Marrakech, the pearl of the south

1. Marrakech, the pearl of the south Marrakech is a city in the grip of a delirious imagination, a feverish dreamscape of honeycombed alleys and minarets quivering in the moonlight. Marrakech is one of the worlds enchanted places where time becomes suspended and, through its open door, you catch a glimpse of the past so rich and so remote and yet so palpable. The red Marrakech is called so because of the red color of its buildings. Offering more than 5000 beds in 5 star hotels, here’s a glimpse of the most beautiful ones: Situation: South western Morocco in the foothill of the Atlas mountains.

2. Some Hotels • La Mamounia : www.mamounia.com • Sofitel : www.accor.com • Palmeraie Golf Palace : www.pgpmarrakech.com • Atlas Medina & Spa : www.hotelsatlas.com • Kenzi Menara Palace : www.kenzi-hotels.com • Naouara Barrière : www.naoura-barriere.com • Le Meridien N’Fis : www.lemeridien.com • Royal Mirage : www.royalmiragedeluxe.com • Le Mansour Eddahbi : www.mansoureddahbi.com

3. Some Venues Beldy Country Club : www.beldicountryclub.com Bô-Zin : www.Bo-zin.com Jad Mahal : www.jad-mahal.com Le Pacha : www.pachamarrakech.com Le comptoir Darna : www.comptoirdarna.com Dar Soukkar : www.darsoukkar.com Al Kasbah : www.alkasbah.ma Chez Ali : www.chezalimarrakech.com Stylia : www.restaurant-stylia.com

4. Discovery of Marrakech Koutoubia : Emblematic monument of Marrakesh, Koutoubia’s minaret dominates the town with its splendour, and inspired the construction of the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower, in Rabat. 6 superimposed rooms, finished off with a lantern surmounted by 4 copper balls (70m high) .superb prayer room in the mosque, one of the largest built in the West. Remparts :Encircling the medina to the east of the Gueliz an the hivernage, the raparts (11th 16th century) they measure 9m high, 2m wide, 19km long and are penetrated by the magnificent Arab Andalusian style doors (Bab Agnaou, bab el Kemis, Bab el Jedid wich open onto Mamounia) Bahia Palace :One of the most beautiful of the town’s buildings ( 19th century), also called the bahia( the beautiful) in honour of great vizier Si Moussa’s favourite. Magnificient walls coated in Tetouan earthenware and sculptured and illuminated cedar ceiling. Dar Si Saïd Museum :Next to bahia palace, magnificent palace built over 4400m² at the end of the 19th century, transformed intoa museum in 1932. sumptuous Arab-Andalusian reception room, jewellery, pottery, rugs, carved wood. El Badi palace :Built in the 16th century by Ahmed el Mansour, lavish 360 roomed palace, intended for functions.italian marble, Irish granite, Indian onyx, gold leaf coatings… materials that Moulay Ismail reclaimed to build Meknes(17th century) Saadian tombs: :Mausoleum for the Saadian dynasty, comprising one of the most beautiful examples of Morroccan architectural heritage. The main mausoleum is a perfect Hispano-Moorish masterpiece. La Menara :Imperial garden of 90 hectares inside a brick enclosure. huge pond dug in the 12th century, dominated by a recreational pavillon with green tiles dating from the 19th century. Majorelle Garden: :Extraordinary garden in the heart of the new town , surrounding the house built by Jacques Majorelle who fell in love with Morocco and settled in Marrakesh in 1923. Jemma el fna Square: Unique square in the world, nerve centre of the town, and permanent theatre of innumerable popular traditions. Included in Unesco’s wold heritage.Souks. From Jemma el Fna Square to the Ben Youssef moque, some of the richest and most colourful souks in the wold. Slipper markets, tanners, jewellers Palmeraie :On the road to Casablanca, 12000 hectares of fields, orchards and gardens. there are 150 000 palm trees.

5. Flying over Marrakech HELICO The flights will be in the zone which is located at the north of the palm plantation of Marrakech, between the Tensift wadi and the mountains of Jbilets. One fly over Berber villages, one goes along the palm Plantation and one sees the town of Marrakech with far, with like background the mountains of the Atlas in the south and Jbilets in north. BALLOONING Early bird wake-up. Early morning (around 05h00 am) departure to the palm grove for ballooning, The transfer will be by 4x4 to the palm grove for ballooning flight, if weather conditions permitted. The capacity of the Ballon is 12 passengers, flight lasts around 1 Hour.. Cooler with soft drink, cookies, tissues, etc… Afterwards, Return back to the hotel for the breakfast .

6. More activities in Marrakech … Horse Riding Located in the north-east corner of the city, La Palmeraie is a true oasis with a hundred thousand trees providing shade from the hot African sun.  It also counts some of Marrakech’s most exclusive residences.  So where better to retreat the hustle and get back to nature.  This one hour Horseback tour is a fantastic way to appreciate the stunning surroundings and make your long weekend extra special.      Quad Biking at Palm Grove A roller coaster ride awaits you at the lush Palm Grove in the city of Marrakech. Go quad biking in its seemingly endless green expanse. Admire the luxury homes, sports clubs, golf courses and splendid hotels nestled in the shade of over a hundred thousand trees as you zip through this green region in Marrakech. Adventure for the adrenaline seekers blended with picturesque landscapes, your quad biking experience in Palm Grove, Marrakech will be unrivalled. Cooking lesson: A short cooking course wherein attendees will learn the secrets of Moroccan cooking (the tagine – Moroccan Stew – the famous Couscous, to name few), Moroccan way of preparing tea in Morocco respecting the particularities of each region. 4X4 to Atlas Mountains : Ourika Valley /Asni & Ouirgane / Imlil … Very nice excursion where we will discover the landscape who is reminiscent of north American canyons and the typically Berber village and the Magnificent gorges lead to Imlil, a charming mountain hamlet…

7. WELLBEING Combining the oldest rites of beauty to the modern techniques, “Les Bains de Marrakech” invites you to discover a world of health care and well being to be exempted by professionals qualified and attentive Formulas gathering various meetings of care and massages, gumming, hammam or of ritual Eastern to reload you energy

8. Ouarzazate, the gate of the desert Ouarzazate is the goal of travelers looking for the different and more audacious kind of holiday. For those who want a taste of the south and do not want to change hotels several times, Ouarzazate is the best located town from which to explore with daily excursions as far a field as Zagora, Agdz, Skoura, Tinghir and the Todra Gorge and dozens of breathtaking Kasbahs. It is an ideal base for exploring the oasis and dune which makes Morocco's South unique. Situation:Ouarzazate, the “door of the desert “, was initially a garrison town. Its strategic position at the crossroads of the roads of Marrakech and Agadir, of the South and the East, decided its creation into 1928.

9. Some Hotels • Berbere Palace : www.palace-traditions.com • Hanane Club : www.clubhanane.com • Mercure : www.accorhotels.com • Kenzi Azghor : www.kenzi-hotels.com • Bivouac at Oasis de fint “Region of Ouarzazate”

10. Some Venues Complexe Le Ouarzazate Les Studios d’Ouarzazate L’Oasis de Fint under Nomad Tents

11. Discovery of Ouarzazate * Kasbah Ait-Benhaddou : The fortified village of Aït Benhaddou has been classified by Unesco as one of the world's cultural treasures. It's considered as one of the most beautiful villages of its kind in Morocco and has served as decor for many great movies. * Kasbah Taourirt : Its buildings of cob flanked by notched towers, are staged on superimposed levels, and ramparts with geometrical drawings. Possible to visit some of Glaoui’s old apartments, like the dining room (...), that kept their original decoration of painted stucco and their wooden cedar ceilings. From the terrace, remarkable view on the Berber fortified village of Taourirt (anterior to the city of Ouarzazate, dating from the XIIIth century), the valley and its oases in addition to the mountains. * Kasbah Tifoultout : is perched on a reddish bluff with nearby gardens dipping into the Ouarzazate River. It’s the ancient residences of Glaoui (Old Pacha of Marrakech) * Cinema Studio : Known as the Hollywood of Morocco, this is where numerous blockbuster movies have been shot including; The Jewel of the Nile; Cleopatra; Lawrence of Arabia; Babel, The Sheltering Sky … as well as some scenes for Star Wars and Gladiator .

12. Discovery of the region * Valley of the Kasbahs,the road from Ouarzazate passes directly between hundreds of Kasbahs that line the Dades Valley and stretches 100 miles east to the Todra Gorge at Tinghir. A spectacular drive through stunning desert landscape, villages, palm groves, and the Jbel Saghro lunar-escape to the south. * Todra Gorge, a 1000 feet high canyon, cut into the pink and green walls of the High Atlas where birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts can experience some very interesting opportunities. * Merzouga, a stopping off point on the road joining Zagora and Erfoud for seeing and being on the dunes of the Sahara Desert. * Draa Valley, known as the Country of the Dates, rises in the High Atlas, the River Draa cuts a deep channel between Jbel Saghro and the Anti Atlas ranges through a series of precipitous canyons famous for their cliffs of green and black rock. * Dades Valley, like a Wild-West land suspended in another age, with snow on one side and semi-desert on the other, an Old Testament wilderness whose savage grandeur and unearthly silence can only be equalled by the Grand Canyon. The Dades River flows through the valley like a magic elixir, lacing a miraculous trail of wheat, fruit, almond, walnut and silver birch trees set against a backdrop of extraordinary and spectacular rocky land formations.

13. Fez, the spiritual capital Situation: Northern Morocco. Fez was founded in 789 at a place between the mountains where the river was flushing by. History has provided the city with long periods of hardship, but Fez has never died. The Holy City of Fez is a jewel of Spanish-Arabic civilization, cradle of religions, cultural and artistic traditions; Fez is the kingdom's spiritual capital. It is the home of the oldest and largest medieval city in the world, a city that is almost unchanged through the modern ages. Today it has its own culture, pride, art and even cuisine.

14. Some Hotels • Palais Jamai : www.sofitel.com • Jnan Palace : www.sogatour.ma/jnanpalace.html • Ramada : www.ramadafes.com • Zalagh Park Palace : www.zalagh-palace.ma

15. Some Venues Le Palais de Fes :www.palaisdefes.com L’Ambra : Arabesque : www.arabesquehotel.com La Maison bleue : www.maisonbleue.com

16. Discovery of Fez Merinides tombs : Exceptionally magnificent tombs, dating from the 16th century. Today their former dominates the medina. Foundouk el Nejjaine:Next to the henna souk, superb caravanserai from the 18th century, classified as a world heritage site by Unesco. Magnificent carved doors, museum devoted to carpentry. Dar el Batha Museum:Palace built between 1897 and 1873 and a former area of irrigated gardens, designed as a place for official receptions. Sumptuous interior courtyard covered with colourful earthenware. The museum offers a large number of high Val objects from the arts and traditions of the fez region. Plates, leather binders, lintel from the andalusian mosque, copper decorations and writing cases, fassie embroidery, monumental wooden arts. Medersa Bou Inania:The largest medersa ever built by the merinides, dating from the middle of the 14th century.this is also the only medersa in Morocco with a pulpit and a minaret.its different functions ( mosque, student residence) explain the complexity of its architecture. Inspired by Aab-Andalusian traditions, cloister, ornately carved windows, green tile roofs with double slants, crved wooden creen, geometric zelliges.the Bou Inania medersa is one of the few religious monuments open to non-muslims. Karaouiyine Mosque: This is one of the most illustrious ans oldest mosques in the wrld. Its creation, in 859, was the work of a woman from kairouan, who placed her entire fortune in the buildings elevation. Karaouiyine can receve 20 000 worshippers and houses the headquarters of the muslim University of Fez. Splendid Prayer Room, comprising 16 naves and 270 pillars, carpeted courtyard with 50 000 zelliges, ablutions fountain, grenn roof tiles with double slants, mashrabiya door, main door with a cupola mounted above it in grooved stone. Karaouiyine was Morocco’s first university and was interstingly attended by Averroes. Tanner’s district :Installed since the middle ages near the Fez streambed, plunged up to mid-calf in multi-coloured tanks which emit a stifling smell, the tanners perpetuate ancestral tasks to transform the skin of animals into supple leather. The tanneries (chouaras) are a big part of trip to Fez.

17. Agadir, the Atlantic coast Situation: located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Sous River empties into the sea. Agadir, called the Miami of Morocco, is built 3 kilometers south of the Kasbah because of the danger of earthquakes, Agadir is now a city with large boulevards connecting the different sections, intersected with beautiful gardens and parks. Its tourist capacity is still growing since new hotels are being built along the white, sandy beach bordered with eucalyptus, thyme and tamarind trees and protected from the waves of the ocean.

18. Some Hotels • Atlantique Palace : ww.atlanticpalace-agadir.com • Palais des Roses : www.palaisdesroses.com • Sofitel : www.sofitel.com • Royal Atlas : www.hotelsatlas.com

19. Some Venues Scampi : La Scala : www.bestrestaurantsmaroc.com/restaurant/agadir-la-scala.html Chems Ayour : www.chems-ayour.com

20. Discovery of Agadir Fish market: The fish market of Agadir has been turned into the surprise tourist attraction. The reason is simpleenough: with the lack of typical tourist attractions in Agadir, all the tour operators throw in the fish market as an attraction. And impressed by its size and its vitality, the tour groupers take it in as a true gem. Agadir is truly an important fish city, serving both African and European markets. The fisheries outside West Africa are rich, but there is a danger of the extinction of certain types of fish, where especially the Sardines are threatened by high tech fishing vessels from the European Union. The kasbah: The kasbah of Agadir must be the worst sight of the country. Except from parts of the walls and the gate, there is nothing to attract anyone's interest. Yet, there are numerous bus loads coming up here, and watching all the tourists walk around the area wondering "what the heck is this good for?" would be your best entertainment Talborjt at night: On the surface, Talborjt is a nice place to spend holiday evenings. But if you move your eyes away from multilingual waiters and tourists and Moroccan travellers rushing by, tragedy is sleeping on the benches, and dishonesty is entering and leaving the hotels. One evening in December I saw this young man, sitting curled and bitter in a dark spot just metres away from one of the restaurants.

21. Casablanca, the Economic capital of Morocco Situation: located on the Atlantic ocean AT 90km From Rabat Economic capital of the kingdom, founded by the Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah in 1770, after the earthquake which had destroyed the Portuguese foundation of Casa Branca (white house). Casablanca with the almost 4 million inhabitants is the largest city of the kingdom, located on the Atlantic Ocean with a wonderful seaside resort.

22. Some Hotels • Hyatt Regency : www.casablanca.regency.hyatt.com • Le Meridien Royal Mansour : www.lemeridien.com • Sheraton : www.sheraton.com/casablanca • Kenzi tower : www.kenzi-hotels.com • Le Palace D’Anfa : www.lepalacedanfa.ma • Golden Tulip Farah : www.goldentulipfarahcasablanca.com

23. Some Venues La Sqala: www.ilove-casablanca.com/lasqala/index.html Le Basmane: www.basmane-restaurant.com La Fibule: www.idoutiznit.com/groupe.html Riad Zitoune : www.ryad-zitoun.com

24. Discovery of Casablanca Port :The port is the economic heart of Casablanca, the morning soon animated by a famous sale to the spell. The complex, nearly completely built by the Frenchmen at the beginning of the century, has a surface of 180 hectares and 12.000 square meters of The Habous & souks :In the South eastern part of the city, at the back of the royal palace and of boulevard Victor Hugo, is the new Medina, which has maintained the name of district of the Habous. The French urbanists planned its construction starting from 1923 in order to integrate the new populations of rural origins who had been concentrated in the southern suburb of the city. With its little squares and little lanes with arcades, Medina represents a successful example of modern adaptation of the traditional characteristics of one medina. Hassan II mosque :Mosque outside Casablanca, Morocco, begun in 1980 and completed in 1993, in order to celebrate the 60th birthday of King Hassan II of Morocco. It is the highest religious building in the world, and the largest mosque there is, covering 20,000m², and has room for 25 000 people, of which 5 000 places are set off for women. It is located next to the Atlantic Sea, and the laser lights, that point in the direction of Mecca, from the minaret can be seen from miles out to the sea.