Best option for Morocco trip?
Jan 16th, 2008, 07:10 PM
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Best option for Morocco trip?
We're planning a trip to Morocco/Andalusia in early March. Given that we only have 5/6 days in Morocco, would you recommend going to Marrakesh and Fes or only Fes combined with a trip to Merzouga and the desert? We're traveling with our son and daughter who are adventurous college students. It seems that combining all three on this short trip (Marrakesh, Fes, and desert) would involve too much time traveling...right?
Thanks so much for any help!
Thanks so much for any help!
Jan 16th, 2008, 07:57 PM
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See " help with trip from Spain to Morocco" below as there is a lot of good info there that will be good for you too.
I would do the Fes and Merzouga desert.
Everyone always thinks of Marrakech because of the song I guess, but Fes medina is a lot more authentic ( no cars or motos helps) and is very much like going back to the middle ages.
The Sahara overnight and Fes will blow you away, but it is still a lot to do in your time frame as travel time gobbles up Morocco & the distances to things.
Marrakech is often disappointing to people and very much a tourist trap/traffic & tout packed large city, so if one has time it is worth seeing, but given your time restraints, I say go for the gold....even more so with adventurous college students.
I would do the Fes and Merzouga desert.
Everyone always thinks of Marrakech because of the song I guess, but Fes medina is a lot more authentic ( no cars or motos helps) and is very much like going back to the middle ages.
The Sahara overnight and Fes will blow you away, but it is still a lot to do in your time frame as travel time gobbles up Morocco & the distances to things.
Marrakech is often disappointing to people and very much a tourist trap/traffic & tout packed large city, so if one has time it is worth seeing, but given your time restraints, I say go for the gold....even more so with adventurous college students.
Jan 17th, 2008, 06:05 AM
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We really appreciate this input!
I think you're right about the song...those of us who loved CS&N do associate Marrakesh with being in Morocco. I've been researching, but those of you who have been to both places, will we feel we've missed a lot not going to Marrakesh?
I think you're right about the song...those of us who loved CS&N do associate Marrakesh with being in Morocco. I've been researching, but those of you who have been to both places, will we feel we've missed a lot not going to Marrakesh?
Jan 18th, 2008, 03:20 AM
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Well, what would be ideal is spending MUCH more time in Morocco. It is a wonderfully interesting, unique country and is a great companion country to all the Moorish delights in Andalusia.
Morocco is also a harsh, poor ( & sometimes filthy) country in many ways that will assault your senses like no other place on the planet ( I have been to many 3rd world places like Haiti, Baku and Mexico).
You will definitely feel like you have gone to another planet, so I think it is best to do Spain first with the Moorish sites, then Morocco ( other wise one might be disappointed with Spain which is exotic itself...but not compared to Morocco).
Moroccco is very spread out, so it is the traveling to different areas to see the highlights that gobbles up time.
You will only get a tiny taste of Morocco in 5/6 days. I could have spent a week in the Ait Ben Haddou and Essouria is lovely on the beach and a very different feel that other places.
Yes, you could do just Fes and Marrakech perhaps, but they do have some similarities ( souks, riads, etc) as they are both big ciites. But given you have such little time and the very best of Morocco is the Sahara experience ( which can be profound if you overnight in the desert) , I would go for the best. Of the two cities, Fes medina is far superior in giving you more of a taste of Morocco given your time.
If you read many, many trip reports from people here and else where from people who have done BOTH fes and Marrakech, you will find the majority preferred Fes out of the two.
If you had more time I would say do ALL of Morocco as all of it is worth seeing, but given your extreme time constraints you must make choices as we all do to some extent.
It is easier to fly into Marakech from Madrid, France & the UK, so many people just fly into Marakech for a weekend etc and never really experience much of Morocco. Some like it some hate it ( extremely high non return rate like 98% to marrakech which is very telling since the bargain flights are so cheap), but most do not have much to compare to as that is all they see of Morocco.
I have been to both and no I do not think you will miss anything significant by not going to Marakech. It was our least favorite place in the whole country. Still, I am glad that I did take the extra time so that I saw it and experienced it. There are more shops in Marrakech at the souks, but I think better quality at the ones in Fes. Remember that Fes is the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco and the imperial city, of imperial cities.
I will be back to Morocco ( this year again) but I will not go to Marrakech this time at all. The song is great though and we sung it often while in Morocco on the train and not.
Morocco is also a harsh, poor ( & sometimes filthy) country in many ways that will assault your senses like no other place on the planet ( I have been to many 3rd world places like Haiti, Baku and Mexico).
You will definitely feel like you have gone to another planet, so I think it is best to do Spain first with the Moorish sites, then Morocco ( other wise one might be disappointed with Spain which is exotic itself...but not compared to Morocco).
Moroccco is very spread out, so it is the traveling to different areas to see the highlights that gobbles up time.
You will only get a tiny taste of Morocco in 5/6 days. I could have spent a week in the Ait Ben Haddou and Essouria is lovely on the beach and a very different feel that other places.
Yes, you could do just Fes and Marrakech perhaps, but they do have some similarities ( souks, riads, etc) as they are both big ciites. But given you have such little time and the very best of Morocco is the Sahara experience ( which can be profound if you overnight in the desert) , I would go for the best. Of the two cities, Fes medina is far superior in giving you more of a taste of Morocco given your time.
If you read many, many trip reports from people here and else where from people who have done BOTH fes and Marrakech, you will find the majority preferred Fes out of the two.
If you had more time I would say do ALL of Morocco as all of it is worth seeing, but given your extreme time constraints you must make choices as we all do to some extent.
It is easier to fly into Marakech from Madrid, France & the UK, so many people just fly into Marakech for a weekend etc and never really experience much of Morocco. Some like it some hate it ( extremely high non return rate like 98% to marrakech which is very telling since the bargain flights are so cheap), but most do not have much to compare to as that is all they see of Morocco.
I have been to both and no I do not think you will miss anything significant by not going to Marakech. It was our least favorite place in the whole country. Still, I am glad that I did take the extra time so that I saw it and experienced it. There are more shops in Marrakech at the souks, but I think better quality at the ones in Fes. Remember that Fes is the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco and the imperial city, of imperial cities.
I will be back to Morocco ( this year again) but I will not go to Marrakech this time at all. The song is great though and we sung it often while in Morocco on the train and not.
Jan 18th, 2008, 08:47 AM
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It is a loooong ride ( but not as bad as the one to Marrakech from Merzouga area). Some of it is quite interesting, some is boring.
We stopped at two places briefly and a few quick stops for snacks and stretching, Ifrane is an interesting ski town that looks like nothing in Morocco...an alpine village!! And there are some famous Barbary monkeys on the way in asro or..something....forgot that town name, but those monkeys are only there and on Gibralter.
You can read about it and our entire trip report on our blog at www.soultravelers3.com. Click on blog at the top, then archives on the bottom of first blog page and go to April 2007 where our whole trip report entries are on Morocco.
Good luck and have fun!
We stopped at two places briefly and a few quick stops for snacks and stretching, Ifrane is an interesting ski town that looks like nothing in Morocco...an alpine village!! And there are some famous Barbary monkeys on the way in asro or..something....forgot that town name, but those monkeys are only there and on Gibralter.
You can read about it and our entire trip report on our blog at www.soultravelers3.com. Click on blog at the top, then archives on the bottom of first blog page and go to April 2007 where our whole trip report entries are on Morocco.
Good luck and have fun!
Jan 18th, 2008, 08:35 PM
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We did Marakkech, Fes and Merzouga/desert trip in 8 nights last March. If it is at all possible to extend your time in Morocco it would be well worth it.
While I disagree with some of the negative comments about Marakkech - we loved it and would definitely go back on a return trip to Morocco - if you don't have time for all 3, I would probably agree that Fes and Merzouga would be best, particularly because the drive between the two is much shorter (about 7 hrs. compared with about 11hrs.). We loved Fes as well, definitely more authentic and real.
I also agree that doing both Fes and Marakkech and leaving out the desert would not be my recommendation. They would ultimately feel very similar. Our camel ride and night spent out in the desert was definitely the highlight of our trip (and probably of all of our trips!!) I think you would all find it truly amazing.
Here is a link to my trip report which you may find helpful. We started out in Barcelona for 5 nights so you may want to skip over that part.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34974589
While I disagree with some of the negative comments about Marakkech - we loved it and would definitely go back on a return trip to Morocco - if you don't have time for all 3, I would probably agree that Fes and Merzouga would be best, particularly because the drive between the two is much shorter (about 7 hrs. compared with about 11hrs.). We loved Fes as well, definitely more authentic and real.
I also agree that doing both Fes and Marakkech and leaving out the desert would not be my recommendation. They would ultimately feel very similar. Our camel ride and night spent out in the desert was definitely the highlight of our trip (and probably of all of our trips!!) I think you would all find it truly amazing.
Here is a link to my trip report which you may find helpful. We started out in Barcelona for 5 nights so you may want to skip over that part.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34974589
Mar 4th, 2008, 12:51 PM
#8
Well, I just returned from Fes and Rabat and my 13-year-old said when we were in the Rabat souqs - "Mom, you seen one, you seen 'em all..."
I think her point was, after Fes, you've seen the best so no need to keep looking at markets and craft stalls.
We chose Fes over Marrakesh after lots of research and were not disappointed.
If you like seeing artisans in action, this is the place. Plus, walking through Fes is really like going back 2000 years. You will just not believe it!!
We did not have time to get to the desert but that would have been my wish. Also, we saw Volubilus (sp?) and it was breathtaking - if it fits your itinerary do try to see it.
g.
I think her point was, after Fes, you've seen the best so no need to keep looking at markets and craft stalls.
We chose Fes over Marrakesh after lots of research and were not disappointed.
If you like seeing artisans in action, this is the place. Plus, walking through Fes is really like going back 2000 years. You will just not believe it!!
We did not have time to get to the desert but that would have been my wish. Also, we saw Volubilus (sp?) and it was breathtaking - if it fits your itinerary do try to see it.
g.
