Impressions from Morocco

Located in North Africa this mystical country offers great adventures to the visitor.

Morocco has a strong sense of culture and a long, ancient and dramatic history.

Together with its many different landscapes, such as the magnificent Atlantic and Mediterranean coast lines with beautiful and vast beaches,the snowcapped High Atlas and Rif mountains, the green and fertile valleys with millions palm trees, the deserts and ancient , cities, Morocco is a very intersting country to visit for the tourist.

The imperial, ancient cities, Marrakech, Fez, Rabat, Sale and Meknes offer the traveler great experiences and will take him or her through history, each city offering something different.

In the north of Morocco by the Mediterranean Coast there is the famous Tangier and a number of spectacular cities with great beach resorts.

By the Atlantic Ocean there is among others Casablanca, Agadir, Safi and of course Essaouira.

In the deep South there is the Sahara with its ancient history.

Morocco is very good to visit in spring (March to June) and in autumn (September to December) as the climate will be not too hot or too cold. But Morocco can be visited all year if one is prepared for cold nights, especially in the North and in the High Atlas mountains.

The summers can be very hot with a very strong sun. It is adviced to use sunblock during the summer months.

Moroccans are famously hospitable and love showing visitors their country. Visitors normally get a lot of attention and sometimes you might feel that you simply get too many offers. It is adviced that you avoid rude and aggressive behaviour but decline in a polite way.

The languages spoken in Morocco is Berber, Arab and French but many Moroccans in the tourist areas speak a few words of English, Spanish and German too.

It is adviced not to dress in an offensive way. Morocco is a country of tradition although Morocco is moving fast. It is normally not considered polite to show naked legs and shoulders except on the beach in the tourist areas.

Another important thing that has to be considered is the celebration of the Muslim holy month of fasting and purification, the Ramadan. Many restaurants and cafés will be closed in the daytime during the Ramadan and it is not possibe to buy any alcohol in the shops, except in some tourist areas in big cities. The time of the Ramadan changes each year.

The currency of Morocco is the Dirham and you have to change in the country. It is forbidden to bring more than 1000 dirham (100 euros) out of Morocco. Visa and major credit cards can be used in the cities and airports.

Load up your pockets with small change. Tipping is an essentiel part of Moroccan life and a few dirhams for a service can make things much easier for the traveller. In restaurants the tipping normally is 10%.