HOT TIP! GUIDED TOUR OF FES

HOT TIP! GUIDED TOUR OF FES

Fes was the first of Morocco’s imperial cities, and is one of the best-preserved cities of the medieval world, offering a wealth of cultural heritage and architectural beauty.  This sightseeing tour, led by an official guide, starts with the 14th century Royal Palace and the nearby Mellah, the ancient walled Jewish quarter – the Ibn Danan Synagogue is an international heritage monument.  Beautifully preserved streets lead you to the famous Blue Gate of Fes.  Further sights include the M’nebhi Palace, the 14th century Medersa Bou Inania (one of the holiest places in Morocco), the Rcife souk (market) in the medina, and the famous dye-works.

Tanneries in Fez © martinvarsavsky

You can also visit pottery, mosaic, silver, brassware and weaving workshops, and the picturesque leather tanneries.  Other magnificent heritage sites to visit include the ornate Tomb of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani (a Sufi saint), the Kairouine University founded in 859 (the oldest university in the world), and the shrine of King Moulay Idriss II, the founder of FES.

MARRAKECH AND ITS HIDDEN JEWELS: NOTHING BETTER

This day-trip takes in some of the hidden jewels of Marrakech, and is perfect for those who love art and gardens.  In the morning, we visit the Musée de la Palmeraie, just outside the city.  This extraordinary foundation combines a series of exquisite gardens, each with their own character, with cool galleries displaying some of the finest contemporary Moroccan art.  The owner is particularly keen to encourage young artists and women artists.  The atmosphere is very peaceful, and you can enjoy tea or coffee in the gardens. We then head to the world-famous Jardin Marjorelle, owned by the French fashion designer, the late Yves St. Laurent, on the outskirts of the city centre.  You can have an excellent lunch or tea and pastries in its walled garden, which is sprayed with fine jets of cooling water when the weather is hot.

The garden contains an extensive collection of cacti and other exotic plants, as well as refreshing pools and waterways. There is also a fascinating museum of Berber heritage and a gallery of paintings by the founder of the garden, French artist Jacques Majorelle. From here, our final visit of the day is to the Saadian Tombs, a very beautiful set of  historic chapels decorated in Moorish style.  A day of calm  ‘oases’ in bustling Marrakech!

Your kids will love it! It is a fantastic break for everybody!
do not hesitate to contact us! You may use our web site or our Tripadvisor link!

TREKKING AROUND IMLIL IN SUMMERTIME!

Imlil is one of the main trekking centres near the Jebl Toubkal, Morocco’s highest mountain.  It’s a remote Berber village surrounded by apple orchards, which are in full blossom in May.  90 minutes from Marrakech, Imlil is cool and quiet, and offers many walking trails with spectacular views of the mountains.  There are many cafés and restaurants where you can have lunch or buy snacks (try local apples and walnuts) for your walk.  On Saturdays you can visit the Berber market at Asni. DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY! This is an excursion for warm, sunny weather – it can be very cold and snowy in winter!

Spiritual and archeological sites in Morocco: MEKNES AND VOLUBILIS

This is a day-long excursion taking you  to Meknes, the former capital city of Morocco, the pilgrimage centre of Moulay Idriss, and the Roman ruins at Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

From Fes, we drive through the vineyards of the plain for around an hour, to reach the Imperial City of Meknes.  You can explore this relaxing city for around three hours – some unmissable sights include Moulay Ismail’s shrine, his stables (for 12,000 horses!), the Place el-Hedim (a pedestrianised square) and the spacious souks (markets).

Moulay Idriss © Adam Jones, Ph.D. – Global Photo Archive

After lunch, we drive 30km to Moulay Idriss, set on a hillside.  This is one of the most important pilgrimage sites and spiritual centres of Morocco, as Moulay Idriss was a great-grandson of the prophet Mohammed who lived in the 8th century.  Although access to the shrine itself is limited, it is worth wending your way through the many little streets that give onto wonderful views of the surrounding valley and the Roman site of Volubilis. From here it is a very short drive to Volubilis, with excellent photo opportunities on the way.  This is the most extensive and well-preserved Roman site in Morocco, famous for its brilliant mosaic floors, and you will be given a guided tour.  It also has wonderful views of the Rif Mountains. We return to Fes in the late afternoon.
Our customers always enjoy this day tour!

LOOKING FOR A QUIET AND INSPIRING PLACE?

OUZOUD WATERFALLS IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!

This is the perfect day out to escape the heat and bustle of Marrakech in the foothills of the High Atlas, and enjoy nature at its most lush.  3 hours drive from the city, the beautiful waterfalls of Ouzoud are set amid cool greenery.  Below the falls, you can hike through the gorge below, passing many natural pools in the rocks, with wonderful ever-changing views along the valley and of traditional Berber villages. (The hike includes climbing steps and walking along cliff trails.)  Birdwatchers will find much to interest them here.  You can also see wild Barbary apes in this area, which is being developed as a future nature reserve.  There are many terraced restaurants where you can take lunch or have a cool drink with views of the falls.

DO YOU FANCY THE SEASIDE?

This is a place I love!

Essaouira is a charming white and blue town on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, offering a relaxing day-trip from Marrakech.  All my customers love it! Families, young couples and couples with a young heart want to come back after a stroll along the beach! and a camel ride on the beach is something you can't  miss!

The town is famous for its annual jazz and Gnaoua music festivals.  Its moderate climate all year round makes it a popular destination at any time of year, but especially in the summer.  You can walk around the city ramparts overlooking the sea, and stroll round the little streets of the medina, watching woodworkers, potters and silversmiths in their workshops.

Essaouira fishing boats

Essaouira is particularly famous for its wood products, mainly of them intricately inlaid with different coloured woods.  On the long beach with its golden sands, you can windsurf, or ride horses or camels.  The town has many chic restaurants with excellent cuisine, or you can choose your own fish and seafood at the harbour to be freshly grilled for you.  On the way to Essaouira, look out for goats climbing in the argan trees that grow abundantly in this area – yes, there really are goats up in the trees!

WHAT ABOUT EXPLORING THE HIGH ATLAS?

This is an ideal day out from Marrakech to experience the High Atlas.  

You do not have to plan anything: just drop us a line and you will be picked up from your hotel to head up into the mountains. You will have the chance to travel across the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass (2200m), amid dramatic peaks  capped with snow.

Snow on the High Atlas mountains

It is the right occasion  to drive along the ancient caravan route which used to bring goods from the south of Morocco to Marrakech and the cities of the north. 

Your Instagram Profile will be enriched with a fantastic shot of the Kasbah of Telouet, former stronghold of the famous Glaoui tribe who ruled Morocco in the 19th century.  This impressive fortress has a spectacular interior, decorated with ornate plasterwork, painted wooden panels and ceilings, and beautiful silks.

Dramatic Gorges

I will then show you  a fantastc landscape. mountains, gorges and traditional Berber villages with houses built from the local earth. The afternoon will be spent exploring at your leisure the village of Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where many films have been made, from Lawrence of Arabia to Gladiator.  Set on a hillside, it is the largest and best preserved collection of kasbahs in Morocco. We return to your hotel in Marrakech over the High Atlas mountains, passing many more Berber villages on the way, in the beautiful early evening light.