ROAD TO MARRAKECH
Although it is already possible to drive from Agadir to Marrakech, the roads are long and winding through the mountains with only 2 lanes. Speeds on these roads are often restricted due to very slow lorries crawling uphill, while steep bends and traffic from the other side make overtaking hazardous or impossible. The fastest route from Agadir to Marrakech is along the N8 highway via the town of Chichaoua. This road will take around 3 hours. A more scenic option is to take the N10 in the direction of Taroudant. Some 60 km after Taroudant, you'll find the exit for the R203, the road to Marrakech that leads through the Tizi n'Test pass. During heavy rain or snowfall this road may be dangerous or even closed off. This route will take around 4 hours.
A new autoroute is currently under construction. Building began in 2006 and the planned year of opening is 2011, although recent forecast are for a late 2009 opening. The road runs North-East to South-West. The projected length of the new autoroute road is 246 km (153 miles) and connects Marrakech and Agadir through the High Atlas mountains. It is an extension of the existing A7 from Casablanca to Marrakesh.Over the full length the new autoroute will have:
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two standard traffic lanes in each direction, each 3.5 metres wide with a central separation zone of at least 3 metres
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one emergency lane/hard shoulder in each direction of 1.5 metres wide
Seven exit/access points are projected:
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Marrakech West
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Marrakech East
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Chichaoua
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Imi-n-tanoute
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Argana
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Ameskroud
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Agadir
There will also be 4 rest stops with petrol stations, cafés and a room or building for praying. When opened, users of the new road will have to pay to use it, as is the case with most autoroutes in Morocco. There will be toll-booths at entrances, exits and near the end points and the charges will be based on traffic type and distance. Regular users can choose a permit allowing unlimited use during a fixed period. The existing road will remain open as a toll-free alternative for the autoroute as well as allowing access to smaller villages and roads. Traveling time between Marrakech and Agadir should be halved as the new autoroute allows overtaking everywhere (4 lanes), bypasses villages and allows higher speeds.
TAROUDANT
MAP OF TAROUDANT
Taroudant lies on the road between Agadir and Taliouine being only 75km (50 miles) from Agadir, and it’s an easy drive from Maison Anarjis. It can be explored completely in just a day or two, but a visit is worthwhile, especially in September or October when the date season is underway. During these months the weather is hot, but not too hot, and Moroccan holiday makers have returned to work and school. The drive from Maison Anarjis is about an hour so it isn’t necessary to stay overnight in Taroudant unless you want to, but if you do decide to spend any length of time here, the town is also a convenient base for trekking into the Western High Atlas or Djebel Sirwa. Not far from Taroudant, the oases of Tioute and Freija have nice Kasbahs and Tioute now has a little café overlooking the oasis. Perhaps the most unusual site in the area is an adobe synagogue with Hebrew prayers painted on its earthen walls. You could also make excursions to the magnificent Glaoui Kasbah at Taliouine (75km/50 miles); through the Anti Atlas Mountains to the oasis town of
Being one of the most fertile regions in the south, with a river that runs all year long, leaders and sultans have used Taroudant throughout history as a base from which they would attempt to take over the stronghold of Marrakech. It was once the most important trading centre south of Marrakech and in the 16th century it was the capital of the Saadian Empire. Mohammed ash-Sheikh constructed the city walls and built the great mosque and its beautiful minaret in 935. A sad event in the history of Taroudant was the massacre of its population by Moulay Ismael in 1687.
When the French were controlling the area (and keeping a close eye on this small, yet strategic town), they built some impressive buildings that line the streets, especially near Bab Kasbah. Located on the eastern section of the wall, Bab Kasbah has been marked as an important historical site by a plethora of historical organizations and societies who want to protect it from the sort of ‘modernization’ that has occurred elsewhere. Unlike most cities such as
Taroudant is surrounded by its medieval walls which are at their best at dusk when the gold, pink and orange colors are brought out by the setting sun. The ruddy, clay houses, minarets and groves of oranges and pomegranates seem to drowse beneath the gaze of the frosted High Atlas. On a clear day you can see the High Atlas towering over the walls - an impressive sight. To capture the town in its full glory head to the olive grove fields just before sundown, explore the ramparts and mix with the locals who enjoy chatting after a day’s hard work.The walls and the groves are best seen by bike, which can be rented from the Hotel Salem or from a shop near the Hotel Taroudant. Another option is taking a horse-drawn carriage at sunset.
Often referred to as the grandmother of Marrakech, Taroudant has the bustling atmosphere of Marrakech but is smaller and more relaxed. Hostels, small hotels, and restaurants are cheaper here than elsewhere. It has two souks: an Arab souk, which is especially known for its jewellery, sculptures, leather, wrought iron, wood and ceramics and a Berber market with fresh fruit and vegetables, argan oil and exotic spices. There is a strong tradition of local craftsmanship and much of the wares on sale here are of outstanding quality. The prices are generally lower than those in Marrakech, the store owners are more relaxed and it is easy to bargain. Most people speak Tashelheit, or the Berber language of the south. So, even if you can get by with a little Arabic, a few words in Berber will get you better deals on all sorts of fruits and vegetables grown in this rich valley. Market days are Thursdays and Saturdays. One of the best attractions of the area is the spices that adorn the weekly markets. The tantalizing smell of paprika, saffron, cumin, cinnamon, and coriander fill the air. Women selling
TIZNIT
MAP OF TIZNIT
Tiznit was built around 1881 by Sultan Moulay Hassan, the 17th sultan of the Alaouite dynasty. It’s a good base from which to visit the national park and wildlife sanctuary to the north and the desert to the south. Tiznit is an interesting walled city (the walls measure 4.6 km/2.86 miles around the periphery and are made of pink stone) and is often called the "
Tiznit today is a peaceful, easy-going town and the medina, if perhaps a little more open and lacking the bustle of other medinas, is a delight to walk around. Like most Moroccan cities it consists of two parts: the newer part, outside the city walls and the less new part inside the city walls. Tiznit is not old - the boom came only about 100 years ago. It is a huge group of salmon red houses with blue iron doors. Although it’s a comparatively young city it was constructed after old designs. The old city (or the not-so-young part of the city) seems quite modern for a Moroccan medina. There are few ornaments, the city walls are straight, and everything seems uncharacteristically neat. It’s a very good place to start for the “beginner tourist” in
Once you enter Tiznit, head straight through the roundabout (keeping the medina's walls on your right) until you come to the busy junction of Avenue Hassan II and Avenue du 20 Août, which continues on through Bab Mechouar (Les Trois Portes). Enter the medina through this main gate, (you'll see the cluster of banks opposite), and the souk is 50m (165 ft.) to the left. The main square and the winding streets near it are more vibrant when the sun has set and it becomes pleasantly cool. In the half darkness, the movement of people and the colours make it seem very exotic.
The heart of the city is the mèchouar: a polygonal square devoted to commerce. To the North of the mèchouar is the Great Mosque, which is certainly worth a visit. Next to the mechouar you will find the souk des Bijoutiers or jewellery souk, with beautiful silverware made by the Berber tribes - Tiznit's artisans are famous for their precious work on the scabbards of daggers and sabres. Tiznit earned its jewellery reputation because of the number of Jewish "silver artisans" who settled within the walls of the city. When most of the Jewish population left the country, they took a lot of authentic Moroccan silver with them. As a result, the majority of the silver found on sale in
A further 100m (330 ft.) or so into the heart of the medina is Tiznit's Grand Mosque. Its minaret is more typical of the Saharan style in Islamic West Africa, with wood perches sticking out of the sides to assist the recently departed on their climb to paradise.
Thursday is market day in Tiznit and people from miles around come to town. The travelling souks of this region come together in Tiznit, making up the largest market within miles. Such markets seem exotic to visitors, but they are really just a part of everyday life in
If you visit Tiznit, sooner or later someone will offer to show you the ‘source bleu’ or blue spring. This spring, also called the spring of Lalla Tiznit, is named after the city's patroness. She was a prostitute who later came to repent her sins, and became a holy woman, or marabouta. A spring appeared at the spot where she died. It might have been worth visiting at some time, but the water has almost dried up now and all there is to see is a murky pond filled with rain water.
ESSAOUIRA
MAP OF ESSAOUIRA
MAP OF ESSAOUIRA MEDINA
Research shows that Essaouira has been occupied since prehistoric times. The bay at Essaouira is partially sheltered by the
The present city of
From the time of its rebuilding until the end of the nineteenth century, Essaouira served as
There are only a handful of modern purpose-built hotels within the walls of the old city. The medina is home to many small arts and crafts businesses, notably cabinet making and 'thuya' wood-carving (using roots of the Tetraclinis tree), both of which have been practised in Essaouira for centuries.
Essaouira is renowned for its kite surfing and windsurfing, with the powerful trade wind blowing almost constantly onto the protected, almost waveless, bay. Several world-class clubs rent top-notch material on a weekly basis. Parasols tend to be used on the beach as a protection against the wind and the blowing sand. Camel excursions are available on the beach and into the desert band in the interior.
Essaouira is a city full of culture: several small art galleries are to be found all over the town. Since 1998, the Gnaoua Festival of World Music has been held there, normally during the last week of June. It brings together artists from all over the world. Although focussed on gnaoua music, it includes rock, jazz and reggae. Dubbed as the "Moroccan Woodstock" it lasts four days and attracts around 450,000 spectators.
In the early 1950s film director and actor Orson Welles stayed at the Hotel des Iles just south of the town walls during the filming of his 1952 classic version of "Othello" which contains several memorable scenes shot in the labyrinthine streets and alleyways of the medina. Legend has it that during Welles's sojourn in the town he met Winston Churchill, another guest at the Hotel des Iles. Orson Welles's bust is located in a small square just outside the medina walls close to the sea. It is in a neglected state being covered in bird droppings and graffiti and sporting a broken nose. In addition, the dedication plaque below it was stolen in December 2008. Several other film directors have utilised Essaouira's photogenic and atmospheric qualities.
Essaouira connects to
OUARZAZARTE
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
TAGHAZOUT
UNDER CONSTRUCTION