MOROCCO MOROCCO EYEWITNESS TRAVEL THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU MOROCCO EYEWITNESS TRAVEL EYEWITNESS TRAVEL EYEWITNESS TRAVELEYEWITNESS TRAVEL E O _ # ¢ & 8 5 0 - } * k ~ g £ @ n P R U T + u ( Y z e 7 f0÷ ) k Z Y J ( + L  } F Ó 4 J  P E U u R Z g £ ~ @ h a N n U ∆S ¤  ∂  T u 5  O  Systematic information on more than 1,000 sights, shops, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues KEY TO MAIN SYMBOLS Museum, gallery Historic building, street, quarter Church, convent, monastery Mosque Synagogue Archaeological site, ruin Castle, fortress Market, souk Park, garden Wildlife preserve, zoo Area of natural beauty Population International airport Domestic airport Ferry port Train station Bus station Tourist information Festival Open Closed Admission charge Guided tours Church services Restaurant Café Visit traveldk.com to plan your trip, book online, and receive exclusive offers. SYMBOLS FOR HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS Air conditioning Health/fitness facilities Bar Credit cards not accepted Elevator Restaurant Swimming pool Garden/terrace Wheelchair access (phone to check details) Live music Outside tables Price category SYMBOLS FOR MAPS AND FLOOR PLANS International airport Ferry port Train station Domestic airport Bus station Parking Hospital Post office Tourist information Mosque Synagogue Church Muslim cemetery Jewish cemetery Christian cemetery Port Viewpoint Gas station Building or area of historical interest Must-see museum Major mosque Major synagogue Major church Major christian cemetery Major muslim cemetery Significant archaeological site Attractive park, garden Major wildlife preserve Scenic views Interesting market Impressive castle/ fortress Good beach Good surfing/ water sports Area of natural beauty/interest Notable theater Hiking Good ski center Never has a travel guide been so easy to use – just turn to the area of your choice $30.00 USA $35.00 CANADA “Eyewitness Travel Guides are marvels of writing, color photography, and illustration” New York Times Syndicate PACKED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS, ILLUSTRATIONS, AND MAPS • THE FLAVORS OF MOROCCO  LOCAL PRODUCE AND CLASSIC DISHES • CUTAWAYS AND FLOOR PLANS OF ALL THE MAJOR SIGHTS • HUGE SELECTION OF HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS • SIGHTS, BEACHES, MARKETS, AND FESTIVALS LISTED TOWN BY TOWN • WALKS, SCENIC ROUTES, AND THEMATIC TOURS “Lavishly illustrated… gorgeous, entertaining, and enlightening” Chicago Tribune “Like a Michelangelo fresco: deliriously rich in detail” People Magazine PRINTED IN ChINA AREA COLOR CODES RAbAT pages 64–81 NoRThERN ATLANTIC CoAST pages 82–93 CASAbLANCA pages 94–107 SoUThERN ATLANTIC CoAST pages 108–127 TANgIER pages 128–141 mEDITERRANEAN CoAST & ThE RIf pages 142–161 fÈS pages 162–183 mEkNÈS & VoLUbILIS pages 184–205 mIDDLE ATLAS pages 206–221 mARRAkECh pages 222–243 hIgh ATLAS pages 244–259 oUARzAzATE & ThE SoUThERN oASES pages 260–281 SoUThERN moRoCCo & WESTERN SAhARA pages 282–295 travelers’ needs WhERE To STAY pages 298–321 WhERE To EAT pages 322–343 ShoPPINg IN moRoCCo pages 344–349 ENTERTAINmENT IN moRoCCo pages 350–353 SPoRTS & oUTDooR ACTIVITIES pages 354–357 Discover more at traveldk.com KASBAHS • DESERT LIFE CRAFTS • BEACHES TREKKING • SOUKS ANCIENT SITES • MOSQUES OASES • MOUNTAINS • MAPS EYEWITNESS TRAVEL MOROCCO [...]...INTRODUCING MOROCCO DISCOVERING MOROCCO 1013 PUTTING MOROCCO ON THE MAP 1415 A PORTRAIT OF MOROCCO 1637 MOROCCO THROUGH THE YEAR 3843 THE HISTORY OF MOROCCO 4459 10 I N T R O D U C I N G M O R O C C O DISCOVERING MOROCCO M orocco’s varied geography, or near the coast in the north; the multicultural atmosphere... p292), for birdwatching; and Guelmim (see p294), renowned for its camel souk and the mysterious “blue men” of the desert The long, sandy beach of Agadir, Morocco s premier holiday resort 14 I N T R O D U C I N G M O R O C C O Putting Morocco on the Map Morocco has many faces It is situated on the African continent and has traces of African heritage But its climate and varied topography, its historical... PORTRAIT OF MOROCCO M orocco is like a tree whose roots lie in Africa but whose leaves breathe in European air This is the metaphor that King Hassan II (1929–99) used to describe a country that is both profoundly traditional and strongly drawn to the modern world It is this double-sided, seemingly contradictory disposition that gives Morocco its cultural richness Islamic reform on the other Morocco is... the Atlas Mountains It makes its nests in tall trees 24 I N T R O D U C I N G M O R O C C O The Urban Architecture of Morocco The history of urban architecture in Morocco goes back more than 1,000 years The Karaouiyine Mosque in Fès was built in 857 by the first Idrissid rulers of Morocco (see p46), who founded the city From the age of the Idrissids until the 20th century, a succession of many different... from Meknès (19th century) 29 30 I N T R O D U C I N G M O R O C C O The Islamic Faith in Morocco Morocco’s official religion is the orthodox, or Sunni, sect of Islam It is based on the Koran and the Sunna, in which the words and deeds of the Prophet Mohammed are recorded It is this religion, which was introduced to Morocco in the 7th century, that underpins both the country’s law and its faith Islam is... fodder, sacks of grain and containers of water 33 34 I N T R O D U C I N G M O R O C C O Horses of Morocco Two thousand years ago, at the time of the Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman invasions, the first horses to be used in Morocco were cross-bred with Mongolian stock The Arab horse was introduced to Morocco by the Arab Detail from an ancient conquest in the 7th century and, manuscript used in war,... Atlantic coast and in the Rif and the High Atlas mountains Safi ATLANTIC Essaouira OCEAN Taroudannt AGADIR Tiznit Tafraoute Lanzarote Satellite picture of Morocco La Palma Canary Islands (SPAIN) Las Palmas Tenerife Guelmim Fuerteventura Tan Tan Tarfaya MOROCCO Gran Canaria El-Mahbas Laayoune Smara Guelta Zemmour KEY International airport Domestic airport Ferry port Dakhla Motorway Motorway under construction... remains of Roman houses and mosaics This region occupies the central area of Morocco and features several fortified ancient towns Most visitors, however, will be drawn to its unspoilt landscape of peaks, valleys, lakes and lush forests Good bases from which to explore the area include Taza (see p210), one of the oldest towns in Morocco; Imouzzer du Kandar (see p211), with its troglodytic dwellings; Ifrane... Moroccan people are torn and freedom of the press, Morocco between the lure of modernity on the today stands on the threshold of a one hand and a profound desire for challenging new phase in its history Au Petit Poucet, an historic bar in Casablanca A woman from Essaouira, dressed in the traditional white haik 18 I N T R O D U C I N G M O R O C C O past However, Morocco still faces the challenge of resolving... present Since gaining independence from France in 1956, Morocco has made attempts to tackle three major scourges: illiteracy, unemployment and poverty The government has increased spending on education at all Members of a Gnaoua brotherhood levels and education is compulsory, AN EVOLVING SOCIETY but many children – particularly girls Since the 1950s, Morocco has under- in rural areas – do not attend school . MOROCCO MOROCCO EYEWITNESS TRAVEL THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU MOROCCO EYEWITNESS TRAVEL EYEWITNESS TRAVEL EYEWITNESS. INTRODUCING MOROCCO DISCOVERING MOROCCO 1013 PUTTING MOROCCO ON THE MAP 1415 A PORTRAIT OF MOROCCO 1637 MOROCCO THROUGH THE YEAR 3843 THE HISTORY OF MOROCCO 4459 INTRODUCING MOROCCO1 0 M orocco’s. USE THIS GUIDE 6 INTRODUCING MOROCCO DISCOVERING MOROCCO 10 PUTTING MOROCCO ON THE MAP 14 A PORTRAIT OF MOROCCO 16 MOROCCO THROUGH THE YEAR 38 THE HISTORY OF MOROCCO 44 Detail of the mosque