Holidays in Morocco in 2023

Holidays in Morocco in 2023

The hot breath of the Sahara, camel caravans amid endless sands, Marrakech souks with carpets, antiques and jewelry, and the Atlantic Ocean. We have prepared for you the shortest guide to one of the most fascinating countries of the East!

Visa and flight

Countless monuments of Moorish architecture, well-kept gardens with exotic vegetation, colorful local cuisine, amazing shopping in oriental bazaars, wide sandy beaches of the Atlantic. The reasons to visit Morocco at least once in a lifetime can be listed endlessly.

Unfortunately, for the Russian today is not open to the whole world. But Morocco is a visa-free country for residents of our country. You can come here for tourism purposes for up to 90 days. You can get a stamp in your passport at border control.

Unfortunately, everything is not so simple with the flight. There are no direct flights to Morocco now even from Moscow. From Russian cities to Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech you can get there only with a connection – usually in Istanbul or one of the UAE cities.

A certificate of vaccination or a negative PCR test result is now not required. The only thing is to fill out a health questionnaire and a migration card on entry.

Tour for a week in Morocco on average costs per person from 100 thousand rubles. This includes flight + accommodation + breakfasts. For this money you can get a room in a hotel with a swimming pool on the 3 line, 400 meters from the wide sandy beach with a gentle approach to the Atlantic or Mediterranean Sea.

The all-inclusive system is not popular here. However, in a country like Morocco, it would be a crime to stay in the hotel throughout the vacation. They come to enjoy the oriental flavor and visit hundreds of attractions, many of which are many centuries old.

Sightseeing

According to the locals, to understand Morocco, it is enough to spend a day at the Jamaa El Fna Square in Marrakech. Therefore, it is with the sights of this city that we will start.

Marrakech

The medina, that is, the quarters of the old city, in Marrakech, is famous for its fortress walls. Painted red brick, with two hundred towers, this urban fortification is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The medina is 16 km long and its walls are 10 meters high.

In the center of the old city, in the square Jamaa El Fna, is a large market. Here they sell antiques, pottery, textiles and jewelry. It is the pulsating heart of Morocco, comparable to the Turkish Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

Among the narrow streets and shops of the medina one wants to walk for hours, losing track of time, admiring the monuments of architecture and listening to the arguments of traders dressed as in the fairy tale of Aladdin.

There are lots of bazaars in Marrakech. This is an important part of the national culture. The stalls are jammed with spices, painted textiles, antiques, handmade jewelry and products made of brass and ceramics, which you won’t find anywhere else in the world. The medina, of course, is where the shopping is spectacular. If you want to save up to 30% of the cost of goods, be prepared to compete with the Berbers in the art of bargaining.

In the midst of a sweltering day, it is pleasant to replace the hot breath of the desert with the humid air of the tropical garden of Majorelle. It was founded by a French artist at the beginning of the 20th century. For several years, Jacques Majorelle brought here exotic plants from different parts of the world. He was the first who started inviting tourists to the garden. Subsequent generations have taken up the baton. So the Majorelle Gardens have become one of the main tourist attractions in Marrakech.

But the gardens of Menard are more than 7 centuries old. There are 30,000 olive trees and a picturesque lake in the center is inhabited by different species of fish. The best time to visit the garden is when the sun begins to approach the horizon. During “golden hour,” the water in the lake is colored by the thousands of shades of the pre-sunset sun. This is how you get the most juicy photos.

The next attraction, the Bahia Palace, was built over two centuries. Among the many rooms and narrow corridors and halls, decorated with colored mosaics, in a building-labyrinth, it is easy to get lost. 

As for religious buildings, the number one, of course, is the largest mosque in the city – Kutubiya. It was built in the 12th century. Its minaret is 69 m high and was the prototype of many future Muslim buildings in Morocco.

The best shopping in the world awaits you in Marroco, so don’t hesitate to take more cash with you. Cash loan from Sovcombank allows you not to deny yourself anything while you are on vacation in one of the most interesting countries in the world.

Casablanca

An hour’s drive from Marrakech is the second most popular tourist city. Casablanca is truly a city of contrasts. Eastern flavor is wonderfully combined here with the spirit of freedom and avant-garde.

The winding streets of the old town rub shoulders with the bars and nightclubs of the luxurious Corniche promenade. The city’s biggest landmark, the Hassan II Mosque, stands directly in the waters of the Atlantic. It has the world’s tallest minaret, and its walls are lined with natural marble in various shades. The carved columns, colored mosaics and Arabic ligature make a lasting impression on tourists.

The old town is located next to the port. Here everything is like in Marrakech – sweet aromas of spices, the noise and bustle of the oriental bazaar, narrow winding streets and countless shops. Walking around the city, you can make a whole collection of photos with the ancient mosques and white walls of the city, decorated with graffiti on the historical and political and sometimes pop-cultural themes.

More surprises are to come in the Habous neighborhood. Futuristic buildings are juxtaposed here with historic structures. Its highlights include the Cathedral, the Royal Palace and Notre Dame de Lourdes.

Along the edge of the Atlantic, the Corniche promenade features numerous cafes and restaurants where you can eat on a budget or in full swing.

However, picnics in the parks of Casablanca are no less common than in Europe. You can settle down with food bought on the street in the Arab League Park among palm trees and well-groomed flower beds.

If you want to see Casablanca and get a bird’s-eye view of the ocean, climb the lighthouse at Cape El Hank. The 256 steps of the spiral white marble staircase have to be walked, but it’s worth it.

Rabat

The capital of Morocco, Rabat, can be easily reached from the main fortress of Kasbah Udaya. The structure, located on the Atlantic coast, began to be built in the 12th century, in the pre-Hellenistic period. The patterns on the main gate attest to this fact. And behind them is the Oriental tale in all its glory. Orange grove gardens immersed in lush greenery, houses of white shell rock, a mosque of the XII century, a beautiful observation deck and a treasury of Moroccan art.

The huge Royal Palace of Rabat, built in the mid-19th century in the traditional style, with its fountain and thickets of exotic vegetation, is striking for its size. Another place with a history is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in the traditional Moorish style of white marble.

While in Rabat, it is impossible not to visit the Archaeological Museum. A rich collection of Paleolithic art contains unique artifacts from the Mousterian and Aterian cultures, dating back to the fourth millennium BC.

In the plan of holidays in Morocco should also include a visit to the city of Chefchaouen. The place is advertised, but no less wonderful. The city is located 250 km from Rabat. It is famous for the fact that most of the buildings here are painted in bright shades of blue.One of the country’s most picturesque locations. If you have the time, it is definitely worth visiting this fabulous place.

Beach Vacation

Is Morocco suitable for a holiday at sea? The country has about 300 sunny days a year. But comfortable bathing in the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea is possible only from May to October. During that time, the water gets up to +25 degrees, and the air temperature reaches +30 degrees. In May, the orange orchards bloom. And then the number of tourists in Marrakech, Agadir, Casablanca, El Jadid and Rabat is increasing every day.

If you stay on the third line from the beach, you can save about 50% of the cost of living. At the same time the ocean will be just a few hundred meters from the hotel.

At most resorts in Morocco, the entrance to the Atlantic Ocean is gentle. Even small children can swim here. The sand on the beaches is yellow, contrasting vividly with the turquoise water.

In winter, you can not swim in the sea. Except in walrus mode. The average daytime air temperature is +22 degrees and the water temperature is +17. In addition, since November, the ocean is becoming increasingly choppy. Swimming is not only cold, but also dangerous. During this period, however, surfers from all over the world flock to Morocco to ride two-meter waves.

Prices in Morocco

One Moroccan dirham is equal to about seven Russian rubles. One U.S. dollar is worth about 10 Moroccan dirhams. Before your trip, it is worth exchanging rubles for dollars or euros. And in Moroccan currency exchange offices exchange dollars or euros for the local currency.

Prices for goods and services in Morocco are generally comparable with Russian.

For example, fruit and vegetables cost the same as in our supermarkets, but their quality is much higher. After all, in the land of eternal summer fruits mature on the branches, not plucked green to ripen on the shelves. Meat and fish products in stores and markets are also very good quality.

Approximate prices of goods and services in Morocco.