Magical Morocco
My partner and I have the chance to spend Christmas and New Year with a friend’s family in southern Spain this year. While we’re there I’d like to visit Morocco, perhaps by ferry.
– Melita
Ferries from Spain to Morocco are plentiful, with tickets starting at about €30 ($49). The Direct Ferries, Acciona Transmediterranea and FRS sites have details.
The most popular crossing is Algeciras to Tangier. Ferries run at least every 90 minutes and the trip takes about an hour. Other options from southern Spain are Algeciras and Almeria to the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, Almeria to Nador, Malaga to Melilla and Tarifa to Tangier.
Morocco exudes Maghrebi mystique, with medina lanes leading to souqs (markets) and riads (mudbrick courtyard mansions); camels disappearing into the Sahara and Berber villages in the High Atlas mountains.
The authors of our Morocco guidebook share many highlights, one of which is to ogle the Unesco-acclaimed halqa (street theatre) in Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakesh’s main square during the day, before sampling local fare from the 100 or so stalls that set up around sunset.
Be wowed by the rose-gold sands and violet-blue Saharan skies on a camel trek. Or get lost in the Fez medina, the maze to end all mazes, which many visitors consider one of the most mind-boggling places in all of Africa.
To reach the UK afterwards you can either retrace your steps to Spain and fly from there, or fly direct from Marrakesh, Tangier, Agadir, Casablanca and Fez.
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