-
Place Hassan II
The broad and empty Pl Hassan II, which is mostly roped off for security reasons, links the medina to the Ensanche. It looks like it houses the Wizard of Oz, with guards standing in front of the long flat facade of the royal palace , and four somewhat bizarre columns towering all a
-
Kasbah Myriem
If you’re in the mood for carpets, this workshop, about 1.5km out of town, is worth a look. It assists Berber women develop their embroidery and weaving. The workshop provides looms and materials, as well as a simple place to work. Local girls – aged 15 or so – come here in order t
-
Al
The campus of Al-Akhawayn University is at the northern end of town, and is a squeaky-clean showcase of Moroccan education. It was founded in 1995 by Morocco’s King Hassan II and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, and aims to promote tolerance between faiths. For now, only the rich and bea
-
Île de Mogador
Just off the coast to the southwest is the Île de Mogador, which has some interesting structures. Its actually two islands and several tiny islets – also known as the famed Îles Purpuraires (Purple Isles) of antiquity. The uninhabited islands are a sanctuary for Eleonoras falcons,
-
St Andrew’s Church
St Andrews Church is one of the more charming oddities of Tangier. Completed in 1905, on land granted by Queen Victoria, the interior of this Anglican church is in Moorish style, with no graven images, and the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic. Behind the altar is a cleft that indicates the
-
Souqs
The souqs and qissariat start around the Mosquée du Marché, offering mats and carpets woven by the Beni Ouarain tribe in the surrounding mountains. It’s a great chance to observe the workings of a Berber market.
-
Musée Belghazi
The first museum in Morocco has a vast collection of traditional Andalucian, Jewish Moroccan and Islamic arts and crafts amassed by the Belghazi family.Displays include measuring instruments (one of the first Belghazis was an astrologist at the Qarawiyin court in Fez), 17th-century
-
French Church
The only site of interest in Berkane is the French Church. Built in 1909, it was the life project of a single priest with a very broad view of religion. The interior contains a strange amalgamation of alchemy, signs of the zodiac and biblical scenes transplanted to Morocco, all pai
-
Porte de la Mer
Further down the street are the ramparts with the Porte de la Mer, the original sea gate where ships unloaded their cargo and from where the Portuguese finally departed. To the left of the gate, through the archway, is one of the town’s communal bakeries , where local women bring t
-
Plage des Nations
The clean, sandy strip of beach at Plage des Nations, 17km north of Rabat, is a popular spot with Rabat locals. It gets some serious wave action good for surfers, but the currents can be dangerous for swimming.Above the beach, the Hôtel Firdaous is remarkable for its original 70s d
-
Grande Mosquée & Medersa
Central to life in pious Salé and one of the oldest religious establishments in the country, the Grand Mosquée and medersa are superb examples of Merenid artistry. They were built in 1333 by Almohad Sultan Abou al-Hassan Ali. The mosque is closed to non-Muslims, but the splendid me
-
Musée de Marrakech
Maybe the rumours are true of a curse on the Mnebhi Palace, now home to Musée de Marrakech. Its low walls and inner courtyard left no place to hide for Mehdi Mnebhi, defence minister during Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz’s troubled 1894–1908 reign. While Minister Mnebhi was away receiving
-
García Aldave
If you’ve done everything else, the García Aldave can be crossed from coast to coast along the N354, either by car or on foot (a hiking map from the tourist office will help). The route contains a series of circular neo-medieval watchtowers, closed to visitors. Several of these are
-
Skala du Port
Down by the harbour, the Skala offers more cannons and picturesque views over the fishing port and the Île de Mogador. Looking back at the walled medina from here, through a curtain of swirling seagulls, you’ll get the same evocative picture that is used on nearly all official lite
-
Parc de la Ligue Arabe
Casas biggest open space is the Parc de la Ligue Arabe. Its a good place for games and walks, has a choice of small cafés and the Yasmina amusement park. Parc de la Ligue Arabe, has an essentially French layout, although the flora is more faithful to its location in Africa. Cathédr
-
Hart Chaou Organic Community Garden
One fascinating stop for passionate gardeners on the way out of town is the Association Development Hart Chaou community garden project. In the past decade, this small agricultural village bypassed by time and tourism faced droughts and tough times. Several families had no land, wa
-
Shrines
To the rear of the Grande Mosquée is the Zawiya of Sidi Abdallah ibn Hassoun , the patron saint of Salé. This respected Sufi died in 1604 and is revered by Moroccan travellers in much the same way as St Christopher is revered among Christians. An annual pilgrimage and procession in
-
Monte Hacho
A walk around Monte Hacho is an option on a nice day; maps are available at the tourist office or you can wing it and follow the coast. Since it’s an uphill slog from town, a good option is to start by taking a cab (€15) to the Mirador de San Antonio two-thirds of the way up, which
-
Complexe des Potiers
The village of Oulja, 3km southeast of Salé, is home to the Complexe des Potiers, which produces a huge range of ceramics. The potters work at the back of the complex, bringing in clay from a rich seam in the surrounding hills (you’ll see it on the left as you drive in), throwing a
-
Quartier Habous
The Quartier Habous, or nouvelle medina , is Morocco-lite - an idealised, almost toy-town, version of a traditional medina with neat little rows of streets and shop stalls. The district was built by the French in the 1930s as an attempted solution to the ongoing housing shortage. I
Total
422 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
18/22 20-travel/Page GoTo Page:
