestern coast of Africa. It's just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Europe and has a distinctly Arab flavor. Most Moroccans are Muslim and speak Moroccan Arabic or Berber and French. The country used to be a French colony and France's influence is still evident but there is quite a bit of Spain here too. At times it may in fact be hard to believe that you're in an African country.

The first city most tourists visit and the one they all know about is Casablanca. This coastal city was the setting for the eponymous movie classic starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. One of the most impressive sights in Casablanca is the huge Hassan II Mosque but don't miss the beautiful Mahkama du Pacha either. Enjoy the cooling sea breeze along the promenade known as the Corniche and imagine you're in an old black-and-white film too.

Marrakech is another popular city destination. It's near the Atlas Mountains and effortlessly blends the traditional with the modern. Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian Tombs, the El Bahia Palace, the Berber Museum, the souks and the square of Djemaa al-Fna are just some of Marrakech's attractions. It's a wonderful city for just wandering around in too.

Morocco has plenty of great beaches, with part of its coastline on the North Atlantic and part on the Mediterranean. The Atlas Mountains with their high, snow-capped peaks are a great destination too and are made even more interesting by the presence of Berber towns and villages. There are stunning hiking and climbing routes along the peaks and valleys.

A favorite attraction for many visitors to the country is the Sahara with its sand dunes. Many a Hollywood movie has been filmed here, especially in or near the ancient city of Ait-Benhaddou. The modern way to explore the desert is by off-road vehicle but for an experience you'll never forget, try the traditional mode of transport here, which is the camel. Camel treks are very popular and often include sleeping in a tent in the desert, with millions of stars in the clear skies above. Another fun activity is to go sandboarding down the dunes.

Moroccan food is world renowned for its flavor and if you can only try one local dish, let it be the stew called 'tahine'. It's made in a special clay pot which can also be a great souvenir to buy. Other items that you may want to buy include woven carpets, silver jewelry, spices, leather goods and dates. The currency used here is the Moroccan dirham.

There are different ways to travel to Morocco with the minimum of fuss. The quickest are to fly from Europe to either Casablanca or Agadir on one of the many low-cost carriers that offer this service. Another, even cheaper way is to travel by ferry from Malaga or Gibraltar to Tangier. Be warned though that once you're here, you may not want to go home again.




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