Experience a whirlwind of sights and sounds Despite North Africa being just a short hop across the Straits of Gibraltar from Europe, culture-wise they’re worlds apart. Friendly haggling in traditional, sprawling souks is the order of the day in Morocco. The scent of spices and perfumes fill the air, as the babble of snake charmers and stall owners bartering back and forth provide the soundtrack to an experience far removed from everyday life.
Our walking holidays in Morocco give you ample time in her most famous cities. Wander the maze-like streets of Fes where merchants sell everything from typical tajine pots and traditional leather goods to quality handmade rugs and exotic spices in every shade of ochre.
Chefchaouen also has its share of shops but is most noted for its eye-catching blue and white colour palette – much like the boats that bob in the harbour of laid-back coastal town Essaouira.
Then there’s Marrakech. An Aladdin’s cave of creativity, it’s been a mecca for artists and rock stars in search of inspiration since the swinging 60s. The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin have all journeyed here at one time or another.
And who could forget Casablanca – a pristine port city that has long conjured a sense of romance thanks to Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman’s on-screen love affair in the hit Hollywood movie. It also boasts the mosaic-laden Royal Palace esplanade and the Hassan II Mosque, home of the world’s tallest minaret.
