Morocco Questions

Old Jul 20th, 2016, 09:05 PM
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Morocco Questions

Researching for a 9 or 10 days trip to Morroco and have a few beginners question.

Definitely want to visit Marrakesh and Fes. Thinking of using them as a base with day trips to Volubilis, Meknas, Chefchaouen, Essaouira and Aït-Ben-Haddou.

1) If there is a choice, is it better to start at Marrakesh and end in Fes or vice versa,
2) Can Volubilis and Meknas be combined together as a day trip from Fes?
3) Can Chefchaouen be a day trip from Fes? (7 hours drive round trip)
4) Can Aït-Ben-Haddou be a day trip from Marrakesh? (7 hours drive round trip)
5) Is Essaouira still worth a visit if my home town is on the coast? Being on the beach is not something I seek on vacation as I have that at home. One attraction will be the Game of Thrones locations. Can this be a day trip from Marrakesh? (6 hours drive round trip)

Essaouira, Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou, Chefchaouen all seems like long day trips so perhaps not the best plan. I'm trying not to have different hotels everyday but maybe that's unavoidable? I also don't know the best way to move around (drive? train?). I figure for day trips, I'd hire a driver/guide from the hotel. I know the best way Marrakesh Fes is via a day long train.

Thanks in advance.
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Old Jul 21st, 2016, 04:39 AM
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All of those are possible, but you've outlined the problem which is the time spent travelling (and your timings are optimistic). You are falling into the common trap of being too ambitious, especially as you've not settled on your mode of transport. Visiting places as a day trip and then returning to your base means you are doing unnecessary journeys, better to move hotels.

Personally I'd slow down, chill out more. Actually spend some time in each location otherwise the holiday will pass in a blur of scenery viewed through a windscreen or train window.

Chefchaouen is a pretty town but it's an awful long way just to spend two or three hours there, and the main road there and back is busy.

Meknes is on the train line so could be visited as an overnight stop between Marrakech and Fez.
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Old Jul 21st, 2016, 07:26 AM
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Hi ,
Am Raja from Morocco..
1. It dependse on the airport you will land .
2. Yes..you can do a day trip from Fes to include Volubilus, Molay
Idriss, and Mekness. It will takes you 1 hour and half each way.
3. concerning Chefchawen, better to spend one night there .
4. Better to spend one night in Ait Benhadou as the best thing to
explore the places more then just spend all the day just in the
roads.
5. If you are living in the coast and you will visit Marrakech and
fes, then no need to go to Essaouira; as Essaouira is just a
small windy town with includes an old medina . and you can do
it as a day trip from Marrakech 2hours and half each way.
Please if you need any further information concerninh hotels, riads , transportation you can contact me : [email protected]
Have a nice holiday
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Old Jul 21st, 2016, 08:53 PM
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Thank you for the feedback.

I will be flying in from a major European city with connection, probably via Ryan Air, to/from Marrakesh/Fes. So I am pondering whether I should start with Marrakesh or Fes.

Noted that Chefchaouen and Aït-Ben-Haddou should be overnight trips instead of day trips. Certainly don't wanna just see Morocco from car/train windows.

My only reason to go to Essaouira would be the Game of Thrones connection. Otherwise, beach and medina I can get elsewhere. Game of Thrones is also the reason for Aït-Ben-Haddou. (Yes, travelling with a thronie
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Old Jul 24th, 2016, 06:27 PM
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Some thoughts:

For the very few days you'll spend in Morocco, I suggest you divide them more or less equally between Marrakech & Fes. Which comes first makes no difference at all unless flights are more convenient to/from one or the other. Presumably you'll fly into one & out from the other so let the timings decide the issue. Or maybe if there's a special place you'd like to stay, availability may decide for you. The train between cities will eat up most of a day (7 hours) so plan accordingly.

From Marrakech, go to Essaouira and spend 1 night. Unless you live in a Moroccan fishing town with ancient ramparts, there will be nothing to remind you of your home town and that's why we go to Morocco, for the difference. The beach is the very least of it. The town would be perfect even if there was no beach, unless you're a windsurfer.

From Fes you can easily take a short train ride to Meknes for a day trip. Alternatively, hire a car and head to Chefchaouen for an overnight with a stop on the way or way back at Volubilis. I'd choose Chefchaouen over Meknes.

Skip Eit Ben Haddou, no time. Come back and visit next trip.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 11:44 AM
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I really enjoyed Essaouira. The beach vibe is cool, but this is not California or UK beachy. As Mme. Perdu says, this is Morocco. Also, nice restaurants, fun shopping and hugely scenic and atmospheric. The photo of the city, with its ramparts taken from down at the port is one of my favorite photos from my entire trip. I would not skip Essaouira. If need be, I'd skip Meknes and perhaps even Volubilis over Essaouira.
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Old Jul 26th, 2016, 09:40 PM
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Thank you for the feedback on Essaouira. Will keep that in mind.

From my research thus far, most visitors like Marrakesh but LOVE Fes. So I'm wondering if I should save Fes for last. If I start will Fes, will I be disappointed when I get to Marrakesh? I imagine Marrakesh to be more hectic/crowded/touristy than Fes.
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Old Jul 26th, 2016, 10:48 PM
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Fes & Marrakech are very different. I happen to like Marrakech better but because they're so very different I don't think it'll make any difference in what order you visit. Let other, practical considerations be your guide.

I could live in Marrakech but am quite sure I couldn't in Fes, fascinating though it is. Marrakech is touristy in the touristy parts but in other areas you'll see only locals. But the same might be said of Fes. Not as simple as you imagine.
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Old Jul 27th, 2016, 04:09 AM
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I liked Essaouira, though it's not as thoroughly Moroccan as Marrakesh or Fes. More expats. Someone called it "Morocco Light", which seems fair, but also not such a bad thing. It's on the coast, and though we too live near a coast, the setting in Essaouira with the ramparts is something else, really.

Chefchouen can probably be "done" in a day but I think as a round trip from Fes it would be tough. Probably not worth it (and I like the town). We overnighted and that worked out well.

Doubt it matters which way you go, Marrakesh-Fes. We drove north.

I'm in the group that love Fes, found Marrakesh ok so I'm glad we went the direction we did.
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