We at AfricanaQ are really into African travel and holiday destinations – we do believe that Africa is one of the most beautiful continent in the world. Whilst most AfricanaQ readers prefer to holiday in UK, US and Dubai even Croatia. We will work with our partners to present a series of vacation destinations in Africa.
For this maiden edition, we recommend Morocco.
Morocco is a North African country bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean sea. As a country, it is rightly described as the gateway to Africa, lying only 13km or 8 miles from the coast of Spain. As a country it has many cultural influences ranging from Arabia to Europe and Barber.
The capital of Morocco is Rabat. If the plan is to spend a short time in Morocco, then we would advice to base yourself in Marrakech or in Fes – and taking day trips. In our opinion, going to the dessert might be too far and exhausting, but it is not impossible for the hardened and determined traveller.
Marrakech is a city bursting with life and activities. One thing to note is that it is a city of moments. There are some familiar sounds you will hear such as the call to prayer from the various mosques. In Marrakech, you must visit the Medersa ben Youssef, a magnificent example of unique architecture and the also happens to be largest Koranic school in Morocco. The Bahia Palace – with its beautiful ceilings and patios and the Saadian tombs – famous for beautiful and intricate decoration. it would be nice to also discover the Kasbah district, including its popular square of tinsmiths. To make the most of your discovery, you could explore the Jewish quarter of the medina and the Koutoubia mosque.
A trip to Marrakech will not be complete without visiting Jemaa el Fna square, Originally a place of public execution – the square’s name means ‘assembly of the dead’ – but now it is a UNESCO site and one of the most famous city squares in the world. As you wander from vendor to vendor, you will see story tellers, snake charmers, musicians, dancers and more. In the afternoon, the square fills with food stalls offering a variety of Moroccan foods and sweets. A Jemaa el Fna tradition is sunset tea on one of the nearby cafe terraces – we encourage you not to miss it.
Other areas to visit in Marrakech:
Souks and Fondouks
This is Marrakech’s centuries-old shopping mall. In Mouassine You will come across young designers withimpressive array of clothes shops. At Souk Cherifa, a market within a market, you can pick up Berber-style beanies, personalised straw hats and printed purses that are very trendy and can be equally unique.
Hammam
Keeping your skin looking good this close to the Sahara requires some serious maintenance work. But worry not, help is at hand in the form of Marrakech’s extensive network of hammams (public bathhouses). In the steam-filled interior of the bathouse, a tebbaya (bath attendant) will take you in hand, coating you with savon noir (black soap made with olives) before scrubbing off layer upon layer of dead skin followed by a soothing mud mask.
If you are still to explore this historic and beautiful country, then it might be worth visiting the:
The Hassan II mosque Is based in Casablanca. It is the largest Mosque in Morocco, second largest in Africa, and the 13th largest in the world. It has a capacity of 105k and it has been described as one of the most beautiful in the world. The architecture interior from what we have seen will make you appreciate beauty. The intriguing part is the co-habitation of tradition and modern – whilst the colourful mosaic tiles shows traditional beauty, the retractable roof and heated flooring displays a modern angle.
You can get a train from Marrakech to Casablanca. Do note that Casablanca is a very busy place – so be careful and time your trip carefully.
Fly
There are various flight routes from African destinations. If you need any assistance, do contact info@africanaq.com
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