Camping SerdrarCAMPGROUND€
(%0667 23 80 22; www.camp-serdrar.com; N 30°43.318, W 005°28.547; Berber tent per person incl half-board Dh200, tent/camper van incl shower Dh60/60, electricity Dh20)
For those on a budget Camping Serdrar is a family-run palm farm set in a wonderful location 11km south of Tazzarine and 6km off the main road in the shadow of Jebel Rhart. Sleep in Berber tents or camp beneath the palms. Youssef can guide you to the fossil fields.
Camp NomadesCAMPGROUND€€€
(%0524 43 48 08; www.camps-nomades.com; Tazzarine; per person incl full board Dh1135-1900; hclosed May-Sep)
Marrakesh-based travel specialist Maroc Sur Mesure offer a luxurious camping experience at Camp Nomades. The price includes full board and all activities (including desert walks, mule treks, village visits and cooking demonstrations).
N’Kob نيكو ب
One of Morocco’s best-kept secrets is the Berber oasis of N’Kob, where 45 mudbrick ksour make you stop and stare. The town has a dusty, bustling thoroughfare (which is also the main road leading in and out of town), where you can still find traditional craftsmen at work. On the main square at the eastern edge of town, you might also spot a member of the local Aït Atta warrior tribe striding into the N’Kob post office wearing a scimitar. The name N'Kob comes from a cave in the area that once served as a lodging of sorts for Aït Atta nomads. Beyond town lies the deep green palms of the oasis and the looming mountains of Jebel Saghro.
2Activities
For trekkers, N'Kob provides a gateway for treks across Jebel Saghro (three days) and is particularly well located for shorter treks to the spectacular rock pinnacles of Bab n'Ali. Also possible is a spectacular off-road drive up over Tizi n'Tazazert (2283m) and through the swirling rock formations of the Taggourt Plateau before dropping down to Ikniouln and the Dades Valley.
The bureau des guides (%0667 48 75 09) on the main road can arrange local hikes to explore N'Kob's kasbahs, rock formations and palm oasis.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
LOCAL SHOPPING
Opposite the post office is Aït Atta Chassures, a cobbler banging out traditional walking sandals with leather, rope and used tyre treads – more comfortable than they sound and quite stylish (Dh80 to DH130). Wander 500m down the side street with signs for Kasbah Baha Baha and through a doorway bedecked with dented pots to find N’Kob’s teapot mender, whose services are in demand during the Sunday souq.
4Sleeping & Eating
Aside from a few basic eateries along the main road, dining options are limited in N'Kob. Most travellers eat where they're lodging.
N'Kob's main budget option, Auberge-Camping Ouadjou (%0524 83 93 14; r incl half-board from Dh250; ps), was closed for renovations when we were last in town, so give them a call before you arrive to check if they're open.
Kasbah Baha BahaHERITAGE HOTEL€€
(%0524 83 97 63; www.kasbahabaha.com; N’Kob; s/d/tr from Dh380/500/690, without bathroom Dh250/370/500; paWs)
A gorgeously restored kasbah with a vast Berber botany garden, wood-fired bread oven, gourmet poolside meals (breakfast/dinner from Dh40/120), on-site ethnographic museum (Dh10) and striking oasis views. Rooms come in three styles from simple accommodations with shared bathrooms (nice rooms but a long walk to the facilities) to pretty duplexes with rooftop decks. All are attractively designed with traditional materials.
Kasbah EnnakhileHERITAGE HOTEL€€
(%0524 839 719; www.kasbah-nkob.com; N'Kob; s/d incl half-board Dh400/560; aWs)
Guests give high marks to this friendly, reasonably priced kasbah with essential creature comforts. Rooms have stone floors, pisé walls and traditional details (though the shower which flows from a ceramic Tamegroute pitcher adds a bit of whimsy). The terrace and adjoining pool offer unobstructed views over the palmeraie and the thicket of kasbah towers in the village. It's on the road leading east out of town, about 800m past the main square.
Ksar JennaGUESTHOUSE€€
(%0524 83 97 90; www.ksarjenna.com; d incl breakfast Dh420-460; aWs)
Holding its own with Marrakesh riads, Ksar Jenna offers light-filled rooms in pastel blue, lemon yellow and the palest mauve decorated artfully with carved furniture, Tazenakht carpets and designer-fabulous zellij and tadelakt bathrooms. Dinner is served under the painted dining-room ceiling, breakfasts amid luxuriant flowering garden, and aperitifs or espresso in the patio bar (it’s a Moroccan-Italian venture). It's 2km west of N’Kob.
Kasbah ImdoukalHERITAGE HOTEL€€
(%0524 83 97 98; http://kasbahimdoukal.com; N’Kob; d/tr/ste Dh700/900/1000, d without air-con Dh500; aWs)
Berber pride meets minimalist chic: chip-carved beds, Amazigh friezes atop tadelakt walls, oasis mule treks followed by poolside lounging, and dinners of madfouna (Dh120 to Dh190) by the restaurant fireplace with the occasional concert. Most rooms have air-con.
oKasbah Hôtel Aït OmarHOTEL€€€
(%0524 83 99 81; www.kasbahhotel-aitomar.com; s/d incl breakfast €50/90, d without bathroom €30-40; paWs)
Rebuilt to pisé perfection, Aït Omar's crenellated rooftop and descending terraces offer unparalleled views over N'Kob's forest of kasbahs. Zigzagging staircases reveal private patios with potted citrus trees, a domed, marble hammam and 11 individually decorated rooms linked by turquoise accents in zellij tiles, luxe sofa fabrics and mosaic mirrors. In a separate building, the Petite Kasbah offers simpler rooms with shared bathrooms.
Atlantic Coast شاطىء الأطلنطي
Atlantic Coast Highlights
Casablanca (Dar el-Baida)
City Walk
Rabat
Sale
Around Rabat & Sale
Moulay Bousselham
Larache
Lixus
Asilah
El Jadida
Azemmour
Oualidia
Safi
Essaouira
Around Essaouira
Diabat
Sidi Kaouki
Atlantic Coast شاطىء الأطلنطي
Why Go?
This windswept coast is home to Morocco's cultured capital, Rabat, and its economic hub, Casablanca. The refined Mauresque architecture and liberal attitudes on display in both cities are a far cry from the medieval medinas and conservative lifestyles of inland cities such as Fez and Marrakesh.
There's more to see than these big cities, though. Vast swathes of golden sand, small fishing villages, historic ports built by the Portuguese and fortified towns with vibrant medinas are scattered along the ocean's edge. Outside the towns, farmland rolls gently down to the sea and wetland reserves showcase rich migratory birdlife in autumn and spring.
The region is bookended by Asilah and Essaouira, famed for their medinas and surrounding beaches. There’s art to view, delicious seafood to eat and an extraordinarily rich history, from the Phoenicians to the protectorates, that is begging to be explored. Don't miss it.
When to Go
AMar–May Observe huge flocks of migrating birds on lagoons along the coast.
AJun Join world-music devotees at Essaouira’s world-famous Gnaoua festival.
ASep Hit the beaches after the Moroccan tourists leave, while the weather’s still good.
Best Places to Eat
A La Table by Madada
A Beachside Shellfish
A Pâtisserie Bennis Habous
A Restaurant Brasserie La Bavaroise
Best Places to Sleep
A Villa Bea
A Jack’s Apartments & Suites
A La Sultana
A Riad Meftaha
A L'Alcazar
Atlantic Coast Highlights
1 Essaouira Wandering through the oceanside medina and watching traditional wooden boats being constructed in the bustling port.
2 Rabat Exploring the historic walled medina and evocative kasbah.
3 Oualidia Feasting on freshly shucked oysters next to a tranquil lagoon.
4 Casablanca Admiring this cosmopol
itan city's treasure trove of Mauresque, art nouveau and art deco architecture.
5 Merja Zerga National Park Spotting rare migrating birds from a boat on the marshy wetlands.
Casablanca (Dar el-Baïda) الدارالبيضاء
Pop 3.34 million
Though not as atmospheric as other Moroccan cities, Casablanca is the best representation of the modern nation. This is where money is being made, where young Moroccans come to seek their fortunes and where business and the creative industries prosper.
The number of construction projects currently under way here is simply extraordinary – major redevelopments include those at Pl Mohammed V and the Parc de la Ligue Arabe, and new public buildings include the Grand Théâtre de Casablanca.
The city's handsome Mauresque buildings, which meld French-colonial design and traditional Moroccan style, are best admired in the downtown area. Visitors who spend time there, in the Quartier Habous and in the beachside suburb of Ain Diab, are sure to get into the local swing of things and realise that this old pirate lair is looking towards the future, embracing the European-flavoured urban sophistication that has underpinned life here for the past century.
THE CHANGING FACE OF CASABLANCA
The first French resident-general, Louis Hubert Gonzalve Lyautey, hired French architect Henri Prost to redesign Casablanca in the early 20th century as the economic centre of the new protectorate and, indeed, as the jewel of the French colonies. His wide boulevards and modern urban planning still survive, as does a rich and unique heritage of Mauresque architecture, melding French-colonial design and traditional Moroccan style. However, Lyautey underestimated the success of his own plans and the city grew far beyond his elaborate schemes. By the end of WWII, Casablanca had a population of 700,000 and was surrounded by heaving shanty towns. These have only recently been demolished – often controversially – and their residents rehoused on the outer urban edge of the city.
History
The Phoenicians established a small trading post in the now-upmarket suburb of Anfa in the 6th century BC. In the 7th century AD, Anfa became a regional capital under the Barghawata, a confederation of Berber tribes. The Almohads destroyed it in 1188, and 70 years later, the Merenids took over.
In the early 15th century the port became a safe haven for pirates and racketeers. Anfa pirates became such a serious threat later in the century that the Portuguese sent 50 ships and 10,000 men to subdue them, leaving Anfa in a state of ruins. However, the local tribes continued to terrorise the trade routes, provoking a second attack by the Portuguese in 1515. Sixty years later the Portuguese arrived to stay, erecting fortifications and renaming the port Casa Branca (White House).
The Portuguese abandoned the colony in 1755 after a devastating earthquake severely damaged the walls of Casa Branca. Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdullah subsequently resettled and fortified the town, but it never regained its former importance. By 1830 there were only 600 or so inhabitants.
By the mid-1800s Europe was booming and turned to Morocco for increased supplies of grain and wool. The fertile plains around Casablanca were soon supplying European markets, and agents and traders flocked back to the city. Spanish merchants renamed the city Casablanca and by the beginning of the 20th century the French had secured permission to build an artificial harbour.
Increased trade brought prosperity to the region, but the activities and influence of the Europeans also caused resentment. Violence erupted in 1907 when Europeans desecrated a Muslim cemetery. The procolonialist French jumped at the chance to send troops to quell the dispute; a French warship and a company of marines soon arrived and bombarded the town. By 1912 it was part of the new French protectorate.
Casablanca
1Top Sights
1Hassan II MosqueF1
1Sights
2Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation MuseumG3
3Cathédrale du Sacré CoeurF3
4Church of Notre-Dame de LourdesG4
5Mahakma du PashaH5
6Parc de la Ligue ArabeG3
7Villa des Arts de CasablancaF4
2Activities, Courses & Tours
8Club Alpin FrançaisC6
9Club Alpin FrançaisC6
10Hammam ZianiH4
11Institut FrançaisF4
12Miami Fitness Club & SpaA3
13Tahiti Beach ClubB3
4Sleeping
14Four Seasons Hotel CasablancaC2
15Hotel BelleriveA3
16Hotel CentralG2
17Hôtel Le 135G4
18Le DogeF3
5Eating
19BasmaneA3
20Frédéric Cassel Haute PatisserieD3
21Le CabestanC1
22Le Rouget de L'isleG3
23MarnyD7
24OstréaG2
25Pâtisserie Bennis HabousH5
26Restaurant du Port de PêcheG2
27Rick's CaféG2
28SqalaG2
6Drinking & Nightlife
29Armstrong LegendA3
Cafe ImperialH5
30Le ChesterE3
31Le TricaF3
32Maison BB3
33Sky 28F4
34Social Club at Le CabestanC1
35VIP ClubA4
3Entertainment
36Cinéma LynxG4
37MegaramaB3
7Shopping
38Anfa PlaceC2
39Souq HabousH5
8Information
40Belgian ConsulateF3
41British ConsulateH7
42Dar Salam ClinicG7
43Spanish ConsulateF3
44US ConsulateF3
1Sights
Casablanca is Morocco’s commercial hub and locals are more interested in business than in tourism. Tourists are few and far between and there are remarkably few traditional tourist attractions. Other than the grand Hassan II Mosque, the city’s main attraction lies in its neighbourhoods: the wonderful Mauresque architecture of the downtown area, the pretty Quartier Habous and the upmarket beachfront suburbs of Anfa and Ain Diab.
DON'T MISS
HASSAN II MOSQUE
oHassan II MosqueMOSQUE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Blvd Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah; guided tours adult/student/child 4-12yr Dh120/60/30; htours 9am, 10am, 11am, 3pm & 4pm Sat-Fri, plus noon Sat-Thu)
This flamboyant building was built at enormous expense to commemorate the former king's 60th birthday. Set on an outcrop jutting over the ocean and with a 210m-tall minaret that serves as the city's major landmark, it is a showcase of the very best Moroccan artisanship: hand-carved stone and wood, intricate marble flooring and inlay, gilded cedar ceilings and exquisite zellij (colourful ceramic tiling) abound. Multilanguage guided tours of the interior are conducted outside prayer times for modestly clad visitors.
The mosque is commonly thought to be the world's third-largest mosque after those in Mecca and Medina, and can accommodate 25,000 worshippers. Built and partially funded by King Hassan II (the remaining funds were gathered through a somewhat controversial public subscription process), the mosque complex was designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, took six years to build and was completed in 1993. Its dramatic location overhanging the ocean waves echoes verse from the Quran, which states that God’s throne was built upon the water. Believers pray on a centrally heated floor, and can see the Atlantic breaking over the rocks underneath the glass floor in the basement and feel the sunlight through the retractable roof.
The size and elaborate decoration of the prayer hall is simply spectacular. A team of over 6000 master craftspeople was assembled to work on the mosque, delicately carving intricate patterns and designs in cedar from the Middle Atlas and pink granite from Agadir. The gates were made from brass and titanium, and the ablution fountains in the basement, which are shaped like huge lotus flowers, were carved from local marble.
To see the interior visitors must be ‘decently and respectfully dressed’ (knees and upper arms need to be covered); women do not require a headscarf. Hour-long tours are conducted in
French, English, German and Spanish, and take in the prayer hall, subterranean ablutions rooms and never-used hammam.
Downtown Casa
It is often said that Casablanca has no sights apart from the Hassan II Mosque, but the French-built city centre is packed with grand colonial-era buildings, some of which are being restored. The best way to take it all in is by strolling through the area around the Marché Central.
Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation MuseumMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0522 20 62 17; www.musee-as.ma; 12 Rue du Parc; adult/student/child under 12yr Dh30/10/free; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat; jPlace Mohammed V)
An attractively presented house museum with a notable collection of Moroccan decorative arts, this privately established and operated institution occupies the former home of businessman Abderrahman Slaoui. The museum showcases his wonderful collection of Orientalist travel posters produced from the 1890s to the 1950s, as well as ceramics, inlaid furniture (including pieces designed by Marrakesh-based Louis Majorelle), ornate Berber jewellery encrusted with semi-precious stones and a stunning collection of ornate and richly coloured glass jewellery boxes and perfume flasks.
Old MedinaAREA
( GOOGLE MAP ; jPlace Nations Unies)
Though lacking the medieval magic that characterises many Moroccan medinas, Casablanca’s compact 19th-century example is still worth a wander. You're unlikely to find treasures in its humdrum shops (hardware stores, pharmacies and shops selling cheap clothing and shoes predominate), but the crooked lanes, occasional tree-shaded square and well-frequented local cafes contribute to a generally pleasant atmosphere and make it a popular route for those walking between downtown Casablanca and the Hassan II Mosque.
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 29