I just traveled around Morocco in November this year, and I would like to introduce the scenic spots that I passed by that are worth visiting.
Route: Departing from Casa Braka, passing through Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, Elfd, Shaabi Dunes (Sahara), Ait Benhaddou Fortress Village, Marrakech.
Fun attractions:
1. Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
Hassan II Mosque should be the only one worth visiting in Casablanca It is a scenic spot, especially on the steps of the square below the main tower. You can quietly feel the sea breeze and watch people coming and going. It is very quiet and leisurely and worth a visit.
The Hassan II Mosque is the most worth visiting attraction in Casablanca, especially sitting on the steps of the open square below the main tower of the mosque, quietly feeling the sea breeze and watching people coming and going. It is quiet and leisurely and worth a visit. There are two different feelings during the day and night.
One-third of the Hassan II Mosque was built on the sea to commemorate the arrival of Morocco’s Arab ancestors from the sea. The entire mosque can accommodate 100,000 people for prayer at the same time. It is the third largest mosque in the world, after the Mecca and Medina mosques in Saudi Arabia.
2. Fort Oudaya - Rabat
Rabat, the capital of Morocco, is home to an ancient castle - Fort Oudaya. It is located where the Bregreg River enters the sea, on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. An ancient castle complex.
Udaya Fort was built by the Berber Dynasty in the 12th century and was later used by the Arab Dynasty. It was once occupied by the Portuguese and the French. The existing area of ??Udaya Fort open to the public is divided into three parts:
The first is the inner garden, which was built by King Ismaili in the 17th century. It is small and exquisite, elegant and exquisite, with luxuriant flowers and trees, and has Andalusian garden architecture. The typical style;
The second is the museum, which is divided into two exhibition rooms. One is to display jewelry and musical instruments of the past dynasties, and the other is to display the national costumes of the past dynasties, including Berber, Sahrawi, Moroccan Jewish costumes and ancient costumes. Red copper and earthenware vessels;
The third is a high-altitude platform, which is a relic of an ancient aerial market. Standing on the platform, you can overlook the estuary of the Bregreg River, the ancient port of Rabat and the panoramic view of Salé city. Udaya Fort retains its unique style of Berber houses and streets.
3. Chefchaouen - the blue and white city that must be visited
Chefchaouen is located in the wide valley of the Rif Mountains, far away from the prosperity of the metropolis. Most of the houses are Doorways, stairs and walls were painted the most brilliant sky blue.
Chefchaouen
The town of Chefchaouen was founded in 1471. It is full of rich Arabian style. The small fortress in the medina of the old town still exists today. Chefchaouen is close to the Mediterranean Sea, with fresh air and ancient charm. It is suitable for hiking, and it is also a good place for leisure and shopping.
4. Volubilis Ruins - Meknes
The Volubilis Ruins are located about 30 kilometers north of Meknes. They are ancient Roman ruins.
In the 1st century AD, the ancient Romans established a settlement, Volubilis, in what may have been the city of Carthage, and gradually developed into one of the central administrative cities of the ancient Roman Empire in Africa. , responsible for producing and exporting grain to the ancient Roman Empire.
Now there are well-preserved triumphal arches and white stone columns of the theater. Even the streets, residential buildings, oil mills, public bathrooms, markets, etc. of the ancient city are still clearly visible. There are also many mosaic murals here. A large number of exquisitely crafted bronze figures and marble heads were also unearthed from the ruins.
5. The ancient city of Fes
The city of Fes was built in the 9th century AD and has the earliest university in the world. The urban structure changed after the twelfth century AD, and it has the appearance of a typical Arab city Medina, with a mysterious oriental style. The city is world-famous for its exquisite Islamic architectural art.
From the 13th to the 14th century AD, Fez replaced Marakosh as the capital of the Marinid Kingdom, thus reaching its heyday.
The urban buildings and major monuments in the settlement date back to that period, including madrasahs, bazaars, palaces, residences, mosques, fountains, and more.
The residents of Fes still maintain the customs and lifestyle of the Middle Ages. Cars are strictly prohibited from entering. The main mode of transportation is donkeys. Small donkeys loaded with goods often walk side by side with tourists. Morocco is said to have one of the largest donkey populations in the world.
The old city of Fes is like a maze. Turn one entrance and then another, go around one street and then another street. The streets are twists and turns with no end in sight. It is said that even the locals sometimes do this. Turn around, one of the most famous Fez leather dyeing houses is hidden in the old city. Fez is very famous for its leather industry, and what is even more unique is the dyeing of leather. The dyeing raw materials are pure natural, and the colorful dye vats are like a complete drawing board, which is spectacular.
In addition to the tannery, the ancient city also has attractions such as the Andrés Mosque, one of the oldest temples in Morocco, the oldest Islamic institution of higher learning, the University of Karouin, and the Blue Gate at the entrance to the ancient city.
6. Sahara Desert
How can you miss a trip to the Sahara Desert when you come to Morocco? We went to the Shaabi Sand Dunes, a large and spectacular group of sand dunes in Morocco. We first took a four-wheel drive into the desert, left the road and rode on the Gobi for a while, and arrived near the sand dunes. The scenery ranged from lush oasis to barren Gobi desert, and finally When we came to the rolling sand dunes, we stopped by a herdsman’s house in the desert to have a cup of tea.
Towards evening, ride a camel into the desert to watch the sunset in the desert. At night, you can lie on the sand dunes and watch the entire Milky Way. It really feels like being wrapped by the Milky Way. If you are lucky, you can still watch it. Go to the meteor slide, in short, the desert is a classic attraction that cannot be missed.
7. The Fortified Village of Ait Benhaddou
A check-in place that Game of Thrones fans must not miss. This is the filming location of Yunkai City where the Mother of Dragons fought.
The fortified village of Ait Benhaddou has been the location for many Hollywood movies and is also a place often visited by famous Western directors.
This is the most complete Ksar in Morocco, built more than 800 years ago. The so-called "ksar" is a group of buildings made of rammed red earth. They are built one after another along the slope, layer upon layer, as if they are integrated. They are the fortresses used by the local Berbers to resist Arab invaders. The entire fortification complex is built on a hillside, which reflects the superb craftsmanship of the Berbers in fortification construction.
8. Garden Mayor - Marrakech
The Garden Mayor also has a more famous name, the Garden of Saint Laurent. The Jardin Majorelle Garden and Museum of Islamic Art owned by Yves Saint-Laurent is a perfect paradise. The dark blue villa where the museum is located is surrounded by cacti, green bamboo and bougainvillea. It was built in the 12th century by the Almowahid dynasty. Lush olive trees surround a wide, tranquil pond, behind which is a pavilion built in 1869.
In 1980, French fashion master Yves Saint Laurent accidentally saw this garden while traveling in Marrakech. He has been fascinated by it since then and gained an "inexhaustible spirit" source". After the master passed away in 2008, his ashes were scattered in the garden. This is undoubtedly the final home of his soul.
9. Jemaa Fna Square - Marrakech
Jemaa Fna Square, also known as the Sleepless Square, is still very lively even at midnight and is the main square of the Arab community. To the southwest of the square is the most famous monumental building, the Koutoubia Mosque, which is 70 meters high and its minaret can be seen in all directions from miles away.
It was built by Sultan Jacobi Mansour (1184-1199) of the Al-Mawahid dynasty. This place was originally the site of the Al-Mowahid dynasty mosque in the 11th century. Its minaret is the oldest and best-preserved of the three most famous minarets in the world.
There used to be a book market here, but now only the name Koutoubia (derived from Koutoubia or Kutub, meaning "book" in Arabic) remains.