Morocco

So if you find yourself in Southern Spain, it is easiest to take a ferry from Tarifa to Tangier!! Tarifa is a charming beach town known for kite surfing and other water sports! Totally worth checking out! The ferry runs consistently throughout the year, and only slows down during the rainy season. Only once was a ferry canceled due to weather when I tried to go! You can buy your tickets ahead of time online (https://www.frs.es/en/), or you can walk up to the counter and purchase a ticket 30 minutes before your boat leaves!

I also recommend booking with a tour guide! For just a little more, you will have a personal guide, driver, and they also arrange the ferry tickets for you! I have used Jamal, and I highly recommend him and his team! I will add his contact information to the end of this post!

The trickiest part of the whole trip is remembering to get your passport stamped and your documents reviewed before you get off the ferry in Morocco! If you get confused about the process, just ask the ferry staff. They get a little stamp happy, and I have more Moroccan stamps in my passport than any other!

Once you arrive in Tangier, I really recommend hiring a driver. If you use a guide, you don’t have to worry about this. I have several friends who have rented cars and had a great experiences, but I do not trust my driving! In my experience, traffic laws are more of a suggestion and rarely followed! Plus it is so nice to be able to enjoy the scenery and not have to be responsible for finding parking and such! Maybe I am lazy, but I think it is worth the $. I hired a driver for my trip with my husband, and the whole time he said he would have been fine driving! So totally personal preference! Go for it if you are feeling brave!

Where to go:

If you only have a day, Tangier is the perfect trip! You can see so much in just a day! The Old town (Kasbah) is a wild, chaotic maze of streets filled with yelling vendors, speeding mopeds, children kicking soccer balls, and random animals! The architecture is absolutely stunning! Definitely visit some of the palaces, and I am in love with the bright colors used to decorate! I have visited a few villages in the area, but I think Tangier is the most dramatic Morrocan experience!

If you have time to stay overnight, I love going to Chefchaouen! It is a quaint, totally blue town set in the Atlas mountains! You will get more of a village vibe compared to the hustle and bustle of Tangier! You can walk around most of the town very easily, and even see a waterfall! The steep climbs make the views worth it! It is so interesting to see how the Berber people live and how little has changed in 100s of years! Seeing women washing their clothes in the river, and children carrying loaves of bread from the wood-burning bakeries made it feel like we were in another era. Getting lost in the winding blue alleyways is a magical experience!

What to do:

So coming from a shopaholic, the shopping in Morocco is Amazing!!! Coming from a world of online shopping and impulse buys, the shops in Morocco are a welcome change of pace. Rug shops are the most unique. You make small talk with the owner, sip delicious mint tea, and haggle over prices. I looked at 100s of rugs and finally decided which ones I needed!! Even for an expert shopper, it is quite overwhelming! Take your time, and have a plan before you go.! I would go so far as to recommend decided on a color scheme and measuring your room before you visit. Pictures of what you like also help the shop owner narrow down options! And never take the first offer. Take what the shop owner says, and half it or less! It is complicated, but so worth it! I also shopped for artistic light fixtures, pottery, linens, and spices!

If you want to relax on your vacation, I would also recommend doing a hammam! It is basically a traditional version of a spa with hot pools! I will warn you that it is not a co-ed situation, and you will be completely naked with another person washing you! It was very relaxing in a weird way!! Most of the hotel have an in house hammam!

I had no idea how tall camels were until I rode them in Morroco! We rode them on the cliffs by the beach and got a beautiful view. They are so gentle too! Nearby, you can also visit the caves of Hercules. There is a lot of folklore surrounding the caves, so be sure to ask your guide about the stories!

Between the insanely delicious food, gorgeous architecture, and kind locals, Morocco is a bucket list destination! Take lots of photos and immerse yourself in the culture!

Things to know:

I usually dressed conservatively to respect the culture.

while I felt safe, I tried to only take a small backpack and be aware of my surroundings.

use cash, as it is easier to barter!

Where to stay:

In Tangier:

http://latangerina.com/

In Chefchaouen:

My personal favorite! http://riadcherifa.com/gallery/

Lovely! http://www.linaryad.com/

Cheaper, but very clean! https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g304013-d12689198-Reviews-Puerta_Azul-Chefchaouen_Tangier_Tetouan_Region.html

What to eat: