Visiting Morocco
Family holidays to Morocco
Morocco is a great destination for all the family. A family trip to the North African country promises adventure, excitement, the chance to experience an ancient culture, and a large smattering of fun.
Generally, Morocco is very welcoming of children and a child friendly country to visit. Depending on your destination and the age of your children, there are a range of activities for all the family to enjoy.
Activities such as camel trekking are a great way of entertaining older children and teenagers, enabling them to get out and about and experience the richness of Moroccan countryside and stunning Atlas mountains.
If you have younger children, a family excursion in a jeep may be a better option, enabling the younger ones to have a sleep if the heat gets too much for them.
Visiting Marrakesh is an excellent family holiday because there’s lots to do within easy access of the central city. Oasiria Water Park is open throughout and a shuttle bus runs from the city to take you there. There is also an amusement park adjacent to the water park, with bouncy castles and other entertainment to keep the young (and young at heart) occupied.
In the Menara Gardens you can go on cycle rides, climb trees and enjoy a picnic, while at the Royal Equestrian Centre the whole family can have riding lessons and go for a pony trek.
If your children like to try new foods, you can usually ask for a smaller portion of food. In Marrakesh there are also familiar chains such as KFC and Macdonalds. You can also get pizza quite readily here.
Many of the Morocco hotels and riads that Morocco Gateway work with are family friendly, although it is always best to check before making a booking. In general, however, the noise and buzz that children create is welcome and expected in Moroccan destinations.
You can find Morocco Gateway’s family friendly riads and hotels here.
Image credits – CCA: Camel by Mr Angeloux; Marrakesh by Cafe du Monde.
Relax in four-star luxury in our newest Marrakech hotel
Here at Morocco Gateway, we’re always on the hunt for new hotels where we can offer some great discounts on visiting Morocco.
That’s why we’re pleased to welcome Dar Zemora, a Marrakech riad with a four star rating, to the Morocco Gateway family. Read on to discover this little bit of luxury just a short drive from the heart of the city.
Dar Zemora was bought by its English owners in 2001 and opened its doors as a hotel in 2003. It comprises the large main house and the smaller Pavilliion Suite, which has two bedrooms and a private pool – ideal for a small group or pair of couples.
The decoration of all the bedrooms maintains a traditional Moroccan style, each unique with painted zouak ceilings, moucharabieh woodwork and tadalkt walls. There are also a selection of reception rooms – the Casablanca Room is relaxed and informal, the Omar Room cosy and perfect for couples. There’s also the Fan Room, with traditional floor seating, where guests can order drinks.
For entertainment, there is a library with books and board games such as backgammon and chess available, along with playing cards. Although there are no televisions in the bedrooms to help maintain the riad’s peaceful atmosphere, there are portable DVD players and even iPods available to borrow.
Meals are a particular highlight at Dar Zemora; Ahmina, one of the chefs, hosts taste test nights four times a week, and as Dar Zemora has its own herb and vegetable gardens there are always plenty of fresh ingredients available.
For relaxation, guests can walk through the herb garden to the treatment room, where beauty treatments including manicure and hammam are available. There’s also a croquet lawn and large swimming pool surrounded by sun loungers.
Perfectly distanced from Marrakech to give a real sense of retreat but close enough for an easy visit, Dar Zemora is a haven of relaxation. If you feel like being adventurous, staff can also help arrange trips for such things as camel or horse riding, golf and tennis.
Click here for details of Morocco Gateway’s special deals on Dar Zemora.
Relax, unwind and rejuvenate in a traditional Moroccan hammam
If you’re on a short break to Morocco, you’ll want to pack as much in as possible. But if there’s one thing we’d say is essential that you try when visiting Morocco it’s the Moroccan hammam experience. There’s nothing quite like it for cleansing, revitalising and rejuvenating the mind and body, producing an overall effect of total, blissful relaxation.
The spa and hammam tradition is centuries old and many of the staff who work in these spas have learned the ancient local skills passed down from generation to generation, meaning you can rest assured of being in experienced hands.
Many Moroccan riads and hotels have their own hammams to meet growing demand from visitors. Morocco Gateway has a full list of hotels and riads in Marrakech, Fes and Essaouira that have hammams, which you can find here. Even if your chosen riad does not have a hammam of its own, you will find that many other hotels in the area open their spas up to non-guests. It’s best to consult your riad’s staff about booking time in these hammams.
Alternatively, if you are feeling adventurous, there are numerous public hammams that visitors are welcome to use. Again, staff at your hotel can advise you where to find these and how to book.
All hammams are unique and the treatments available in each will vary slightly. However, broadly speaking you can expect to be pampered in warm rooms decked out in marble, steaming the impurities from your skin, various body massages using clays and essential oils, wraps with algae or other plants, foot and scalp massage and treatments with hot towels or stones.
The hammam experience is the perfect way to relax and unwind after a hard day’s exploring the city and you are guaranteed to leave feeling thoroughly refreshed.
If you’ve visited Morocco and have a favourite hammam or spa you think we should know about, leave us a comment. We’re always keen to discover new places of interest in Marrakesh, Fes and beyond.
Image credit – CCA: Rabat hassan 2nd mosque hammam by zongo69.
Visiting Marrakech in May
Coming in to land at Marrakech Menara airport in May, the view from the plane’s window is one that will take your breath away – especially if this is the first time you’ve visited Morocco in Spring.
First to catch your eye is the unique, complex and beautiful colour palette made up by Marrakech’s earth, fields and buildings – sun-faded oranges, ochres, dusty browns and nuanced pink and ivory hues.
But overlaid on this palette – both in irregular, mottled brush-strokes and geometric designs of agricultural fields – can be seen verdant springtime greens. At angles from the tilting aircraft these become luminous under the fixed gaze of the North African sun.
Once you’re on the ground you will be greeted by a kaleidoscope of springtime flowers that seem to have rushed themselves into life as if aware of the daily-increasing power of the sun, which will soon exhaust Morocco over the baking summer months ahead.
Whites and pinks of the lauriers, iridescent reds, purples, oranges of the bougainvilleas, royal yellows of the hibiscus, to the ice blues and violet pinks of the clematis – colours heightened by the backdrop of a mid-blue azur sky that is unblemished except for a few drifting, whispy cloud flourishes.
Take a moment to stand back and breathe in the cool springtime air of Morocco – lightly and intermittently perfumed by the smell of the flowers, a change from the heavier spice and fruit aromas that suffuse Marrakech air at the end of summer and autumn when the sun has relentlessly strained, sweated and squeezed the oils and fragrances out into the air.
For information on hotels and riads in Marrakech and beyond, visit Morocco Gateway.
Speak Moroccan Arabic: Food
If you’re visiting Morocco soon, there are many phrases that could come in handy. Among the most important are types of food, so you can ask for exactly what you want and be sure of what you’re getting.
That’s why in our series of Moroccan Arabic phrases, this week we look at food and drink.
Coffee – qhwa
Tea – atây
Milk – 7lîb
Sugar – skkar
Juice – 3aSîr
Vegetables – khDra
Salad – shlâDa
Meat – l7m
Fish – Fish
Cheese - frmâj
Bread – khobz
Cake – 7lwa
Banana – banân
Apple – tffâ7
Watermelon – dllâ7
Tomatoes – maTîsha
Lettuce – khss
Celery – krâfS
Aubergine – dnjân
For a full list of Moroccan Arabic food phrases and other useful phrases for your travels, visit Speak Moroccan.com, a comprehenisve language resource.
Things to do in Fez
Fez is Morocco’s third largest city and is a hotbed of culture, the cultural and intellectual heartland of the country. There are so many things to see and do in the city that it would easily be possible to spend a month or more there without experiencing everything.
Of course, many travellers don’t have the luxury of a month to spend, so we’ve collected together some of our favourites – with a little help from our friends at Riad 9. If you’re travelling to Morocco soon, be sure you don’t miss out with our essential guide to things to do in Fez.
1 Dar Adiyel
Dar Adiyel was built in the 17th century as the house of the governor of Fez. It then became the city’s first bank before being transformed into a museum that showcased traditional Moroccan crafts and then a place to hear Andalousian music, before falling into disrepair and being abandoned. However, it has recently been restored by the Italian government and is once again a venue to hear traditional music. Visitors are welcome when classes are not taking place; just knock on the door and ask the guardian if it’s possible to come in.
2 Moulay Idrriss zaouia
This is the mausoleum of the son of the founder of Fez. There is a mosque in the grounds and you have to follow the Muslim faith to be allowed to enter – non Muslims won’t be able to view the tomb or the inside of the shrine, but you are able to look inside from the door and the outside of the shrine is well worth a look.
Wooden beams bisect the entrances to the holy area, originally put in place to indicate the sacred part that Christians, Jews and donkeys were forbidden to enter”
If you’re Muslim, you’re welcome to come inside and view everything. Outside there is some of the best zellij (patterned tiling) in Fez and the souk is interesting, too. You’ll see wooden beams bisecting the entrances to the holy area – they were originally put in place to indicate the sacred partthat Christians, Jews and donkeys were forbidden to enter.
3 The Mellah and Ibn Dan Synagogue
Fez’s Jewish quarter is a feast for the eyes with some stunning Art Deco and fascinating overhanging balconies. Originally, Fez’s Jewish population lived here and received special protection from the Sultan. The synagogue was built in the 17th century and has recently undergone restoration work. With a painted wooden beamed ceiling and blue tiled wainscotting, plus intricately carved plaster work above the Torah Ark, the interior of this synagogue will take your breath away.
4 Nejjarine Museum
This museum used to be a fundoq – an inn frequented by travelling merchants, who stayed upstairs and kept their animals and sold their wares down below. The building is impressive with amazing wood carving work inside and has been lovingly restored in the traditional style. The museum itself hosts exhibits of traditional Moroccan woodwork and outside you have the chance to see craftsmen in action as the carpenters’ souk and entire Nejjarine Square have been restored.
5 Glaoui Palace
The Glaoui family were once the rulers of Southern Morocco, and this is their Fez residence. While the building is not open to the public, Abdou, who is in charge, is usually happy to show you around. His family has lived there for three generations, and he is very knowledgeable about this beautiful palace. Simply knock on the door at Ziat, and be sure to give Abdou a contribution to help with the upkeep of the palace.
While the building is not open to the public, Abdou is usually happy to show you around – just knock at the door”
These are just a few of the things that you must do when visiting Fez. If you’re staying in the city for a few days, there are also several excursions that it’s well worth making, including the hot springs at Moulay Yacoub, the former Moroccan capital of Meknes, and the Gouffre du Friouato, North Africa’s deepest cavern.
For more tips on what to do in and around Fez, visit the excellent Riad 9 blog, written by Stephen di Renza.
For exclusive discounts and detailed information about riads and hotels in Fez, visit Morocco Gateway.
Learn Moroccan Arabic – getting help
Continuing our series of useful phrases in Moroccan Arabic, this week we take a look at how to ask for help. Before your stay in a Moroccan riad or hotel, it’s always helpful to have noted down a few key phrases in case you need to communicate with someone who doesn’t speak English.
Here are a few key phrases:
Can you help me? – Wakha t3awnni?*
I don’t speak Arabic – Ma kanhdersh l’erbia
I don’t understand – Ma fhemtsh
Where is the toilet? – Fin kaynin twalit?
*The “3″ in this word is the sound produced when you pull the back of your tongue back into your throat a bit.
Learn Moroccan Arabic – basic phrases
If you’re planning on visiting Morocco, it’s always helpful to be able to speak at least a few words of the native language so that you can communicate with the people you meet in your Moroccan riad and beyond. That’s why Morocco Gateway will be featuring weekly posts including some of the basics of Moroccan Arabic.
We’ll start with some very simple words. Remember, if there’s anything you’d like to know how to say that we haven’t included, leave us a comment and we’ll do our best to translate for you.
Let’s start by saying “Hello” and introducing ourselves.
Hello/hi (and also peace): Salam
My name is Lucy: Smiyti Lucy
What’s your name?: Ashno smiytek?
Nice to meet you!: Metsherrfin
Tasting Morocco – experience the treat for the tastebuds that is Moroccan cookery, and learn the art yourself
Because of Morocco’s long history of trading with countries across the world, Moroccan cuisine is sumptuously diverse and varied, with influences from both East and West. We’ll take a look at some of the highlights of Moroccan cookery, and explain how you can learn how to make some of the dishes yourself.
When you visit Morocco, you’ll be bowled over by the cuisine. The first thing you’ll notice about Moroccan food is the multitude of multicoloured spices that populate every Moroccan souk and kitchen. Spices are used extensively in Moroccan cookery and many are locally grown. Just step out to a market and you’ll see the reds of paprika and pepper, browns of cinnamon, cumin and coriander, striking yellow turmeric and golden saffron stacked high in a rainbow of seasoning.
Olives, oranges and lemons are also popular ingredients in Moroccan dishes, indeed fruit is very popular, with prunes and apricots a feature of many savoury meals. Lemon pickle is a popular flavouring device.
Beef, lamb and poultry are the most popular meats in Moroccan cooking, and there are a good range of seafood dishes too. Vegetarian dishes are also popular and couscous, chickpeas and fresh vegetables – especially aubergine and tomatoes – feature extensively on the menu.
For those with a sweet tooth, kaab el ghzal (translated as gazelle horns) is an almond filled pastry, while honey and sesame cakes also feature prominently. These sweets are not usually served as desserts at the end of a main meal, when you will instead enjoy fresh fruit.
Many Moroccan riads and hotels offer cookery courses as part of your stay. Morocco Gateway has a range of hotels offering cookery lessons to guests.
Couscous, chickpeas and fresh vegetables – especially aubergine and tomatoes – feature extensively on the menu”
Alternatively, you can arrange a cookery course for yourself. Fez Food enables you to book cooking lessons and culinary adventures and celebrates the shared language of delicious food. You can travel from Fez to the village of Khoukhate and learn from the women there how to roll couscous by hand, as well as sampling delicious jams that include some surprising flavours such as watermelon and carrot.
Fez’s Clock Kitchen is the area’s first dedicated cooking school, and here you will have the whole cooking experience in one day. You’ll begin by choosing your own personal menu (so if you’re vegetarian or have allergies, for example, you’ll have nothing to worry about). Then you take a trip to the souk, accompanied by a chef, to purchase ingredients, before returning to the school to cook your meal under your chef’s guidance. Afterwards, you will enjoy your self-cooked food in the Clock Cafe.
For details of Moroccan riads and hotels that offer cookery courses, contact Morocco Gateway today. Morocco Gateway can offer special deals on Moroccan hotels and riads.
March special offer on Moroccan Hotels: Tigmi
There’s nothing quite like escaping the hustle and bustle of city life to relax and rejuvenate. So we’re delighted to bring you a very special offer for March, with a special four-nights-for-the-price-of-three deal on a fabulous Moroccan hotel that’s located in a tranquil mountain village, yet is still within easy access for visiting Marrakesh.
Hotel: Tigmi
Address: Douar Tagadert el Kadi, Km 24 Route d’Amizmiz, Outside Marrakech
Region: Marrakech and region
Rating: ***
Tigmi is a superb mid-range Moroccan hotel located in the small village of Tagadert. Just 20 minutes from the city of Marrakesh, Tagadert is also within easy reach of the tranquil beauty of the Atlas Mountains.
Originally a house, Tigmi was constructed in 1840 and has recently been renovated by village artisans using traditional techniques. The main house was transformed into a spacious hotel, complete with swimming pool, hammam (Turkish bath) and restaurant. A farm track divides this building from the second wing of Tigmi, which opened in 2008 and added another pool, as well as spacious bedrooms.
Originally constructed in 1840, Tigmi has recently been renovated by village artisans”
There’s a real treat in store at this hotel for fans of arts and crafts. You’ll be struck instantly by the vivid woven furnishings inside the hotel, which are made on the premises by Tigmi’s resident weaver. A talented artisan, he can create bespoke weavings from drawings that guests supply.
Tigmi’s food is not to be missed – cooked fresh from local, organic ingredients (the olive oil is produced just 500 yards away, an example of truly local cuisine) and vegetarians are catered for, although it’s best to advise the hotel in advance if you have any special dietary requirements. Meals are generally served outside on the terrace during warm weather, when guests can enjoy an amazing panoramic vista while eating. Food can also be served indoors anywhere throughout the hotel as required.
The mountainous, rural location of Tigmi means it’s ideal for sporty holidays, from gentle walks and hikes to mountain biking, watersports on the nearby lake and even microlight flying. You can hire mountain bikes from Tigmi itself. But if you want to take things a little easier, that’s not a problem – the mini gym, pools and spa with massage therapies and skin treatments are sure to help relax you.
Tigmi’s rural location means it’s ideal for sporty holidays, from gentle hikes to watersports and microlight flying”
The hammam is large compared with those in many Moroccan riads and has a relaxing atmosphere, with separate rooms for each of the therapies on offer, giving a real sense of privacy.
During March, Morocco Gateway are offering a special Spring deal – four nights for the price of three, staying at Tigmi any time until 31 May 2010 (note, you have to book by 31 March to qualify for this offer). Just follow this link and click the ‘Special Offers’ tab.
Just 25 minutes from Marrakesh’s Menara Airport, Tigmi is the perfect place to shake off the winter chills in a tranquil, warm location.