Spring Colours in the Kingdom of the West (part 2)

Morocco is blue - The road along the Atlantic Coast is spectacular. It boasts the fifty nuances of the ocean’s blue, several stunning cities that each deserve the nickname of "White and Blue City", cute fishing villages, secluded lagoons and endless dunes.

Sidi Ifni, Essaouira, Rabat and Asilah are all painted in white and blue, and pop up against the blue background of the ocean and the sunny sky. 

Sidi Ifni - the southernmost point we reached on this trip - is a charming, sleepy, white-and-blue coastal town. 

It was the last Spanish colonial outpost in Morocco (the Spanish left in 1969), which explains the remaining Andalusian-style colourful buildings on the main square Place Hassan II. 

The area around is beautiful as well with white sand beaches, interesting rock formations, colourful flowers and cute birds.

Our next destination while driving north from Sidi Ifni was Essaouira, but you know the saying "Life is about the journey, not the destination"... 

The road between the two "White and Blue Cities" was so gorgeous and had so much to offer, that we could not resist the temptation to stop, sometimes even for a couple of days, at a few cute fishing villages, surfing spots, gorgeous beaches and endless dunes.

The blue fishing boats at Tifnit Beach were incredibly cute, the Timlalin Dunes were majestic, and the Tamri Viewpoint was simply spectacular. 

We also stopped for a couple of days at the surfing spots and beaches of Sidi Kaouki and Mirleft, which were a little bit less touristic than Agadir - another paradise for surfers and beach-goers, with more than 300 days of sun per year, but way too touristic for our taste - that we skipped. We wanted to stop at Imsouane, which is yet another still relatively unknown surfing spot and fishing village, but unfortunately did not have time. 

One of the highlights of our entire trip though, and a real hidden gem, was Ouassane - a tiny village, literally next to Sidi Kaouki, but without the crowds. 

From there starts an incredible hike along the ocean and on top of the endless dunes of Cape Sim, meeting the waves of the Atlantic in a picture-perfect scenery. 

Most of the time we were alone in the vast coastal desert, and just ran around the dunes like kids or contemplated for hours the blue of the ocean… 

If you push a little bit further, you will reach the peaceful beach of Diabat.

And if you keep walking, you can even get to the beach of Essaouira, yet another "White and Blue City". 

Essaouira (translating into "the small fortress" from Arabic) was known until the 1960s as Mogador, a name given to it by the Phoenicians and then the Portuguese. 

Besides being a famous spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing as the wind there is quite strong, it has one of the most picturesque fishing ports ever, where you can enjoy some fresh seafood grilled on the spot.

As if this was not enough, its artsy and quaint medina, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, exhibits the gorgeous white and blue colours of its coastal neighbours. 

The views of the Atlantic Ocean and the city itself from the ramparts and watchtowers of the citadel, known as the Skala of the Port, are jaw-dropping. The latter was built by Genoese engineers during the 18th-century reign of the Alawi sultan Mohammed III to protect the city from sea invasions and pirates, and was recently used as one of the filming locations in the TV series Game of Thrones. 

It is so charming that you can spend hours watching the seagulls float in the blue sky around the photogenic ruins of Mogador Island, located just off the coast of the city, and the fishermen cleaning the fish next to the white-washed ramparts.

We were afraid that Essaouira was going to be very touristic, but were pleasantly surprised and literally fell in love with it. Some timeless "douceur de vivre" (or "sweetness of life" from French) was hanging in the air everywhere around the medina, which made it really difficult for us to leave the city and continue our trip north. 

We could have stayed there forever…

On our way towards Rabat, we stopped for lunch at the picturesque crescent lagoon of Oualidia. The place could be described as the Moroccan Arcachon as it is known for its fresh oysters and other seafood. The fresh fish we had in one of the tiny local restaurants overlooking the ocean was delicious and so beautifully presented, that it looked almost like a painting. 

The road between Essaouira and Rabat was worth it as well - as it was springtime, the endless meadows were covered with blooming yellow and purple flowers. We came across so many carts with horses, donkeys with bags hanging on each side of the rider and villagers ploughing their land in the same old way their ancestors did, that it felt like we had somehow travelled hundreds of years back in time. This tiny bit of traditional countryside, squeezed between two modern cities, was just another of Morocco’s contrasts!

Further north, Rabat is yet another "White and Blue City" and one of the highlights of our trip. It was the capital of the French Protectorate and, when Morocco achieved independence in 1956, became the official administrative capital of the country.

It is also, together with Marrakesh, Fez and Meknes, one of the four "imperial cities", which each served as the capital of Morocco under different dynasties of monarchs throughout its history. This explains the magnificent palaces, mosques, mausoleums, towers, kasbahs and madrasas, representing the legacy of successive empires, that are scattered around all of them. The Royal Palace in Rabat, also known as Dar al-Makhzen, is the official residence of the current King of Morocco.

Rabat is much smaller than Casablanca - the economic and commercial capital of Morocco, or Tangier - the country’s largest port. However, it is exactly its size, together with its location on the Atlantic Ocean, mix of Islamic and French colonial architecture, palm-lined boulevards, huge parks and gardens, and lovely weather, that makes it so pleasant to wander around.

We started with a stroll along the beautiful coast next to the city walls and the towering Borj Sirat, also known as the Rabat Lighthouse, before climbing the stairs to the oldest part of Morocco’s capital.

The 12th-century Kasbah of the Udayas - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - is located on a hill at the mouth of the Bouregreg River and offers some spectacular views! 

You can wander around the narrow streets with traditional houses and doors painted in white and blue, as well as monumental babs, including Bab Oudaia which is considered one of the most beautiful gates of Moroccan architecture. 

And then continue your walk in the adjacent medina - also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - following the main street Rue des Consuls and the narrow alleys around, full of shops, fountains, funduqs and mosques.

The appeal of Rabat’s center is that it also contains some 20th-century buildings in contemporary styles, such as neo-Moorish, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, from when the city was the capital of the French Protectorate. A beautiful example is the Central Post Office, built around 1921.

And, of course, you cannot miss the two most spectacular modern buildings of the city, visible from far away - the iconic Great Theater of Rabat, designed by Zaha Hadid, and the 250m-high Mohammed VI Tower (located in neighboring Salé), which is the third-tallest skyscraper in Africa.

Another landmark close to the medina that you cannot miss is the Hassan Tower, a 12th-century 44m-high monumental unfinished minaret, soaring above the dozens of columns of an unfinished mosque. The tower was intended to be the largest minaret in the world, and the mosque, if completed, would have been the largest in the western Muslim world, but unfortunately the construction stopped after the death of the caliph who commissioned them.

Across from the tower and the mosque’s ruins is the 20th-century Mausoleum of Mohammed V, hosting the tombs of King Mohammed V (the last Sultan and first King of Morocco, who played an instrumental role in securing the country’s independence from the French and Spanish Protectorates) and his two sons, late King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah. It was designed in a neo-Moorish or Moroccan revivalist style by Vietnamese architect Cong Vo Toan. 

The exterior is covered with white marble and features porticos of Moorish arches and a pyramidal green roof. Honor guards in red uniforms and white capes are standing in front of each of the entrances.

However, the most spectacular part of the mausoleum is its interior with an imposing dome of mahogany and cedar wood, gold leaf and stained glass, and walls covered with colourful zelliges. 

Next to the mausoleum there is also a beautiful (and finished) small mosque, a few fountains and a gorgeous white pavilion.

Finally, you cannot miss the archeological site of Chellah, which forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is absolutely amazing. 

This huge complex is located only a short distance south of the historic city walls of Rabat. 

In the walled enclosure behind its imposing gates, it includes a 13th to 14th-century Muslim funerary and religious complex, as well as the ruins of the Roman city of Sala Colonia. 

There is so much to see… 

The tombs and mausoleums of a few sultans (and the wife of one of them), a mosque, some minarets, fountains, ponds and baths, a madrasa, the remains of Roman residential buildings, temples, forum and triumphal arch, and, of course, the lovely gardens around. 

However, the stars of the place in springtime are the white storks with their skyscraper-like nests and cute babies! 

The perfect place from where you can admire them for hours is the café inside the Chellah complex - the food is pretty good and the views of the city of Rabat are breathtaking.

If you are not fed up with the "White and Blue Cities", you should not miss another cute place on the way between Rabat and Tangier - the coastal Asilah.

Before starting exploring the town itself, do not miss the nearby beaches, which are breathtaking in spring…

Asilah’s well-preserved ramparts and medina were another highlight of our trip. 

We could not get enough of the houses painted in white and blue, the winding narrow alleys and the colourful murals…

The beaches in the city itself were beautiful as well…

In addition to its blue ocean and "White and Blue Cities" along its shores, Morocco boasts a city entirely painted in blue, and hence nicknamed the "Blue City" or the "Blue Pearl of Morocco" - Chefchaouen. The pronunciation might give you some trouble at the beginning, but you will get over it pretty quickly - it is a name you definitely want to remember! It translates as "look at the horns" in a mix of Arabic and Berber, referring to the two peaks overlooking the area. 

The town is nestled in the Rif Mountains region and the temperature can get quite chilly, especially when it rains!

Most people visit on a day-trip, which is a huge mistake, unless you like the crowds and the rush when visiting places. 

Chefchaouen, one of the prettiest towns in Morocco, definitely deserves more than just a day! 

We stayed there for three nights and almost had the place to ourselves in the late afternoons and the evenings. 

We had enough time to visit the tourist spots, but also to immerse ourselves in this charming city and mingle with the friendly locals running their errands, the kids having fun in the streets, and the goats, chicken and cats roaming around! 

While Morocco is the perfect place for cat lovers, Chefchaouen is probably the spot where you will see the most of these cute felines! 

They are, together with the ubiquitous blue colour around, the reason you will definitely fall under the city’s spell. 

Everywhere in the country people take great care of the stray cats, probably having realised that, beside their undeniable cuteness, they chase rodents and are therefore useful to humans! 

Chefchaouen was settled at the end of the 15th century as a retreat for the Moors (the Muslim population of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages) and the Jews, who had been expelled from Spain by the Catholic Monarchs. These refugees are the ones who built the houses giving the town its Spanish flavour. 

The old medina is a delight of Moroccan and Andalusian influences - bright-blue houses, narrow, winding, cobbled lanes, massive studded doors, street art, and tons of cute cats. 

Almost everything in Chefchaouen is blue… 

It is possible that, after three days there, you might start missing the other colours, but I genuinely doubt it! 

There are hundreds of nuances of blue, which change constantly, but are always gorgeous, whether it is daytime, nighttime, rainy, cloudy or sunny!

The Plaza Uta el-Hammam - the heart of the medina and probably the crowdest place in the town - is dominated by the 15-century mosque with an unusual octagonal tower and the red-hued restored old kasbah from the same period, and lined with cafés and restaurants. 

It looked a little bit too touristic, but based on the recommendation of our host, we had lunch at The Twins restaurant. Besides the best couscous during our entire trip, we enjoyed the company of many cute cats who felt perfectly comfortable napping on our bench.

Another reason we liked Chefchaouen so much was the spirituality we felt there. Probably because we visited the town during Ramadan, each of the five daily prayers, but in particular those at sunset and at mid-day on Friday (the latter is the most important one during the week that all men of Muslim confession have to attend), was special. They sounded like spiritual polyphonic songs, coming from all directions and echoing beautifully in the valley, surrounded by the mountains. The drawback was the noise of the drums that woke us up every night at around 4am - later on, we learnt that it was the way of letting the believers know it was time for their last meal and drink before sunrise, when a whole new day of fasting was going to begin for them.

The charm of Chefchaouen goes beyond the city walls. 

The surrounding area is very scenic - natural springs where the local women come to do their laundry in one of the outdoor washhouses, waterfalls (a rainy day is the perfect timing to take a walk to the Oued el Kebir River), and meadows with wildflowers and grazing sheep and goats. Also, a funny fact is that the area is one of the largest producers of kif (marijuana) in Morocco… 

However, the best part is the stunning views of the city from the Spanish mosque, built by the Spanish in the 1920s, but never used. It is located on the top of a hill that you can reach by taking the path starting from the Ras el-Maa Waterfall.

From up there you will realise just how blue the town is! Another great way to enjoy the breathtaking panorama and the calls for prayer is to stay at one of the houses on the top of Chefchaouen - it is sublime!

The initial reason we stayed for three days in Chafchaouen though was that we wanted to go for a hike in the nearby Talassemtane National Park and explore the Rif Mountains on foot. Unfortunately, the rain did not make this possible, but the additional time we had to discover the town was not a waste at all. We still need to go back for that hike though, as the most spectacular feature of the place was actually the contrast between the blue city and the surrounding lush greenery, especially in springtime. Because Morocco is also green…