Fascinating, mysterious, intriguing. .. these are but a few of the many adjectives used to describe Morocco. Often fiercely expressive are the efforts that attempt to condense the exotic and folkloric aspects of this nation, which never cease to inspire writers, artists, filmmakers or visitors.
The exotic atmosphere, because it is naturally rooted here, becomes a fever for the traveler. It is a real atmosphere, but which beyond western exaggeration is not out of the norm for a country so rich in traditions. It may appear paradoxical, however, even somewhat ridiculous and falsely snobbish, to travel the breadth of Morocco in search of places where this charm is intact when in reality it can be found everywhere, at every corner, in all houses, in every city. On the contrary, it is in the largest cities, justifiably famous and celebrated, that this charm is most evident. It is thus almost useless to venture off into impractical narrow alleys or tiny villages. One will not find anything there other than the confir¬mation those cities as Marrakech, Fes, Tanager or Sale already offer so much to the eager eye of the attentive visitor. Along with the typical contradictions of the metro¬polises and their confusing architecture, the great cities of Morocco preserve this vividness which, appreciated in an intelligent manner, never becomes tiresome. It only requires that one takes more time to admire these unique wonders of the world.

If one only has a short time to visit the North, Tanager then is a seductive and obligatory destination. Gateway to Europe, cross¬roads between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, there still reigns there a halo of mystery that makes the city an ideal loca-tion for so many films and for real international intrigues. Fought over by a number of important nations over many centuries, it survives, imper¬turbable in its myth, as if a spell rendered it impervious to the ravages of time. In a profusion of colors and smells, the city exudes that fascinating chaos typical of Mediterranean port cities without being troubled by the opinion of its guests. Contrary to the palpable vitality of the streets, the markets, the kasbahs, it deliberately hides an industrious nature and a sure sense of business. It is like a secondary characteris¬tic, but one clearly present that allows visitors to follow in the tracks of such famous enthusiasts. Tanger was dear to Delacroix, Saint-Saens, Tennessee Williams, Jean Genet, and Matisse. It doesn’t brag about itself;however, convinced that whosoe¬ver passes over the threshold of the Ben Erraha Gate cannot remain indifferent to the grand Socco, the souk so much enjoyed by Joseph Kessel. Nor can they not be awed by the minaret of Sidi Bou Abid in polychromatic earthenware or the view from the terrace of the Paresseux or the time spent taking tea at the Petit Socco, preferred by Paul Bowles. They can also enjoy the cool¬ness of the sultan’s gardens under the vigi¬lant and evocative power of the Dar el Makhzen Palace, or more simple hours pas¬sed watching people as they discover how true it is that ‘Tanger liberates the artist in every man ».

Quite different is the atmosphere of Casablanca. While Tanger is inspirational, Casablanca is energetic, acti¬ve, hard working .A powerful motor, it is the incarnation of modern Morocco where 60% of the nation’s indus¬trial businesses are concentrated. It is not an accident if, since its 1912-urbanization plan, it has been thought of as an ideal city, rational, dedicated to efficiency. From the center spread large boulevards lined with Art Deco buildings, neoMoorish follies and monuments to rationalism. This mixture of styles and proportions at first disconcerts, but which by a mysterious alchemy comes together and no longer disturbs. One creates, certainly, but one also restores, preserves, protects the symbols of the past as well as the present.
One thus comprehends why Casablanca ¬ »casa » or house for the Moroccans – has been chosen to crown the dream of a people. In this city has been erected the Hassan II Mosque which with its 9 hec¬tares of surface and space for 80,000 faithful is simply stupefying. In perfect balance between tradition and high technology, the mosque contains more than ten thousand square meters of ceramic zelliges, 37,000 of gypsum, 53,000 of sculp¬ted wood, the result of the collective labor of 3,300 craftsmen. The minaret, one of the highest in the world, white the roof can be opened in three minutes, transforming the immense nave into an evocative patio. A laser beam points in the direction of Mecca .

Of all the northern cities, it is Fes nevertheless that has best kept this magical atmosphere without being compromised by tourism. Even if this is a not-to-be-missed destination, this aggressively beautiful city remains the most secret, perhaps the most imperial of all the imperial cities. One must not fait to explore the crammed alleys, to imagine the gardens and dream-like homes that lay beyond the walls, to savor the markets as well as the most modern areas. This Fes el-Jedid was born outside the walls in the 12′h century. A royal capital first in 809 under Idriss II, then again in the 12′ » century with the Merinides and in the 19′ » century during the reign of Moulay Abdellah, Fes still has all the majesty of its history. From the El Quaraouyine mosque to that of Andalusia, from the university, the first in the eastern world, to the es-Sahrji medersa or Muslim religious college, au speak of an economic power and a culture as broad as the horizons that one still finds in the oldest parts, Fes El Bali. It is a maze of passageways, stairs, court yards, that open out on a network of alleys crowded with craft shops, silver and jewelry boutiques, pottery stores specializing in the blue of the city and leather goods. All these confirm the refined taste transmitted through the centuries.

Rabat is also interesting. Originally Roman, the capital of Morocco bas a kind of sobriety that at first glance can seem de tri¬mental to its ambience. It is strongest at the medina, rational and above all joyous, where one finds the trading of attractively priced antiques. The sobriety is breathed in the neighborhood of the embassies, on the beaches and in general in the enti¬re urban area. Not to miss is the Hassan I minaret built in 1196 that dominates the mosque and the nearby mausoleum of Mohamed V.To visit with time to spare is the Kasbah des ouadaias, the fortified citadel at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River; the streets and above all the terraces that overlook the ocean front and the city of Sale, twin city of the capital. Founded in the 1l th century, Sale is very different because of its layout and its traditions. Beyond its great monuments, it offers jewels of rare beauty. These include the small, delicate Merinidian medersa, built in 1333 by the Sultan Abou El Hassan, the terrace of the same college where one can contemplate the immense panorama of the two cities as well as the great cemetery perched above the sea. This place of prayer is the obligatory pas¬sageway of urbanization logic and becomes for wes-tern eyes an instrument to better comprehend Moroccan culture. Finally, a trip to the cities of Morocco is an experience not to be missed which stimulates the desire to do it again soon.

There is absolutely no doubt that the town of My Idriss Zerhoun with its monuments, shrine, traditional urban layout and oral heritage, is one of the most incredible medinas in Morocco, or even in the muslim West.

Located east of the ancient city of volubilis, and north-west of the imperial city of Meknès, My Idriss Zerhoun appears to the tourist eye just like a citadel from the Middle Ages perched on the slopes of jbel zerhoun (a mountain not more than 1200 meters at its highest point and which, despite its difficult access, has been a magnet to humankind due the richness of its soil and abundance of water sources).

At the beginning, the town was named in memory of the King My Idriss 1st, founder of the Vlll th century Idrisside dynasty, who was buried there. This ‘Sherif, a descendant of Ali Ibn Abi Talib and Fatima, daughter of the prophet sidna« Mohamed, was fleeing from the Arab peninsula and the Abbasids (ruling family of the time in the Middle Ages), and stopped off for a while at walila« ex Volubilis, where he was welcomed by the Amazigh tribe from Awraba and proclaimed Imam and Emir (prince) in 788. Idriss, with the wisdom and know-how of his companion Sidi Rachid and the support of his follo¬wers, shortly became master of a large part of Morocco. He preached Islam and had his own mint, the Idrissid dirham, a true sign of the birth of an Islamic state in the Maghreb, independent of the Abbasids of the Orient.
As legend has it, My Idriss came to a tragic end as he was poisoned by an rival, the Abbassidian Caliph, Haroun Arrachid. According to writings and fact, My Idriss was buried in a ‘Khaloua’ shrine outside Volubilis, which is contemporary My tdriss Zerhoun.

Once buried, not much importance was attributed to the location of his shrine. It was only in 1318 that a major event enabled this spot to be reborn. It had to do with the discovery of the body of My ldriss, intact in its shroud. The My ldriss cult then blossomed along with the unexpected expansion of a long forgotten and marginalised site: My ldriss Zerhoun. The renovation of the shrine of My ldriss and its outbuildings then went ahead and one witnessed the arrival of pilgrims from all over Morocco requesting the Sherif’s benediction and participating in the moussems (important religious festivals).

At the time of Alaouite rule, the great monarch My Ismail ordered, in 1719, an expansion of the shrine of My ldriss as well as its outbuildings, and encouraged its institutionalisation as a ritual site. Under his reign and successive reigns, a huge level of interest in the town as a whole was shown with the construction of surrounding walls, huge gates, médersas (schools to study the Koran), fondouks (Caravanserails – ‘hotels’ for travelling merchants), hammams (public baths), as well as domestic and commercial buildings (homes, shops .. .).
The medina of My ldriss Zerhoun thus became a religious and business magnet, with the following two moussems annually feted there, the chorfas Alamyines and Fes’s chorfas idrissides.

Despite the major urbanisation of the second half of the XXth Century being deemed as clumsy, the town of My Idriss Zerhoun bas been able to preserve its allure as a holy town and the authenticity of the oral heritage associated with its shrine. So, any visitor lucky enough to be present as its moussem will never forget the sight of a procession of pilgrims, accompanied by the songs and dances of brotherhoods of A Issawas, Hmadchas and others, presenting their offerings to the Sherif and pausing at his tomb with its magnificent cover (Kasswa) totally embroidered in gold thread
He/she will retain the memory of the narrow streets of a town from the Middle Ages that had the privilege of being cited in the annals of great historians such as Ibn Abi Zara’ (XIV) and Annaciri (XVIII) as well as in the tales of great travellers such as Léon the African in
‘Descriptions of Africa’ and Marmol Carbajal in ‘Ifriqia’. .. and that featured equally in the canvases of great painters such as Majorelle.
He/she will never be able to forget the taste of traditional confectionery from Fes (Nougat) and that moment of pure pleasure when sipping a good cup of mint tea served in one of the Moorish cafés in My ldriss Zerhoun‘s main square

Taghazout

For the cadiris. the inhabitants of Agadir, Taghazout is a comfortable way to escape the over-visited Agadir beach during the summer months. tocated 17 kilometers north of Agadir, backed against the mountains and bordered to the south by a small plateau, it has seven km of almost unspoiled beach. To the north, it provides a world famous surfing zone. Access from the road is direct. This beautiful site near Agadir will see in the year 2007 a new seaside resort whose ‘approach construction is already underway.

Agadir

Nine kilometers of golden sand has established the international reputation of the beach at Agadir. This long and very wide band of sand came into being as the result of the immemorial work of the souss wadi whose mouth shelters win to ring pink flamingoes and marks the beach’s southern limit. The city of Agadir was tucked away in the north against the steep mountain slopes before the 1960 earthquake destroyed it.
It dominated the port and an immense field of shifting dunes bordered the beach until the Department of Water and Forests planted a eucalyptus forest there in the 1930S. It was then that tourism development progressively began to take possession of the site. A marina, whose construction bas been started, will bring the infrastructure of water-based activities that will be enjoyed year round.

Tifnit

Although situated less than 30 km to the south of Agadir, Tifnit beach has remained totally unspoiled. Its only inhabitants are a few fishermen with their boats. The beach is small, and in comparison to the size of its neighbors, it might be considered a creek. A very wild setting and a tempestuous, sometimes even dangerous tide, led authorities to protect the area. And if tourism development is foreseen, it will be that of a village open to eco-tourism.

Sidi Ifni

Sidi Ifni is one of the mythical ports of the south. Coveted in the 18th century by the colonial powers because it was one of the rare landing points on this cliff-crowded coast, Sidi Ifni was a Spanish enclave until 1969, and its architecture still bears witness to its Hispanic past. The city and the’ military base were built on different banks of the wadi. The sand and pebble beach is washed by very cold waves at the foot of the new port that replaced the old one. Remaining from the old port are two immense cable car towers that loom over the water like ghosts. Heading north over the sand at the foot of the cliffs, nature bas imposed its rights and has produced some superb beaches.

White beach

This is the longest beach in Morocco, 52 km from Foum Assaka in the north to Foum El Oued in the south, christened white beach by the airmail aviators that flew over this huge white ribbon, it still remains difficult to reach. There are 40 km of an occasionally difficult track and stretches of cliffs that have protected it for a longtime.
So that everyone might enjoy this unspoiled place, it has been designated as one of the six seaside resorts that the Kingdom wishes to develop over the course of this decade.

Tan-Tan

Tan-Tan, with its echo-like name, is a mythical city of the Moroccan Sahara, built on a wadi 20 km from the sea. It was only with the development of fishing, the creation of a port and a road that the name of Tan-Tan beach became known. The beach is nice. Nature lovers, however, will undoubtedly prefer its more unspoiled neighbors that can be reached by taking the road along the cliffs to the south. At the mouth of a wadi, you often disco ver unspoiled beaches of exceptional beauty.

Tarfaya

At 107 km north of Laayoune, the area of Tarfaya is surprising for the stretch s of deserted beach and the silence that reigns there. Its fish-filled shores are held in high esteem by sports anglers. The only inconvenience is that violently strong winds sometimes blanket the region with sand. To visit Tarfaya Beach is also to go back in time and to commune with the memory of Antoine de Saint-Exupery who was head pilot of the local airport. Here, you can find the old runway where the famous Airmail planes took off and landed as well as the ruins of the Latecoere building facing the sea. A second building stands in the sea, the « Casarnar, » the old commercial warehouse that was built by the Englishman Makenzie and was later taken over and used by Sultan Moulay Hassan I toward the end of the 19th century.

Foum El Oued

Here the word « immense » takes on al! its meanings. Without doubt, it is the best place to swim within 25 km to the south of Laayoune on the Boujdour road. Foum El Oued is the regions only beach equipped for bathing and is almost deserted out of season. At the end of the long, lighted coastal road sits the bay’s first hotel.
This magnificent location, where the unflagging waves of the Atlantic pound the shore, hopes to become a popular tourism destination.

Dakhla

One does not go to Dakhla to swim, but to fish. This small pioneer town was called villa Cisneros and was nothing more than a military camp of huts that faced a lageon filled with fish. Speckled perch, sea-bream, and sardine await your hook

Morocco has great beaches all along its coastline. A paradise for summertime bathers, aquatic athletes will also find the wind surfing, jet skiing, surfing, and water skiing to their Iiking. sea sport enthusiasts will be more than satisfied between Asilah and Agadir.
The Mediterranean coast, just as rich but calmer, is also favored by devotees of sunbathing siestas on fine sand, scuba diving, water skiing and boating.

Cabo Negro

A charming seaside resort on the Mediterranean, it boasts a calm sea and very fine sand. It is ideal for tanning, bathing, and water skiing.

Al Hoceima

A blue sky and sea paradise for swimmers and scuba divers.

Asilah

A charming city with strong Spanish and Portuguese traces, it is famous for its long sandy beach that stretches over kilometers. It is made for surfing and wind surfing.

Mehdya

Morocco’s surfing cradle par excellence, surfers from the American base began to hit the waves there 50 years ago.

Between Kenitra and Casablanca

There is a succession of fabulous summer beaches. Bouznika is one of the favorite places for experienced surfers because a certain skill is needed to avoid the schools of sea urchins there. It is also an ideal beach for jet-skiers. At Rabat Sale, the waves near the jetty more than fulfill the expectations of surfers, both body and board. It is also ideal for jet skiing.

Mohamedia

Between the Sablettes beach, Port Blondin and the port, sea sport enthusiasts, whether it be water skiing, surfing, or jet skiing, are certain to find it to their liking. Casablanca possesses a number of good spots favored by surfers, particularity the beach in front of the coast road that reminds many of France’s Landes region. Dar Bouazza boasts the same characteristics.

Oualidia

An ideal location for bath beginners and the better skilled. Moreover, the surfing camp has all the necessary facilities to initiate even the youngest. it’s heaven for beginners.

Twelve kilometres north of Agadir, on the right, a winding road crosses over 24 kilometers of mountains. Then, you come upon an astonishing diversity in relief and very varied vegetation where argan trees predominate. It is the picturesque road of honey that borders a veritable natural botanical garden nicknamed « the valley of heaven. »

Hidden at the heart of the High Atlas, stretched over the lowest slopes of the Highest peaks, Ida Ou Tanane is a vast territory that forcefully asserts itself thanks to an extraordinary panorama, and it is where the Berber tribe of the same name has long rei¬gned. Actually, Ida Ou Tanane is made up of two great natural parts that integrate with the rising mountains of the High Atlas. Idouthama, a Berber term that means the « lowest place, refers to that area that spreads out between 700 and 1200 meters in altitude.
There, Berber villages that time and civilization seem to have left untouched are anchored in a rich and alluring nature; they appear to open their arms with warmth. The village of Tazarine (for « dry fig’) is the last town that separates Idouthama and tdo Ou Tartane from other equally Berber territories.

Like the other villages, Tazarine slumbers under the shade of argan, almond and olive trees. The two-story Berber houses are made of clay. The main entrance of each house gives access to the ground floor designed essentially to house livestock and was therefore conceived as a stable. The second passage leads to the upper level where families dwell. The typical way of life there is set in the most traditional ways, such as the milling of flour and the fruit of the argan tree, and the use of the tradition al oven, indispensable in every home. Moreover, they use argan tree oil that the Berbers of the region consume on special occasions and which they offer with pleasure to their guests. Also in common use is Amlou, a delicious marmalade made from a base of argan oil, almonds and pure honey.

Olive oil is indispensable in their kitchens as well as in their daily life. Each season, the villagers combine their efforts to press their olives in a gigantic oil-press that has been in use in the town for over a century. Higher up, at an altitude of approximately 900 meters, an astonishing flat rock formation juts out from the face. It bears the name of Zolado or « make up your eyes with the wind » and overlooks ldouthama. This original name refers to the light wind that blows there throughout the year and slightly irritates the eyes just as traditional Kohl does. This fairy tale view is a natural mixture of authentic forms and colors. it contains abundant and verdant oases, sky scraping peaks, and modest ochre-colored houses scattered here and there. To add further pleasure and amazement, the lake of the Abdelmoumen dam adds perfect harmony along a peaceful and endless passage across this magnificent scenery.
Then at a height of 1200 meters, there is the second part of Ida ou Tanane which is called Iguinthama or the highest part.
At this altitude, in the middle of the honey route, rises the village of lmouzzer, the ancient capital of the Ida Ou Tanane tribe. The name means waterfall in the berber language.

From this height, the town dominates ldouthama, Iguinthama and the whole of Ida Ou Tanane, Imouzzer as a gesture of good will diverts its fresh and regenerating water into a large lake that nature has created and where one can take one’s ease with great pleasure in springtime.
The waterfall gushes forth over many levels and flows over the rocky watts whitened by the crystallization of limestone that has earned it the nickname « the bride’s veil. » Mountain climbing in the High Atlas continues, and the discoveries that are progressively made are more and more surprising. From one summit to another, the landscape changes. Behind every mountain a surprise awaits. The regions weekly souks are snared between the villages of Iguinthama and tdouthama, and both carry us back in time. Thanks to the expanse of its territory, its natural abundance, and the diversity of its peaks, Ida Ou ïanane offers the unexpected opportunity to test the depth of our passions by crossing the mountains of the High Atlas on foot or by mule. The rewards are many; they include the search for adventure, the desire to discover an ancestral culture that deserves interest, or to hunt partridge and wild boar. And why not, while you’re at it, practice such extreme sports as parachute jumping or hang gliding from the highest summits of Iguithama to the oases and the sand dunes of ldouthama. Finally, after having conquered the tallest mountains and after having spent a day in the most out of the way places of Ida Ou Tanane, the honey route slowly begins its descent and ends 20 minutes from Agadir on the road to Essaouira. Here, the magic loop that was created in the wake of the High Atlas, comes to an end stop to the great regret of the traveler who had just taken it