Morocco bound
When the ad campaigns are full of dazzling blue skies and sun-drenched desert, it's not hard to feel a bit cheated when we arrive in rain-soaked Marrakech.
Any doom and gloom soon disappears, however, when we push through the battered blue door of Dar Azul, a three-storey riad in the heart of the city's labyrinthine casbah district.
While Dar Azul's charming tiled interior and luxurious furnishings are immediately appealing, the best thing about arriving there on a wet, cold February night is the dinner waiting on the stovetop. We are immediately torn between exploring the riad or devouring the succulent lamb tagine and Moroccan salads prepared by the saintly Khadija, the shy student who works as the riad's cook and housekeeper.
It was just as well that it was too wet to lounge on the roof terrace, or we might still be in a quandary over what to do. This kind of battle became a constant factor during our winter sun escape to Morocco – with so much to see and do (not to mention eat and drink), being a tourist is an exercise in effective decision-making.
After two days of exploring Marrakech's dusty streets, we headed out of the city limits in the back of a battered 1980s' Mercedes. Rocking the casbah is all very well, but after struggling through a long, dark winter in Britain, we relished the opportunity of a dose of sea air. Friends had waxed lyrical about the seaside charms of Essaouira – a fortified port some 110 miles away – and we needed to see it for ourselves.
There are regular buses from Marrakech, but we liked the idea of riding in style in a "grand taxi" as the Atlas Mountains flashed past the window. There's not much to do or see in Essaouira, but that's possibly the point.
This pretty town is a refreshing alternative to the dusty mayhem of Marrakech. A favourite stop on the hippy trail since the 1960s, Essaouira remains remarkably free of large-scale tourism – especially in the low season.
It might be popular with the campervan crowd – clusters of them gather like seagulls in parking spaces near the port, then disperse in the morning, but most other tourists seem to visit on day trips from Marrakech.
They're drawn by the UNESCO World Heritage-listed medina (mercifully less frenzied than Marrakech's Djemma al-Fna), the wild Atlantic coast and the outlying countryside, which seems largely populated with people who look like they've walked out of pages of the Bible.
The long stretch of beach isn't recommended for swimming, but strong winds make it a magnet for windsurfers. Landlubbers can stroll the beach, which gets turned into a series of football pitches before and after school, or try their luck at riding camels or donkeys along the sand.
Then six months' pregnant, I wasn't in the market for a camel ride, a henna tattoo or "some space cake" offered by the touts on the beach, but I couldn't say no to a fresh fish lunch.
Time it right and you can watch your lunch being hauled out of a rickety wooden boat before it gets delivered to one of the group of open-air restaurants opposite Place Moulay Hassan. Choosing one to stop at is harder than selecting your favourite pair of leather slippers – my advice is to follow your nose rather than be charmed by the white-coated waiters outside.
The fish is sold by weight – prawns are more expensive than sardines, for example – but about 5 buys a feast of the fish of your choice, crusty French bread and salad. If you're still hungry, watch out for the men carrying platters of super-sweet pastries and cakes around the waterfront and the squares.
Early evening is a good time to poke around the medina. There are plenty of stalls selling the obligatory leather slippers, marquetry boxes, spices and dangly earrings, but go a little deeper and you'll discover where the locals buy bushy bouquets of fresh mint and strawberries the size of golf balls.
When the sun goes down, head for the rooftop bars of Taros Caf (above Place Moulay Hassan). Taros manages to be exceptionally cool and impossibly romantic at the same time, while remaining incredibly welcoming.
It's a great place to watch the sun set over a cocktail or two, but gets even more atmospheric after dark when the candles come out and the live music starts. The restaurant downstairs is a great place to eat – try the traditional bastilla pastry – a richly-flavoured filo parcel of dark pigeon meat, dusted with icing sugar.
And as seductive as Taros and its myriad spaces are, we were keen to return to our luxurious temporary home, the sumptuous Villa Maroc. This gorgeous hotel, created from a network of four adjoining riads, is like a microcosm of Essaouira's charms. There's a sun-drenched roof terrace, a series of interconnecting dining rooms and snug bars and a private hammam (steam bath). Family groups might prefer the DIY approach – and the pretty riad of Dar Qawi is a great option in the heart of
the medina.
With two roof terraces, one single and three double bedrooms, there' s plenty of space for kids to run around and parents to chill out. It's also a great place to get a real taste of local life as it's been lived here for centuries.
Be warned though, there's a mosque across the street and that early-morning call to prayer isn't exactly scheduled to suit holiday sleep-ins.
Somehow, even an early wake-up call seems easy to cope with in this charming city. Temperatures are balmy and crowds are minimal in February and September. Avoid the summer months unless you like scorching weather.
Morocco is not the cheap-as-chips paradise of backpacker legends. Unless you're eating street food and prepared to stay somewhere dirt cheap, prices are verging on European.
Islam is the dominant social and religious factor here – women should dress accordingly.
How to get there and where to stay
Lucy Corry was a guest of three individual riad owners in Marrakech and Essaouira. Their properties are listed as follows:
Dar Azure, a three/four- bedroom house in Marrakech Medina, offers three nights' B&B for four guests from 360 (or 120 per night). Reservations: 07803 723 320 and www.darazure.com.
Villa Maroc, a guesthouse/boutique hotel in Essaouira Medina, offers B&B in standard double rooms from 82.50. Reservations: 00212 524 473147 and www.villa-maroc.com
Dar Qawi, in the ancient medina of Essaouira and close to main square and beach, sleeps up to six. Rental of entire house from 70 per night (min three nights) includes breakfast, maid service. Reservations: 07887 700 001 and www.riadbythesea.com.
Return flights into Marrakech, mainly by easyJet and Ryanair, start around 150 and can exceed 200.
Operators with packages to Essaouira include Sovereign Luxury Travel,
which offers seven nights' B&B at the five-star Sofitel Essaouira Medina & Spa from 629, incl return flights ex-Gatwick with Royal Air Maroc, private transfers, 24-hour Sovereign Concierge service and free UK VIP airport lounge access.
Regional connections to Gatwick include Manchester and Glasgow from around 85 return.
Sovereign reservations: www.sovereign.com and 0871 200 6677.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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