For those who still don't know what to do this vacation, Morocco It is revealed as an affordable, economic alternative and, in addition, with good weather guaranteed. Low-cost companies such as Ryan Air or Easy Jet offer flights at discounted prices to cities such as Marrakesh or White House from different Spanish towns.
Casablanca, known for the eponymous film by Víctor Fleming, is an ideal starting point for people who want to discover the country's poverty and misery. It offers a more realistic vision than that of other cities more focused on tourism such as Fez, Rabat or Marrakesh.
However, it is still, in the opinion of many, a dark, dirty and very poor city. The flagship of the city is, without a doubt, the Hassan II Mosque, the largest religious monument in the world after Mecca and open to all tourists (even if they are not Muslims) .Although designed by a French architect, all the materials used in its construction are indigenous.
The Mosque, which was built to commemorate King Hassan II's 60th birthday, can accommodate more than 100,000 people inside and out. Its minaret, the highest in the world, is visible from many kilometers around.
The Mohammed V Avenue, which comes to be something like Madrid's Gran Vía, collects small hotels and restaurants where you can eat typical dishes, such as fried fish (with your hands), or lobster. We must not forget that Casablanca is the main port of the country and the quality of its fish is unbeatable.
A tour of The Corniche (seafront) or any of the two medinas, the new or the old, are equally advisable. But, without a doubt, for the romantics you cannot miss a visit to the Rick’s Cafe, where to recall the mythical phrase - never said - of "Play it again, Sam"
We continue our journey to Marrakech, not without first recommending the traveler to try, whenever possible, to stay in 4-5 star accommodation (the quality is not comparable to that of hotels in other countries), not to drink water, raw vegetables or fruit without stripping and, above all, being willing to respect the customs of others.
It is difficult to make any recommendation about Marrakech, since all of it is recommended. For those who go with little time, do not miss the plaza de Jemaa el Fna and its souks. A universe of colors and sensations difficult to find, even in other Moroccan towns, and which constitutes the nerve center of the city.
The square, which is a living reflection of the medieval squares, is a meeting place for vendors, musicians, acrobats and a fascinating space in the late afternoon. The Semmarin souk, near the square, is ideal to smell, admire and enjoy haggling. Eye!. In Morocco, haggling is common practice, so it is worth doing the same as the native ones.
The rampartswith its impressive doors of Bab Doukkala, Bab el Themis, Bab El Jadid, Bab el Debbah, Bab er Robb Y Bab AgnauThey are another of the monuments worth seeing in the city, at the same time that they are difficult not to see.
The royal palace o Give El Makhen It constitutes another one of the buildings worth seeing. However, it has little to do with ordinary European palaces. Of Almohad origin and later enlarged and embellished by the later dynasties, its jewels are the Mechouar (parade ground) and the Great Mechouar, where different kinds of events took place.
Finally, we cannot forget the landscape of great contrasts in the city. Gardens like that of Agdal Or the Menara, with its ponds, palm groves and all kinds of semi-desert vegetation contribute to the color and liveliness of Marrakesh, which shows that Morocco is much more than mosques.
And if we want to continue traveling through other imperial or fortified cities, or even go into the desert, we strongly recommend using the train. It is not only fast, but also very cheap, does not accumulate delays and travels more comfortably than by bus. Of course, it is not worth traveling in first class, since there are no great differences with respect to the cheapest class.
Why I left Korea [Hello Counselor/ENG, THA/2019.07.15] (May 2024)
- Marrakesh
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