Morocco news
Christmas and New Year 2010 in Marrakesh and Morocco
Looking to spend Christmas and New Year 2010 in Marrakech or elsewhere in Morocco? Here are some ideas of what is available (at the time of print!) in Marrakesh and elsewhere across Morocco.
Riad Ksiba in Marrakesh is a small riad has 2 suites still remaining for Christmas and New Year. And for people who stay more than 6 nights, they offer a complimentary dinner the day of arrival and put maroccan patisseries, a bottle of water and flowers in rooms upon arrival.
Close by in Marrakesh also, The Zen House has some availbaility and offer group discounts – ask the owner Carla both these in any enquiry you submit through us. Special occasions can also be celebrated at Zen House. Recent celebrations the riad has organised include a 4-day birthday celebration for a group of 12 and dinners with live traditional music and dancing.
Image byPigFromSpace
La Maison Arabe has a selection of rooms and suites over the Christmas and New Year. Ask also about their popular cookery classes.
Just outside central Marrakesh, and for a luxurious and preaecful Christmas and new Year holiday, Caravanserai is a boutique hotel offering seventeen stylish rooms in the tranquil northern Marrakech region of La Palmeraie. It still has some available Suites or Superior Suites. Read more about the hotel here.
If you fancy avoiding the city, then Ksar Shama is located in Ouirgane in foothills of the Atlas Mountains, just an hour by car from Marrakesh. They also offer Morocco Gateway users a number of special offers where they stay for 5 days or more – read more about these offers and the hotel here.
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Flights take off in Morocco
Morocco has experienced a record period of air travel over the latest summer season according to the Global Arab Network. Despite all the issues this year in the aviation market, passenger traffic for May, June and July saw was 13% up on the previous year, according to data released by Office National Des Aéroports, with the kingdom’s airports handling 1.59m passengers in July alone.
Casablanca is the most popular of the Morocco’s airports with 49% of all passenger traffic so far in 2010. Despite this dominance some of Morocco’s other airports are witnessing significant growth, including Tangier (37.3%), Nador (21.8%) and the largest by Fez with arrivals growing by (39.2%).
The growth in Morocco’s aviation sector is largely down to two main factors. The first has been the government’s drive to develop the aviation infrastructure to support the growth of tourism industry. Between 2005 and 2008 the government invested €670m to expand and modernise the majority of the country’s 12 airports, including doubling the capacity of Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca to 8m passengers.
Morocco’s National Airport Office is currently undertaking a tendering process for an investment project to double the capacity at Marrakech International, as well as a €56m upgrade of Fez Saiss.
The second significant contributor to the growth in the Moroccan aviation sector is the open skies agreement signed between Morocco and the EU in 2006. This agreement removed all capacity restrictions and was the first of its kind between the EU and a non-EU member. The deal allows any number of airlines from the EU and Morocco unlimited rights to fly between any city-pair involving Morocco and EU member nations without significant restrictions on capacity, frequency or price.
This deal has attracted a number of new airlines to serve the Moroccan market over the last three years. Some of the most significant included Ryanair, opening a new route between Edinburgh and Marrakesh starting in May 2010 and EasyJet’s plan to open a new route between Fez and Paris in November 2010. EasyJet already operates flights to Casablanca, Marrakesh, Tangier and Agadir. Morocco also has its own low cost airline, Air Arabia Maroc, set up as a joint venture between various Moroccan investors and Sharjah’s Air Arabia , which was launched in late 2009.
Interestingly it is not just tourism that is driving Morocco’s growth in the aviation sector. Morocco is fast becoming an international player in the aerospace industry, developing as an important subcontracting base for European space and aeronautical contractors. Current the sector employs 7,000 workers across 90 companies generating exports of €520m. The Moroccan nation new agency reported in January that the Moroccan government has given a number of incentives to attract new aerospace firms, with the aim of creating 15,000 additional jobs in the sector and €360 million of GDP between 2009-2015.
Morocco is currently investing massively in its infrastructure to attract both tourists and business to the country. All this investment will make Morocco an even easier destination for European and international visitors and will be a welcome benefit to all of us who enjoy visiting Morocco so much. Here are some more articles on what makes Morocco such a great place to visit (we think!) – click here.
Royal Air Moroc extends its reach through a codeshare with Etihad
Morocco is now even easier to reach from the rest of the Middle East and the Far east through the recently extended code share agreement between Eithad Airways and the state-run Moroccan airline Royal Air Maroc, giving customers access to more destinanation in the Morocco and West Africa.
The codeshare deal will allow Etihad passengers to travel from Casablanca to the Moroccan destinations of Agadir, Laayoune, Fez and Marrakech, as well as Nouakchott in Mauritania and Dakar in Senegal.
In return, Royal Air Maroc will offer travellers access to Etihad Airways services to Abu Dhabi as well as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Singapore.
Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer James Hogan, said: ‘An important part of Etihad’s growth strategy is to offer customers access to as many global destinations as possible, whether this be through opening up new routes on our own or through strategic agreements with other airlines, adding breadth and depth to our network.
‘The expanded cooperation with Royal Air Maroc will significantly enhance access to destinations for our customers flying beyond Casablanca throughout Morocco and to West Africa.’
Chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Air Maroc, Driss Benhima, said: ‘This new agreement confirms the confidence we have in each other’s operations and services, and helps meet our aims of enhancing the travel experience for our customers and providing them with new destination choices.’
Things to do in Morocco – interview with a tour guide
Pete Reed worked as a tour guide and driver in Morocco. Here he shares his recommendations for things to see and do on a trip to the North African country.
“The souks in Marrakech have to be seen to be believed,” says Pete. “They’re full of food, colourful spices and artisans selling leather goods and metal lanterns. These metal lanterns are very popular, you’ll see them all over Morocco.
“One of the best places to go in Marrakech itself is the Djemaa el Fna square, an open-air festival with drummers, storytellers, musicians and so on.”
Marrakech has a myriad attractions, including the amazing architecture of the Ben Youssef Medersa, the unmissable Koutoubia Minaret, the Jewish quarters and the Saadian Tombs. Especially in the summer, finding good refreshments are also essential.
“One of my favourite places is the grass Place et Mourabitoune,” Pete adds. “Here you can hire horse carriages and get your hands on the best ice cream in Morocco.”
Many visitors to Morocco will want to see not only the city but also the surrounding countryside.
“If you’re taking a driving holiday, the Tizi-n-Tichka pass from Marakech to Ait Benhaddou is a real drivers’ road,” comments Pete. “Be careful if you’re traveliing in the winter, though, it can get snowed up.”
Ait Benhaddou is a ksar or fortified city on the old caravan route between Marrakech and the Sahara Desert. A World Heritage Site, Ait Benhaddou will be familiar to film buffs – many movies have been shot there, including Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth, Time Bandits, The Mummy and Gladiator.
“For a more challenging drive, there’s the Tizi-n-Test pass, which is far smaller and windier,” Pete continues. “There’s an old mosque here that everyone – not just Muslims – is allowed inside, because it’s no longer in use. Though it’s abandoned, it’s fascinating for people who are into history and architecture.”
Care should be taken on this road as it is very narrow and windy in places, and local truck drivers travel at speed because they know the route very well. It’s best to proceed with caution as a tourist.
The journey is worth making, however. You’ll pass Mount Toubkal, the highest point in North Africa.
“Another place you should take a trip to from Marrakech is the Cascades D’Ouloud, the stunning tripple waterfall just a few hours from the city,” says Pete. “The falls are amazing and you can swim if you like.”
Travel down the coast and you will come to a city with a very different atmosphere.
“You have to go to Essaouira,” Pete enthuses. “It’s like a chilled-out version of Marrakech, about 100 miles down the coast.”
Essaouira means “image” and is certainly a picturesque location.
“It’s a walled city on the coast, with a crescent shaped beach where you can ride camels,” says Pete. “From there you can take a place on either a small or large boat to the islands off Essaouira; there’s a bird sanctuary there where you can see the Eleanor’s Falcon [an endangered species}.”
As for where to stay on your journey, Pete is clear:
“I recommend staying in Moroccan riads,” he says. “Essentially family homes, they are small and comfortable.”
For information on Moroccan riads in Marrakech, Essouira and beyond, visit Morocco Gateway.
Picture credits, from top – CCA: Mararkech, by reservasdecoches, Tizi-n-Tichka by zongo69, Sea at Essaouira by chigle
Ash cloud shuts Moroccan airports
Five Moroccan airports have been closed today due to the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud.
Casablanca, Rabat-Sale, Tangiers, Tetouan and Essaouira airports are expected to remain closed until at least 18:00 GMT as the ash that has casued so much trouble in European air space moves on to North Africa.
The Eyjafjallajokul volcano erupted in mid April, causing five days of chaos for European travellers.
If you are travelling too or from any of the affected airports, we advise you check with your airline before setting off. Flights to Spain, Turkey and the Canary Islands have also been affected by this latest cloud.
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.
Welcome to our new blog!
Welcome to Morocco Gateway’s brand new blog. As you’ve landed up here we suspect you may be planning a trip to Morocco and we have to say we thoroughly recommend it! Morocco Gateway is the brainchild of two Morocco fanatics and we hope through this blog to share our enthusiasm for this marvellous country with you. We’re going to explore some of the best Morocco hotels & riads, and share some very special offers. But for now, read on to discover what you can expect from visiting Morocco.
Morocco is an ancient kingdom that’s becoming increasingly popular as a destination for tourists. There’s something for everyone, from seasoned travellers to first-time holiday makers. A land of adventure, excitement, culture, history and extremely friendly people, you’re sure to fall in love with this beautiful country. Staying in one of the small hotel or riads in Morocco will give you an unforgettable cultural experience.
One of the first things you’ll notice about visiting Morocco is how colourful it is. From jewels to magical carpets, there is an amazing array of colour on display wherever you turn.
One of the first things you’ll notice about Morocco is how colourful it is.”
The markets and towns are bustling with people and a range of crafts can be seen (and bought) on the streets or Marrakesh. The area is also steeped in rich history dating back to ancient times. If you are staying in a Marrakesh hotel, a day trip to the Kasbah of Tinerhir would be the perfect escape from city life. Kasbahs are rural fortresses that protected Moroccans from invaders and are breathtaking sites.
You could also escape with a relaxing camel trek, have a fortune teller reveal your future, or learn to bellydance from a professional bellydancer.
Morocco has so much to offer. On this blog we will share some top things to see while staying in a Morocco hotel or riad, give some advice for visiting Morocco and advice for particular travellers (including women, those seeking adventure and vegetarians) and share some of the stories behind these Morocco hotels & riads in our new Hotel of the Week feature.
Let us know what you think of our blog, and share your experience of visiting Morocco by leaving us a comment. If you have any questions about your trip, don’t hesitate to ask.