Morocco
is
the
tantalising
lower
lip
on
the
mouth
of
the
Mediterranean
Sea,
a
Muslim
land
so
rich
in
mystique
it
seems
to
hover
like
a
magic
carpet
somewhere
between
myth
and
reality.
Tangier,
Casablanca,
Marrakesh...just
the
names
of
these
cities
and
towns
should
stir
a
hint
of
spice
in
the
nostrils
of
the
most
geographically
challenged.
Many
Moroccan
destinations
have
been
mythologised,
and
for
good
reason,
but
the
more
jaded
traveller
may
well
moan
about
the
extinction
of
the
'real'
Morocco.
Still
others
will
extol
the
country's
unique
living
history,
its
shimmering
light,
its
art.
The
truth
lies
somewhere
in
between.
Morocco
is
the
ideal
starting
point
for
the
traveller
to
Africa.
An
easy
hop
from
Europe,
it
can
be
a
friendly,
hectic
and
stimulating
place
to
get
around
in.
Open-air
markets
throughout
the
country
are
piled
high
with
rugs,
woodwork,
and
jewellery.
The
country's
prime
produce
(if
you
don't
count
the
hashish)
is
leather
-
said
to
be
the
softest
in
the
world.
Travellers
to
Morocco
should
avoid
political
gatherings
and
demonstrations.
Those
planning
to
travel
through
the
disputed
territory
of
Western
Sahara
should
note
that
armed
clashes
between
the
Polisano
Front
and
Moroccan
authorities
are
a
possibility.
Many
areas
of
the
Western
Sahara
are
mined.
When
to Go
On
the
coast
the
weather
is
tourist-friendly
pretty
much
all
year
round,
although
winter
can
bring
cool
and
wet
conditions
in
the
north.
In
the
lowlands,
the
cooler
months
from
October
to
April
are
popular
among
visitors.
This
time
of
year
is
pleasantly
warm
to
hot
(around
30°C)
during
the
day
and
cool
to
cold
(around
15°C)
at
night.
Winter
in
the
higher
regions
demands
some
serious
insulation.
If
you're
heading
into
the
hills,
the
ski
season
usually
lasts
from
December
to
March.
For
most
trekking
trips
you
should
book
in
the
high
season
(June
15
to
September
15)
or
you
may
find
areas
full.
Environment
Spectacularly
diverse,
Morocco
combines
sand,
sea
and
snow
in a
way
that
Club
Med
developers
could
only
dream
about.
The
southern
coast
stretches
to the
edge
of the
Western
Sahara
while
to the
north
the
bulk
of Morocco's
population
fills
the
foothills
of the
often
snow-capped
Atlas
Mountains.
The
mountains
provide
a buffer
against
the
country's
dangerously
rowdy
eastern
neighbour,
Algeria.
Between
the
mountains
and
Morocco's
Atlantic
coast
are
plateaus
and
plains
which
are
fertile
and
well-watered.
In the
extreme
south,
at the
edge
of the
Anti-Atlas,
the
gorges,
like
the
rivers
that
flow
at their
bases,
gradually
peter
out
into
the
endless
sand
and
stony
wastes
of the
vast
Sahara.
The
'coolest
of
the
hottest
countries',
Morocco's
colder
months
are
most
un-African.
In
the
higher
regions
in
particular,
winter
conditions
can
be
positively
Arctic.
In
summer,
the
mountains
are
hot
during
the
day
and
cool
at
night.
The
rainy
season
between
November
and
April
is
something
of
a
misnomer,
bringing
only
occasional
light
rain.
