Morocco is an African country of varied diversity and a getaway for epic mountain ranges, long stretches of sweeping deserts, ancient cities topped with warm hospitality. With the best tourist places to visit in Morocco, the famous Saharan Desert sand dunes and the sly touching peaks of the High Atlas are few of the geographical wonders that you only get to see in Morocco. This side of North Africa is a camouflage of lyrical landscapes, patterned and colored rugs, mountains like the Rif, the High Atlas and suntanned ranges leading to Saharan desert and Ancient Medinas. The cities in Morocco’s have some most timeless, centuries old buildings and monuments, taking you to a trail of ancient history. The winding medina maze of Fez and the carnivalesque street- theatre of the Djemaa el-Fna in Marrakesh are some of the most appreciated work of ancient times but the list is never ending in Morocco if it is about ancient medinas.
The heritage trip to ancient medina gets a twist in the glitzy town of Casablanca, Tangier and Rabat of Morocco where designs are more urban. Hike up the North Africa’s highest peak, embark on a camel trekking in the Sahara Desert or learn to roll couscous and get lost in the bustling souks while shopping or the distinctive medinas while strolling. Sleep in a boutique riads or laze on the panoramic terraces, and eat the flavorsome delicacies; there are endless things to do and the best tourist places to visit in Morocco. It is bordered by Spain to the north, Western Sahara to the South and Algeria to the east. Morocco has a mixed Arab and Berber population and the colorful young crowd is more in number. It is weaved around many ancient stories, sprawled in the sub Saharan Africa, Europe and the wilder Middle East in entirety.
Morocco can be best visited during the months of autumn (September and October) and during the months of winter (November to February), while spring is the time, when it's green everywhere. The temperatures are cooler and pleasant for sightseeing. Autumn is an ideal season for visiting the Atlantic coast and embarking on a hike in the mountains, during the winter season from November onwards the temperature starts to fall and Essaouira becomes very windy.
If you are travelling from India then there are several flights to places like Casablanca, Marrakech and Rabat (Capital of Morocco). You can avail direct and indirect flights from Delhi and Mumbai for Morocco.
There is a list of countries which are
listed for ‘no visa requirement’ but if you are travelling from India to
Morocco, you need to apply for visa as India is not one of those countries
which fall under the ‘no visa requirement’ list.
In order to get the visa, Morocco state embassy in your
country is usually the first port of call. Mail the required documents with the
filled application wherever stated and it generally takes 5 to 7 business days
to process if everything is fine in your application. A 90 day or a 3 months
permit can maximum be obtained on your visa.
The two languages which are commonly spoken are Moroccan Arabic and French.
The commonly used greeting are Hello (es salaam alaikum- in Arabic), Please (Afaka, when speaking to a woman, say Afik and to a group afakum), Thank you very much (shukran bezze), Good night (tisbah ala khair).
The aromatic fumes of spices and the authentic leather products are definitely piqued your attention in the famous Moroccan markets, some which are listed below:
The distance between Casablanca and Rabat is
around 85 KM by road. There can be several ways through which you can reach
Casablanca from Rabat.
By train: You get a train ride for Casa-
voyageurs from Gare Rabat village for a ticket price ranging between INR 250 to
500 after every 30 minutes and the travelling time is around an hour and 10
minutes.
By Taxi: Taxi is estimated to take
around an hour time and the cost can be INR 3500 to 4000
By the Grand Taxi: The grand taxi is
operated after every hour between the two stations and costs INR 400 to 600 per
person.
The famous places which fall under the category
of ‘must-visit’ sights in Casablanca are:
• Medina
• Corniche
• Place Mohamed V
• Cathedrale du Sacre Coeur
• Safi
• Mohammedia
• Central Market
• Oualidia
• Azemmour