Magical Morocco
Five Contrasting Locations for your Moroccan adventure

Only a 3.5 hour flight away from the UK, Morocco is a great choice for a long weekend with a difference, but it’s also a worthy of a longer stay – here are some ideas of how to extend your holiday from a City break to an unforgettable adventure!

1. Marrakech Medina

There is something very atmospheric about staying in a riad in the old Medina – winding your way down a myriad of streets to find the polished old door that heralds the entry point of your boutique hotel set around a courtyard.  Whilst you can stay in the ‘New Town’ we recommend a few nights here to explore the souks and historic sites, but the Medina is also still very much a place where people live – each district has a mosque, school, bakery, water fountain and hammam!  If you are keen to be able to swim a few laps rather than just have a quick dip in a rooftop pool, we highly recommend Les Jardins de la Medina whilst if 5-star luxury and a rooftop restaurant are key, it’s hard to beat El Fenn.  A few steps away you can visit historic sites and see the artisans make their wares, from metals, leather, plaster and wool – you can even sign up for a workshop to be more hands on!

2. The Palm Grove

Twenty minutes outside the bustle of the city is the Palm grove or Palmeraie, an area dotted unsurprisingly with palms offering intermittent shade to the camels patiently waiting for tourists keen to try a trek.  It’s also home to some superb hotels, our favourite being Les Deux Tours with its’ sparkling pool surrounded by lush and mature gardens – a perfect spot to while away a few days after a Moroccan tour, or indeed a great base if you’d like to explore Marrakech and the Atlas without unpacking more than once.

3. The Atlas

A journey into the Atlas is essential to any trip to Morocco in our view, at least for a day but ideally a 2-night stay.  During your time head for a trek past villages nestling in valleys peppered by fruit trees, perhaps stopping for a picnic, or to have lunch with a Berber family.  We feature a number of different Kasbahs depending on what you are seeking – if you’d like to submerge yourself as far into the mountains as possible, du Toubkal boasts a magical location amongst the snowy peaks or stay at charming Bab Ourika (4 star) or Tamadot (5 star) if you’re keen to relax around a pool nestled in fragrant gardens after an active morning.

4. Essaouria

If you feel a holiday is not complete without at least a walk along the beach and some fresh sea air, then head out towards the coast and Essaouria, a journey time of approximately 3 hours from Marrakech.  The Medina here is very authentic, and you can water the fishermen bring in their catch before sampling some of their wares for lunch.  The windswept beach also provides a venue for some fun activities such as horse and camel treks, or try a quad bike – surfing and kite surfing are also on offer for those willing to take on the chilly sea temperatures!  If you’re seeking 5-star luxury, then a few nights at Heure Blue Palais will be perfect, or for a longer stay with family and friends, Rebali Riads offers a whole host of private villas for all size of group.

5. The Sahara

The true desert is further than you might think, hence we don’t offer this on our website, as many of our travellers feel the journey time generally is too long for a one-week trip.  However, if you have a little longer, you can break the 8 hour journey with a stay in Ouarzazate and make your journey fun by including stops at Ait Ben Haddou and the Todra Gorges.  Once your stay in a desert camp is complete, fly to Casablanca for your onward journey home.

About the author

Abi Shaw - Bushbaby founder and avid explorer!