If you are planning a vacation, then pay attention to tours in Morocco. Why exactly there? The article tells about what is interesting in this African country, and what attractions await an inquisitive tourist.
Marrakech is the former capital of Morocco. She astonishes a European citizen with her uniqueness and unique charm of the East. The splendor of the fourth largest city of Morocco stuns the traveler literally at every step. Marrakech, like the country itself, is famous for its loyalty to traditions, religion, and at the same time, extraordinary cordiality and hospitality.
sights
In the center of the city is the Medina or Old Town. It should be noted that the old buildings here are mostly pinkish-brown. Since the weather is hot, Marrakesh does not practice the construction of buildings from light building materials. This is due to the fact that on a sunny day, local residents and guests would be uncomfortable to look around because the bright white color blinds your eyes. The adobe wall with which the Medina is fenced is also a red-brown hue. A traveler can enter this historic quarter using one of twenty gates. The most famous thanks to its beauty and unique color are the gates of Bab Agnu, built in the twelfth century. Once they led straight to the palace of the ancient rulers. Once in the Old City, the modern traveler will see the ancient buildings located here: Bahia Palace, Ali-bin-Yusuf Mosque, Saadite tombs and Jemaa al-Fna Square. In addition, there are museums in this crowded place.
Jemaa el Fna
One of the calling cards of Marrakesh can rightfully be considered an area called Jemaa el Fna, where the mosque is located. The name of the square, built back in the 11th century, in translation sounds somewhat mystical and creepy, combining two concepts - a mosque and a place where death reigns. In the early Middle Ages, terrible executions were carried out on it, so this fact is embodied in its name. Nowadays, along the perimeter of the square, modern comfortable hotels and lots of various restaurants will rise, where the visitor will be offered exquisite dishes of oriental cuisine.
Jemaa el Fna abounds in a multitude of shops selling everything from local food to antique items. Here you can buy shoes or clothing made by local craftsmen, as well as original souvenirs. According to the traditions of the East, the sale of goods here is very lively in nature, since along with the appeals of the buyer, it involves mandatory bargaining. Locals do not really value a buyer who does not bargain. Even in a taxi, the client can insist on his payment option. The ability to offer your own price, to praise or criticize a product or service, is part of the local culture of communication. In addition to outlets, in Jemaa el Fna there are many snake charmers, tattooists who offer henna tattooing, storytellers, narrators who wish local legends and legends. In the evening hours, the square becomes many times more crowded than in the daytime - it literally turns into a gigantic entertainment center. Original open-air catering points open, where right in the vats they prepare delicious dishes from fresh products - vegetables, meat, fish and, of course, generously seasoned with spices. Performances of acrobats, sword swallows, snake charmers, exotic dance performers begin. The square turns into a huge stage or arena where colorful performances are played out. According to unwritten local laws, the viewer cannot leave without paying to watch the show.
Koutoubia
Marrakech is a city whose shrine is the Koutoubia Mosque. This is the tallest building in the city, since high-rise construction in the historic center is prohibited. Unfortunately, the mosque is closed to the public. More precisely, only those professing Islam can enter it. Since the mosque is operational, tourists of other faiths can only enjoy a walk around it and enjoy the magnificent garden located around. Despite the fact that this is one of the oldest mosques, it underwent significant architectural changes in the nineteenth century.
Walls covered with inimitable mosaics and stucco moldings, domes crowning the structure, gilded balls that can be seen from afar - the beauty of this religious building causes genuine delight and admiration of tourists. In addition to its historical significance, the Koutoubia mosque is known for being able to accommodate about 20 thousand believers. Next to the Muslim shrine is a madrasah - a religious educational institution. It is also one of the oldest in the world and was founded in the fifteenth century.
Bahia Palace
What else can you see in sultry Morocco? Marrakech is the city in which there is an unsurpassed architectural structure called the Bahia Palace. It is not such an ancient work of architecture as the Koutoubia Mosque.
The palace was built at the end of the nineteenth century for one of the wives, who then ruled the great vizier. The palace perfectly combines the Arabic and Andalusian style of architecture. The building is simply huge. It has a patio, many chambers with unique wooden ceilings, halls with columns of expensive marble, arabesques and more. The grandeur of the palace is given by an exquisite garden, decorated with fountains of Meknes marble.
Unfortunately, only about a third of the palace’s area is accessible to tourists. But even this is enough to enjoy the contemplation of one of the most magnificent creations of human hands.
El Badi Palace
What you should definitely see when arriving in Morocco? Marrakech continues to amaze travelers with luxurious buildings. El Badi Palace is the oldest and most beautiful monument of architecture of the city. At the end of the sixteenth century, the best architects and craftsmen of that time worked on its construction. The architects were provided with the highest quality and most expensive building materials - onyx from India, marble from Italy and others. It was the fabulous beauty of the palace that gave it the name "Incomparable". In addition to the usual chambers, the palace has an extensive network of underground tunnels. Unfortunately, impressive pools built between the pavilions have not survived to our days. Now in their place grow orange trees.
From the beginning of the sixteenth century and for a long time, the rulers of Morocco were the Saadites - a powerful dynasty that considered itself the descendants of the prophet Muhammad. The last representatives of the Saadite clan ruled only in Fez and Marrakesh. In the large mausoleum, discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century, there are more than sixty burials of members of such a formidable family in the Middle Ages.
Three rooms of the mausoleum are decorated with expensive materials: marble, precious woods, as well as decorated with gilding and mosaics.
Gardens of Menard
Marrakech is a city in which there is a picturesque natural pearl. It is about the gardens of Menard. They were created in the twelfth century. The fragrant plantations cover an area of more than one hundred hectares. In addition to orange and olive, fruit trees brought from other countries grow here. Menard Gardens are unique not only for their vegetation, which is kept in a well-groomed, perfect condition, but also for the presence of an underground pipe system. Water flows from the Atlas Mountains into an artificially created lake. In the nineteenth century, a pavilion was erected on its shore, rising to the balcony of which you can see a magnificent panorama of not only the garden, but also parts of the city.
Majorelle Garden
Another garden that owes its appearance to a foreigner is the Majorelle Garden. Frenchman Jacques Majorelle arrived in Morocco in 1919. An avid botanist and plant collector was so delighted with the local nature that he acquired a plot of land. He wished to build a house and set up an amazing garden with an incredible amount of exotic plants from all over the land. The idea more than succeeded. Unfortunately, after the death of the founder of the paradise, his creation not only fell into decay, but was almost destroyed.
Saved the unsurpassed botanical garden of the famous French couturier Yves Saint Laurent. Now in the garden in the studio building is a museum of Islamic art.
Dar Menebhi
Interesting to visit by tourists is the palace of Dar Menebhi. The building, made in the Moorish style , nowadays serves as a room for museum exhibits. It contains rare antiquities and works of modern art. The walls and floor inside the building are decorated with mosaics, and in the courtyard there are three small fountains. This palace is rightfully proud of Morocco.
Marrakech: weather in the city
The rarest architectural buildings, unique culture, amazing entertainment, amazing shopping, and unique cuisine are worth it to bear the inconvenience associated with the heat. After all, the temperature indicators in the city in the summer rarely drop below +40 degrees. Marrakech, a vacation in which will be very sultry especially in July and August, is best visited in spring or autumn.
Tours
Of course, the African country of Morocco is interesting and unusual . Marrakech is an amazing city that will surely enrich the experience of a travel enthusiast. After all, it contains a lot of interesting and beautiful ancient sights. Probably the presence of a large number of palaces and mosques has become the reason that tours in Morocco are very popular.
You can go on a trip, for example, to Marrakech in different ways. There are tours from a few days (5-7) to two weeks. Tour operators offer a variety of options. On average, the cost of the trip is about 100-110 thousand rubles. But there are cheaper offers. For example, for 58 thousand rubles (accommodation in a 2-bed room), you can go on a tour for 11 days / 10 nights. In this case, tourists will live in Ryad Mogador Opera 4 *. The price includes flight, accommodation in a hotel located in the city center, meals (breakfast or two meals) For 48 thousand rubles you can relax there, but only 7 days / 6 nights.
The cost of an unforgettable eleven-day tour with accommodation in a comfortable hotel Pullman Marrakech Palmeraie Resort & Spa 5 * will be 182 thousand rubles. This amount includes accommodation, flight, meals (all inclusive).
The article describes the most popular options, but we can say with confidence that wherever travelers are accommodated, they will definitely enjoy and remember their vacation in Morocco.