Basic Travel Info About Morocco

Small & Easy to Understand Travel Info About Morocco

The Kingdom of Morocco is one of the best countries in the Middle East that rely heavily on tourism and is famous for the golden desert. It also has various aspects of tourism, including archaeological and mountainous tourism, and more. The country hosted a good number of movies and series the last years like "John Wick Chapter 3 - Moon Night" and more.

As an adventure traveler, Morocco is a good selection to enjoy an unforgettable adventure tour. Morocco is an Islamic state, with its capital Rabat and its largest city, Casablanca. Morocco is the most beautiful country you can go there and take a tour of its cities. Its name is Morocco which is derived from the most famous city there which is Marrakesh.

In Arabic, the country is called "Al-Maghreb" which means the west due to its location in the west. Its official name is Al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyyah (Kingdom of Morocco) Morocco is a Democratic and social constitutional monarchy, where the nation exercises its sovereignty directly by referendum and indirectly through constitutional institutions.

The King of the Kingdom of Morocco is Mohammed VI bin Hassan II Al Alawi, he is the twenty-third king of Morocco from the Alawi Filali dynasty, besides, he assumed power after the death of his father, King Hassan II, after his death in 1999. "Rabat" is the capital of Morocco which was founded in 1150 AD by Abdel Moneim, the first king of the Almohad dynasty, it is one of the most important cities in Morocco, as it is a center of world heritage sites and therefore attracts many tourists all over the year. It also includes the main government buildings and the parliament building, as well as all foreign embassies.

The Official language in Morocco is "Arabic" with a Tamazight2 accent from "Berber languages" that distinguish Algeria and Tunis as well. The second language of the country is "French" which is not used a lot by the citizens. Morocco is a Muslim country and Islam is the main religion in the Kingdom, where you will find many Islamic tourist attractions in their besides also, Coptic ones. The ruling party is also an Islamic party, and the Sunni sect represents the largest proportion of the population. The currency in Morocco is the Moroccan dirham (DH) which is main currency. Morocco's total area is 710,850 km² and the country's Borders are:

• From North: the Mediterranean Sea to the north.
• South: Mauritania.
• East: Algeria.
• West: Atlantic Ocean.

Geographical Location of the Kingdom of Morocco:

Morocco is located in northwest Africa Morocco is the first city in Africa to be accepted by tourists to visit and see its monuments because of its location and long history.

Easy to Know About Morocco's History:

Morocco’s history dates back to ancient times and was followed by the civilizations of Asholinian, Mostyrian, Tiberian, Iberumurisian, Cardiol, Bell, and then Coptic. Archaeological evidence has shown that the area has been inhabited for at least 400,000 years. In the first century AH, the Islamic conquest of Morocco and North Africa took place at the time of the Umayyad caliphate, but Umayyad rule did not last long as Morocco soon separated from the Umayyad caliphate after a revolution led by Misra al-Mutagari, known as the Berber Revolution in 740 AD. After the first Moroccan and Agadir crises in 1912, the Treaty of Fez was signed, in which Morocco became under French and Spanish protection. In 1956, after 44 years of French occupation, Morocco gained independence, and most of the territory under Spanish control quickly regained independence as well. With this history of colonialism, its many races, and their influence on French colonialism, in particular, culture in Morocco has certainly been influenced and customs and traditions have acquired its customs.

Culture in the Kingdom of Morocco:

Morocco passed through many colonizers due to its distinguished position as a gateway to Africa, but these successive colorizations affected culture and paved the way for distinguished cultural relations with European countries to this day. It also contributed to the multiplicity of foreign languages that Moroccans mastered and increased their knowledge of European countries and kept pace with them. Moroccan territory has over time welcomed a number of ethnicities from the east, south, and north, but each of these groups has had a profound impact on the social composition of the country. It is worth noting that Morocco is a multi-religious country such of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, and in addition to that each region of Morocco has unique characteristics that distinguish it from others, thus forming Moroccan culture as it is, and has provided history with a unique cultural heritage. 

Customs and Traditions of the Kingdom of Morocco:

Islam is the main religion of the majority of Moroccans as they govern their personal, political, economic, and legal lives, and here are some of the values of the Moroccan family:

• The family is the most important unit in Moroccan life and plays an important role in all social relations.
• The individual is always a family member or group.
• Nepotism indicates the care of one family.
• The family is made up of both extended families.
• Revering and respecting the elderly often exerts a great influence on the rest of the family.
• When Moroccans greet each other, they take their time to talk about their families, friends, and other public topics.
• Shaking hands is the usual greeting among same-sex people.
• The handshake may be somewhat weak by Western standards.
• It is common to give a kiss on the cheeks of people, starting with the left cheek during a handshake, men with men, and women with women.
• When entering a social function, you must shake hands with the person on your right and then continue throughout the room and move from right to left.

Moroccan Food

Moroccan cuisine is one of the world’s most diverse cuisines, due to Morocco’s blending with the surrounding world throughout history, bringing Moroccan cuisine together in Amazigh, Arabic, Middle East, African and other places. In addition that Moroccan cuisine ranks first in the Arab world, Africa, and Lefrigaro magazine has mentioned that Moroccan cuisine dishes are second in the world.

Main Moroccan Dishes:

Couscous, Tajain, and Malawi are among the oldest Moroccan cuisines, but as far as sweets are concerned, Kaab al-Ghazal, Shabakiya, and coke are ancient Moroccan desserts.

Music and Celebrations:

One of Morocco’s most famous music is Bandar and String, a mix of Oriental, classical and Moroccan music, and each region of Morocco has its own musical character.

Festivals in Morocco

There are a variety of festivals in the Kingdom of Morocco, such as:

• The International Festival of Oral Heritage.
•  the International Children’s Theatre Forum.
• Andalusia Forum
• Camel Week Festival
• Al Hoceima Festival
• Hassani Poetry and Singing Festival
• Summer Youth Music Festival

Many other festivals are held on Moroccan soil, and a number of national cultures hosted by Morocco are mixed into these festivals.

Language in Morocco:

Moroccans speak seven tongues such as:

• Arabic.
• Tashlheit,
• Tazgat,
• Darja (Moroccan slang).
• Hassania (Arabic dialect of the Saharan population),
• Spanish
• French.

Morocco’s linguistic situation is an undeniable linguistic multiplicity and huge chaos within which languages coexist, with each language ensuring its location, role, and status, and monopolizing its geographical regions as well. In addition, it is a situation in which prevailing public policy has contributed, and Morocco today Amazighs (rural, Amazigh, Tashlheit), Arabic (colloquialism including hasanism), classical Arabic (or classical in the words of colonial sociology), and foreign languages: French, Spanish, and English.

The Climate in Morocco:

Morocco’s climate varies by region, due to it being the Mediterranean in the north, peripheral to the west, and desert in the south. Coastal areas have a mild climate, and mountainous areas in the south are often known for their cold and humid climate during winter, with the Atlas Mountains, which embrace Marrakech, known for heavy snowfall. The average sunny period during a day exceeds eight hours.

Winter:

• Winters can be quite humid
• The average temperature from November to January is around 53.6°F/12°C.
• From June to August averages are around 77°F/25°C.

Summer:

• The weather is hot, dry, and sunny from June to August, making it the best time of the year.
• Average summer temperatures are around 86°F/30.0°C.

The Main Airports of Morocco

There are many airports in Morocco, but the main airports are:

• Mohammed V International Airport CMN
• Marrakech Menara International Airport RAK

Transportation

Morocco is a civilized country with very good and excellent transportation because it knows that tourists first thing care about transportation within the country so as not to waste time one of the most important means of transportation and transportation is:

• Taxis.
• Trains
• Public buses.

Tourism in Morocco:

Tourism in Morocco plays an important role in Morocco’s economy, given the stability it has enjoyed compared to other neighboring countries in North Africa. Moreover, it is the main nucleus of Morocco’s service sector. Morocco has many World Heritage Sites:

Djemaa El Fna Square

It is located in Marrakesh and includes many activities that attract tourists, such as there are snake tamers in addition to attractive music, and there are many distinctive Moroccan restaurants.

Marrakesh Museum

It is a Museum of Contemporary Art located in the city of Marrakesh and has many wonderful pieces of art such as textiles, Quran inscriptions, ceramics...etc.

Archaeological Museum in Rabat

It is the most important museum in Morocco and was built in 1932. Besides, it includes many valuable relics of previous eras, prehistoric and pre-Islamic times. In addition to the Roman ruins monuments such as attractive bronze statues. 

Majorelle Gardens

It is located in Marrakesh and includes many rare plants and flowers, which are not limited to the Arab world but include different types of flowers from all over the world. Thus, it gives an atmosphere of joy and elegance to this place and attracts many tourists and local visitors.

The ancient city of Al Shalla

It is an archaeological city dating back to the sixth century AD, located on the Noha Abu Reggag and it includes the main temple and subsidiary corridors as well as bathrooms.

The Almohad wall

It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Rabat. Almohads built it. The length of the wall is 2263 m, its width is 2.5 m, and its height is 10 m. In addition to other famous sites such as The Palace of Ait Ben Haddo, Mazakan (New), the ancient city of Sweira, the old city of Fez, the ancient city of Marrakech, the ancient city of Tetouan, and the historic city of Meknes Morocco is a country of beauty and unique landscape tourism, as it contains many types of tourism including mountain tourism, ancient city tourism, religious tourism, and sports tourism. So Tourism in Morocco has become a global destination thanks to its ingredients.

The Best Time for Visiting Morocco:

The best tourism season in Morocco runs from March to May, characterized by a mild and beautiful atmosphere in Morocco’s cities, where light rain falls, as well as warm and comfortable weather for tourism in general. In conclusion, this article hopes to be helpful for you and answer all your questions. If you have any further questions, please contact us or leave them in the comments.

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