[Lonely Planet] Morocco

Merenid Tombs RUIN 299 spas, with treatments starting at around (Map p288) Further up, these tombs are dra- Dh500. matic in their advanced state of ruin, al- though little remains of their fine original decoration. The views over Fez are spec- Hammam Mernissi HAMMAM tacular and well worth the climb. It’s best at (Map p288; Derb Serrajine; hwomen 11am-9pm, women tourist package 9am-1pm, men 6-9am & dusk as the lights come on and the muez- 9pm-midnight) This old hammam has recent- zins’ prayer calls echo around the valley, al- though you shouldn’t go on your own; we’ve ly been renovated. It’s the only one in the medina that caters specifically for women received more than one account of travellers tourists with a Dh150 package comprising being mugged here after dark. A taxi from Bab Bou Jeloud should cost around Dh12; savon beldi (olive oil soap) and exfoliation with a kis (coarse glove). A massage will cost it’s a 10-minute walk back downhill to the Dh50 extra. medina. 2 Activities Hammam Rihab HAMMAM For a luxury experience, there are several (Map p288; 3 Chrabliyenne, Talaa Kebira; hwomen guesthouses that offer opulent hammam 8am-9pm, men 9pm-8am) Another ancient – experiences. but newly refurbished – hammam, this large place is clean and the staff are used to tour- Riad Laaroussa (Map p288; %0674 18 ists. The entrance fee is Dh12, but expect 76 39; www.riad-laaroussa.com; 3 Derb Bechara; to pay around Dh100 for exfoliation and a hammam & massage Dh660; hnoon-8pm), Riad massage. Maison Bleue (Map p288; %0535 74 18 39; www.maisonbleue.com/riad-maison-bleue; Derb Nausikaa SPA Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FIAmecpztei vriitaile sC i t i e s el Miter, Ain-Azleten; hammam Dh500; hnoon- 8pm), Riad Fès (Map p288; %0535 94 76 10; (%0535 61 00 06; www.nausikaaspa.com; Ave www.riadfes.com; Derb Zerbtana; h1-9pm), Pal- Bahnini, Rte Ain Smen; hammam Dh100; h7am- ais Amani (Map p288; %0535 63 32 09; www. 9pm) In the ville nouvelle, Nausikaa offers palaisamani.com; Derb el Miter, Oued Zhoune; one of the most complete packages in Fez, hammam Dh495; h10am-7pm) and Le Jardin blending hammam traditions with a mod- des Biehn (Map p288; %0664 64 76 79; www. ern spa experience. A variety of sumptuous jardindesbiehn.com; Aqebt Sbaa, Douh; hammam massages and therapies are on offer, along Dh660; h9am-8pm) all have excellent private with a gym and pool. LIFE IN THE LEATHER DISTRICT Tanneries provide perhaps the greatest illustration of how resolutely some parts of Morocco have clung to practices developed in medieval times. Moroccan leather, and more particularly the Fassi leather produced in Fez, has for centuries been highly prized as among the finest in the world. One type of leather, a soft goatskin used mainly in bookbinding, is simply known as ‘morocco’. It’s claimed that tanning leather in Morocco goes back several millennia, and little has changed since medieval times. Donkeys still labour through the narrow streets carrying skins to dye pits, which are still constructed to traditional designs (with the addition of modern ceramic tiles). Tanners are organised according to ancient guild principles, with workers typically born into the job. Unfortunately, health and safety principles are similarly old-fashioned, and health problems among the workers, who are knee-deep in chemicals all day, are not uncommon. Rank odours abound at the tanneries, and the delicate tourists who come to view the work will often be offered a sprig of mint to hold to their noses to take the edge off the pong (rain also dampens the smell). Major components in processing the skins are pigeon poo and cow urine (for potassium) with ash; more delicate ingredients such as indigo, saffron and poppy are added later for colour. Modern Fassi tanneries – amazingly there are about 70 tanneries in Fez – tend to use synthetic chemicals, washing pollutants into the Oued Sebou river, although the city’s chrome removal plant is removing much, if not all, of the worst pollutants.

300 feasts, street food, pastry and bread baking, as well as Sephardic and Roman cookery. C Courses The courses also include Moroccan wine and cheese tastings. Clock Kitchen COOKING (Map p288; %0655 32 40 82; www.cafeclock. com; Derb el-Magana, Talaa Kebira; half-day course Dh600) Held in Café Clock these classes are the place to perfect your skills in making Fez Download LANGUAGE tajine and couscous. After planning your (Map p288; %0535 63 78 55; www.cafeclock.com; Derb el-Margana, Talaa Kebira; per person incl re- menu, you shop for ingredients in the souq, freshments Dh150) Spend a couple of hours spend the morning honing your technique and finishing up with the feast you’ve pre- with the affable Khalid learning basic phras- es in Moroccan Arabic, etiquette and cus- pared. Other options include bread-baking toms. At Café Clock; minimum two people. classes, patisserie workshops, making tan- jia (slow-cooked stews) and hand-rolling couscous. Arabic Language Institute LANGUAGE (Map p300; %0535 62 48 50; www.alif-fes. com; 2 Rue Ahmed Hiba; 3-/6-week courses Dar Namir Gastronomic Retreats COOKING Dh6000/10,400) Offers longer courses aimed (Map p288; %0677 84 86 87; www.darnamir. at foreigners, and can assist in finding ac- com; 24 Derb Chikh el-Fouki, Fez Medina; half- commodation for students, in apartments or day intro from Dh660, live-in residencies per day homestays. Lessons are held at the Ameri- from Dh1650) Established food writer Tara can Language Center where there’s also a Stevens offers tailor-made cooking experi- superb English-language bookshop stocking ences in her custom-built school. Sessions titles about Morocco. Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FICmeopzuerrsieasl C iti e s cover modern Moroccan cuisine, traditional Fez Ville Nouvelle e# 0 400 m 0 0.2 miles ABC D 6666661 Stade Municipal Ave Moulay Youssef #ú 9 ˜#1#8d£#ePlTalraaGcienarSetation Ave des Sports Ave Allal el Fassi Petits R Mohammed al-Quorri 19 î# 1 Taxis Local ›# EtaAtvseUdneiss Buses 666666RdeDamas Lalla Asmaa Place de la R de Beyrouth Résistance 14 #ý (La Fiat) ›# Local Buses Ave AbBlovudOTbaeiridaq iABvbeenn aMlZi-oJhaaadrrmamhed el-Haya ni ÿ# ˜# Petits Ave SoudanePlaceMAveerieLmalla RAM 3 Taxis # Kennedy 666662 2 2 ÿ# ÿ#R M8ohamm 11 ú# Place ô# ed Florence R Abdeslam Serghini ò# R Imam R du Portugal 1# FAR 7 ÿ# 66666663 6 ÿ# .# Ali 12 #ú#ú LetarGdrla˜#anBdosuTraaxlliisère 3 Ave 10 to Sefrou des Ave Hassan II # 15 Jardin Ave Public Petits ˜# ˜#Petits Taxis ï# Taxis Ave Slaoui Zerktouni17R du Ravin ZeBrklvtdouni Blvd Mohammed V VILLE 20 6666666NOUVELLE Place Ahmed 4 ÿ# ð# el-Mansoor ÿ# 5 4 benAAvbedAullllaahh #ú 13 4 A SliRmMaonuelay RoRuBdroanihim ð# R ibn el-Khelid Park Moulay 16 Slimane B C D

301 Subul Assalam LANGUAGE Blue Knowledge and learning Brown Monuments and souqs (%0535 63 18 62; www.sacal-fez.com; 3-week Green Palaces and Andalucian gardens group courses Dh5000, hourly lessons Dh250) This Orange Walls and ramparts language school touts its services in cross- Purple Fès el-Jdid cultural understanding. Subul Assalam Red Artisanal crafts (‘Pathways to Peace’) can arrange homestays for its longer courses, which are offered in The overhead signs are easy to follow, show- Darija (Moroccan Arabic), modern standard ing the direction of the next major landmark, and classical Arabic, as well as Tamazight and there are excellent English information Berber. boards at regular intervals. The Fes Medina Thematic Tourist Circuits Guide accompa- Arabophon LANGUAGE nies these self-guided walking tours marked throughout the medina, while the excellent (%0535 60 34 75; www.arabicstudy.com; half- Fez from Bab to Bab: Walks in the Medina /3-day courses Dh500/Dh1500, 4-week intensive by Hammad Berrada further details 11 dif- course Dh4360) Intensive Moroccan and ferent walks, allowing readers to discover Modern Standard Arabic courses. Shorter otherwise unknown corners and courtyards courses are aimed at travellers: the half- amid this labyrinth. day Curious Explorer and three-day Serious Explorer. There are also courses in Tama- It’s well worth hiring a guide. As well as zight Berber. Lessons are offered in English, pointing out incredible architecture and French and Spanish. clandestine corners, guides can answer cultural questions, will help overcome lan- T Tours guage barriers, and – perhaps most impor- Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast TFI meopzuerrsia l C iti e s tantly – they will ward off other would-be There is a series of well-signed self-guid- guides. A full-day tour with an official guide ed walks through the old city; each walk costs from Dh350 – always ask to see their highlights different aspects of traditional identification. Fez: The quality of guides can vary consider- Fez Ville Nouvelle ably, so communication is very important to ensure that you get the best out of the Ø Activities, Courses & Tours experience. If you’re not interested in shop- 1 Arabic Language Institute ...................D3 ping, say so firmly at the outset, although be aware that the guide who won’t take a ÿ Sleeping tourist to a single shop probably hasn’t been 2 Across Hotel ..........................................C2 born yet. It may be necessary to pay an extra 3 Hotel Barceló Fès Medina....................C2 Dh50 to Dh100 as a ‘no shopping’ supple- 4 Hôtel Central ........................................ C4 ment. If possible, arrange a guide through 5 Hôtel Mounia ........................................ C4 your hotel or guesthouse. 6 Hôtel Olympic........................................C3 7 Hôtel Splendid.......................................B3 oArtisanal Affairs CRAFT 8 Youth Hostel..........................................C3 (%0645 22 32 03; http://culturevulturesfez.org; ú Eating 1-2 people Dh1350) We love this in-depth, 9 Borj Fes .................................................. D1 hands-on half-day tour that explores the 10 Central Market ......................................C3 artisanal crafts of the Fez medina. It’s a 11 Chicken Mac..........................................B2 chance to meet and talk to coppersmiths, 12 Crémerie Skali.......................................C3 tanners, mosaic tile-makers, cobblers, car- 13 Restaurant Marrakech ........................ C4 pet makers and weavers. There’s no shop- ping involved, and groups are restricted to ý Entertainment four. The tour ends in the Artisanal School 14 Institut Français ....................................C2 in Batha. ï Information Plan-it Fez TOUR 15 Carlson Wagonlit...................................C3 16 Cyber Club ............................................ C4 (%0535 63 87 08; www.plan-it-fez.com; 4 Arset 17 Délégation Régionale de Manjour, Batha; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat) Plan-it Tourisme .............................................C3 Fez provides cultural experiences includ- 18 Left-luggage Office ............................... A1 ing foodie adventures and cooking classes, 19 Night Pharmacy .................................... C1 20 Teleboutique Cyber Club.................... C4

302 Moussem of Moulay Idriss RELIGIOUS hammam packages, architectural and Is- lamic garden tours and excursions further (hvaries) Fez’ biggest religious festival is also afield. one of the country’s largest. It’s currently in August but the date moves according to the Fes Rando WALKING TOUR Islamic calendar. The moussem (festival in (%0674 79 79 83; www.fesrando.com; per person honour of a saint) of the city’s founder, Mou- from Dh300) Day walks on Mt Zalagh above Fez and further afield into the Middle At- lay Idriss, draws huge crowds. Local artisans create special tributes and there’s a huge las. Longer treks staying overnight in gîtes procession through the medina. Traditional (trekkers’ hostels) are also offered. music is played and followers dance and z Festivals & Events shower the musicians (and onlookers) with orange-blossom water. Fez has several festivals that are worth con- sidering when you’re planning your trip. 4 Sleeping The Fes Festival of World Sacred Music (p311) is the city’s internationally famous Fez doesn’t lack variety in its accommodation drawcard, but there are two newer festi- options, with everything from simple pen- vals that are worth a visit. Just outside Fez, sions to boutique riads. Your main choice Sefrou’s Cherry Festival (p324) in June is is whether to stay in the colour and chaos worth a day trip. of the medina, or a petit-taxi ride away in the ville nouvelle (where budgets tend to Festival of Sufi Culture MUSIC go further). Room rates in Fez are in the higher (city) bracket; see p464 for details. Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast IFmepszteirvia l sC&itiEevse n ts (www.par-chemins.org; hApr) This Sufi festival Booking in advance is advised during high hosts a series of events each year including season, and especially during the Festival of talks and debates, and some spectacular World Sacred Music in June, when supple- concerts held in the garden of the Batha ments also often apply. Note that although Museum with Sufi musicians from across prices here are listed in dirham, many riads the world. actually list (and charge) rooms in euros, so be aware of currency exchange rates when Festival of Amazigh Culture MUSIC booking. (hJul) This festival, which is run in asso- ciation with the Institut Royal de la Culture Amazighe, aims to promote and protect Amazigh (Berber) culture. Its program in- 4 Medina cludes musical performances as well as lec- tures and workshops. Most of the cheapest options are in touch- ing distance of Bab Bou Jeloud, placing you TISSA HORSE FESTIVAL right in the middle of the action. Unless noted, rooms have shared bathrooms at this Lying in rich arable land along the Se- price range – and don’t expect hot water at bou River, the prosperous farming town the lower prices. Many midrange options in of Tissa is a riot of colour in spring. the medina, especially the riads and dars But by far the most interesting time to (small houses), edge close to the top-end visit is for the Tissa Horse Festival, price bracket. A few places offer simpler held in the second week of September. rooms at manageable prices. Farmers come from all around to trade their animals and celebrate with excit- oZiyarates Fes HOMESTAYS € ing fantasias (cavalry charges). There’s (Map p288; %0535 63 46 67; www.ziyarates- not much infrastructure and dates are fes.com; 35 Sidi Kjih, Talaa Seghira; s/d from only set a week or two before, but the Dh200/300) If you really want to experi- showground is to the north of town ence medina life up close, there might be before the river bridge. no better way than through this innovative homestay scheme. Around 25 Fassi fami- To get there, take a grand taxi lies rent rooms in their homes to welcome (Dh20) from Siham el-Wrd near Bab foreign guests, while support from the Fettouh in Fez. regional tourism authorities ensures the quality of the places signed up. You might get to practise your Arabic, learn to cook or just help the kids with their homework in this unique cultural exchange. Exact

303 prices vary, but all the family homes are oDar Finn GUESTHOUSE €€ listed (with photos) on the organisation’s (Map p288; %0535 74 00 04; www.darfinn.com; website. 27 Zqaq Rowah; r Dh850-1200; pWs) Fassi houses often surprise as they open up after oFunky Fes HOSTEL € passing through a dark medina doorway. (Map p288; %0535 63 31 96; www.funkyfes.com; Arset Lamdisi; dm Dh130-170; W) Fez’ first prop- Dar Finn manages the trick twice over, go- er hostel, offering up good cheap backpacker ing from high Fassi style in the main house beds close to Bab el-Jdid, this is a bright, to an adjoining annexe with walled garden, friendly and welcome addition to the local plunge pool and a variety of terraces to relax on (there’s an honesty bar for sun- accommodation scene. It’s a youthful and downer drinks). It’s a clever, well-thought- social place, with more dorm beds than you out design, complemented by rooms that might imagine, and offers local tours, activi- ties, cooking and more. are decorated in a warm, subtle Moroc- can style. Start the day with the generous Hôtel Cascade HOTEL € breakfasts including homemade jams and (Map p288; %0535 63 84 42; 26 Rue Serrajine, the like. Bab Bou Jeloud; dm/r Dh80/180) One of the Dar Victoria GUESTHOUSE €€ grand-daddies of the Morocco shoestring hotels, the Cascade’s Bab Bou Jeloud loca- (Map p288; %0535 63 00 03; www.darvictoria. com; 31 Rue Makhfia, R’cif; r incl breakfast Dh950- tion is hard to beat. It’s exceedingly basic 1700; W) Situated in a quiet street in R’cif, so adjust your expectations accordingly, but if you need to stretch your budget and Dar Victoria is a lovely old restored house. The seven rooms are named after precious meet plenty of like-minded travellers then stones, and are decorated in chic Moroccan Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FISmelpze e priina lg C iti e s this might be the place for you. Breakfast costs Dh20. style in soothing colours. The bathrooms are very good. The house itself has a lot of carved plaster, which is rich in Sufi symbol- Hôtel Bab Boujloud HOTEL € ism. A sanctuary, from the moment the host (Map p288; %0535 63 31 18; www.hotelbab- boujloud.com; 49 Pl Isesco, Bab Bou Jeloud; s/d welcomes you with homemade cordial from an old family recipe. Dh200/350; a) Fantastically located, this ho- tel sits just outside Bab Bou Jeloud with all the medina action right on your doorstep. Hôtel Batha HOTEL €€ (Map p288; %0535 74 10 77; hotelbatha@menara. The rooms are as simple as the price tag ma; Pl Batha; s/d incl breakfast Dh495/629; as) suggests, but cosy enough and great value. The great location, room capacity and pool keep the Batha permanently busy. It’s a rea- Pension Campini HOTEL € sonably modern set-up, with fair rooms and (Map p288; %0535 63 73 42; pensioncampini@ gmail.com; Rue Campini, Batha; s/d Dh200/300; cool quiet areas to retreat from the hustle of the medina. Popular with tour groups, and a W) A short walk away from the Batha Mu- convenient bar for nonguests looking for a seum, this is a quieter location slightly out- side the medina proper. Rooms are en suite drink in the medina. Good value. and airy. There’s a small terrace, with views Dar el Menia GUESTHOUSE €€ just over the walls of Jnan Sbil (Bou Jeloud Gardens). (Map p288; %0535 63 31 64; www.medinafes .com; 7 Derb el Menia, Talaa Kebira; incl breakfast r Dh500-730, whole house from Dh1500; W) Dar Dar Bouânania GUESTHOUSE € el Menia is a compact townhouse with four (Map p288; %0535 63 72 82; darbouanania@ gmail.com; 21 Derb Bensalem, Talaa Kebira; s/d/tr rooms tucked off the main drag. It’s had a sympathetic restoration job and is relatively Dh300/400/500, without bathroom Dh200/300/ restrained in its decor, giving an air of calm 400, ; W) A popular choice with backpack- ers, this is a budget-style riad, giving Moroc- the moment you close the door. We liked the kitchen for guests’ use – a great idea, can style while being kind to your wallet. A especially if you fancy renting out the whole traditional house with courtyard, zellij tiles and painted woodwork, it has several well- house. sized rooms on a number of levels, although Dar Iman GUESTHOUSE €€ as all face inward they can be quite dark at times. Shared bathrooms are clean, and (Map p288; %0535 63 65 28; www.dar-iman-fez. com; 6 Derb Benazahoum, Talaa Kebira; r incl break- there’s a roof terrace. Breakfast is Dh30. fast Dh730; aW) A well-restored 400-year-old

304 22City Walk townhouse located off the main drag, run by a Mazing Medina Moroccan-Australian couple, this is great value for the price. All the style points you’d START BAB BOU JELOUD expect are in order, from zellij to tall wooden doors, but it’s all been put together in a laid- END R’CIF SQ back manner: less is definitely more here. Only the lack of views from the terrace count LENGTH 3KM; TWO TO THREE HOURS against this otherwise friendly, welcoming place. This route takes you from Bab Bou Jeloud to the Kairaouine Mosque, then south to Dar Bensouda GUESTHOUSE €€ R’cif. It could take a couple of hours or all (Map p288; %0535 63 89 39; www.riaddarbensou day, depending on the number of distrac- da.com; 14 Zqaq Labghal, Qettanine; r incl breakfast tions. from Dh740; Ws) A converted palace, Dar Bensouda is one of the most impressive me- Unlike much of the rest of the city walls dina restoration projects we’ve seen in Fez. Enter into a large column-flanked courtyard and gates, the main entry, 1Bab Bou and admire the attention to detail here and in the immaculate rooms. A side annexe Jeloud, is a recent addition, built in 1913. holds a small but lovely pool. The scale here Pass through it and you come upon a hive is grand without being overwhelming, and of activity. The pavement cafes here are the service excellent. Make sure you check excellent places for people-watching. out the photo album and history of the Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FISmelpze e priina lg C iti e s building to get a full insight into the rebuild- For the tour, take the first left and then ing project. right downhill along Talaa Kebira. This part of the street is a produce market – watch Dar Fes Medina GUESTHOUSE €€ out for the camel butcher displaying the (Map p288; %0535 63 83 92; www.darfesmedina heads of his wares. Where the produce .com; Derb Mokri, Ziat; s/d/tr incl breakfast Dh550/ 660/880; aW) There’s a very clever trick ends you’re at the 2Medersa Bou Ina- being played here: walk through the doors and you’ll think you’ve found yourself in a nia (p285), which represents the Merenid restored medina townhouse, but this dar building style at its most perfect. is a recent build. You’ll get the best of both worlds – slightly more spacious and modern Opposite the entrance to the medersa rooms, but the whole thing is brushed with (above eye-level) is the famous 14th- a pleasingly traditional veneer. Its location near Bab Ziat gives another medina rarity: century 3water clock designed by taxis can drop you right outside the front door. a clockmaker and part-time magician. Carved beams held brass bowls with water Dar El Hana GUESTHOUSE €€ flowing between them to mark the hours, (Map p288; %0535 63 58 54; www.moroccanget but the secret of its mechanism died with away.com; 22 Rue Ferrance Couicha, Chrabliyine; r its creator. incl breakfast Dh560-780; W) If there’s a cosier and more intimate guesthouse in Fez than Continuing downhill, notice the old fun- this dar, we’d like to know about it. There duqs (caravanserai) on both sides of Ta- are just three rooms (sleeping a maximum laa Kebira. These once hosted merchants of eight altogether), all charmingly finished and their caravans, and have rooms on and presented: we fell for the ‘secret’ win- several levels around a wide courtyard for dows allowing you to spy on the street, and the open-air shower on the terrace. This is both goods and pack animals. 4Funduq a real home away from home, and it’s pos- sible to rent out the entire house so you can Kaat Smen is particularly interesting, fully indulge your own fantasies of medina specialising in many varieties of honey life. and vats of smen, the rancid butter used in cooking. About 400m from the Medersa Bou Inania, as you go around an unmistak- able dogleg, you’ll soon catch sight of the pretty, green-tiled minaret of the 5Chrabliyine Mosque (named for the slipper-makers who can still be found working in this area) straight ahead. Still heading downhill, past the shoe sellers and leatherworkers, look out for a right turn onto Derb Fkahrine and a sign indicating the entrance to a tiny tree-filled

666 305 ZENJFOUR 666 Der el-Amer ZQAQ aK ROMMANE Derb a BLIDA b SAGHA w Bouh j #6 #A9ttÉarinberae#t1tèr1#n1iÉy0ei#n12eÉ#1#41#135 666KASBAH É #8 É AN- #7 NOUARAIN-#4 #5 É S É AZLETEN Ras ÉÉ 66&~ 66É ah 666 66'000000000 #1 RI.# É Zqaq Ro Cher OuFeezd Derb el-Horraebira GUERNIZ ses #3 É Tala QETTANINE #16 bt B ensowal co #2 Talaa S e ghira 'Aqe € DOUH FÈS .# EL-BALI SID Derb Bensouda L'AOUAD Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast SIFmelpze e priina lg C iti e s BATHA .# e# 0 200 m 0 0.1 miles square known as the 6henna souq – if you On emerging from the medersa, turn left start walking uphill, you’ve gone too far. Cos- (south). After you’ve passed by the metic shops sell oils and henna. Pottery and bPâtisserie Kortouba the shops come to bric-a-brac stalls abound, too. a sudden end at the walls of the great Exiting the henna souq the same way you cKairaouine Mosque & University entered, turn left (south). After 50m a right (p285). The university is one of the world’s turn brings you into 7Pl an-Nejjarine. The oldest. Again, non-Muslims can only look lanes immediately north of the museum form through the main door. part of the 8Souq an-Nejjarine (Carpen- As you proceed along the university walls ters’ Souq), where craftsmen create glittering clockwise, look out for the recently restored, wedding thrones. 14th-century dFunduq Tastawniyine. It From Pl an-Nejjarine, continue south, served for centuries as a hotel and ware- turning left almost immediately and ducking house for travelling merchants. Continue under the bar that prevents the passage of until the sound of metalworkers leads you mules and donkeys. The lane leads between into another small and attractive square, stalls piled high with candles and incense, to ePl as-Seffarine (Brass-makers’ Sq). With the entrance of the newly restored 9Zawiya the university walls (and the entrance to its Moulay Idriss II. Non-Muslims cannot enter library) at your back, there is the Medersa but can peer inside. To Fassis, this is the heart as-Seffarine on the square’s east side. Built in of their medina. 1280, it is the oldest medersa in Fez, and the Afterwards, it’s simplest to backtrack to only one still in use. Pass the medersa and follow the lane, Talaa Kebira. Follow the lane east – over a turning left at the mirror stalls. Ahead is the slight hummock and past haberdashers’ fDyers’ Souq. Walk through the souq into stalls – until it ends at a T-junction about the gR’cif market (p309). Explore the 100m later, where you’ll find the aMedersa market, or take any left into R’cif Sq where el-Attarine (p285). you can catch an onward petit taxi.

306 Riad Lune et Soleil GUESTHOUSE €€ commanding one of the finest views across (Map p288; %0535 63 45 23; www.riadluneetsoleil. the Fez medina. That’s if you even leave the com; 3 Derb Skalia, Batha; r incl breakfast Dh800- rooms, which are perfect romantic hide- 1200; aW) Hospitality is all at this riad, aways. A perennial favourite, it’s recently where you’ll be swept past the lemon trees been given a refresh by the new Australian- in the courtyard and made to feel impos- French managers, and it now has one of the sibly at home. Each room is a cornucopia, medina’s best restaurants to boot (reserve in filled with the evidence of a lifetime of col- advance). lecting everything from old postcards and embroidery to carvings and metalwork – Ryad Salama GUESTHOUSE €€ (Map p288; %0535 63 57 30; www.ryadsalama. and each item with a story behind it. It’s not com; r incl breakfast from Dh900; Ws) Well a museum though; there’s plenty of comfort too, and some rooms have their own jacuzzi. located between Talaa Kebira and Talaa Seg- hira, this is a true riad with a lovely court- You might just make it downstairs for din- yard garden (with a small pool). All rooms ner – from one of the best kitchens in the medina. face onto the greenery, with those upstairs having delightful balconies to play Fassi Romeo and Juliet from. Rooms are finished Dar Seffarine GUESTHOUSE €€ (Map p288; %0671 11 35 28; www.darseffarine. com; 14 Derb Sbaalouyat, R’cif; r incl breakfast from to a very high standard, with luxurious bath- rooms, but the biggest draw remains the Dh780; aW) If you check into Dar Seffarine, green oasis at the heart of the property. ask to see the photo album of its restoration – it’s the only way you’ll believe that such Riad Laaroussa GUESTHOUSE €€€ (Map p288; %0674 18 76 39; www.riad-laaroussa. Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FISmelpze e priina lg C iti e s a fabulous building was ever a complete com; 3 Derb Bechara, Talaa Seghira; r incl breakfast wreck. The central courtyard is positively opulent, with pillars and painted plaster- Dh1400-2800; aW) Although a garden is meant to be the defining feature of a riad, work reaching skywards, while rooms are it still comes as something of a surprise to more understated with simple plain wood and fabrics to decorate them – only the suite pass through the dark entrance here to meet such a large green space, with its orange with the painted domed ceiling makes a pa- trees and softly playing fountain. Instantly latial exception. There’s a pleasant terrace, and a more intimate side courtyard off the relaxed, you continue to the fine rooms decorated with modern art and unusual fur- kitchen to relax in. The dar is a short walk niture that make it clear the owners haven’t from Bab R’cif. just taken ideas from this month’s Moroccan style magazine. The new in-house hammam Dar Attajalli GUESTHOUSE €€ (Map p288; %0535 63 77 28; www.attajalli.com; Derb Qettana, Zqaq Rommane; r incl breakfast is open to nonguests. Dh950-1300; aW) Dar Attajalli is a magnifi- Riad Idrissy GUESTHOUSE €€€ (Map p288; %0649 19 14 10; www.riadidrissy.com; cent testament to the art of patient and sym- 13 Derb Idrissi; r incl breakfast Dh1600; aW) Half pathetic restoration. Everything has been done to maintain the building’s integrity, a dozen years in the making, this magnifi- cently restored townhouse is a great ad- using a minimum of modern techniques dition to the Fez riad scene. The building and chemicals, while producing a supremely comfortable guesthouse. Decoration is set itself is grand but carries itself modestly, while the welcome is equally warm but off with gently colour-themed Fassi fabrics – understated. Central African crafts and colours further reflected in the planting of the terrace roof garden, and all designed to old Arabic vinyl records add an interesting decorative twist. A highlight is the beauti- get you instantly relaxed (as if the organic, ful garden with huge papyrus and banana locally sourced breakfasts didn’t get your day off to a good enough start). trees, a green haven that’s grown up among the foundations of the building next door, and now the appropriately named Ruined Dar Roumana GUESTHOUSE €€ (Map p288; %0535 74 16 37; www.darroumana. com; 30 Derb el-Amer,Zqaq Roummane; r incl break- Garden restaurant. fast Dh950-1620; aW) One of those bigger-on- Riad Les Oudayas GUESTHOUSE €€€ (Map p288; %0535 63 63 03; www.lesoudayas. the-inside townhouses, Dar Roumana will com; 4 Derb el-Hamiya, Ziat; r incl breakfast from always win fans by virtue of its beautiful restoration job and gorgeous roof terrace Dh1400; aWs) The Moroccan owner is a

307 Paris-based designer, something that cer- be careful not to get lost in this riad – it’s tainly shows in this riad’s careful blend of four houses knocked together and even ex- traditional styles and modern design aes- tended across the street. Start in the orange thetic, in everything from the downstairs sa- tree–clad, Andalucian-style courtyard, then lons to the chic but comfortable bedrooms. find your way to any of the 13 rooms, pos- Steps lead down from street level into the sibly stopping en route at the private spa, courtyard garden, with a plunge pool and bar, dining salon and fashionably dark and the riad’s own hammam leading off it. Up plush Blue Lounge, where there is more eat- top there’s a large terrace, but if you crave ing and drinking on offer. If you don’t want privacy, two of the five rooms have private to crash in your room, chill on the terrace terraces. with its views to Borj Nord. Ryad Mabrouka GUESTHOUSE €€€ 4 Ville Nouvelle (Map p288; %0535 63 63 45; www.ryadmabrouka. com; 25 Derb el-Mitter, Ain-Azleten; incl breakfast r In the ville nouvelle, room rates drop con- Dh1150-1450, ste Dh1600-2000; aWs) An old siderably compared to the more popular favourite and early player on the Fez riad medina, so much of the time you can get scene, Mabrouka is a meticulously restored midrange service at budget prices. The ville Arab-Andalucian townhouse. The courtyard, nouvelle hotel scene is currently under- with its stucco, mosaics, magnificent cedar going a mini-boom, with several new hotels doors and babbling fountain, opens onto a opening and older ones being refurbished. pleasant garden of flowers and trees. There are seven rooms, decked out with tiled floors Hôtel Splendid HOTEL € (Map p300; %0535 62 21 48; [email protected]. and Berber fabrics. Enjoy a simple breakfast ma; 9 Rue Abdelkarim el-Khattabi; s/d/tr incl break- Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FISmelpze e priina lg C iti e s or an all-out Moroccan feast on the veran- dah overlooking the medina. fast Dh394/512/646; as) Although in the budget category, this hotel makes a good Sofitel Palais Jamaï GUESTHOUSE €€€ claim for three stars. It’s all modern and (Map p288; %0535 63 43 31; www.sofitel-legend. com/fes/en; Bab Guissa; s/d incl breakfast from tidy, with good bathrooms and comfy beds, plus a pool for the hot days and a bar for the Dh1950/2600) Once the pleasure dome of a evenings. There’s a dining room, too. Excel- late-19th-century vizier to the sultan, this grand hotel is set in Andalucian gardens lent value. overlooking the medina. Its rooms have had a recent makeover to keep it in line with the trendy medina guesthouses, although the WHAT’S ON IN THE VILLE occasional hint of its earlier bland interna- NOUVELLE? tional flavour still lingers. Rooms with views over the medina are great; nonguests can Compared to the sensory overload get a taste by visiting to enjoy a sunset drink provided by the medina, the ville nou- on the terrace. velle can seem boring: very modern, but with little actually going on. But for Riad Fès GUESTHOUSE €€€ most Fassis, the ville nouvelle is the (Map p288; %0535 94 76 10; www.riadfes.com; place where it’s at: far more interest- Derb ibn Slimane, Zerbtana; r/ste incl breakfast ing and progressive than crumbling from Dh1700/3000; aWs) This labyrinthine Fès el-Bali. In the last few years, huge riad blends ancient and modern with im- amounts of money have been poured pressive panache. The older section shows into the area, the benefits of which can off the best of traditional decor, while the best be seen along the long boulevard newer quarters wouldn’t look out of place in of Ave Hassan II, with its manicured a Parisian boutique hotel yet remain unmis- lawns, palm trees, flower beds and takably Moroccan. It has a trendy courtyard fountains. A stroll here is a favourite bar, restaurant, hammam and a plethora of evening pastime, when it’s packed with terraces. families with kids, trendy teenagers and courting couples. Stop for an ice Riad Maison Bleue GUESTHOUSE €€€ cream or just sit down on a bench (Map p288; %0535 74 18 73; www.maisonbleue. and people-watch: this is the ‘real’ com; 33 Derb el-Mitter, Ain-Azleten; r incl breakfast Morocco as much as any donkey- from Dh1700-2400; paWs) You have to packed lane in the old city.

308 Hôtel Central HOTEL € of Riad Fès is due to open in 2014. High on (Map p300; %0535 62 23 33; 50 Rue Brahim Rou- the southern hills overlooking the medina, dani; per person Dh200) A bright and airy budg- it promises good things with high-end con- et option that was being renovated when temporary design, a Givenchy spa, restau- we visited. It’s conveniently located just off rants and a terrace with an infinity pool and busy Blvd Mohammed V. Most rooms have cocktail bar. bathrooms, but even those without a shower have their own sinks. It’s good value and Hotel Barceló Fès Medina HOTEL €€€ popular so there’s sometimes not enough (Map p300; %0535 94 88 00; www.barcelo.com; 53 rooms to go around. Ave Hassan II; s/d Dh1760; aWs) The four-star Hotel Barceló sweeps elegantly around a Hôtel Olympic HOTEL € corner opposite La Fiat, affording it excel- (Map p300; %0535 93 26 82; fax 0535 93 26 65; cnr Blvd Mohammed V & Rue 3; s/d Dh290/340; a) lent views of the medina. Despite its name, it is in the ville nouvelle. Rooms are well de- A handy choice near the central market, this signed and spacious with chic decor. There’s hotel has recently been refurbished. Rooms are nondescript but comfortable, and come a spa and snack bar, as well as the restau- rant Le Bistrot. equipped with bathroom, TV and phone. Its central location means it’s often heavily 5 Eating booked (it’s popular with tour groups), so call in advance. Breakfast is Dh35. Dining in Fez is something to be taken seri- ously. Fassi cuisine is famed across Morocco, Youth Hostel HOSTEL € and there are plenty of places in the medina (Map p300; %0535 62 40 85; 18 Rue Abdeslam to choose from. Popular with tour groups Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FEI maeptzienrgia l C iti e s Serghini; dm incl breakfast Dh75, d Dh170; hgate and their guides are the so-called ‘palace open 8-10am, noon-3pm & 6-10pm) One of the restaurants’ – dinner and a show in lavish better youth hostels in Morocco, the Fez surroundings, usually with plain set menus branch is well looked after, and right in the and hefty price tags. A more intimate expe- centre of the ville nouvelle. Tidy rooms and rience can be had dining at a riad, many of facilities (including Western-style toilets) which are open to nonguests and offer excel- are superbly clean. There’s hot water morn- lent fare. A good range of cheaper places can ings and evenings. be found around Bab Bou Jeloud. The ville nouvelle has more options, including more Across Hotel HOTEL €€ non-Moroccan menus. (Map p300; %/fax 0535 94 06 01, 0535 94 06 12; www.acrosshotels.com; 76 Blvd Chefchaouni; s/d incl breakfast Dh650/780; paWs) A new ho- 5 Medina tel in a convenient location, the Across ticks all the boxes for its four stars. Rooms are as Café Clock CAFE € (Map p288; %0535 63 78 55; www.cafeclock. you’d expect, and there’s a gym, hammam, com; Derb el-Mergana, Talaa Kebira; mains Dh55- bar, restaurant and rooftop pool with amaz- ing 360-degree views over the city. 80; h9am-10pm; Wv) This funky place has a refreshing menu with offerings such as falafel, grilled sandwiches, some interest- Hôtel Mounia HOTEL €€ ing vegetarian options, a monstrously large (Map p300; %0535 62 48 38; www.hotelmouniafes. ma; 60 Blvd Zerktouni; s/d incl breakfast from camel burger and delicious desserts. Better Dh551/702; a) A zellij lobby guides you into still, the ‘Clock Culture’ program includes calligraphy and conversation classes, films this modern and classy hotel that’s popular and sunset concerts every Sunday (Dh20), with tour groups. Rooms are bright and tidy, with satellite TV. The restaurant is fair, and attracting a good mix of locals, expats and tourists. there’s a smoky bar with plenty of water pipes. Rooms along corridors near the bar can be noisy. Staff are helpful, and good dis- Famille Restaurant Berrada MOROCCAN € counts are often available. (Map p288; %0662 34 88 19; 57 Sagha el Achebine; mains around Dh40; hSat-Thu) ‘Famille restau- Hotel Sahrai HOTEL €€€ rant’ says it all here – a small medina place (Map p286; %0535 94 03 32; www.hotelsahrai. run with much hearty cheer. Everything is com; Dhar el-Mehraz; r from Dh1650; pWs) This very traditional, but they’re used to seeing new boutique hotel venture from the owners tourists too, keeping dishes turned over

quickly and inviting diners into the kitchen 309 to taste the day’s selections before ordering. the fire in winter. Chef-gardener Robert Johnstone grows herbs and vegetables and Café Restaurant La Noria MOROCCAN € smokes his own salmon. If you book ahead, (Map p286; off Ave Moulay Hassan; menus from they’ll arrange a Sephardic feast or a tradi- Dh80; h7am-11.30pm) On the edge of the Jnan tional mechoui: slow-roasted lamb. Guests Sbil gardens and surrounded by crumbling can be escorted to and from the house on city walls, this place gets the award for pret- request. tiest cafe in Fez. Its fruit trees and fountain Médina Café MOROCCAN €€ offer respite from the medina bustle, though (Map p288; %0535 63 34 30; 6 Derb Mernissi, Bab the noria (waterwheel) of its name no long- Bou Jeloud; mains Dh70-100; h8am-10pm) Just er works. It serves great fruit juices, good outside Bab Bou Jeloud, this small restau- breakfasts and reasonable meals. rant is an oasis of serenity, decorated in ta- delakt. During the day it’s a decent place to Le 44 CAFE € visit for a quick bite or a fruit juice; in the (Map p288; 44 Derb Bensalem,Talaa Kebira; h9am- 10pm; W) This friendly, relaxing place down evening, it has a more interesting range of tajines and couscous than most places offer. a twisty street is worth seeking out to while away a couple of hours while you check your emails over coffee or juice. There are light Dar Hatim MOROCCAN €€ (Map p288; %0666 52 53 23; 19 Derb Ezaouia meals available, too. Funduk Lihoudi, Blida; 3-course menus from Dh170; hlunch & dinner) A family home turned res- oRuined Garden MOROCCAN €€ taurant, this welcoming place pulls out all (Map p288; %0649 19 14 10; www.ruinedgarden. com; 13 Derb Idrissi; mains Dh120; hlunch & din- the stops in its food and service. Curiously, Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FEI maeptzienrgia l C iti e s there are no tajines on the menu but you ner Thu-Tue; W) An innovative approach to can order in advance. Bring along a bottle of local street food is on the menu served in this delightful garden, or cosily around your favourite wine. Fouad, the owner, will collect you so you won’t struggle to find it. STREET EATS If it’s just a snack you’re after, you don’t have to walk far in the medina to find someone selling food – tiny cell-like places grilling brochettes or cooking up cauldrons of soup, sandwich shops or just a guy with a tray selling macaroons. The top of Talaa Kebira has quite a cluster of options, otherwise follow your nose. Bou Jeloud Restaurants (Map p288; Derb Serrajine, Bab Bou Jeloud; mains Dh30-70; h8am-10pm) Walking in from Bab Bou Jeloud to the top of Talaa Seghira, you run the gauntlet of a host of restaurants touting for business. They’re all pretty much alike, of- fering plenty of tajines, couscous and grilled meat. They’re also great places to sit and people-watch over a mint tea. If you particularly want a view, try Le Kasbah (Map p288; Rue Serrajine; mains Dh40, set menu Dh70; h8am-midnight) for its roof terrace; the cost of drinks doubles if you’re not eating. B’sara Stalls (Map p288; Talaa Kebira; soup Dh4; hbreakfast & lunch) Don’t miss the Fassi speciality of b’sara (fava bean soup with garlic). Served from hole-in-the-wall places throughout the medina, our favourites are at the top of Talaa Kebira and in Achebine. Perfect fuel for exploring the city, the soup is ladled into rough pottery bowls and served with a hunk of bread, a dash of olive oil and a sprinkling of chilli. Snail Stand (Map p288; cnr Talaa Seghira & Derb el-Horra; snails Dh5; h5-10pm) This permanent stand is a good place to fill up on a molluscan snack – the ultimate in pre- packaged fast food. Grab a pin to pluck the beasts out of their shells, then slurp down the aromatic broth. Delicious! R’cif Market (Map p288; inside Bab R’cif; h8am-8pm Sat-Thu; v) Those who shop for fresh produce in the medina know that R’cif is the best place to go – its traders always have the freshest fruit, vegetables and meat. Talaa Kebira Market (Map p288; h8am-8pm Sat-Thu) Tucked inside Bab Bou Jeloud, this is a good choice, and ideally located.

310 Le Chameau Bleu MOROCCAN €€ Restaurant Riad al Andalib MOROCCAN €€€ (Map p288; %0535 63 89 91; 1 Derb Tariana; mains (Map p288; %0535 76 45 65; www.riadandalib. Dh55-130; hlunch & dinner) Well-signed just off ma; Ave Ahmed Ben Mohamed Alaoui, R’cif; mains Talaa Kebira, Chameau Bleu is a converted around Dh150; hlunch & dinner) This large place medina house on several levels, with tables in R’cif attracts a lunchtime crowd. While all the way up to the roof terrace. We found the menu is traditional Moroccan fare, the the grilled meat and Atlas trout dishes to be food is delicately spiced and thoughtfully particular winners; we’ve also had good re- presented. Service is attentive, and alcohol ports about the pasta on offer. is served. oRestaurant Dar 5 Ville Nouvelle Roumana MEDITERRANEAN €€€ For quick, filling meals, there are a few (Map p288; %0535 74 16 37; 30 Derb el-Amer; 2/3 cheap eats on or just off Blvd Mohammed V, courses Dh275/350; h7.30-9.30pm Tue-Sun; v) especially around the central market. You’ll French chef Vincent Bonnin offers a menu also find a good choice of sandwich places that’s Mediterranean with a Moroccan slant, around Pl Florence. making the best of local produce. There are innovative salads and excellent fish and meat dishes. Vegetarians won’t go hungry. Chicken Mac MOROCCAN € (Map p300; Ave Lalla Meriem; mains around Dh40; Eat in the courtyard or on the wonderful h9am-11pm) Several eateries seem to run terrace in fine weather. Alcohol is served. When booking, you can ask for an escort to into each other along this strip in a con- tinuously busy row of tables and chairs on and from the restaurant. the street. Chicken Mac is the last one away Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FEI maeptzienrgia l C iti e s Fez Café FRENCH, MOROCCAN €€€ from Hassan II, and quickly serves up gen- (Map p288; %0664 64 76 79; 13 Akbat Sbaa, Douh; erous plates of rotisserie chicken, fried fish, mains around Dh150; h11am-11pm; Wv) A bowls of harira (lentil soup) and other charming restaurant set in a wonderful gar- cheap, filling meals. den once owned by a pasha. The set-up is re- laxed bistro-style, with a summery verandah Restaurant Marrakech MOROCCAN € (Map p300; %0535 93 08 76; 11 Rue Omar el- and inside dining. Chef Hicham presents Mokhtar; mains from Dh70; hlunch & dinner) A dishes that are a delicious seasonal mix of French and Moroccan. Fish is particularly charming restaurant that goes from strength to strength behind thick wooden doors. Red good, and vegetarians will feel at home. Al- tadelakt walls and dark furniture, with a cohol is served. cushion-strewn salon at the back, add ambi- ence, while the menu’s variety refreshes the Tours Around Fez PICNICS €€€ palate, with dishes such as chicken tajine (%0535 74 00 04, 0655 01 89 75; into@darfinn. com; dinner per person Dh800; hmid-May–end with apple and olive, or lamb with auber- Sep) Here’s your opportunity to look down gine and peppers (there’s also a three-course on Fez from afar while dining. Relax on set menu). carpets under the olive trees on Mt Zalagh while your hosts prepare a three-course sun- Crémerie Skali CAFE € (Map p300; %5356 65 09 92; Blvd Mohammed set dinner. The maximum group size is eight V; breakfast around Dh20; h6am-10pm) With a (at which point prices drop to Dh600 per guest, including transport), the minimum good corner location, this is an ideal stop for breakfast – one that’s popular with office two. Bookings essential. workers and families alike. As well as pas- L’Amandier, Palais Faraj MOROCCAN €€€ tries and juice, it can rustle up some pretty (Map p288; %0535 63 53 56; www.palaisfaraj.com; good scrambled eggs. Bab Ziat; mains from Dh150; hdinner from 7.30pm) Excellent Moroccan cuisine is served in the L’Italien ITALIAN €€ (%0535 94 33 84; contact@restaurantitalien. restaurant or on the terrace of this new hotel, ma; Residence Longchamp, Ave Omar Ibn Khat- with spectacular views across the medina. All the classics are here, from an excellent pi- tab, Champs de Courses; pizza & pasta from Dh85, mains Dh120; hlunch & dinner Wed-Mon; W) As geon pastilla (savoury-sweet pie) to golden the name suggests, Italian food is on the lamb with almonds and onion jam, all served with attention to detail in the subtle spicing. menu here, from a wide range of pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven to steaks and A most elegant choice for dinner.

6 Drinking 311 fish. The trendy industrial-themed decor It can seem as if the main occupation in and pleasant service make it a good choice the ville nouvelle is sitting in cafes nursing for a change of pace. Wine is available. a nus-nus (coffee with milk). Blvd Moham- med V and Ave Hassan II have the greatest Kaï Taï ASIAN €€ concentration, but you don’t have to go far (Map p286; %0535 65 17 00; 12 Rue Ahmed to grab a table, order a drink and watch the Chaouki; sushi Dh50-105, mains Dh80; hlunch day unfold. In the medina, many of the res- & dinner) This is not going to be the best taurants around Bab Bou Jeloud double as Asian food you have ever eaten, but the su- cafes. shi, Vietnamese and Thai dishes on offer in suitably minimalist surroundings add a chilli-zing to palates jaded by one tajine too many. Riad Fès BAR (Map p288; 5 Derb ibn Slimane; h10am-midnight) The classiest place for a drink in the whole MB Restaurant Lounge MEDITERRANEAN €€€ city, the courtyard Alcazar bar of Riad Fès (Map p286; %0535 62 27 27; 12 Rue Ahmed Chaou- is a delight. Stucco columns catch the light ki; mains Dh130-230; hlunch & dinner) Making a reflected off the central pool, and soft music strong bid for Fez’ classiest restaurant, MB plays while you sit at the glass bar or sink is all about cool stylish minimalism with into the cushions. There’s a good range of modern furniture and rough-hewn stone. beer and spirits, plus wine available by the Food has a strong French influence. Retire glass. Open to the elements, it’s a little cold to the upstairs bar at the end of the evening in winter, but fashionably cool in summer. or swing by in the middle of the day for the The Riad now has a new wine bar next to Dh200 lunch menu. the swimming pool. Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FIDmrepizne rkiina lg C iti e s Central Market SELF-CATERING (Map p300; Blvd Mohammed V; h8.30am-noon) Mezzanine BAR If you’re in the ville nouvelle and you’re (Map p286; 17 Kasbah Chams; hnoon-1am) Scor- ing highly on the fashion meter and for late in need of fresh fruit and veggies, spices, opening, this bar is more Ibiza than Moulay nuts, olives or a parcel of delicious dates, you can’t beat the new town’s central mar- Idriss, and popular with the hip young Fassi crowd. The terrace overlooking Jnan Sbil ket. It also has a couple of good cheese gardens is a good place to chill with a beer stalls and there are alcohol shops around the corner. or cocktail, and there’s tapas too if you want some finger food. Borj Fes SELF-CATERING (Map p300; Ave Allal el Fassi; h9am-9pm) The Hôtel Batha BAR first-ever shopping centre in Fez (with the (Map p288; Pl Batha; h11am-11pm) There are a couple of options for drinks in this handily first-ever escalator), this new centre has a located medina hotel. The Churchill Bar is large supermarket with a wider range of foodstuffs than you’ll find in the medina, inside the hotel and in winter even features a log fire to warm yourself. At the back of the and an alcohol section. hotel (side entrance), the outside Consul Bar FÈS FESTIVAL OF WORLD SACRED MUSIC The Fès Festival of World Sacred Music (%0535 74 06 91; www.fesfestival.com; hJun) brings together music groups and artists from all corners of the globe, and it has become one of the most successful world music festivals around. Based on the idea that music can engender harmony between different cultures, the festival has attracted big international stars such as Ravi Shankar, Youssou N’Dour and Salif Keïta. Concerts are held in a variety of venues, including the Batha Museum, various riads and Bou Jeloud Sq. While the big names are a draw, equally fascinating are the more intimate concerts held by Morocco’s various tariqas (Sufi brotherhoods). Fringe events include art ex- hibitions, films and debates. The festival has been praised by the UN as a major event promoting dialogue between civilisations. Tickets can go like hot cakes and accommo- dation books up far in advance (often attracting a festival premium) – so organise as far ahead as possible if you plan on attending.

312 is a more relaxed place for late-night drinks, usually happy to provide an escort on request if and has its own disco until midnight (closed you’re out late. Monday). Fez has long been notorious for its faux MB BAR guides (unofficial guides) and carpet-shop hustlers, all after their slice of the tourist (Map p286; 12 Rue Ahmed Chaouki; h11am-2am) dirham. Faux guides tend to congregate around Dark leather, stylishly rough stone walls and Bab Bou Jeloud, the main western entrance a well-stocked bar make this place the per- to the medina, although crackdowns by the fect ville-nouvelle retreat for a classy drink authorities have greatly reduced their numbers or two, served with tapas. and hassle. Cremerie La Place CAFE Even many official guides will suggest visi- tors turn their tour into a shopping trip, and the (Map p288; Pl as-Seffarine; h7.30am-8pm) Put pressure to buy can be immense. Fez’ carpet a cafe in one of the most interesting spots sellers are masters of their game. If you really in the medina, and you have a near-perfect don’t want to buy, it might be best not to enter combination. Over juice, tea, coffee and the shop at all: once the parade of beautiful rugs pastries, the parade passes before you, ac- begins, even the hardest-minded of tourists can companied by the tapping of the square’s be convinced to buy something they didn’t really coppersmiths. want (honeyed words suggesting that you could always sell the carpet later on eBay at vast profit Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast EFI menpzteerritaali nCmiteine st 3 Entertainment should be treated with extreme scepticism). It’s also worth remembering that any time you Live-music buffs know the best time to visit enter a shop with a guide, the price of the goods Fez is festival time. Café Clock has regular immediately goes up to cover their commission. Sunday sunset concerts worth checking out. Shopping in Fez needn’t be a battle – indeed it’s best treated as a game – but it’s worth being Institut Français (Map p300; %0535 62 39 prepared. 21; www.institutfrancaisfes.com; 33 Rue Loukili) or- ganises a packed program of films, concerts, Beware the touts who board trains to Fez, exhibitions and plays. often at Meknès. They can be very friendly, ap- proaching you claiming to be students or teach- 7 Shopping ers returning to Fez – they’ll often have ‘broth- ers’ who have hotels, carpet shops or similar. Fez is the artisanal capital of Morocco. The choice of crafts is wide, quality is high and prices are competitive, so take your time to INTERNET ACCESS shop around. As usual, it’s best to seek out Wi-fi is common across most midrange accom- the little shops off the main tourist routes modation and above, and is sometimes available at cafes and restaurants. (principally Talaa Kebira and Talaa Seghira FASSI POTTERY in the medina). For leather, the area around the tanner- ies, unsurprisingly, has the best selection of goods. In the medina, there are many well- Ceramics seem to be everywhere in Fez – from the distinctive blue-glaze restored riads and funduqs that have been pottery to the intricate mosaics deco- converted into carpet showrooms. While rating fountains and riads. Art Naji they certainly offer a great opportunity to sit (%0535 66 91 66; www.artnaji.net; Ain with a mint tea in spectacular surroundings Nokbi; h8am-6pm) is the place to go to and look at some fabulous rugs, the hard sell buy the real deal. You can see the entire is like no other place in Morocco. You can production process, from pot-throwing pick up some wonderful pieces, but also pay to the painstaking hand painting and over the odds for factory-made rubbish. laying out of zellij (tilework) – it’s a 88 Information joy to behold. The potteries are about 500m east of Bab el-Ftouh, an easy DANGERS & ANNOYANCES trip in a petit taxi – look for the plumes Although Fez is safe in comparison to Western of black smoke produced by olive pits, cities of the same size, it’s not really safe to which burn at the right temperature for walk on your own in the medina late at night, firing the clay. You can even commis- especially for women. Knife-point robberies are sion a mosaic and arrange for it to be not unknown. Hotels and many restaurants are shipped home.

313 MINT IMAGES - ART WOLFE/GETTY IMAGES © Natural Landscapes Morocco’s landscapes are incredibly diverse – you could Contents spend a lifetime exploring the country and only ever scratch the surface. For those with shorter timeframes, ¨¨Mountain Ranges pick up your hiking pack or saddle up your camel and ¨¨Deserts & Oases prepare to get lost in the wilderness. ¨¨M oroccan Landmarks ¨¨Coastal Delights Above Camel caravan in the Sahara

ANIA BLAZEJEWSKA/GETTY IMAGES © 314

315 SIMON MONTGOMERY/GETTY IMAGES © Mountain Ranges Visible from both the Mediterranean and the Sahara, Morocco’s mountains are as iconic as medinas and tajines – and they’ve been around much longer. They offer some of the best trekking landscapes in the world, from easy day walks to full-on expeditionary hikes. 1. Chefchaouen (p252), Rif Mountains 2. Tizi n’Tichka (p109), High Rif Mountains Atlas 3. The road from Imilchil (p140), Middle Atlas Close to the Mediterranean coast, the ENRIQUE DÍAZ/7CERO/GETTY IMAGES © Rif is Morocco’s greenest range, and is covered in wildflowers in spring. High Atlas The High Atlas rolls from snow-covered peaks such as Jebel Toubkal to the Dadès and Todra Gorges. Those in good physical condition can climb Toubkal, but if grands taxis are your preferred mode of transport, the High Atlas is still memorable. Roads pass crumbling kasbahs and Berber villages, and wind up the Tizi n’Test and Tizi n’Tichka passes. Middle Atlas You might think you’re in the Alps when walking among the flowerbeds of Ifrane, a Middle Atlas alpine resort. Anti Atlas Closer to the Sahara, the Anti Atlas is a land of jagged peaks such as quartzite Jebel L’Kest, with oasis villages in the valleys. The wild, arid Jebel Saghro is home to the seminomadic Aït Atta. Top Mountain Treks Rif Mountains From Chefchaouen through Talassemtane National Park. M’Goun Traverse Prehistoric rock forms, ridges, escarpments and river gorges. Jebel Toubkal The two-day ascent of North Africa’s highest peak. Jebel Saghro Palm and almond groves beneath twisted volcanic pinnacles. Anti Atlas Unexplored trails among ochre cliffs and saffron fields.

316 KELLY CHENG TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES © Deserts & Oases 1. Dunes at Erg Chebbi (p148) 2. Palmerie outside N’Kob (p151) 3. Desert mountains outside Ouarzazate (p112) Morocco sits on the edge of the great Sahara, and its dunes and oases are a huge draw for travellers. Follow the paths of the old camel caravans that once trekked across the desert, carrying salt and gold from Timbuktu. Erg Chebbi & Erg Chigaga The dunes at Erg Chebbi (p148) and Erg Chigaga (p125), respectively rising to 160m and 300m, are Morocco’s greatest desert sights. These are the places to disappear into the desert, accompanied by a camel and blue-robed guide, to see the sand sea by moonlight and sleep in a nomad camp. Desert Valleys Coming from Marrakesh, there are more accessible glimpses of the desert in the Drâa Valley, where a sign once advised desert caravans that Timbuktu was only 52 days away, and oases remain the region’s lifeblood. In Ouarzazate the desert stretches to the foot of the Atlas, and palms can be spotted through slit windows in the Taourirt kasbah. The Deep South Largely overlooked by travellers, the hammada (flat, stony desert) of the far south runs through the Western Sahara. It’s a stark environment, mainly crossed by overlanders en route to Mauritania. Top Oases Figuig Seven traditional desert villages amid 200,000 date palms. N’Kob Mudbrick castles overlook the palmeraie (palm grove). Skoura The Unesco-protected ‘Oasis of 1000 Palms’. Afella-Ighir Rocky red gorges tower above the palms. Ameln Valley Village palmeraies beneath Jebel L’Kest. Tata Treetops are a welcome sight in this Saharan outpost. Paradise Valley Palmeraies, oleanders and beehives line the gorge.

317 ARTUR DEBAT/GETTY IMAGES © DAVE STAMBOULIS TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES ©

318 Jebel Musa •# ÉMediterranean Coast Monoliths of M'Soura •# •# Lixus •# ATLANTIC É OCEAN É Dadès & •#Todra Gorges Jebel Toubkal •# Pierres Erg Chigaga •# Bleues •# •# •# Afella-Ighir Legzira ÉÉ Plage Oasis ALGERIA

319 CHARTON FRANCK/HEMIS.FR/GETTY IMAGES © 3WEEKS Moroccan Landmarks CALLE MONTES/GETTY IMAGES © Strike out from urban Morocco with this tour of pillars, peaks and other natural landmarks. Top: Ruins at Lixus (p194) It samples the country’s biggest mountain Bottom: Todra Gorge (p138) range, the fringes of the Sahara and the Atlantic surf. The best way to appreciate the landscape of Morocco is to arrive by boat rather than plane; overlanders get to spy a landmark before they even step off the ferry from Europe: the Mediterranean coast, backed by the Rif Mountains, is an exciting first glimpse of Africa. The great crag of Jebel Musa outside Tangier is one of the ancient Pillars of Hercules that stand on either side of the Straits of Gibraltar. The impact of the ancients is also on display on the coast. Half-abandoned in rolling countryside, the Monoliths of M’Soura, near Assilah, stand in a circle on a mysterious, prehistoric site. They’re near the landmark left by the Romans at hilltop Lixus. Head into the High Atlas, Morocco’s greatest mountain range. Jebel Toubkal is North Africa’s highest peak, but there are plenty of classic vistas to see without trekking to the top, including the rocky Dadès Gorge and the high drama of Todra Gorge. Cross into the south of Morocco, where the mountains dwindle into the sands of the Sahara. Erg Chigaga is a landmark in this corner of the great desert, with 40km of dunes rising to 300m – plenty to explore from the saddle of a camel, and to sleep among while under a blanket of stars. There’s more to the Sahara than just dunes, of course. The desert theme continues at Afella-Ighir, a quintessential oasis occupying red-rock gorges. Nearby, a landscape artist created an Anti Atlas attraction when he daubed the Pierres Bleues (Painted Rocks). Finish on the Atlantic coast, where natural stone arches reach out to sea at Legzira Plage, strange giant sculptures that bookend the trip – or act as tempting gateways to the great empty expanses of the deep south.

320 NIKKI BIDGOOD/GETTY IMAGES © Fishing boats, Essaouira (p208) Coastal Delights Screeching seagulls, seafood tajines, Essaouira Berber fishing villages, uncrowded beaches, salt-encrusted ramparts: the The sea walls of Essaouira’s medina have Moroccan coast is an unsung glory. Just been standing against the surf and spray as epic as the well-publicised mountains, for centuries. Inside, alleys lead to artists’ it stretches from Mediterranean coves galleries and craft workshops, while at and cliffs to anglers’ huts by the long, the town’s harbour fishermen sell the empty coastal highway through the catch of the day, from silvery sardines Western Sahara. and wide, flat rays to inky-black lobsters, prickly sea urchins and tentacled squid – Assilah all ready to be cooked up for a perfect seafood dinner. Tangier might have all the bustle of a modern port city, but the quieter charms Wildlife Wetlands of Assilah lie just a short hop south along the coast. The whitewashed walls Away from the crashing waves, Morocco’s of its compact seaside medina are daily coast also offers up plenty of quieter freshened by the Atlantic breeze, and moments. Some of the best are its coastal enlivened every year with new colourful national parks, which provide great murals that pop up during the annual opportunities for bird-watching. The best Assilah Festival. places are Merja Zerga near Larache, and Souss-Massa in the deep south. Both are perfect places to spot migratory species, as well as flamingos and, at Souss-Massa, the rare bald ibis.

321 Cyber Batha (Map p288; Derb Douh; per hr 88 Getting There & Away Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast FIGmeepztetirniaglTChietirees& Away Dh10; h9am-10pm) Has English as well as French keyboards. AIR Cyber Club (Map p300; Blvd Mohammed V; per Fez airport (% 0535 67 47 12) is 15km south of hr Dh6; h9am-10pm) the city, at Saïss. RAM (Map p300; % 0535 62 Teleboutique Cyber Club (Map p300; Blvd Mo- 55 16; 54 Ave Hassan II) operates daily flights to hammed V; per hr Dh7; h9am-11pm) Above the Casablanca, as well as connections to Europe. téléboutique (telephone office) on the corner. At the time of research, the airport was being expanded. MEDICAL SERVICES Clinique al-Kawtar (%0535 61 19 00; Ave BUS Mohamed el-Fassi, Route d’Immouzzer) Large The main bus station for CTM buses (Map p286; modern hospital in the ville nouvelle, just off % 0535 73 29 92; www.ctm.ma) is near Pl Atlas the main road to the airport. in the southern ville nouvelle. In high season, Night Pharmacy (Map p300; %0535 62 34 buy tickets in advance, particularly to Tangier, 93; Ave Moulay Youssef; h9pm-6am) Located Marrakesh and Chefchaouen. Services can be in the north of the ville nouvelle; staffed by a reduced out of season. doctor and a pharmacist. CTM runs nine buses a day to Casablanca MONEY (Dh95, 4½ hours) via Rabat (Dh75, three hours) There are plenty of banks (with ATMs) in the ville between 1.15am and 7.15pm, and eight buses to nouvelle along Blvd Mohammed V, all offering Meknès (Dh25, one hour) between midnight and foreign exchange. In the medina there is an ATM 11pm. There are three evening buses for Mar- at the post office and at banks on Blvd Ahmed rakesh (Dh165, 9½ hours); the 8pm bus arrives ben Mohamed Alaoui in R’cif, as well as these at 5.45am. useful spots: Banque Populaire (Map p288; Talaa Seghira; Heading north and east, there are three over- h8.45am-6pm Mon-Thu, 8.45am-noon Sat) night buses for Tangier (Dh115, six hours), two Société Générale (Map p288; Bab Bou Je- for Chefchaouen (Dh70, four hours), four for loud; h8.45am-6pm Mon-Thu, 8.45-11am Fri, Tetouan (Dh100, five hours), one overnight for 8.45am-noon Sat) Al-Hoceima (Dh120, five hours), four for Nador (Dh115, five hours) and four for Oujda (Dh120, POST five hours). Main Post Office (Map p300; cnr Ave Hassan II & Blvd Mohammed V; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri, International services to Spain and France with 8.30am-noon Sat) Poste restante is next door Eurolines also depart from the CTM bus station. on the left, at the Amana office. Post Office (Map p288; Pl Batha; h8am-4pm Non-CTM buses depart from the main bus Mon-Fri) Located in the medina; it also has station (Map p288; % 0535 63 60 32) outside an ATM. Bab el-Mahrouk on the edge of the medina, or from the streets immediately surrounding TOURIST INFORMATION the bus station. Fares are slightly lower than There is no tourist bureau in the medina. CTM, and reservations can be made for popular Délégation Régionale de Tourisme (Tourist routes. It has a left-luggage facility (h 6am- Information Office; Map p300; %0535 62 34 midnight). 60; Pl Mohammed V; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon- Fri) On our visit, this office had no information, At least six buses run daily to Casablanca, maps or brochures. Chefchaouen, Er-Rachidia, Marrakesh, Meknès, Midelt, Oujda, Rabat, Tangier and Tetouan. Less TRAVEL AGENCIES frequent buses go to Rissani (Dh100, eight Carlson Wagonlit (Map p300; %0535 62 29 hours), Tinerhir (Dh147, 16 hours) and Ouarza- 58; fax 0535 62 44 36) Behind Central Market; zate (Dh192, 13 hours). useful for flights and ferries. Locally, there are frequent departures to USEFUL WEBSITES Azrou (Dh20, 1½ hours), Ifrane (Dh16, 1½ hours), Culture Vultures (www.culturevulturesfez.org) Moulay Yacoub (Dh10, 30 minutes), Sefrou For arty Fez happenings including artisanal (Dh10, 40 minutes), Taza (Dh30, three hours, projects, tours, workshops, residencies, arts hourly) and Ouezzane (Dh30, three hours, twice and culture. daily). View From Fez (www.theviewfromfez.com) News-and-views blog for keeping up to date CAR with what’s happening in Fez. There are several guarded car parks around the medina: on Pl Bou Jeloud close to Bab Bou Jeloud, in Batha, north of Talaa Kebira at Ain Azleten and in the south at R’cif. In the ville nou- velle there’s a guarded car park in front of the central market. Chriftrans (% 0615 45 01 28;

322 No 19 Train station via Ave Hassan II (both in [email protected]) is a reliable transport ville nouvelle) and Bab el-Jdid (southern Fès and vehicle-hire company, offering services el-Bali) to Pl R’cif (central Fès el-Bali). from airport pick-ups to day trips from Fez and No 47 Train station to Bab Bou Jeloud (Fès longer hires. el-Bali). TAXI TAXI There are several grand taxi ranks dotted Drivers of the red petits taxis generally use their around town. Taxis for Moulay Yacoub (Dh10, 20 meters without any fuss, but we have recently minutes), Meknès (Dh22, one hour) and Rabat experienced hassles with touts at the train sta- (Dh60) leave from in front of the main bus sta- tion. Insist on the meter, or walk further to hail a tion (outside Bab el-Mahrouk). Taxis for Tissa taxi. Expect to pay about Dh10 from the train or (Dh20, 45 minutes) and Taza (Dh50, 2½ hours) CTM station to Bab Bou Jeloud. As usual, there depart from Seb el-Wrd on the hill opposite Bab is a 50% surcharge after 8pm. You’ll find taxi Fettouh, the medina’s southeastern gate. The ranks outside all the gates of the medina. Only rank for Sefrou (Dh12, 30 minutes) is located grands taxis go out to the airport. at Slaiki, southeast of Pl de la Résistance in the ville nouvelle. Azrou (Dh33, one hour) and Ifrane Sefrou ‫صفرو‬ (Dh28, 45 minutes) taxis wait at a parking lot to the west of the CTM bus station in the south of The small Berber town of Sefrou, just 30km the ville nouvelle. southeast of Fez, is a picturesque place situ- ated on the edge of the Middle Atlas. It has Grands taxis outside the train station don’t a small but interesting medina that was have specific destinations so cannot be shared. designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast SIGmEepFtRetirOniUaglACriotiuensd 2013. As such, the medina walls have been TRAIN restored and some funduqs are being re- The train station (% 0535 93 03 33) is in the built. Sefrou once hosted one of Morocco’s ville nouvelle, a 10-minute walk northwest of Pl largest Jewish communities (as many as Florence. To take advantage of the left-luggage 8000 people, according to some accounts), office (Map p300; per item Dh10; h 6am-8pm), and it was here that Moulay Idriss II lived bags must be locked or padlocked. while overseeing the building of Fez. It’s an easy day trip from Fez, ideal if you need to Trains depart every hour between 4.50am and escape the big city. 6.50pm to Casablanca (Dh165, four hours), via Rabat (Dh120, three hours) and Meknès (Dh30, 1 Sights & Activities 30 minutes). There are four additional overnight trains. Ten trains go to Marrakesh (Dh295, Medina MEDINA eight hours) and four go to Tangier (Dh155, five hours) direct (two more via Sidi Kacem and one Sefrou’s medina is a manageable place to via Mechra Bel Ksiri). Direct trains for Oujda get around, especially compared to Fez. The (Dh160, 5½ hours) via Taza (Dh56, two hours) Oued Aggaï flows through its centre, open- leave four times daily. ing the place up and giving it more of an airy feeling than many old medinas. The best 88 Getting Around point of entry is northerly Bab el-Maqam. Follow the main flow of people downhill to TO/FROM THE AIRPORT the southeast and pass two mosques. Cross There is a regular bus service (bus 16) between over the river and continue up the main the airport and the train station (Dh20, 25 shopping street to where the road splits: minutes), with departures every half-hour or so. straight ahead takes you to Bab Merba, in Grands taxis from any stand charge a set fare the medina’s southern wall, next to another of Dh120. mosque; the right fork brings you to the be- ginning of the mellah. BUS Fez has a reliable local bus service. At certain Mellah NEIGHBOURHOOD times of day, however, the buses are like sardine cans and are notorious for pickpockets. The The mellah stretches from here northwest standard fare is Dh2.50. Some useful routes: along the river. Although its Jewish popula- No 9 Pl Atlas via Blvd Chefchaouni (both in the tion has gone, the district still retains a few ville nouvelle) to near the Batha Museum (Fès distinctive wooden-galleried houses and el-Bali); the bus returns via Pl de la Résistance, lanes so narrow two people can only just Ave Hassan II and Ave des FAR. pass. In its heyday, the mellah was so dark No 10 Train station via Bab Guissa (northern Fès el-Bali) to Bab Sidi Bou Jida (northeastern Fès el-Bali).

323 Sefrou e#0 200 m 0 0.1 miles AB C D 6Grands Taxis˜# to Fez #þ 8 Place Buses Moulay to Fez 1 Hassan ›# Bab 4 MEDINA 1 ÿ# 2 æ# el-Maqam 6 Oued Aggaï Grands ˜# ú# Bab Taxis Beni Madruk 6666662 ssan Mo7ulay Ha Ave Hassan II ü# A ve MELLAH ÿ# 3 æ# 5 Park & Playground Bab Merba 2 OkbNarabfaen Rue Nakib Ave Hassan Lyoussi à# 1 Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast SI mlEpeF Re prOiiUna lg C iti e s #ì DBMCE 666S idi Ali BousserghdieneSefrouî#Blvd Mohammed V 3 ò# Ru e 3 Pharmacie D Cyber Sapin (80m) ABC and crowded that street lamps had to be lit even in the middle of the day. Today it has 66an edgy feel: some buildings are derelict and there have been reports of muggings. Sefrou æ Sights 1 Jewish School........................................C2 2 Medina.................................................... C1 3 Mellah .....................................................B2 Jewish School JEWISH Just south of Bab Merba, this former Jew- ÿ Sleeping ish school with its own prayer room is now 4 Dar Attamani ......................................... B1 5 La Maison des Lallas ............................D2 closed. Knock and the guardians will prob- ably let you in for a small donation. ú Eating 6 Restaurant Farah.................................. C1 Cascades WATERFALL A 1.5km walk west of town are the Cascades, û Drinking & Nightlife a modest waterfall. Follow the signs from 7 Café Zahra el-Jebal...............................A2 Ave Moulay Hassan around Al-Qala’ (a semi- fortified village) and along the river’s lush valley. þ Shopping 8 Ensemble Artisanal............................... B1 Rural Textile Trail CRAFT (%0645 22 32 03; http://culturevulturesfez.org; This lovely old Jewish house is tucked right 2 people per day incl lunch Dh2500) Local artist in the heart of the medina. The owner has Jessica Stephens will weave you through the taken a great deal of attention to styling, and spinners, thread shops, tailors and jellaba each room has a different look, giving the (garment) button makers of Sefrou, end- place an idiosyncratic style. Some rooms are ing at the women’s carpet cooperative in a en suite, others have shared bathrooms, and nearby mountain village. for shoestringers there are beds on the roof terrace (Dh110). Half board is also available. 4 Sleeping Dar Attamani GUESTHOUSE €€ La Maison des Lallas GUESTHOUSE €€ (%0535 66 11 16; www.lamaisondeslallas.com; (%0535 96 91 74; www.darattamani.com; 414 304 Derb El Miter; r from Dh352; W) This pretty Bastna, Medina; s/d/tr from Dh260/440/550; W)

324 CHERRY FESTIVAL 88 Information Sefrou is a sleepy place on the whole, BMCE (Blvd Mohammed V; h8.45am-6pm except in mid-June when the annual Mon-Thu, 8.45-11am Fri, 8.45am-noon Sat) Has Cherry Festival (Festival des Cerises; an ATM. www.festival-cerises-sefrou.com) fills the Cyber Sapin (Blvd Mohammed V; per hr Dh4; streets for four days to celebrate the h 9am-9pm) local cherry harvest. There’s plenty Main Post Office (Blvd Mohammed V; h8am- of folk music, along with displays by 4pm Mon-Fri) local artists, parades, fantasias and Pharmacie de Sefrou (Blvd Mohammed V; sports events, as well as the crowning h8.30am-6pm Mon-Sat) Pharmacy. of the Cherry Queen. Sefrou lays claim to the longest-running town festival in 88 Getting There & Away Morocco – it celebrated its 90th year in 2010. Regular buses (Dh8, 40 minutes) and grands taxis (Dh11, 30 minutes) run between Sefrou and Slaiki in Fez. For Azrou, take a grand taxi to Im- mouzzer (Dh12) and change. house in a quiet street has five bedrooms, Bhalil ‫بھاليل‬ each with a bathroom, and a lovely court- yard that’s traditionally decorated. Jamila This curious village, 5km from Sefrou, is can provide dinner (Dh132) and even a pic- worth a visit. It contains a number of trog- nic basket (Dh44) if you’re heading into the lodyte houses (cave dwellings) built into Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast MIEmaeptkienrègisa&l DCriitineksi n g hills. the picturesque mountainside and picked out in pastel hues of pink, yellow and blue. 5 Eating & Drinking Some go so far as to utilise caves for the primary room of the house. The result is a There’s a string of cafes and a bar along cool, spacious room, usually used as a salon, Blvd Mohammed V, all fairly masculine while bedrooms and private areas are built places to drink coffee. There are a few cheap above. A grand taxi from Sefrou to Bhalil eats with soup, kebabs and tajines in the costs Dh4. medina. Kamal Chaoui and his wife Béatrice of- Restaurant Farah MOROCCAN € fer very comfortable accommodation at (Haddadine Sq; meals about Dh30; h11am-9pm) The best of the bunch is the Restaurant Fa- Dar Kamal Chaoui (%0678 83 83 10, 0535 rah. It doesn’t have its name outside, but it’s 69 27 37; www.kamalchaoui.com; 6 Kaf Rhouni; s & d from Dh605; W), and Naima cooks deli- easy to find opposite the knife-grinders and cious dinners (Dh175). Decorated in local blacksmith with his fiery anvil (Haddadine means ironmongers). Here you can enjoy Berber style, it has a relaxing roof terrace with sweeping views. Kamal is a mine of delicious spit-roast chicken with harissa for information on the area and can arrange dipping, spiced chickpeas or loubia (beans), chips, bread and salad. mountain excursions, including a visit to the troglodyte caves for tea with the inhab- itants (Dh275). Café Zahra el-Jebal CAFE (Town Park; h9am-10pm) Women will feel comfortable at this lovely cafe spread along the shady riverbank in the park. It’s known Meknès ‫مكناس‬ for its good milkshakes. POP 1,000,000 7 Shopping Of the four imperial cities, Meknès is the most modest by far – neither capital (Rabat), trendy tourist hub (Marrakesh) or home to a You might snap up a bargain at the market famed medina (Fez). In fact, Meknès, which held every Thursday. receives fewer visitors than it really should, Ensemble Artisanal HANDICRAFTS is rather overshadowed because of its prox- (Rte de Fès) The usual selection of rugs, pots, imity to Fez. Quieter and smaller than its clothes and leather are available here at fixed prices. grand neighbour, it’s also more laid-back with less hassle, yet still has all the winding narrow medina streets and grand buildings

Meknès e# 0 1 km 0 0.5 miles ABCDE FG 222222 R al-Andalous VILLESahl aMriao uatl-aOhui md aa Ave Moulay Hafid Rue de Rabat 222222 .# NOUVELLE 222222 6666 662 2Ce2met2ery2 2 222222 222222 12 2 2 2 2 2 1 222222 Bab2 2 2 2 2 2 000000000000000Central Ave HassanI 2 2 2 2Berd2aine2 Market Place R Ferhat Hachad El-Amir Abdelkader Berdaine Train Station Blvd Cir £# 222222 GLaahrdbeonusl 222222 RueGhana Sharia Bengh 2 2 2 2 2 2 Ba2b 66666662 2 2 2 2 e2l-Jedid 222222 MEDINA culaire EmbBelivrnRdAAuAbebdlldaeallkllaadher 222222 222222 R d'Agourrai y-Ismail 222222 Rue de TunisInstitut#ý Français Place de l'Istiqlal CTM Bus 2 (Place Batha) ›# Station 222222 Ave Moula See Meknès Ville Nouvelle Map.#(p329) Avede la Gare Main Train 222222 Station £# 666662 2 Ave Moulay Mohammed Route 21 3 222222 azi AvedesFAR Hôpital 2 2 2 2 222 2 2 Bab 000000000000000000000000000LPal000000000allcDa000000000eAKARRBo000000000RuIERodLua-amzin222eC222em222 e222te222rBy222lbvde222nAZbiddearnraehmane Rue ben Doungh 2 2 2 Berrima 2222 Moulay Ismail C2 em2eter2y 222 î# 222 Bab er-Rih 222222 222222 Place el-Hedim 2222 3 .# OLD MELLAH Bab el-Khemis 66See Meknès Medina Map (p326) Royal 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000C 0000000000000000PR0000000000000000aolay0000000000000000cael00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 NEW Golf Oued Bou Fe 4 MELLAH Course E G 4 222 krane 222 A B D F 222 222 222 Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast IGMmeeptketnirèinsaglTChiteirees& Away 325

326 History that it warrants as a one-time home of the Moroccan sultanate. Sultan Moulay Ismail, The Berber tribe of the Meknassis (hence the the architect of Meknès’ glory days, might name Meknès) first settled here in the 10th be a little disgruntled at the city’s current century. Under the Almohads and Merenids, modesty, but visitors will find much to be Meknès’ medina was expanded and some of enchanted by. the city’s oldest remaining monuments were Encircled by the rich plains below the built. Middle Atlas, Meknès is blessed with a hinterland abundant with cereals, olives, It wasn’t until the 17th century that Mek- grapes, citrus fruit and other agricultural nès really came into its own. The founder products that remain the city’s economic of the Alawite dynasty, Moulay ar-Rashid, backbone. In the midst of this agricultural died in 1672. His successor and brother, region sit the Roman ruins at Volubilis and Moulay Ismail, then made Meknès his the hilltop tomb of Moulay Idriss, two of capital, and he would reign from here for the country’s most significant historic sites. 55 years. If you base yourself in Meknès you’ll find plenty to keep you busy. Ismail endowed the city with 25km of The valley of the (usually dry) Oued Bou imposing walls with monumental gates and Fekrane neatly divides the old medina in the an enormous palace complex that was never west and the French-built ville nouvelle in completed. That he could devote the time the east. Moulay Ismail’s tomb and imperial and resources to construction was partly city are south of the medina. due to his uncommon success in subduing all opposition in Morocco and keeping for- re Oued Bou FekraneMeknès MedinaB666e#0400 m Rue des MoulA2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2C00.2 miles D R Souika Souq Cherchira2222222222 Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast MGI meeptketnirènisaglTChietirees& Away222222222 1 Bab2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 666BlvdCirculai 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Be2rdai2ne Lahboul Gardens 2222222222 12 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Place2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Ce2me2tery2 2 2Berdaine 2222222222 222222222 2222222222 MEDINA 222222222 Rue el-Hanaya 2222222222 Sidi Nedjar æ# 52 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2222222222 222222222 2222222222 Garden Entrance 222222222 666HamRuaemouch 22 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 B2ab e2l-Jedid 222222222 ins G2222222Traa222222›#xn˜#i2222222dsBMs222222uasBe2222222inlSaC-222222AKbteavh2222222mteeio2222e22mdntee2222222isrMy222222e2222222lla222222hM2222222EO222222LLL2222222DAP222222HhBBaaeerbrlmDr-iFmMaaacrtauhyJsPTî#aeea˜#RmtxuiNitmÿ1#1sasa43ïBú#jâL#j#ú2uao.#e6sr1cil9en-ß#aPú#sHell#›#aec1Cdá#6eiaml3èæ#ú#1c15h1eBe2lsa-ÿ#MbPRaæ#ÿ#launAceso49â#eZouiLadud7aò#areilnrlae˜#-BRDaiPTbhAKaeRBxtiiItsEÿR#11s0R8LRHuú#-1eRe1roiÿ#eu8saÿ#-Smozuian2222222nCei#ú222222em22222221e7222222te2222222ry222222 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 6000000000000000000000000662 4 000000002 0000000000000000000000002 2 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000004 DNEW (2km) MELLAH þ# 20 Royal Golf Course ABCD

1 Sights 327 eign meddlers at bay, mainly because of his 1 The Medina Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast IMSmiegpkhentrèsisa l C iti e s notorious Black Guard. The heart of Meknès medina is Pl el-Hedim, The death of Ismail in 1727 also struck the large square facing Bab el-Mansour. the death knell for Meknès. The town re- Built by Moulay Ismail and originally used sumed its role as a backwater, as his grand- for royal announcements and public execu- son Mohammed III (1757–90) moved to tions, it’s a good place to sit and watch the Marrakesh. The 1755 earthquake that dev- world go by – kids playing football, hawk- astated Lisbon also dealt Meknès a heavy ers selling miracle cures, and promenading blow. As so often happened in Morocco, its families. There’s always something going on, monuments were subsequently stripped in and you get the sense that the city authori- order to be added to buildings elsewhere. ties would love for it to turn into the local It has only been in the past few decades, as equivalent of Marrakesh’s Djemaa el-Fna. the town’s tourist potential has become ob- One edge is lined with cafes and restau- vious, that any serious restoration attempts rants; behind these is an excellent, covered have taken place. produce market. In 1912 the arrival of the protectorate re- To the south, the impressive monumental vived Meknès as the French made it their gateway of Bab el-Mansour leads into Mou- military headquarters. The army was ac- lay Ismail’s imperial city. The narrow streets companied by French farmers who settled of the old mellah are in the west of the me- on the fertile land nearby. After independ- dina – look for the old balconied houses so ence most properties were recovered by the distinctive of the Jewish quarter. Moroccan government and leased to local farmers. The easiest route into the souqs is through the arch to the left of the Dar Jamaï Meknès Medina Museum on the north side of Pl el-Hedim. Plunge in and head northwards, and you’ll æ Top Sights quickly find yourself amid souvenir stalls 1 Bab el-Mansour.................................... C4 and carpet shops. 2 Dar Jamaï Museum...............................B3 Markets MARKET æ Sights 3 Koubbat as-Sufara'.............................. C4 There are many qissariat (covered markets). 4 Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail ............. C4 A couple of these are devoted to textiles and 5 Mausoleum of Sidi ben Aïssa ..............A2 carpets, which are noisily auctioned off on 6 Medersa Bou Inania..............................B3 Sunday mornings. Okchen Market special- 7 Musée de Meknès.................................C3 ises in fine embroidery. On Rue Najjarine, you’ll pass stalls of babouches (leather slip- ÿ Sleeping pers) in multicoloured rows and Qissariat 8 Hôtel Maroc ...........................................D3 ad-Dahab, the jewellery souq. Outside of 9 Riad d'Or ................................................C3 the city wall, you’ll find a colourful souq sell- 10 Riad Lahboul..........................................D3 ing spices, herbs and nuts, and a lively flea 11 Riad Meknès ..........................................D3 market. 12 Riad Safir................................................C3 13 Ryad Bahia.............................................B3 oDar Jamaï Museum MUSEUM ú Eating (Map p326; %0555 53 08 63; admission Dh10; 14 Covered Market ....................................B3 h9am-noon & 3-6.30pm Wed-Mon) Overlook- Dar Sultana.................................. (see 13) ing Pl el-Hedim is Dar Jamaï, a palace built 15 Pavillon des Idrissides..........................C3 in 1882 by the powerful Jamaï family, two 16 Restaurant Mille et Une Nuits .............C3 of whom were viziers to Sultan Moulay al- 17 Restaurant Oumnia ..............................D3 Hassan I. When the sultan died in 1894, Restaurant Riad Meknès ............ (see 11) the family fell foul of court politics and lost 18 Rue Rouamzine Eateries......................D3 everything, including the palace, which was Ryad Bahia................................... (see 13) passed on to the powerful Al-Glaoui family. 19 Sandwich Stands ..................................B3 In 1912 the French commandeered the pal- ace for a military hospital. þ Shopping Since 1920 the palace has housed the 20 Centre Artisanale..................................B4 Administration des Beaux Arts and one of Pavillon des Idrissides.................(see 15) Pottery Stalls............................... (see 14)

328 Medersa Bou Inania MEDERSA Morocco’s best museums. Exhibits include traditional ceramics, jewellery, rugs and (Map p326; Rue Najjarine; admission Dh10; some fantastic textiles and embroidery. h9am-noon & 3-6pm) Opposite the Grande Look out for the brocaded saddles, and some Mosquée, the Medersa Bou Inania is typical exquisite examples of Meknasi needlework of the exquisite interior design that distin- (including some extravagant gold and silver guishes Merenid monuments. It was com- kaftans). The koubba (domed sanctuary) pleted in 1358 by Bou Inan, after whom a upstairs is furnished as a traditional salon more lavish medersa in Fez is also named. complete with luxurious rugs and cushions. This medersa is a good display of the classic The museum also has a fine collection of Moroccan decorative styles – the zellij base, antique carpets, representing various styles delicate stucco midriff and carved olive- from different regions of Morocco. wood ceiling. The exhibits are well constructed; expla- Students aged eight to 10 years once lived nations are in French, Arabic and some- two to a cell on the ground floor, while older times English. The museum’s Andalucian students and teachers lived on the 1st floor. garden and courtyard are shady, peaceful Anyone can climb onto the roof for views spots amid overgrown orange trees. of the green-tiled roof and minaret of the Grande Mosquée nearby, but the medersa is Musée de Meknès MUSEUM otherwise closed to non-Muslims. (Meknès Museum; Map p326; Route Dar Smen; ad- mission Dh10; h9am-noon & 3-6.30pm Wed-Mon) Housed in the gracious old Tribunal build- Mausoleum of Sidi ben Aïssa MAUSOLEUM ing, this new museum features metalwork, (Map p326) Sidi ben Aïssa gave rise to one of Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast IMSmiegpkhentrèsisa l C iti e s farming implements, clothing, jewellery, the more unusual religious fraternities in carpets and ceramics. Look out for the re- Morocco, known for their self-mutilation markable set of armour made of copper and and for their imperviousness to snake encrusted with coral beads, turquoise studs bites. His followers gather here at his mau- and coins. This warrior was well protected soleum in April from all over Morocco and with helmet, breastplate and gauntlets. further afield. The mausoleum is closed to non-Muslims. THE ALMIGHTY MOULAY Few men dominate the history of a country like the towering figure of Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672–1727). Originating from the sand-blown plains of the Tafilalt region, his fam- ily were sherifs (descendants of the Prophet Mohammed) – a pedigree that continues to underpin the current monarchy. Ruthlessness as well as good breeding were essential characteristics for becoming sultan. On inheriting the throne from his brother Moulay ar-Rashid, Moulay Ismail set about diffusing the rival claims of his 83 brothers and half-brothers, celebrating his first day in power by murdering all those who refused to submit to his rule. His politics con- tinued in this bloody vein with military campaigns in the south, the Rif Mountains and Algerian hinterland, bringing most of Morocco under his control. He even brought the Salé corsairs to heel, taxing their piracy handsomely to swell the imperial coffers. The peace won, Moulay Ismail retired to his capital at Meknès and began building his grandiose imperial palace, plundering the country for the best materials, and build- ing city walls, kasbahs and many new towns. This cultural flowering was Morocco’s last great golden age. Moulay Ismail also considered himself a lover. Although he sought (but failed to re- ceive) the hand in marriage of Louis XIV of France’s daughter, he still fathered literally hundreds of children. Rather foolishly, however, he did nothing to secure his succession. When he died the sultanate was rocked by a series of internecine power struggles, from which the Alawites never fully recovered. Nevertheless, his legacy was to be the foundation of modern Morocco. He liberated Tangier from the British, subdued the Berber tribes and relieved the Spanish of much of their Moroccan territory. Moulay Ismail sowed the seeds of the current monarchy and beneath his strong-arm rule the coherent entity of modern Morocco was first glimpsed.

329 Meknès Ville Nouvelle e# 0 200 m 0 0.1 miles 000000 A B C D Zankat teur Rue de Tarfaya Rue Pas ÿ# Rue d'Oujda 1 9 Omar #ú 5 Ave MoRhAa#Mmmed#ü16V 13 #ú #ú 1 Central 14 Hassan II Market Ave ibn #ü £# El-Amir Abdelkader 17 Train Station Ass Rue Carlson 3 15 Rue d'Alger Wagonlit ÿ# #ú Ghana Rue Emir Abdelkader Rue # 12 Rue de Paris ÿ# 4 #ú Rue Antserapé 2 TetouanRue Accra #ú RueAtlas 11 2 10 #ú ÿ# Blvd 7 ÿ# 6 Allal ben Abdallah Délégation Régionale Rue Menton du Tourisme Night Quick ð# Pharmacy Net 666ï# ò# î# Place de l'Istiqlal (Place IdrPisaslaIiIs Batha) Ave de 1 6663 Ave Idriss II Petits 2 ÿ# ÿ# Justice Taxis .#˜# 3 8 FAR Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast MISmiegpkhentrèsisa l C iti e s ÿ#AvBeMdCesE #ì ABC D 1 Imperial City Meknès Ville Nouvelle oBab el-Mansour GATE ÿ Sleeping 1 Hôtel Akouas .........................................D3 (Map p326) The focus of Pl el-Hedim is the 2 Hôtel Bab Mansour...............................D3 huge gate of Bab el-Mansour, the grandest 3 Hôtel de Nice .........................................A2 of all imperial Moroccan gateways. The gate 4 Hôtel Majestic .......................................C2 is well preserved with lavish (if faded) zellij 5 Hôtel Malta ............................................ A1 and inscriptions across the top. It was com- 6 Hôtel Palace...........................................A2 pleted by Moulay Ismail’s son, Moulay Ab- 7 Hôtel Rif..................................................A2 dallah, in 1732. You can’t walk through the 8 Hôtel Volubilis .......................................D3 bab itself (although it’s sometimes open to host exhibitions), but instead have to make ú Eating do with a side gate to the left. 9 Central Market ...................................... A1 10 Le Pub.....................................................B2 Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail MAUSOLEUM 11 Marhaba Restaurant ............................C2 (Map p326; donations welcome; h8.30am-noon 12 Palais de Poulet.....................................A2 & 2-6pm Sat-Thu) Diagonally opposite the 13 Promenade Palace ............................... B1 Koubbat as-Sufara’ is the resting place of 14 Restaurant Gambrinus ........................ A1 the sultan who made Meknès his capital in 15 Restaurant Pizza Roma .......................B2 the 17th century. Moulay Ismail’s stature as one of Morocco’s greatest rulers means that û Drinking & Nightlife non-Muslim visitors are welcomed into the 16 Café Opera............................................. B1 sanctuary. Entry is through a series of aus- 17 Café Tulipe............................................. C1 tere, peaceful courtyards meant to induce a quiet and humble attitude among visitors, is permitted, but non-Muslims may not ap- an aim that’s not always successful in the proach the tomb itself. face of a busload of tourists. The tomb hall is a lavish contrast and showcase of the best Koubbat as-Sufara’ MONUMENT of Moroccan craftsmanship. Photography (Map p326; admission Dh10; h9am-noon & 3-6pm) South of Bab el-Mansour lies the mechouar (parade ground), now known

Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast ITMmoepukernrsèisa l C iti e s330 Agdal Basin. Fed by a complex system of ir- as Pl Lalla Aouda, where Moulay Ismail rigation channels some 25km long, it served inspected his famed Black Guard. After as both a reservoir for the sultan’s gardens bringing 16,000 slaves from sub-Saharan and a pleasure lake. There are plenty of Africa, Moulay Ismail guaranteed the con- benches to break your stroll around the wa- tinued existence of his elite units by pro- ters, and a giant Giacometti-like statue of a viding the soldiers with women and raising traditional water seller. their offspring for service in the guard. By the time of his death, the Black Guard had T Tours expanded tenfold. Its successes were many, ranging from quelling internal rebellions, Compared to Fez and Marrakesh, Meknès to chasing European powers out of north- medina is fairly easy to navigate. If you are ern Morocco, to disposing of the Ottoman short of time, or if you wish to gain some threat from Algeria. local insight, book an official guide through Following the road around to the right, the tourist office for Dh250 for half a day. you’ll find an expanse of grass and a small Calèche rides of this imperial city with a building, the Koubbat as-Sufara’, once the guide are easy to pick up around the Mau- reception hall for foreign ambassadors. Be- soleum of Moulay Ismail – expect to pay side the entrance, you will notice the shafts around Dh150 for a couple of hours. that descend into a vast crypt. This dark and slightly spooky network of rooms was z Festivals & Events used for food storage, although tour guides will delight in recounting the (erroneous) One of the largest moussems in Morocco story that it was used as a dungeon for takes place on the eve of Moulid (in January the Christian slaves who provided labour or December during the life of this edition of for Moulay Ismail’s building spree. Bring a the book) at the Mausoleum of Sidi ben Aïs- torch (flashlight). sa, outside the medina walls. Members of the Hamadcha Sufi brotherhood are renowned oHeri es-Souani RUIN for trances that make them impervious to pain, but public displays of glass-eating, (admission Dh10; h9am-noon & 3-6.30pm) Near- snake bites and ritual body piercing are no ly 2km southeast of the mausoleum, Mou- longer allowed (though you’ll see pictures lay Ismail’s immense granaries and stables, about town). It’s a busy and popular festival Heri es-Souani, were ingeniously designed. with fantasias (musket-firing cavalry charg- Tiny windows, massive walls and a sys- es), fairs and the usual singing and dancing. tem of underfloor water channels kept the temperatures cool and air circulating. The 4 Sleeping building provided stabling and food for an incredible 12,000 horses, and Moulay Ismail Most accommodation is located in the ville regarded it as one of his finest architectural nouvelle, with the exception of a cluster of projects. ultrabudget options and a number of new The roof fell in long ago, but the first few riads. vaults have been restored. They’re impres- sive, but overly lit which robs them of much 4 Medina of their ambience – seek out the darker, more atmospheric corners. Those beyond Most of Meknès’ cheapies cluster along Rue stand in partial ruin, row upon row across Dar Smen and Rue Rouamzine in the old a huge area. city. In the high season and during festivals, In summer it’s a long hot walk here from they can fill up quickly. To be on the safe Moulay Ismail’s mausoleum, so you might side, get here early in the day or reserve a want to catch a taxi or calèche (horse-drawn room. carriage). If you do decide to walk, follow the Hôtel Maroc HOTEL € road from the mausoleum south between the high walls, past the main entrance of the (Map p326; %0535 53 00 75; 7 Rue Rouamzine; per person Dh100, roof terrace Dh50) A perenni- Royal Palace (no visitors) and a campsite, to ally popular shoestring option, the Maroc find the entrance straight ahead. has kept its standards up over the many years we’ve been visiting. Friendly and qui- Agdal Basin LAKE et, rooms (with sinks) are simple, and the Immediately north of the granaries and sta- shared bathrooms are clean. The terrace and bles lies an enormous stone-lined lake, the

331 courtyard filled with orange trees add to the Palais Ksar Chaacha, in a quiet area full of ambience. lawyers’ offices and public scribes. Rooms are tastefully decorated in a traditional- oRyad Bahia GUESTHOUSE €€ meets-modern style. It is noted for its food (Map p326; %0535 55 45 41; www.ryad-bahia. (the restaurant is open to the public), and com; Derb Sekkaya, Tiberbarine; s/d incl breakfast there are a couple of salons for dining, or from Dh400/650; aW) This charming riad you can just relax by the chic plunge pool is just a stone’s throw from Pl el-Hedim. and cactus garden. The main entrance opens onto a courtyard (also hosting a great restaurant). Rooms are Le Jardin de Ryad Bahia GUESTHOUSE €€€ (%0535 55 45 41; www.lesjardinsderyadbahia.com; pretty and carefully restored, and the own- r Dh800-1000; aWs) The owners of Ryad ers (keen travellers themselves) are eager to swap travel stories as well as guide guests Bahia have also opened this large, airy house in the countryside 5km west of Meknès. The in the medina, especially as Bouchra is a li- lovely garden has a large pool, and there’s a censed guide. hammam, sauna and jacuzzi. The house has Riad d’Or GUESTHOUSE €€ nine bedrooms with balconies, and relaxing (Map p326; %0641 07 86 25; www.riaddor.com; 17 Derb el-Anboub; r Dh495-935; aWs) Re- living spaces. Cooking classes are a special- ity (Dh400 per person). This is the place for cently refurbished, this riad is spread over a breath of fresh air if you’re all medina-ed two townhouses, with 11 rooms tumbling around unexpected courtyards and stair- out, especially as you can just go for the day (transport provided). cases. Many rooms can sleep four or more people. There’s a good restaurant, too. The Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast IMSmlepekenprèiinsa lg C iti e s biggest surprise is hidden on one of the roof 4 Ville Nouvelle terraces: who expected to find a swimming pool there? The ville nouvelle also has some decent budget options, as well as more expensive Riad Safir GUESTHOUSE €€ establishments. (Map p326; %0535 53 47 85; www.riadsafir. Hôtel Majestic HOTEL € com; 1 Derb Lalla Alamia; s/d/tr incl breakfast (Map p329; %0535 52 20 35; 19 Ave Mohammed Dh550/660/770; aW) This delightful, inti- V; s/d incl breakfast Dh287/374) Open for busi- mate guesthouse comes in two halves: the ness since 1937, the Majestic is one of the original Safir is a homely confection that best deco buildings in Meknès. Rooms are swaps the traditional zellij and plaster of comfortable, if old-fashioned, and there’s some places for swathes of soft fabrics and plenty of character to go around from the carpets in creams and warm oranges, and dark-wood dado to the original deco light plenty of wood. Next door is all ultramodern fittings. A quiet courtyard, roof terrace and chic, with stylishly restrained colours and friendly management top things off, making artful decoration. An unexpected, but win- this a hard budget option to beat. ning, contrast. Hôtel Palace HOTEL € (Map p329; %0535 40 04 68; fax 0535 40 14 31; Riad Lahboul GUESTHOUSE €€ 11 Rue Ghana; s/d Dh180/230; p) Looking very (Map p326; %0535 55 98 78; www.riadlahboul.com; 6 Derb Ain Sefli, Rouamzine; r from Dh600; aW) dour from the street, this hotel turns out to This family-friendly guesthouse is run by a be surprisingly good value, offering large Moroccan-English couple. You enter into a airy rooms with attached bathrooms, many salon in high-Moroccan style, but above this with balcony. The mezzanine sofas give an the six rooms are positively cosy; one is a extra option for chilling out. It’s frequently large apartment. Dining in is a good option full, so call in advance. as the food is excellent, and the location puts you on the edge of the medina across from Hôtel Volubilis HOTEL € (Map p329; %0535 52 50 82; Ave des FAR; s/d/tr the peaceful Lahboul Gardens. Dh242/289/376) This is a reasonable option, Riad Meknès GUESTHOUSE €€ with fair rooms and en-suite bathrooms. (Map p326; %0535 53 05 42; www.riadmeknes. Try to avoid the rooms at the front above com; 79 Ksar Chaacha, Dar el-Kabir; s/d/tr incl the main road, as they can stay pretty noisy breakfast Dh440/660/770; aWs) This large, throughout the night. airy riad is located amid the ruins of the

332 5 Eating Hôtel de Nice HOTEL €€ (Map p329; %0535 52 03 18; www.hoteldenice -meknes.com; cnr Rue Accra & Rue Antserapé; s/d incl breakfast from Dh425/530; a) This hotel 5 Medina continues to fly the flag for quality and Restaurant Oumnia MOROCCAN € (Map p326; %0535 53 39 38; 8 Ain Fouki Roua- service. It’s modern, efficient and ever-so- mzine; set menu Dh95; hnoon-3pm & 7-10pm) slightly shiny, so it’s a surprise that room rates aren’t a good Dh100 more than they This is less a formal restaurant and more like a few rooms of a family home con- actually are. Rooms are nicely decorated verted into dining salons, and the empha- and well sized, and there’s a bar and res- taurant too. sis here is on warm service and hearty Moroccan fare. There’s just a three-course Hôtel Rif HOTEL €€ set menu, but it’s a real winner, with deli- (Map p329; %0535 52 25 91; hotel_rif@menara. ma; Rue Accra; s/d incl breakfast Dh666/832; aW8 cious harira, salads and a choice of several tajines of the day. s) The four-star Hôtel Rif is a consistent performer in the upper midrange hotel Pavillon des Idrissides CAFE € (Map p326; 147 Dar Smen Lahdim; mains from Dh55; stakes. The hotel interior has a slightly h8.30am-10pm) An ideal spot for a quick cof- funky modernist ambience, and we love the concrete-chocolate confection of the fee or a lazy meal, this cafe-restaurant has scooped all the others in finding a great view exterior. The courtyard pool is good for dip- overlooking Bab el-Mansour. The food is an ping your toes in, but as it’s overlooked by the bar, female bathers will feel enormously unsurprising mix of grills, tajines and cous- Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast IMEmaeptkienrègisa l C iti e s cous – perfectly decent, but the setting is exposed. really the thing here. Hôtel Akouas HOTEL €€ (Map p329; %0535 51 59 67; 27 Rue Emir Abdel- kader; s/d/tr Dh341/422/543; as) This Restaurant Mille et Une Nuits MOROCCAN € friendly, family-run three-star hotel has (Map p326; %0535 55 90 02; off Pl el-Hedim; a little more local colour than its rivals. mains Dh55-95; hnoon-3pm & 7.30-10pm) Eas- Rooms, while not huge, are modern, serv- ily located off Pl el-Hedim, this is another iceable and very fairly priced. The place converted house, whose owners have leant also has a decent restaurant and a night- towards the more showy ‘palace’ restaurant club. style of surroundings. You’ll find all the Mo- roccan standards and classics on a reason- Hôtel Bab Mansour HOTEL €€ ably priced menu. (Map p329; %0535 52 52 39; hotel_bab_man- Sandwich Stands FAST FOOD € (Map p326; Pl el-Hedim; sandwiches around Dh30; [email protected]; 38 Rue Emir Abdelkader; s/d h7am-10pm) Take your pick of any one of Dh396/521; aW) It’s a fine line between tasteful and characterless and, while com- the stands lining Pl el-Hedim, and sit at the canopied tables to watch the scene as you fortable enough, the Bab Mansour never eat. There are larger meals like tajines, but quite seems to develop much of a personal- ity – the famous bab is depicted in tiles in the sandwiches are usually quick and excel- lent, while a few places nearer the medina the bathrooms, but it’s more DIY store than walls do a good line in sardines. Moroccan zellij. That said, it’s well run, with everything you’d expect in a tourist-class hotel. Rue Rouamzine Eateries FAST FOOD € (Map p326; Rue Rouamzine; meals Dh30-60; h11am- 10pm) Particularly handy for the cheap hotels Hôtel Malta HOTEL €€€ on the edge of the medina proper, this street (Map p329; %0535 51 50 20; www.hotel-malta. ma; 3 Rue Charif Idrissi; s/d Dh726/1000; aW) has plenty of good eating places serving up sandwiches, kebabs, tajines, grilled chicken, The Malta sets its aim a little higher in its fruit juices and ice cream. service than most of the hotel options in Meknès, with pleasing results. The spa- cious rooms may never win any design Ryad Bahia MOROCCAN €€ (Map p326; %0535 55 45 41; www.ryad-bahia. awards, but they’re comfy to relax in, and com; Derb Sekkaya, Tiberbarine; mains Dh80-130; there’s satellite TV, a restaurant and a plush piano bar. hnoon-3pm & 7-10pm) Nonresidents are wel- come to eat at the restaurant of this riad

(book in advance), and it makes a pleasant 333 evening dining spot with its tables around of several good and cheap rotisserie places the courtyard. The menu is typically Moroc- where you can fill up quickly on chicken, can, but everything is tasty and served and chips, bread and salad. Although you order presented nicely. from the table, pay at the counter inside. Marhaba Restaurant MOROCCAN € (Map p329; 23 Ave Mohammed V; tajines Dh25, Fri Restaurant Riad Meknès MOROCCAN €€ couscous Dh35; hnoon-10pm) This canteen- (Map p326; %0535 53 05 42; 79 Ksar Chaacha; mains from Dh60, set menus Dh110-160; hnoon- style place – the essence of cheap and cheer- 3pm & 7-10pm) While all the riads in Meknès ful – is hugely popular. While you can get medina have lovely restaurants, this is a tajines and the like, do as everyone else does great option for nonguests. Set around a and fill up on a bowl of harira, a plate of lush green courtyard, it’s a great place to makoda (potato fritters) with bread and relax, and while the menu of salads, tajines hard-boiled eggs – and get change from and couscous is simple, it’s all delicious and Dh15. We defy you to eat better for cheaper. served with care and attention. Restaurant Gambrinus MOROCCAN € (Map p329; %0535 52 02 58; Zankat Omar ibn Ass; Dar Sultana MOROCCAN €€ (Map p326; %0535 53 57 20; Derb Sekkaya, Tiber- mains around Dh60, set menu Dh77; hnoon-3pm & barine; mains from Dh75, 3-course set menu Dh110; 7-10pm) A good place for Moroccan food in hnoon-3pm & 7-10pm) Also going under the colourful surroundings in the ville nouvelle, name Sweet Sultana, this is a small but which is something of a surprise when you charming restaurant located in a converted discover that the original Gambrinus was medina house. The tent canopy over the a Czech immigrant in 1914. It’s perennially courtyard gives an intimate, even roman- popular with locals, who come for the good Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast IDMmrepiknenrkèiisna lg C iti e s tic, atmosphere, set off by walls deocrated range of tajines. with henna designs and bright fabrics. The spread of cooked Moroccan salads is a Restaurant Pizza Roma MOROCCAN € (Map p329; Rue Accra; mains from Dh20; hnoon- highlight. 10pm) Although the name suggests that Covered Market SELF-CATERING pizzas are the speciality here, you could do (Map p326; Pl el-Hedim; h7.30am-9pm) This is far worse than load up on a filling plate of the place in Meknès to get fresh produce, rotisserie chicken with rice and chips. An and is virtually a tourist attraction in it- unassuming place, it’s popular with female self, with its beautifully arranged pyramids diners. of sugary sweet delicacies, dates and nuts, olives and preserved lemons in glistening Le Pub FUSION €€ (Map p329; %0535 52 42 47; 20 Blvd Allal ben Ab- piles. There’s good-quality fruit and veg dallah; mains Dh90-150; h11am-midnight) If you here, as well as meat – the faint-hearted may choose to avoid the automated chicken- don’t mind stepping back into the ’80s with disco music and coloured lights in the cave- plucking machines at the rear of the hall. like interior, Le Pub is a welcome change. 5 Ville Nouvelle The menu is split in two – half offering continental dishes, the other a Moroccan take on Asian food. We preferred the Asian Promenade Palace MOROCCAN € dishes, but there are some good steaks too. (Map p329; %0535 52 61 72; cnr Rue de Tarfaya & Sahat Lahri; breakfast Dh25, pizza Dh35; h8am- As befits the name, alcohol is served. 11pm; W) Spanking new with lots of shiny Central Market SELF-CATERING chrome and set over two floors as well as the pavement, this cafe-restaurant is just the (Map p329; Ave Hassan II; h7am-noon) A good place to shop in the ville nouvelle, with a va- place to try a Moroccan breakfast of khlii riety of fresh-food stalls, alcohol shops and (preserved meat) and eggs. For later in the day, there’s a range of pizzas, pastas and various imported foodstuffs. crêpes both sweet and savoury. 6 Drinking Palais de Poulet FAST FOOD € It’s a popular adage that Meknès has more (Palais Hassani; Map p329; Rue Tetouan; mains from bars than any other Moroccan city, and if Dh30; hnoon-10pm) Looking down from the all you’re after is a quick bottle of Flag beer, Hôtel Rif towards Ave Hassan II, this is one then you won’t lack for options (in the ville

334 Pottery Stalls ARTS & CRAFTS nouvelle, that is). Many are grouped around Blvd Allal ben Abdallah, but are generally (Map p326; h9am-10pm) Set up on the west- pretty seedy affairs, designed for serious ern side of Pl el-Hedim. drinking and smoking, with women not at all welcomed. Pavillon des Idrissides ARTS & CRAFTS The hotel bars are often more amenable, as well as licensed restaurants. Le Pub is, (Map p326; h10am-10pm) The ground floor appropriately, one of the nicer places to get is set over for handicrafts, and is good for a drink – slump in a comfy chair, drink at browsing. the bar itself, or head downstairs to smoke a sheesha and catch some live music on week- 88 Information ends. The ville nouvelle is the place to go for re- INTERNET ACCESS laxed cafe culture, especially on and around Quick Net (Map p329; 28 Rue Emir Abdelkader; Ave Mohammed V and the pedestrianised per hr Dh6; h9am-10pm) area around Cinema Camera. Those follow- ing are female-friendly as far as Moroccan MEDICAL SERVICES cafes go. Hôpital Moulay Ismail (Map p325; %0535 52 28 05; off Ave des FAR) Café Tulipe CAFE Night Pharmacy (Map p329; Rue de Paris; h 6pm-9am) (Map p329; Rue de Tarfaya; h7am-10pm; W) Just Pharmacy el-Fath (Map p326; Pl el-Hedim; off the main road, the Tulipe has a large h8.30am-6pm Mon-Thu & Sat, 8.30am- noon Fri) Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast MEI mneptkeenrrèitsaali nCmiteine st shady terrace and modern interior; it’s one MONEY of the most pleasant cafes in which to kill There are plenty of banks with ATMs both in the an hour or two. ville nouvelle (mainly on Ave Hassan II and Ave Mohammed V) and the medina (Rue Sekkakine). Café Opera CAFE BMCE (Map p329; 98 Ave des FAR; h9am- (Map p329; 7 Ave Mohammed V; h7am-10pm) 4pm) An after-hours exchange office on the Airy and old-fashioned, this grand cafe is southeast side of the ville nouvelle. a classic, and among the most popular for Moroccan men to sip their mint tea. Sit- ting outside and people-watching is a great POST breakfast pastime. Main Post Office (Map p329; Pl de l’Istiqlal; h8am-4pm) The parcel office is in the same 3 Entertainment building, around the corner on Rue Tetouan. Post Office (Map p326; Rue Dar Smen; h8am- The Institut Français (Map p325; %0535 51 4pm) In the medina. 58 51; [email protected]; Rue Ferhat Hachad; h8.30am-noon & 2.30-6.30pm Mon-Sat) is the TOURIST INFORMATION centre of Meknès’ cultural life, with films, Délégation Régionale du Tourisme (Map plays, concerts and exhibitions. p329; %0535 52 44 26; Pl de l’Istiqlal; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 8-11.30am Sat) Limited tourist information and pamphlets. 7 Shopping TRAVEL AGENCIES Carlson Wagonlit (Map p329; %0535 52 19 While the souqs of Meknès aren’t as exten- 95; 1 Rue Ghana) A source for air, ferry and sive as those of Fez or Marrakesh, the lack coach tickets. of hassle can make them a relaxed place RAM (Map p329; %0535 52 09 63; 7 Ave to potter around looking for souvenirs. A Mohammed V) Handles tickets for all major particular speciality of Meknès is silver airlines. damascene, where metalwork is intricately inlaid with silver wire. 88 Getting There & Away Centre Artisanale ARTS & CRAFTS BUS The CTM bus station (Map p325; % 0535 52 (Map p326; Ave Zine el-Abidine Riad; h9am-1pm & 25 85; Ave des FAR) is about 500m east of the 3-7pm Mon-Sat) This is the place to go if you junction with Ave Mohammed V. The main bus want to get an idea of what to look for and station lies just outside Bab el-Khemis, west of how much to spend. Quality is high, but the medina. It has a left-luggage office and the prices are fixed. usual snack stands.

335 CTM departures include Casablanca (Dh90, meter: from El-Amir Abdelkader train station to four hours, six daily) via Rabat (Dh55, two the Bab el-Mansour expect to pay around Dh10. hours), Fez and Marrakesh (Dh155, eight hours, twice daily), Tangier (Dh90, five hours, five A more touristy way to get around the medina daily), Oujda (Dh130, 7½ hours, daily) via Taza is by calèche, available for hire on Pl el-Hedim (Dh70, three hours), Er-Rachidia (Dh120, 5½ and outside the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. hours, three daily), and two buses to Nador They charge around Dh70 per hour. (Dh130, five hours). Volubilis (Oualili) ‫وليلي‬ Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast VGI mOeptLetUirBniIagLlI SACr(iOotiuUeAnsLdI L I ) Slightly cheaper than CTM, other buses serve the following destinations from numbered win- The Roman ruins of Volubilis sit in the dows in the main bus station: middle of a fertile plain about 33km north No 2 Midelt, Er-Rachidia, Ouarzazate and Ris- of Meknès. The city is the best preserved sani (daily) archaeological site in Morocco and was No 4 Rabat and Casablanca (hourly 5.30am declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in to 4pm) 1997. Its most amazing features are its many No 6 Tangier (seven daily), Tetouan via beautiful mosaics preserved in situ. The new Chefchaouen (four daily), Ouezzane (two daily) Visitor Centre & Museum was on the point No 7 Fez (hourly 5am to 6pm), Taza (one daily), of opening at the time of our visit. Oujda (four daily) and Nador (four daily) No 8 Moulay Idriss (hourly 8am to 6pm) Volubilis can easily be combined with nearby Moulay Idriss to make a fantastic day TAXI trip from Meknès. The guides on site con- The principal grand-taxi rank is a dirt lot next duct good one-hour tours for around Dh150. to the bus station at Bab el-Khemis. There are Most speak decent enough English to ex- regular departures to Fez (Dh20, one hour), plain the site in detail. Many official guides Ifrane (Dh28, one hour), Azrou (Dh28, one in Fez and Meknès are also knowledgable hour) and Rabat (Dh50, 90 minutes). Grands about the site. taxis for Moulay Idriss (Dh15, 20 minutes) leave from opposite the Institut Français – this is In the heat of a summer day, the sun can also the place to organise round trips to be incredibly fierce at Volubilis, so bring a Volubilis. hat and plenty of water. Spring is the ideal season, when wildflowers blossom amid TRAIN the abandoned stones, and the surrounding Although Meknès has two train stations, head fields are at their greenest. The best time for the more convenient El-Amir Abdelkader, to visit is either first thing in the morning two blocks east of Ave Mohammed V. There are or late afternoon, when you’re more likely 15 daily trains to Fez (Dh20, 45 minutes), four to have the place to yourself, with just the of which continue to Taza (Dh56, 3½ hours) and guardian’s donkey grazing among the ruins. three to Oujda (Dh130, 6½ hours). Twelve go to At dusk, when the last rays of the sun light Casablanca (Dh90, 3½ hours) via Rabat (Dh65, the ancient columns, Volubilis is at its most 2¼ hours). There are eight direct services to magical. Marrakesh (Dh174, seven hours). For Tangier, there are three direct trains (Dh85, four hours), History or take a westbound train and change at Sidi Kacem or Mechra Bel Ksiri. Excavations indicate that the site was origi- nally settled by Carthaginian traders in the 88 Getting Around 3rd century BC. One of the Roman Empire’s most remote outposts, Volubilis was an- BUS nexed in about AD 40. According to some Overcrowded city buses ply the route between historians, Rome imposed strict controls on the medina and ville nouvelle. The most use- what could and could not be produced in its ful are bus 2 (Bab el-Mansour to Blvd Allal ben North African possessions, according to the Abdallah, returning to the medina along Ave needs of the empire. One result was massive Mohammed V) and bus 7 (Bab el-Mansour to the deforestation and the large-scale planting CTM bus station). Tickets are Dh3. of wheat around Volubilis. At its peak, it is estimated that the city housed up to 20,000 TAXI people. The site’s most impressive monu- Urban grands taxis (silver-coloured Mercedes ments were built in the 2nd and 3rd centu- Benz with black roofs) link the ville nouvelle and ries, including the triumphal arch, capitol, the medina, charging Dh2.50 per seat or Dh15 baths and basilica. for the whole taxi. Pale-blue petits taxis use the

336 e# 0 200 m 0 0.1 miles Volubilis BC D A 1 Old trolley road Tangier Gate for excavation (closed to 2 the public) North Gate 21D2e22c0u9manus21M39aximus 1 3 (closed to the public) 11 10 2 18 33 Oued Fertassa 16 14 17 24 30 25 26 6 7 15 13 5 2 29 13 8 28 D 31 12 .# Volubilis Inn (1km); Walila (1.5km); 27 Moulay Idriss (4.5km) 3 Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast VSI miOgpLheUtrBsiIaLlI SC(iOtiUeAsL I L I ) 4 Entrance; 32 Caesar's Gate ABCD As the neighbouring Berber tribes be- especially if you’re pressed for time. If you gan to reassert themselves, so the Romans prefer to wander on your own, allow at least abandoned Volubilis around 280. Neverthe- two hours to see the essentials, and up to a less, the city’s population of Berbers, Greeks, full day for the real enthusiast. Jews and Syrians continued to speak Latin right up until the arrival of Islam. Moulay The better-known monuments are in the Idriss found sanctuary here in the 8th cen- northern part of the site, although the en- tury, before moving his capital to Fez. Volu- trance is in the south. Once over the Oued bilis continued to be inhabited until the 18th Fertassa, the path leads onto the ridge and century, when its marble was plundered for through the residential quarter. Moulay Ismail’s palaces in Meknès, and its buildings were finally felled by the Lisbon ¨¨Ancient Volubilis earthquake of 1755. Although the least remarkable part of the site, the olive presses here indicate the 1 Sights economic basis of ancient Volubilis, much as the plentiful olive groves in the surrounding Roman Ruins RUINS area do today. Wealthy homeowners had pri- vate olive presses. (admission Dh10; h8am-sunset) Only about half of the 40-hectare site has been exca- ¨¨Buildings vated. A major on-site museum displaying Next to the House of Orpheus are the re- Volubilis’ most celebrated finds was about mains of Galen’s Baths. Although largely to open when we visited, and will eventu- broken, they clearly show the highly de- ally house the prized discoveries (including veloped underfloor heating in this Roman some fine bronzes) currently in Rabat’s ar- hammam. Opposite the steam room are the chaeology museum. communal toilets – where citizens could go Although parts of certain buildings are about their business and have a chat at the roped off, you are free to wander the site same time. at will. Bar a couple of vague signboards, there’s little in the way of signposting or The capitol, basilica and 1300-sq-metre information on what you’re actually seeing. forum are, typically, built on a high point. It’s well worth considering taking a guide, The capitol, dedicated to the Triad of Ju- piter, Juno and Minerva, dates back to AD 218; the basilica and forum lie immediately

337 Volubilis of Orpheus charming animals by playing Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast VSI miOgpLheUtrBsiIaLlI SC(iOtiUeAsL I L I ) the lute, and a dolphin mosaic in the din- æ Sights ing room. Note that the private hammam 1 Bakery ....................................................B2 has a caldarium (hot room) with visible 2 Basilica ...................................................C2 steam pipes, a tepidarium (warm room) 3 Capitol ....................................................C2 and a frigidarium (cold room), as well as 4 Extra-Muros Baths ...............................B3 a solarium. 5 Forum .....................................................C2 6 Fountains ...............................................C2 On the left just before the triumphal arch 7 Fountains & Laundry............................C2 are a couple more roped-off mosaics. One, 8 Galen's Baths ........................................C3 in the House of the Acrobat, depicts an 9 Gordian Palace...................................... C1 athlete being presented with a trophy for winning a desultory race, a competition in 10 House of Dionysus & the Four which the rider had to dismount and jump Seasons............................................... C1 back on his horse as it raced along. 11 House of Flavius Germanus ................ C1 From the arch, the ceremonial road, De- 12 House of Orpheus.................................C3 cumanus Maximus, stretches up the slope 13 House of the Acrobat ...........................B2 to the northeast. The houses lining it on 14 House of the Columns..........................B2 either side contain the best mosaics on the 15 House of the Dog ..................................B2 site. The first on the far side of the arch is 16 House of the Ephebus..........................B2 known as the House of the Ephebus and 17 House of the Knight..............................C2 contains a fine mosaic of Bacchus in a char- 18 House of the Labours of iot drawn by panthers. Hercules ..............................................C2 Next along, the House of the Columns 19 House of the Marble Bacchus............. C1 is so named because of the columns around 20 House of the Nereids............................C2 the interior court – note their differing 21 House of the Nymphs Bathing............ C1 styles, which include spirals. Adjacent to 22 House of the Wild Beasts..................... C1 this is the House of the Knight with its 23 House of Venus.....................................C2 incomplete mosaic of Bacchus and Ariadne. 24 Mint.........................................................C2 The naked Ariadne has suffered somewhat 25 North Baths ...........................................C2 from the attentions of admirers. 26 Olive Press .............................................C2 27 Olive Presses.........................................C3 The next three houses are named for 28 Restored Olive Press............................C3 their excellent mosaics: the House of the 29 Temple of Saturn ..................................C2 Labours of Hercules, the House of Di- 30 Triumphal Arch .....................................B2 onysus and the Four Seasons and the 31 Twin Temples ........................................B3 House of the Nymphs Bathing. The first 32 Visitor Centre & Museum ....................C3 is almost a circular comic strip, recounting 33 Water Tank House ................................B2 the Twelve Labours. Several of Hercules’ heroic feats were reputed to have occurred to its north. The reconstructed columns of in Morocco, making him a popular figure at the basilica are usually topped with storks’ the time. nests – an iconic Volubilis image if the birds are nesting at the time of your visit. Around The best mosaics are saved until last. the forum is a series of plinths carved with Cross the Decumanus Maximus and head Latin inscriptions that would have sup- for the lone cypress tree, which marks the ported statues of the great and good. Keep House of Venus, home of King Juba II. your eyes out for the carved stone drain-hole There are two particularly fine mosaics here, cover – an understated example of Roman appropriately with semi-romantic themes. civil engineering. The first is the Abduction of Hylas by the Nymphs, an erotic composition show- The marble Triumphal Arch was built in ing Hercules’ lover Hylas being lured away 217 in honour of Emperor Caracalla and his from his duty by two beautiful nymphs. The mother, Julia Domna. The arch, which was second mosaic is Diana Bathing. The god- originally topped with a bronze chariot, was dess was glimpsed in her bath by the hunter reconstructed in the 1930s, and the mistakes Acteon, whom she turned into a stag as made then were rectified in the 1960s. The punishment. Acteon can be seen sprouting hillock to the east provides a splendid view horns, about to be chased by his own pack of over the entire site. hounds – the fate of mythical peeping toms ¨¨Houses with Mosaics everywhere. A third mosaic from this house, The House of Orpheus is the finest and largest of the homes, containing a mosaic

338 hands of the recently installed Abbasid of Venus in the Waves, can be seen in the caliphate, which was based in Baghdad. Id- Kasbah Museum in Tangier. riss settled at Volubilis, where he converted the locals to Islam, and made himself their 4 Sleeping & Eating leader, establishing the Idrissid dynasty. Oualila GUESTHOUSE € Moulay Idriss’ holy status kept it closed (%0662 52 81 05; www.walila.com; Oualili; 6 peo- to non-Muslims until the mid-20th century, ple Dh750; p) This historic old house is let and its pious reputation continues to deter as a whole and has three bedrooms; new some travellers. However, the embargo on rooms and a restaurant are currently being non-Muslims staying overnight in the town built. It’s all set on a farm with orchards, has long disappeared, and local family-run vegetables and animals. You can get your guesthouses have started to open to cater hands dirty helping out, ride mules into the to visitors. Those who do stay are invariably hills and tuck into the home-grown food at charmed – it’s a pretty and relaxed town dinnertime. with a centre free of carpet shops and traf- fic, and offers a chance to see Morocco as Volubilis Inn HOTEL €€€ Moroccans experience it. (%0535 54 44 05; [email protected]; Rte de Meknès; d incl breakfast from Dh1050; The main road leading from the bus/ pas) On a rise above the Roman site, this grands-taxis stand to the square (Pl Moham- huge four-star hotel has rooms with good med VI) has a Banque Populaire ATM, and a views to the Volubilis ruins and countryside. couple of internet cafes. There are several terraces with a couple of restaurants (mains from Dh85) and a noisy 1 Sights Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast IMSmlOpeUeLprAiinYa lgI DC&RitIESiaeStsi n g bar – the common parts are quite grand although rooms lapse into ‘airport hotel’ Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss MAUSOLEUM mood, and lack atmosphere. Ask for reduc- Although this twin-hill town is a veritable tions out of season. maze of narrow lanes and dead ends, it is not hard to find the few points of interest. 88 Getting There & Away The first is the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss, the object of veneration and the reason for The simplest and quickest way to get here from the country’s greatest annual moussem in Meknès is to hire a grand taxi for the return trip. late August. An important pilgrimage for A half-day outing should cost Dh350, with a many, including the royals, it is accompa- couple of hours at the site and a stop at Moulay nied by fantasias, markets and music. It’s Idriss (worth an overnight stay in itself). said locally that five pilgrimages to Moulay Idriss during the moussem equals one haj A cheaper alternative is to take a shared grand to Mecca. taxi from near Meknès’ Institut Français to Mou- lay Idriss (Dh10) and then hire a grand taxi to From the main road (where buses and take you to Volubilis (Dh40 complete hire). If the grands taxis arrive), head uphill and bear weather isn’t too hot, it’s a lovely 45-minute walk right where the road forks. You’ll quickly between Moulay Idriss and Volubilis. find yourself on the wide square of Pl Mohammed VI, lined with cafes – a great There are no buses to Volubilis. place to sit and watch the pace of life. At the top of the square is the entrance to the Moulay Idriss ‫مولاي ادريس‬ mausoleum via a three-arched gateway at the top of some steps, surrounded by shops The picturesque whitewashed town of Mou- selling religious goods to pilgrims. Not far lay Idriss sits astride two green hills in a inside there’s a barrier, beyond which non- cradle of mountains slightly less than 5km Muslims cannot pass. Moulay Ismail created from Volubilis, and is one of the country’s this pilgrimage site by building the mauso- most important pilgrimage sites. It’s named leum and moving the body of Moulay Idriss, for Moulay Idriss, a great-grandson of the in a successful attempt to rally the support Prophet Mohammed, the founder of the of the faithful. country’s first real dynasty, and Morocco’s most revered saint. His tomb is at the heart From here, head left up into the maze of the town, and is the focus of the country’s of streets to find your way to a couple of largest moussem every August. vantage points that give good panoramic views of the mausoleum, the town and Moulay Idriss fled Mecca in the late 8th the surrounding country. Plenty of guides century in the face of persecution at the

339 will offer their services – you can get an La Colombe Blanche GUESTHOUSE € informative, entertaining tour for as little (%0535 54 45 96; www.maisondhote-zerhoune. as Dh30. ma; 21 Derb Zouak Tazgha; s/d incl breakfast Dh205/325; aW) A traditional home turned If you don’t feel like being guided, head guesthouse – the family occupies the ground back to the fork and take the road heading floor while guests are up above. It also bills uphill, signposted to the Municipalité. Near itself as a restaurant, with home-cooked the top of the hill, just before the Agfa sign, meals available on request (menu Dh85). In take the cobbled street to the right. As you good weather eat on the terrace, with views climb up you’ll notice the only cylindrical to Volubilis. At the mausoleum, turn right minaret in Morocco, built in 1939. At the uphill and follow the signs. top of the hill ask a local for the grande terrasse or petite terrasse. These terraces oDar Ines GUESTHOUSE €€ provide vantage points high above the mau- (%0535 54 49 07; www.dar-ines.com; 57 Hay soleum and most of the town. Tazga, Derb Amjout; d incl breakfast from Dh440; W) S This grand house on the edge of the 4 Sleeping & Eating medina has been beautifully renovated and has wonderful views. There are seven rooms Rooms are at a premium during the around two staircases, with plenty of nooks moussem, so book in advance. The cheap and crannies for relaxing. All rooms have food stands around the main square are all solar-heated showers and there’s a ham- good for a quick snack. The grilled chicken mam and restaurant. The owners offer craft with salad is something of a local speciality. Dar Zerhoune GUESTHOUSE €€ courses as well as trekking in the nearby Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast MISflirdeaednpleienAgt&l aEsat i n g mountains. (%0535 54 43 71; www.buttonsinn.com; 42 Derb Zouak Tazgha; s/d/tr incl breakfast Dh400/600/ 800; W) To the right uphill from the mau- 88 Getting There & Away soleum, this gem of a guesthouse has a wel- coming flavour. There are a variety of rooms Grands taxis (Dh15, 20 minutes) to Moulay Idriss and a couple of terraces (including a view leave Meknès from outside the Institut Français, to Volubilis), where you can take lazy break- and buses (Dh8) leave from the Meknès bus fasts and opt in for a delicious home-cooked station every hour from 8am to 6pm. Taxis leave lunch or dinner. Tours, bike hire and cook- Moulay Idriss from a stand at the bottom of town ing lessons are also offered. on the main road. Dar Al Andaloussiya Diyafa GUESTHOUSE € If you have your own transport, you might (%0535 54 47 49; www.maisondhote-volubilis.com; consider continuing to Fez via Nzala-des-Béni- Derb Zouak Tazgh; s/d incl breakfast Dh200/300; Ammar, or to Meknès via the village of El- a) ‘Diyafa’ means hospitality, and you’ll cer- Merhasiyne. Both routes have wonderful views tainly find it at this friendly house. There’s and eventually join back up with the main roads. plenty of traditional decor and fabrics, as As the road surfaces are very rough, these well as family photos: look out for the one drives are really only possible in summer unless of King Mohammed VI inaugurating the you have a 4WD. house. Rooms are generous and good value. A dinner menu is available from Dh75. MIDDLE ATLAS Hotel Diyar Timnay HOTEL € Ifrane ‫ا فران‬ (%0535 54 44 00; [email protected]; 7 Aïn Rjal; s/d/tr incl breakfast Dh160/240/300; a) Near As foreign tourists head to the medinas for the grands-taxis stands, this is the town’s a taste of the ‘real’ Morocco, Moroccan tour- only hotel. It’s unexpectedly large when you ists find more favour with places like Ifrane. get inside, with good but unflashy rooms. Tidy, ordered and modern, it feels more like Most are en suite, although a few have Switzerland relocated to the Middle Atlas separate (but still private) bathrooms. The than North Africa. restaurant (mains Dh50 to Dh60) does a The French built Ifrane in the 1930s, roaring lunchtime trade with tour groups deliberately trying to recreate an alpine- visiting Volubilis, and has great views to the style resort. It has neat red-roofed houses, archaeological site. blooming flower beds and lake-studded parks, all kept impeccably tidy. Many major

340 Dh10/30/50; hclosed winter) Leafy campsite employers (including the government) just west of the bus station. maintain apartment complexes here for their vacationing workers, and it’s a popu- Hôtel Chamonix HOTEL €€ lar summer day trip for picnickers. In the (%0535 56 60 28; contact@lechamonix. winter, the affluent flock here to ski, and com; Ave de la Mare Verte; s/d/tr incl breakfast hoi polloi come for the pure fun of throwing Dh468/535/690; aW) This three-star place snowballs at each other. Outside the holiday is well maintained and centrally located. season, Ifrane’s population is boosted by the Rooms are bright and spacious, if a little rich, trendy students of the town’s prestig- bland, with attached bathrooms and central ious Al-Akhawayn University. heating. There’s a decent restaurant and bar The main road from Meknès is called (which turns into a nightclub on weekends), Blvd Mohammed V and it runs through and the hotel can rent out ski equipment. Ifrane from west to east. This is where you will find the bus station, west of the centre, Hotel les Tilleuls HOTEL €€ and the tourist office, at the intersection (%0535 56 66 58; [email protected]; cnr Ave with Ave des Tilluels. Most of the cafes and des Tilluels & Rue de la Cascade; s/d Dh300/450) hotels are clustered in the centre along Rue S The cheapest hotel in Ifrane is this old de la Cascade and Ave de la Poste. institution on the corner of the main square. 1 Sights The rooms are large and come with bath- room and TV, but it’s all very run down. Al-Akhawayn University UNIVERSITY oHôtel Perce-Neige The campus of Al-Akhawayn University is at HOTEL €€€ (%0535 56 64 04; fax 0535 56 71 16; Rue des As- Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast SIMfiirgdahdntlsee At l as the northern end of town, and is a squeaky- phodelles; s/d/tr Dh650/810/960; a) A pretty clean showcase of Moroccan education. It was founded in 1995 by Morocco’s King Has- accommodation option situated about 200m southeast of the centre in garden san II and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, and surroundings. The rooms could be a bit big- aims to promote tolerance between faiths. For now, only the rich and beautiful need ger, but they’re very comfortable and come with satellite TV and bathroom. Some have apply – the car parks are full of flash cars, a balcony, and those at the front can be a and the air trills with the most fashionable of mobile-phone ring tones. Lessons in Eng- bit noisy. The licensed restaurant is a good dining option (set menus Dh150). The shop lish are based on the American system and in the lobby sells paintings by local artists. there are US staff and exchange students. You can wander into the well-kept grounds – weekday afternoons are the best, as there Michlifen Ifrane LUXURY HOTEL €€€ (%0535 86 40 00; www.michlifenifrane.com; r from are plenty of students who are usually will- Dh4000; paWs) Overlooking Ifrane from ing to show you around. the north, this oversized ski lodge is one of Morocco’s most luxurious hotels. Local cedar Stone Lion MONUMENT is evident throughout the rather dark interi- Ifrane’s other landmark is the stone lion that or, with rooms echoing a luxury chalet. The sits on a patch of grass near the Hôtel Cha- monix. It was carved by a German soldier attention to detail goes as far as the carefully selected art decorating the walls. There are during WWII, when Ifrane was used briefly two pools: one on the terrace for summer, as a prisoner-of-war camp, and commemo- rates the last wild Atlas lion, which was shot and another indoors for winter, along with a spa, gym and tennis courts. near here in the early 1920s. Having your picture taken with the lion is something of a ritual for day-trippers. 5 Eating & Drinking 4 Sleeping Several cafes and cheap eats cluster around the bus station area, where you’ll also find Hotel prices in Ifrane reflect the town’s afflu- the market for fresh produce. ence, and its year-round popularity means demand for rooms runs high. Café Restaurant la Rose MOROCCAN € (%0555 56 62 15; 7 Rue de la Cascade; mains around Dh80, pizzas Dh60; hnoon-3pm & 7-10pm) Campsite CAMPGROUND € This small restaurant has always been popu- (%0535 56 60 25; Blvd Mohammed V; camp- ing per person D10, plus per car/tent/campervan lar in town for its Middle Atlas trout and traditional Moroccan fare.

341 IFRANE NATIONAL PARK Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast EIMfairtdaidnlgee &AtDlraisn ki n g This 500-sq-metre park encompasses Ifrane and Azrou as well as numerous Berber villages. It is known for its Atlas cedar trees and the Barbary macaque, an endangered species, and some 30 other mammals. Birdlife is exceptional and includes red kite, marbled teal, and common kestrel. Two Ramsar wetland sites and the lakes Dayet ¨ Ifrah and Dayet Aoua support ruddy shelduck and various coots. The Ifrane National Park Office (Direction Provinciale des Eaux et Fôrets et de la Lutte contre la Désertification; %0535 56 12 96; Blvd Hassan II, Azrou; h9am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) is in Azrou and if it’s manned, you can pick up a map and information. Lakes Circuit (Route des Lacs) A pretty diversion north of Ifrane is the lake circuit around Dayet Aoua. Signposted off the main Fez road 17km north of Ifrane, the route winds for 60km through the lake country between the P24 and P20. If you don’t have your own vehicle, hiring a grand taxi in Ifrane for a tour of a couple of hours should cost around Dh300. That said, the joy of the area is to get out and walk along the lake shore and enjoy the tranquillity of the scenery. This is an area made for hikers and mountain bikers. Dayet Aoua is surrounded by woodlands, and the whole area is notably rich in bird life. Keep an eye out in particular for raptors, including booted eagles, black and red kites and harriers. The lake attracts significant numbers of ducks and waders, including crested coot, woodpeckers, tree creepers and nuthatches, which flit among the trees around the southeastern end of the lake. The lake is a popular picnic destination for families on weekends, but during the week you’ll get the place largely to yourself. Beyond Dayet Aoua, the road loops east and then south, skirting past Dayet Ifrah and the even smaller lake of Dayet Hachlaf. The road is decent, but is liable to be snowbound in winter. If you want to linger longer, there’s a good sleeping option at Dayet Aoua: the delightfully rustic Le Gîte Dayet Aoua (%0535 61 05 75; www.gite-dayetaoua.com; r Dh300; s) offers comfortable rooms with bathroom, all decorated in local Berber style. Have a few days of internet detox (there’s no w-ifi here) and go cycling, horse- riding or walking with a guide. There’s a pool, too. Food is Amazigh cuisine (lunch Dh120). Exploring the Azrou Area ‘Ain Leuh is a pretty village 25km southwest of Azrou within the Ifrane National Park. The drive here is through thick forest of cedar and holm oak, so you might just be tempted to stop your vehicle anywhere and hit the trail. Instead, take in the large Tuesday weekly souq (the best day to get public transport), which attracts market- goers from around the region, particularly from the Beni M’Guild Berbers. It’s a pleas- ant climb through the rough streets of flat-roofed houses to a waterfall in the hills above. Around 20km south of ‘Ain Leuh, an even more picturesque walk leads to the water- falls at the Sources de l’Oum-er-Rbia. Leave the road at Lac Ouiouane and follow the path down past a number of farmhouses to a small valley, where a bridge crosses the Rbia river. From here, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the gorge where several dozen springs break out of the rocks to form a series of waterfalls. There are a couple of cafes where you can take a rest. It’s possible to incorporate these walks into a much longer circuit trek of up to six days from ‘Ain Leuh. For more information, contact official local mountain guides, brothers Boujmaa & Saleh Boudaoud (%0663 76 08 25) of the Association des Guides de Montagnes du Moyen Atlas. A one-day walk with a guide costs Dh600 per person including a picnic lunch, and prices drop if there are more in the group. For two to seven days, count on Dh1000 per person for the guide and a mule to carry baggage and equipment. Gîtes and homestays (Dh300 to Dh700 per person) within the park provide ample opportunity to experience the local cuisine and Berber way of life.

342 La Paix CAFE € Azrou (Great Rock) takes its name from (Ave de la Mare Verte; h9am-10pm) La Paix is the outcrop marking the town’s western situated just up from the Hôtel Chamonix. boundary. The big Ennour mosque, beauti- Among its features is a wide glass frontage, fully finished with local cedar, provides an- perfect for people-watching over a breakfast other handy landmark. of croissants and coffee. Azrou hosts one of the region’s largest Complexe Touristique ¨ weekly souqs, and is particularly known for its Berber carpets, so timing your visit Aguelman CAFE, MOROCCAN € for market day (Tuesday) is a good idea. (Ave Hassan II; entrance Dh5; meals Dh80-100; A museum of the Middle Atlas has been h9am-midnight) Overlooking the artificial under construction for some years, yet its lake on the main road and opposite the lion final opening seems permanently delayed. statue, this is a huddle of options under one It’s probably better instead to just head out roof, aimed squarely at the local tourist mar- of town to enjoy the surrounding country- ket. There’s a more formal dining room with side; there are plenty of day walks that take Moroccan dishes for the evenings, a bar, and in the mountain air and great views. You a simple diner with pizza, pasta, omelettes might even spot a few of the local Barbary and sandwiches. In fine weather, eat at the apes. tables outside overlooking the water. 4 Sleeping Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast AMI nzifdrodorlumeaAttiloans 88 Information For its size, Azrou has a surprising number BMCE (Ave de la Mare Verte; h8.30am-4pm) of sleeping options, with more being added One of several banks with ATMs on this road. out of town along the Fez road (look out for Délégation Provinciale du Tourism (Tourism the Disneyland-esque ‘castle’ that attracts Office; %0535 56 68 21; Ave Prince Moulay Emirati tourists). Abdallah; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) Pharmacie Mischliffen (Rue de la Cascade; Hôtel Les Cèdres HOTEL € h 8.30am-6pm) (%0535 56 23 26; Pl Mohammed V; s/d/tr Post Office (Ave de la Poste; h8am-4pm) Has Dh75/105/160, with bathroom Dh115/160/220; W) an ATM. Built in 1925, this hotel still has plenty of in- 88 Getting There & Away teresting period features and a hint of deco styling in its fixtures. It’s clean and simple, The bus station is next to the market, west of the and has a certain faded charm. Rooms are town centre. There’s also a brand-new bus sta- good value – all have sinks, and some have tion south of town that was not yet in use at the en-suite bathrooms. The verandah is a great time of our visit, but it’s here the grands taxis place to relax with mint tea, and there’s a congregate. They go to Fez or Meknès (Dh28) good restaurant. and Azrou (Dh8). Auberge du Dernier Lion de Each morning and evening, CTM buses leave for Marrakesh (Dh155, eight hours) via Beni Mel- l’Atlas GUESTHOUSE € lal. There’s a daily 9am departure for Casablanca (%0535 56 18 68; www.dernierlionatlas.ma; 16 Rte (Dh120, five hours) via Meknès (Dh25, one hour) de Meknès; s/d/tr Dh225/300/400; W) A bit of a and Rabat (Dh90, 3½ hours). way from the centre of Azrou, this is none- theless a good option, with pleasant rooms Non-CTM buses are more frequent but Ifrane and a friendly atmosphere. If you’re basing is not a regular stop: ask to be dropped off. yourself in the Middle Atlas area, the owner Azrou ‫أزرو‬ is a mine of local information. Breakfast (Dh25) and evening meals (Dh70) are avail- able. There’s no signpost, so look out for a The Berber town of Azrou is an important large green villa on the right travelling from market centre sitting at the junction of the roads to Fez, Meknès, Midelt and Khenifra. town. Deep in the Middle Atlas it sits amid stun- Hôtel le Panorama HOTEL € ning scenery, with sweeping views of cedar and pine forests, and high meadows that (%0535 56 20 10; www.hotelpanorama.ma; Hay Ajelabe; s/d/tr Dh274/330/435) Built in a grand burst into flower every spring. Thoroughly alpine-chalet style, Azrou’s most comfort- unhurried, it’s a relaxing spot to wind down if you’ve had too much of big cities. able hotel is in a quiet wooded spot a short walk northeast of town, with a pleasant gar-

66Azrou 6666e# 343 0 200 m 0 0.1 miles ABCD Auberge du Dernier Weekly Souq D Lion de l'Atlas (1.1km) Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast AEMazitdridonluge At l as(1.5km) 1 Palais Les Cerisiers 1 lvd M Blvd Moulay Abdelkader 6666666D(4km) Blvd Hassan II D 66662 Rue de la Gendarmerie Royale Mosque Rue Allal ben Abdallah 2 677677 66666The BMCE 'ARzorcoku' #ì ÿ# 2 Place ò# Mohammed V Héritier Sidi Mohammed V Place Bl vd Prince Said Hassan II 3 .# Rue Caid Moulay ÿ# 773 Dohammed #ú 4 Place MEDINA Hachem ben Salah 3 ÿ# 1 77Hôtel Azrou6666661 1 B Souq D Hôtel le Panorama (200m) (600m) #þ 5 A1 1 B C D 11 den. Rooms are compact with balconies, but Azrou it’s all in need of a revamp. The restaurant is fair. ÿ Sleeping 1 Hôtel Beau-Séjour ................................C3 Hôtel Salame HOTEL € 2 Hôtel Les Cèdres...................................C2 (%0535 56 25 62; [email protected]; Pl Mou- 3 Hôtel Salame .........................................C3 lay Hachem ben Salah; s/d Dh150/200) This small hotel is an exceedingly pleasant place to stay. ú Eating Small, cute rooms are nicely presented with 4 Café Boulangerie Bilal..........................C3 a smattering of traditional Berber decora- Hôtel Les Cèdres........................... (see 2) tion, and you will be made welcome by the friendly staff. Shared bathrooms are kept þ Shopping 5 Ensemble Artisanal...............................A3 constantly clean, with 24-hour hot showers (Dh10). There’s a tennis court, gym and spa, and an Hôtel Beau-Séjour HOTEL € elegant restaurant. (%0535 56 06 92; [email protected]; 45 Pl Moulay Hachem ben Salah; s/d/tr Dh70/100/180, 5 Eating cold/hot showers Dh5/10) Another decent budget option, rooms here are pretty simple Hôtel Les Cèdres MOROCCAN € (%0535 56 23 26; Pl Mohammed V; mains around and unaffected. The roof terrace has good Dh50; hnoon-3pm & 7.30-10pm) A hotel res- views across Azrou. taurant with a 1920s dining room and log fire, and our favourite eating place in Azrou. Palais des Cerisiers HOTEL €€€ The local trout is always good, plus there are (Rue Cedre Gouraud btwn Azrou & Ifrane; d incl breakfast & dinner from Dh1250, ste/family apt some more unusual dishes like rabbit tajine. Dh1800; paWs) A smart upmarket choice, Café Boulangerie Bilal CAFE € this hotel is surrounded by cherry blossoms in spring. Rooms are spacious and comforta- (Pl Mohammed V; sandwiches Dh25; h8am-10pm) This is an always-busy cafe with upstairs ble with heating, and suites have a fireplace. seating, good sandwich and tajine options,

344 TAXI plus fruit juices and the occasional ice cream The grand-taxi lot is down a stepped path below for the hot weather. the bus station. Regular taxis go to Fez (Dh30, one hour), Meknès (Dh30, one hour), Khenifra Hôtel le Panorama MOROCCAN, EUROPEAN € (Dh30, one hour) and Ifrane (Dh8, 10 minutes), (%0535 56 20 10; Hay Ajelabe; set menu Dh130; and less frequently to Midelt (Dh55, two hours). h7.30-10pm) Another hotel restaurant, the Those for ‘Ain Leuh (Dh15, 20 minutes) wait Hôtel le Panorama is better in the evenings, beside the Shell petrol station on the main road when you can also wash down your meal out to the southwest. with a glass of wine or beer. Some decent tajines, and a handful of continental dishes in an old-fashioned dining room. The sim- ple menu has fewer options during the Midelt ‫ميدلت‬ week. POP 47,000 7 Shopping Midelt sits in apple country between the Middle and the High Atlas and makes a handy break between Fez and the desert. The weekly souq is held on Tuesday about Coming from the north in particular, the 1.5km northeast of town. Here you’ll wit- landscape offers some breathtaking views, ness Berber women from the surrounding especially of the eastern High Atlas, which villages haggling with dealers over the flat- seems to rise out of nowhere. weave carpets, as well as fresh produce and Midelt consists of little more than one other market goods. Take care if it’s been main street (Ave Mohammed V in the north, raining though, as the souq area can eas- which becomes Ave Hassan II to the south), Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast SMhi dopedpltienAgt l as ily turn into a quagmire. At other times, a modest market (souq days are Sunday and you’ll find carpets and handicrafts aplenty Wednesday) and a number of oversized res- in the stores around Pl Hassan II and in the taurants, which cater to the tourist buses medina. whistling through on their way south. It Ensemble Artisanal ART, CRAFTS makes a good base for some off-piste explor- (Blvd Mohammed V; h8.30am-noon & 2.30-6pm ing of the Jebel Ayachi region. Sat-Mon) This showroom has the usual fixed- price shop but also a number of craftspeople 1 Sights working on the premises – look out for the Middle Atlas carpets. There’s a cafe on the Kasbah Myriem ARTS CENTRE roof terrace, too. (Atelier de Tissages et Borderie; %0664 44 73 75; h8am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Thu & Sat & 9-11am Fri) If you’re in the mood for carpets, this work- 88 Information shop, about 1.5km out of town, is worth a look. It assists Berber women develop their BMCE (Pl Mohammed V; h8.45am-6pm embroidery and weaving. The workshop Mon-Thu, 8.45-11am Fri, 8.45am-noon Sat) provides looms and materials, as well as a Bureau de change and one of several ATMs on simple place to work. Local girls – aged 15 the square. or so – come here in order to learn these Post Office (Blvd Prince Héritier Sidi Moham- skills from more experienced women. Liter- med; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri) 88 Getting There & Away acy lessons are also offered. Follow the signs from the main road, then enter behind the Azrou is a crossroads, with one axis heading clinic. northwest to southeast from Meknès to Er- While you are here, you may wish to peek Rachidia, and the other northeast to Fez and into the monastery (hservices 7.15am daily southwest to Marrakesh. & 10am Sun), which is home to a few Fran- BUS ciscan monks. The grounds and chapel are CTM offers daily departures from the bus station a peaceful place to collect your thoughts. on Blvd Moulay Abdelkader to Beni Mellal (Dh75, Ring the bell at the gate to the right of the 4½ hours), Casablanca (Dh130, six hours), Fez workshop. (Dh40, 1½ hours), Marrakesh (Dh145, eight hours) and Meknès (Dh30, two hours). Kasbah des Noyers KASBAH Other cheaper companies have frequent daily The village of Berrem, 6km west of Midelt, is departures to Fez (Dh20), Meknès (Dh18), Ifrane also known as the Kasbah des Noyers for the (Dh8), Midelt (Dh32) and Er-Rachidia (Dh75). ancient walnut trees shading its environs. There’s not much going on here, but the

345 quaint village, with its colourful mosque and Midelt e# 0 100 m ancient earthen walls, makes a good desti- A 0 0.05 miles nation for a day hike from Midelt. Follow the 1 6B main path through the kasbah to the scenic Rue Ezzerqutouni Ave de la Marche Verte 1 overlook of the Gorges des Berrem. Hiring Ave Mo hamm a grand taxi from Midelt costs about Dh50. 4 6ú# edV 4 Sleeping Auberge Jaafar HOTEL € 111 (%0535 58 34 15; Berrem; d incl breakfast Dh300, 11 apt for up to 6 Dh500; ps) This peaceful Rue ibn Municipal kasbah-style complex is about 6km west of Souq YassinMarket 111 11 111 Midelt through apple orchards, just past el-Jadid Rue Lalla Aicha 2 ÿ# 2 the village of Berrem. Rooms of all shapes 2 Rue Mohammed Kasbah 1 ÿ# el-Amraoui and sizes are set up around terraces and DMyriem blooming courtyards. Order during the day 66(2km) if you’re going to eat in. Place Aì#veBHMaCssISAatnpa#pltluleeú# el-Mahkama Hôtel Atlas HOTEL € Cybernet ð# (%0535 58 29 38; 3 Rue Mohammed el-Amraoui; 3 s/d/tr Dh60/120/150) This friendly pension is D3 3 ›# (1km) 6ò# a fair budget option, with home-cooked food Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast MS li de edplitenAgt l as on request. Rooms are predictably simple, but clean, as are the shared bathrooms with Ave des FAR squat toilets (hot showers cost Dh10). Rue d'Agadir oKsar Timnay Inter-Cultures RESORT €€ AB (%0535 58 34 34; www.ksar-timnay.com; btwn Midelt Zaida & Midelt; s/d half board Dh340/540, Riad Mimouna half board Dh450/650; paWs) Set ÿ Sleeping in large leafy grounds with its own park 1 Hôtel Atlas .............................................A2 and lake, this complex offers a wide range 2 Riad Villa Midelt.....................................B2 of accommodation from rooms to family apartments, some in the fancier Riad Mi- ú Eating mouna, as well as camping and caravan- 3 Complexe Touristique Le Pin..............B3 ning. Rooms are large and comfortable 4 Fast Food Tati-Sou ............................... A1 with air-conditioning, central heating and TV. There’s superb birdwatching in the vi- ing pool at the bottom of the property, far cinity (Dupont’s Larks being shy residents away from the rooms so as not to be over- with a distinctive song). The owners are looked. The licensed restaurant is worth eat- passionate about the region and offer ex- ing at, even for nonguests. cursions at Dh300 per person per day, as well as trekking to Jebel Masker (3265m) 5 Eating and Jebel Ayachi (3737m). As usual, cheap eats and snacks are plentiful Riad Villa Midelt GUESTHOUSE €€ in the area around the bus station. There’s (%0535 36 08 51; www.hotel-riad-villa-midelt.com; also a produce market here. 1 Pl Verte; s/d incl breakfast Dh450/600; paW) In a garden setting, this large villa south of town offers spacious rooms, some with bal- Fast Food Tati-Sou FAST FOOD € (Rue Ezzerqutouni; meals Dh30; hnoon-3pm, conies. Breakfasts are enormous, and the 7-9pm) Don’t be fooled by the name: this is friendly staff will whip up dinner for Dh350. Midelt’s best chicken. Dh30 gets you a quar- ter chicken with salad. Hôtel Kasbah Asmaa HOTEL €€ (%0535 58 04 05; s/d half board Dh450/600; as) About 3km south of Midelt, this large Complexe Touristique Le Pin MOROCCAN €€ kasbah-style hotel announces that you’re on (%0535 58 35 50; Ave Hassan II; mains Dh80; the road south. It has fair rooms that were hnoon-5pm year-round plus 7-10pm Apr-Aug; W) being refurbished on our visit, and an invit- This large lunchtime restaurant draws the

346 Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast MIAnrifdoodurlnmedaAtMtiliodaneslt will grumble on the route in all seasons but coach groups, but you can easily escape the height of summer. The scenery is won- the crowds in the garden, and the sizeable derful though – the dramatic crests of the turnover ensures fresh meals, all served in Atlas, carpeted in places with cedar forest, generous portions. Alcohol is served. In the and studded with tiny Berber mountain summer months it’s open in the evenings villages. for drinks and ice creams, and is a favourite with families. From Midelt, take the Zaïdia road for about 10km and turn off at the signpost for 88 Information the village of Aït Oum Gam. Then follow the signs to Matkan Tounfit. After that the BMCI (Ave Hassan II; h8.45am-6pm Mon-Thu, route loops back through Tattiouine and on 8.45-11am Fri, 8.45am-noon Sat) One of several to Rte S3424 back to Midelt. Allow a day for banks with ATMs on this street. the whole 80km circuit. Ksar Timnay Inter- Cybernet (Ave Hassan II; per hr Dh6; h8am- Cultures offers this day trip for Dh350 per midnight) person including meals. Ksar Timnay Inter-Cultures (%0535 58 34 34; www.ksar-timnay.com; Rte de Zaidia; If walking is more your thing, and you h8am-8pm) About 15km north of Midelt, this have a tent, it’s possible to strike out from is the best source of information – including Timnay to the Cirque Jaffar on foot. A two- trekking guides and 4WD rental – in the eastern day round trip gives you a good taste of the High Atlas. area. From Timnay you can walk to the vil- Post Office (off Ave Hassan II; h8am-4pm) lage of Sidi Amar, which is surrounded by South of the internet centre. apple orchards and is particularly colour- ful during the souq that’s each Wednesday. 88 Getting There & Away Camp further along at Jaffar, located in the valley in the centre of the spectacular Midelt has two bus stations: one off Ave Moham- circle. On day two, return to the Timnay med V in town, and the new one 2km to the complex via the impressive river gorges. A east of town. CTM services mostly run at night. guide isn’t strictly necessary, but one can be There’s an evening departure to Casablanca organised via Ksar Timnay Inter-Cultures. (Dh155, seven hours) via Rabat (Dh125, five An equally good companion is the guide- hours), and to Rissani (Dh85, four hours) via book Grand Atlas Traverse by Michael Er-Rachidia (Dh50, two hours) and Erfoud (Dh75, Peyron. 3½ hours). There are also night-time services for Azrou (Dh55, two hours), Meknès (Dh70, three Gorges d’Aouli hours) and Fez (Dh75, four hours). An interesting road trip takes you 25km Other buses cover the same routes at more so- northeast of Midelt along the S317 road to ciable hours – Fez (Dh55, five hours) is serviced the Gorges d’Aouli. A series of cliffs carved by six departures through the day. by the Moulaya, they were until recently mined extensively for lead, copper and sil- Grands taxis run to Azrou (Dh45, two hours) ver. The abandoned workings can be clearly and Er-Rachidia (Dh60, two hours). seen – many halfway up the cliff face – al- though the mine entrances themselves are Around Midelt blocked off for safety reasons. Nevertheless, the place exudes a slightly creepy ghost- Midelt’s location on the cusp of the eastern town feel, especially with the dipping sun at High Atlas makes it a great base for explor- the end of the day. ing. Off the main routes, roads are rough pistes, with many only really negotiable be- Further along the road, the small vil- tween May and October and even then only lage of Aouli sits against the spectacular by 4WD. It’s heaven for mountain bikers, as backdrop of the river gorge. This is a great well as ideal hiking country. Ksar Timnay stretch to explore by mountain bike – it’s Inter-Cultures in Midelt will rent you a 4WD about two hours’ ride from Midelt, if you’re (with driver) for around Dh1000 – good val- up to the gruelling uphill ride back. Note ue if there’s a group of you. that the road deteriorates to rough piste at some points. A round trip by grand taxi Cirque Jaffar to Aouli from Midelt should cost no more than Dh250. The Cirque Jaffar winds through the foot- hills of Jebel Ayachi, 25km southwest of Midelt. It’s a rough piste, and regular cars

347 THE EAST Taza e# 0 400 m 0 0.2 miles Taza ‫تازة‬ Hôÿ#telBlvdBBilrvAd ndzeaMraa ne £# Train La Tour Station At first glance, Taza seems to fulfil all the cri- teria of a sleepy provincial capital. The rush 6Eiffel Blvdde Mars of activity common in Moroccan towns of Blvd Hassan II comparable size seems entirely absent here, Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast TSahi gzehaEtass&t Activiti e s while its sprawling layout gives it a slightly abandoned air. But it makes an interesting rs Blvd de Mars break in a journey: climb the newly-restored fortifications of Taza Haute, and the pano- VILLE 1 ramic views of the Rif to the north and the Middle Atlas to the south are breathtaking. 6NOUVELLE Taza also provides a handy base for explor- See Taza Ville Nouvelle Map (p349) ing the eastern Middle Atlas, including Blvd Allal al-Fa sis Gouffre du Friouato (one of the most incred- ible open caverns in the world) and Tazzeka 1 777National Park. TAZA Taza is divided neatly in two: the ville HAUTE 7677 6nouvelle (also called Taza Bas, or Lower Taza), centred on Pl de l’Indépendance, and the walled medina (Taza Haute), occupying 777the hill 2km to the south. Local buses and sky-blue petits taxis (Dh6) run regularly be- 7677tween the two. See Taza Haute Map (p348) History fought the prolonged rebellion by the tribes of the Rif Mountains and Middle Atlas. The fortified citadel of Taza is built on the edge of an escarpment overlooking the only 1 Sights & Activities feasible pass between the Rif Mountains and the Middle Atlas. It has been important oMedina Walls RAMPARTS throughout Morocco’s history as a garrison town from which to exert control over the (Map p348) The medina walls, around 3km in country’s eastern extremities. circumference, have recently been restored. They are a legacy from when Taza served The Tizi n’Touahar, as the pass is known, briefly as the Almohad capital in the 12th was the traditional invasion route for armies century. The bastion (Map p348) – where the moving west from Tunisia and Algeria. This walls jut out to the east of the medina – was is, in fact, where the Romans and the Arabs added 400 years later by the Saadians. The entered Morocco. The town itself was the most interesting section of wall is around base from which the Almohads, Merenids Bab er-Rih (Gate of the Wind; Map p348), from and Alawites swept to conquer lowland Mo- where there are superb views over the sur- rocco and establish their dynasties. rounding countryside. Look southwest to the wooded slopes of Jebel Tazzeka in the All Moroccan sultans had a hand in forti- Middle Atlas, and then to the Rif in the fying Taza. Nevertheless, their control over north, and it’s easy to see the strategic sig- the area was always tenuous because the nificance of Taza’s location. fiercely independent and rebellious local tribes continually exploited any weakness in the central power in order to overrun the Grande Mosquée MOSQUE city. Never was this more so than in the first years of the 20th century, when ‘El-Rogui’ (Map p348) Not far from Bab er-Rih is the (Pretender to the Sultan’s Throne) Bou Grande Mosquée, which the Almohads be- Hamra held sway over most of northeastern gan building in 1135; the Merenids added Morocco. to it in the 13th century. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter, and it’s difficult to get The French occupied Taza in 1914 and much of an impression from the outside made it the main base from which they of the building. From here the main thor- oughfare wriggles its way southeast to the

348 Taza Haute e# 0 400 m 0 0.2 miles 777777A B C D 6777777 71 77777 1 æ# 1ß# 4 Medina alaq Torri 7777777767777Walls d de Mars#æ 5 ß#PetitsBlvd Bel Hassan 7777777777772 Taxis Blv 2 sTAZA KhHAUTE˜# Pharmacy Rue Riad Azmag î# Aharrach Place ›#LVoillceaNl Bouusveeslleto Blvd Sidi Mo hammedAharrach 6 ò# Ø# Ave Moulay Imperial Cities, Middle Atl as & the E ast TSahl ezeeaEpai nstg 777777Titi ß# Bab 2 7 ÿ# el-Hassan 777777776777763 #æ Rue al-Haj 3 3 Place de la Résistance 77A777B 7 CD Taza Haute æ Top Sights Andalous Mosque MOSQUE 1 Medina Walls ......................................... A1 (Map p348) At the end of the main street, close to the mechouar, is this mosque that was constructed in the 12th century. æ Sights Hammam HAMMAM 2 Andalous Mosque .................................C3 Bab er-Rih .......................................(see 1) (Map p348; Pl Aharrach; admission Dh10; hmen 3 Bastion ...................................................D3 5am-noon & 7pm-midnight, women noon-7pm) A 4 Grande Mosquée .................................. B1 good hammam to visit to scrub away the 5 Souqs......................................................B2 cares of the road. Ø Activities, Courses & Tours 4 Sleeping 6 Hammam ...............................................C2 Taza has only a handful of hotels, and the ÿ Sleeping amount of business they do can be gauged 7 Hôtel de l'Étoile .....................................C3 by the general readiness there is to offer discounts of up to 25% if you stay more than a night. far end of the medina. Keep your eye out Hôtel de l’Étoile HOTEL € for occasional examples of richly decorated (Map p348; %0535 27 01 79; 39 Ave Moulay el- doorways and windows high up in the walls, Hassan; s/d Dh40/60) This Spanish-owned guarded by old, carved cedar screens. cheapie next to Pl Aharrach is easy to miss Souqs MARKETS (the sign is hidden under the arcaded front), but inside, the strawberry-pink paint job is (Map p348) The souqs and qissariat (cov- hard to escape. Friendly enough, it’s as basic ered markets) start around the Mosquée du Marché, offering mats and carpets woven by as the tariff suggests – rooms are fine for the money, with shared toilets. All have sinks the Beni Ouarain tribe in the surrounding and there are new showers with constant mountains. It’s a great chance to observe the workings of a Berber market. hot water (Dh10).