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Tourist Places to Visit in Sidi Ifni, Souss-Massa-Draa, Morocco, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Sidi Ifni, Souss-Massa-Draa, Morocco, Africa

Sidi Ifni is a port city, located on the coastline of Atlantic Ocean, belonging to the Sidi Ifni Province in the Souss-Massa-Drâa region of Morocco. It is in the southern part of the country, situated between 29°23′ N latitude and 10°10′ W longitude, around 400 km southwest of the city of Marrakech and 600 km southwest of the country’s largest city, Casablanca. The economy of Sidi Ifni is centered on its port, specifically on fishing. Sidi Ifni houses a limited number of tourist attractions, notably beaches, mosques and administrative budlings.

History of Sidi Ifni:

People belonging to Ait Baamrane tribe are the main settlers of Sidi Ifni, who are in the region from the historic period. Sidi Ifni was conquered by the Spanish in 1476 and ruled until 1524 when Saadian rulers occupied Sidi Ifni. During the Spanish, Sidi Ifni had a name of Santa Cruz de la Mar Pequeña. Sidi Ifni also witnessed the French rule from 1912 to 1956.

How to reach Sidi Ifni?

The Sidi Ifni Airport is catered by Casa Air Service, which connects Sidi Ifni to Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier through scheduled flight services.

The prominent international airport, Agadir Al Massira Airport is situated around 150 km away from Sidi Ifni, covering many European destinations, including London, Helsinki, Paris, and Amsterdam. There are regular buses plying between Sidi Ifni and Agadir.

The local transportation of Sidi Ifni is upgraded, served by buses, rental cars and taxis.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Sidi Ifni:

Chleuhs and Arabs form the greater percentage of Sidi Ifni population. Shops are abundant in Sidi Ifni, both traditional and modern options. Here are some famous restaurants in Sidi Ifni:

Caf’e Restaurant Mar Pequena
la Paella de la Playa
Restaurant Gran Canaria

What to do in Sidi Ifni?

Surfing
Swimming
Kite boarding

Tourist Attractions in Sidi Ifni:

Legzira beach:

The Legzira Beach is one of the prime tourist attractions of Sidi Ifni, dominated by the naturally formed rock formation. The beach is also famous among visitors for swimming, surfing and kite boarding.

The governor’s palace of Sidi Ifni:

The governor’s palace of Sidi Ifni is one of the major landmarks as well as tourist attractions of the city. The building features a blend of white and blue colors, surrounded by systematically planted palm trees.

Sidi Ifni Mosque:

Sidi Ifni houses many nicely built mosques with historical importance. There is a mosque located on the road leading to the city that is frequented by visitors other than devotees.

Sidi Ifni Airport:

The Sidi Ifni Airport is a modern and well constructed airport, situated within the city premise, not more than a kilometer away from the city centre. The airport is located around 58 meter above sea level and features all basic facilities.

List of other places of interest in Sidi Ifni and Agadir (around 200 km) includes:

Chez Casso
Museum Municipal du Patrimoine Amazigh
Mohammed V Mosque
Valley of the Birds
Musée Bert Flint
Imouzzer Ida Ou Tanane
The city of Taroudant
The Souss-Massa National Park
Musee Municipal de Agadir
La Medina d’Agadir
Mosque Loubnan in Agadir
Musée de Talborjt “La Casbah”
The garden of Ibn Zaidoun

Best time to visit Sidi Ifni:

Undoubtedly, the summer months are recommended to visit Sidi Ifni, when the weather will be supportive for beach exploration and other outdoor activities.

Accommodation options in Sidi Ifni:

Being a beach city, Sidi Ifni houses many upgraded accommodation centres like hotels, vacation rentals, BB and inns. Apart from having healthy hospitality services at Sidi Ifni’s hotels, visitors can also take a variety of mouthwatering Moroccan and international delicacies. List of the major hotels in Sidi Ifni include:

Le Beachclub
Hotel Ait Baamrane
Hotel Safa
Auberge Beach Club Legzira
Eddib
Hotel Bellevue
Suerte Loca
Xanadu
Logis La Marine
Auberge Sable D’Or
Chez Abdoul
Hotel Idou Tiznit
Hotel Lijdiguen
L’Arganier D’Ammelne
Kasbah Tabelkoukt

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Safi, Morocco, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Safi, Morocco, Africa

Safi is a Moroccan city, situated in the western part of the country on the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, around 150 km northwest of the tourism capital of Morocco, Marrakesh and 230 km southwest of the Morocco’s largest city, Casablanca. It is the administrative centre of the Doukkala-Abda Region, visited by tourists from all around the country, mainly for its beaches and traditional Moroccan market in the medina of the city. Fishing is the backbone of Safi’s economy, dominated by the sardine fishing industry. Safi is geographically positioned between 32°17′ N latitude and 9°14′ W longitude.

History of Safi:

Safi, also pronounced as Asfl, which is derived from the local Berber language, meaning ‘flood’. The original foundation date of Safi is uncertain and the city came under the Portuguese rule in 1488 and remained until 1541. Following the Portuguese departure, Safi developed as one of the biggest seaports of Morocco as its position near Morocco’s then capital, Marrakech.

Getting Safi:

There is no airport in Safi, so international tourists are needed to reach either Mogador Airport (135 km) or Marrakech Menara Airport (160 km), of which the latter airport is one of the important airports in Morocco, covering all the important European cities.

The bus transportation of Safi extends to all the major Moroccan cities, including Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech.

To move within the city, buses are generally available, though, for comfortable travel, visitors can hire a car for a day or week.

Shopping and Food in Safi:

The central medina is the ideal place for traditional shopping in Safi, where visitors can bag items like traditional clothes, handicraft products and jewelry at affordable price.

Some tourist favor restaurants in Safi include:

Auberge du Cheval Blanc
Riad du Pecheur
La Trattoria
Restaurant Moukhlis Fish

Things to do in Safi:

Surfing
Tour of Medina
Shopping

Places to see in Safi:

Medina of Safi:

Like most cities in Morocco, Safi is also famous for its Medina or old town, which is mainly noted for traditional Moroccan market. The market is well known for a variety of local specialties like handicraft products, clothes and jewels.

Beach of Safi:

Safi is home to a nice beach line, frequented by water sport lovers, especially surfers, during summer months. There are also many several modernized restaurants and cafes located on the beach. Souiria Beach is the most famous beach in Safi.

Seaport of Safi:

The seaport of Safi is one of the largest of Morocco, with continuous operation, mainly sardine fishing and also exports products like phosphates, textiles and ceramics in larger proportion. The port can be reached by a rental vehicle from the city centre.

Marrakech:

Marrakech is the capital of Morocco’s tourism, situated around 150 km away from Safi. Everything can be seen in Marrakech, including museums, palaces, gardens, churches and mosques. Buses are regular between Marrakech and Safi. Worth a trip.

Other places of interest in Safi and Marrakech (around 150 km) include:

Djemaa El-Fna
La Palmeraie
Majorelle Gardens
Koutoubia Mosque
Dar Si Saïd Museum
El Badi Palace
Rahba Kedima Square
Maison Tiskiwin
Menara Gardens
El Bahia Palace
Miaara Jewish Cemetery
Ben Youssef Madrassa
Jardin Majorelle

Best time to visit Safi:

From March to September is the ideal time to visit Safi, especially between May and August, when surfing can be enjoyed best in Safi in Morocco.

Accommodation Options in Safi:

There are hotels limited in number in Safi, around 20, of which most offer advance booking facility through online for visitors’ convenience. Some recommended hotels in Safi are listed below:

Hotel Assif
Hotel Riad Asfi
Abda Hotel
Les Mimosas
Hotel Atlantide
Golden Tulip Farah Safi
Cmkd Safi
Atlantique Panorama
Riad du Pecheur Safi
Riad Le Cheval Blanc
Dar Yasmine
Riad Safi
Riad Leila Chambre d’hotes
Hotel Majestic
Safi Surf Camp

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Rabat, Morocco, Africa

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Rabat, Morocco, Africa

Rabat is the capital city of Morocco, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline and it also functions as the administrative centre of the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer region. It is located around 90 km northeast of the Morocco’s largest city, Casablanca. Rabat was honored with an award by CNN as the 2^nd “Top Travel Destinations of 2013”. The city of Rabat covers an area of 117 sq. km, while its highest elevation measures 135 meters. Rabat coordinates with 34°02′ N latitude and 6°50′ W longitude. Rabat holds many renowned tourist attractions, of which the landmark sites are the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Hassan Tower and Saint-Pierre Cathedral.

History of Rabat:

Rabat is relatively a younger city compared to other Moroccan cities, founded by the Almohad ruler Abd al-Mu’min in 1146. The name of Rabat may be the modified form of the title Ribatu l-Fath (‘stronghold of victory’), indicating its importance in the Almohad’s wars in the second half of the 12^th century. Along with the rest of Morocco, Rabat also witnessed the rule of the French during the first half of the 20^th century.

How to get Rabat?

Rabat is served by Rabat-Salé Airport, with international flights from Paris, Amsterdam, Tripoli, Madrid, London, Brussels and Jeddah. The airport is located around 8 km away from the city centre, which can be crossed by taxi (around 15 euro) or airport bus shuttle.

Rabat can be reached by train from Casablanca (around 1 hour), Fez (about 2.5 hours) and Marrakesh (around 4 hour). The bus network of Rabat also covers all three above cities.

Culture, Shopping and Food in Rabat:

The Theatre Mohamed V is the biggest cultural centre in Rabat and the city is also home to many active cultural organizations, including Orient-Occident Foundation and ONA Foundation.

Specialty shops in Rabat can be found at Rue des Consuls, medina and Agdal and there is a mall by the name MegaMall, with bowling and an ice rink facilities.

Restaurants can be found anywhere in Rabat and tourist favor options are located at Old Medina.

Things to do in Rabat:

Visiting spas
Exploring beaches
City tours

Places to see in Rabat:

Mausoleum of Mohammed V:

The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is the site of the tombs of the renowned Moroccan king Mohammed V and his two sons. The building features the modern Alaouite dynasty architecture, was constructed in 1971. It is worth a visit.

Hassan Tower:

Hassan Tower in Rabat is situated on the opposite side of the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and its height reaches up to 44 meters. This iconic minaret with mosque was the dream project of Sultan Yacoub al-Mansour, but due to the death of the sultan in 1996, the project was stopped and later only minaret was completed.

Chellah:

Chellah is the old city of Rabat, founded by Carthaginians and it later came under the Roman and Arab rule. Now it is an abandoned site, although, allowed for visitors until 5:30 PM from morning. Entrance fee is 10 MAD.

Rabat Archaeological Museum:

Inaugurated in 1932, the Rabat Archaeological Museum holds a large collection of archeological artifacts found in the different regions of Morocco. Artifacts dating from Pre-Roman and Roman civilizations are highlights here.

Kasbah of the Udayas:

The Kasbah of the Udayas is a fortified site in Rabat, located at the gateway of the River Bou Regreg. It was constructed by the Almohads on the destroyed site of the Almoravids’s kasbah. Currently the Kasbah features a mosque, a palace and many other attractive historic houses.

Other places of interest in Rabat include:

Medina of Rabat
Zoo de Rabat
Andalusian Gardens
Royal Palace of Rabat
Cathedrale Saint-Pierre
Plage de Rabat
The Currency Museum of the Bank Al-Maghrib
Exotic Gardens of Rabat Sale
Russian Orthodox Church
Les Jardins Exotiques de Bouknadel
Rabat Old Town
Oudaia Museum

Best time to visit Rabat:

Rabat experiences a Mediterranean climate with mild and temperate climate year round and the ideal time to visit Rabat is from May to August.

Accommodation options in Rabat:

Rabat is a city for all types of tourists with all sorts of well facilitated accommodation centre. Nice budget options can be found at the Old Medina of the city. Some reputed hotels in Rabat are as follows:

Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses
Riad Kalaa
Villa Mandarine
Hotel la Tour Hassan
Dar Zouhour
Villa des Ambassadors
Riad Dar El Kebira
Le Soundouss Hotel
Le Diwan Rabat
Le Pietri Urban Hotel
Belere Rabat
Hotel Dohrmi
Mercure Rabat Sheherazade
Rihab Hotel Rabat
Ibis Moussafir Rabat

Places to Visit in Quarzazate (Ouarzazate), Morocco, Africa

Places to Visit in Quarzazate (Ouarzazate), Morocco, Africa

Ouarzazate is the capital city of the Ouarzazate Province in the southern-central part of the northwestern African country, Morocco. It falls under the Souss-Massa-Drâa region, located around 1,160 metres meters above sea level, between 30°55′ N latitude and 6°55′ W longitude. Ouarzazate is located towards the south of the High Atlas Mountains, around 200 km southeast of Marrakech and 430 km north-northwest of Casablanca, the largest city of Morocco.

Ouarzazate itself is one of the top holiday destinations in Morocco and also situated close to the village, called Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ouarzazate is also renowned as the shooting location for many Hollywood movies, including The Mummy and Gladiator.

History of Ouarzazate:

Ouarzazate got its name from the Berber language, in which Ouarzazate means ‘without noise’. Until the French colonization, Ouarzazate was at the back door and it came to front door during French period, becoming a garrison town and customs post.

How to reach Ouarzazate?

Ouarzazate hosts an airport with the scheduled flights from Casablanca, El Aaiún, Paris, Agadir, Casablanca, Zagora and seasonal flights from Luxembourg. The distance of 5 km from the airport to Ouarzazate city centre can easily be crossed by bus or taxi or more conveniently by a pre-booked car.

It costs around 80 dirham from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate by CTM buses. Red petit taxis and Machi Car Rental are the options to get around Ouarzazate other than buses.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Ouarzazate:

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ait Benhaddou is a fortified village within Ouarzazate. The city is also home to two popular film studious, CLA Studios and Atlas Studios.

Ouarzazate is famous for carpets and other handicraft products. Restaurants are abundant in Ouarzazate, cheaper options can be found at Mohammad V Street and in Central Square.

What to do in Ouarzazate?

Travel Exploration Morocco tour
Morocco Desert Tour
Desert Dream Day Tours
Sahara 4×4 viajes tour
Shopping
Walking

What to see in Ouarzazate?

Ait Benhaddou:

Ait Benhaddou is the first preference of visitors coming to Ouarzazate. It is a fortified village, located in the west of Ouarzazate, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its eye-catching well preserved architectural features. It will be a memorable day trip for visitors.

Atlas Studios:

Atlas Studios is a popular movie studio in Ouarzazate, served many English movies like Mission Cleopatra, The Man Who Would Be King, Kingdom of Heaven Gladiator and Alexander. Admission fee for visitors is 50 dirham. The studio is situated 4 km away from the heart of the city.

Oasis de Fint:

Oasis de Fint is a picturesque site located in the centre of the dry hills, close to Ouazarzate. The area is rich in vegetation, which takes around a half day to explore. There is also a restaurant.

CLA Studios:

The CLA Studios is located on the road leading to Atlas Studios. This studio is mainly used for TV movies and serials. It is located around 7 km west of the centre of Ouarzazate. Admission fee is 100Dh.

Other places of interest in and around Ouarzazate include:

Kasbah Amridil
Musee Theatre Memoire de Ouarzazate
Jebel Sahro
Taourirt Kasbah
Labyrinthe Du Sud

When to visit Ouarzazate?

Ouarzazate generally experiences a hot and dry summer and very cold winter and the tour of Ouarzazate can be enjoyed best during any month among March, April, May, October and November.

Where to stay in Ouarzazate?

Like the most Moroccan cities, Ouarzazate also holds a grand hospitality industry with more than 100 standard accommodation centres with a blend of modern and traditional facilities. Some such prominent hotels in Ouarzazate are given below: