Day 7 – Long Drive to Fes
Even though we only dabbled on the edge of the massive Sahara Desert, it has left a lasting impression that we will cherish forever. It’s more than a desert. The people and the culture are the backbone of this breathtaking region. There is a special sense of peace you get in the desert, and we hope to be back soon!
Leaving isn’t quick, as it takes us four hours to get out of the Sahara Desert. Not nearly as flat as our drive-in, as we drive through the Ziz Valley. A region you could easily spend days hiking and exploring, looking a bit similar to the Grand Canyon in the U.S.
Our drive continues through the apple capital of Morocco, Midelt, where we stop for lunch. And for the first time in a while, something other than tagine!
Leaving Midelt, we begin our drive once again through the Atlas Mountains. It is a lower region, and it shares a unique lifestyle we observe as we traverse this region, nomad life. The Tuareg and Berber nomads are still surviving in the deserts and Atlas Mountain regions of Morocco. Living in areas that mostly meet the needs of their livestock. We were fascinated to pass several of their camps.
Just a bit further down the road, we cross a forested area full of monkeys. Obviously, they are used to people and getting some snacks from cars cruising through, so we offer some… Pringles 😂. It is estimated that there are about 8,000 Barbary macaques in Morocco, and this region certainly had its fair share.
The last stop on our long journey to Fes is the mountain town of Ifrane. Holy Switzerland in Morocco! Lush green parks, pristinely clean streets, and cool temperatures are a stark difference from the arid, hot region we just came from. At an elevation of 5,463 feet, it was a great place to stretch our legs before our final stretch into Fes.
Side note, Ifrane, like many towns and cities across Morocco, is outfitted with a massive, perfectly manicured palace for the King! Seems like a place perfect for a King!
Finally! We eagerly arrive in the city of Fes, the second biggest in Morocco 🇲🇦. Hakim drops us to a porter who guides us to our next Riad. So many things to be thankful for at this moment: Hakim taking care of us throughout the week, porters willing to lug our heavy bags, and not having to park & navigate these old Medina alleys without help. It’s a maze!! 10,000 unnamed alleyways in Fez! No doubt we may still be looking for our Riad if we didn’t have a porter leading us through this labyrinth.
Tucked, and we mean tucked in the old Medina, is Riad Laaroussa. To put it simply, it’s perfect and different from anything we’ve ever experienced. Riad Laaroussa was built in the 1600s. That alone will help describe this boutique hotel of 8 rooms. Renovated about 20 years ago, and the effort to restore this Riad to its original vibe took nearly 18 months.
We settle in for dinner on the rooftop terrace with one thing on our mind… vamo Spain! It’s the semifinals of the Eurocup, and if Spain beats England, we will be in Marbella when the Eurocup finals take place.
Beers, food, and a Spain victory! Spain 2 France 1 – the countdown is on to Eurocup finals!
Day 8 – Fez
Breakfast on the rooftops in these old Medinas doesn’t get old. We fuel up and get ready to meet our tour guide, Fatima, who will be traversing us through the labyrinth, sharing the rich history of this unique Medina dating back to the 9th century.
We start at the King’s palace in Fez. One of FOUR he has in this city. This particular palace was built in the 13th century, and we were quite impressed with the intricate detail in the design. Of course, we only get to see the outside.
A tour through the Jewish center of town, the jewelry district, and a random door where they collect pigeon poop. Yup! It is used in the leather making process. A process we will see (& smell) later in the day.
And here it is, panoramic pic of the oldest, biggest Medina in the world without cars (donkeys only!), and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“Ya La” says Fatima. Our new favorite Arabic phrase meaning “Let’s go!”
And this is where the day turns into half knowledge consumption/half shopping spree for Katie:
Pottery shop (plate revision for Katie’s mom happening) designed and made with gray clay from the Atlas Mountains.
A visit to the madrasa (built in the 14th century), and navigating the busy alleys of Fez with Fatima.
A stop in a silk fabric store.
To the world famous Chouary tannery, the largest and oldest in Fes. Leather here is made the same way it did since it began making leather centuries ago. And, of course, Katie bought a leather backpack.
And lastly, to a jewelry shop, where Katie bought a brass teapot she’ll never use.
Say goodbye to Fatima (she was amazing!), and we head back to Riad for a swim in the pool,
rest and reset for a few, and walk the old Medina for a little before dinner at Fondouk Bazaar.
Nice way to end our two night stay in Fes. We certainly enjoyed Fes, but it just doesn’t have the same vibe as Marrakech.
Day 9 – The Blue City of Chefchaouen
Another glorious breakfast on the terrace, and we are off with Hakim to the blue city of Chefchaouen, a four hour drive.
Driving through Morocco is mostly serene. It is enjoyable to soak in the endless landscapes and topography quite different than what we are used to. Except for today… this countryside is full of farmlands, quite bumpy and we travel on an almost non-existent road for quite a bit.
Still appealing to see the new scenery, driving through towns and cities (Jorf El Melha), and a blah lunch at Le Pergola en route.
As we near Chefchaouen, we traverse through the Rif Mountains, and we have finally arrived!
Immediately, it’s easy to notice why they call Chefchaouen the ‘Blue City’.
Chefchaouen was built in 1471 by the Spanish to defend themselves from the Portuguese invasion. The mazelike alleys and steep, for real steep, city set into the mountains made for exploring this city a little challenging!
The origin of the blue paint dates back to the 1930s when Jewish people settled here when they were on the run from Hitler. The blue meaning is a connection to the sky and heaven.
Lots of walking, and we settle in for dinner at the bottom of the mountainside in the main plaza. We don’t need a ton of time in the blue city, and we are in for the night ready for our last Moroccan stop in the morning, Tangier!
Day 10 – Chefchaouen to Tangier
Last leg in Morocco! We wake up and decide to skip breakfast to enjoy a morning walk in the blue city.
We meet up with Hakim one last time to begin our drive to Tangier, through Tetouan, valleys, lakes, and rolling hills.
This might be a good time to mention checkpoints. There are police checkpoints EVERYWHERE throughout Morocco. Checking speed, seatbelts, paperwork, illegal drivers and tourists. Guess it’s a good thing, but whoa! We probably crossed close to 15 checkpoints while in Morocco.
And at about this point, the inevitable begins to become a reality. Our time with Hakim is nearing an end. Although we continue to invite Hakim to visit us, we are unsure if that will happen, and if this is the last time, we will see him. At one point, he says, “I will miss you guys!”, and begins to cry. Our connection has been short but meaningful over the time we have spent together. We will miss you too, Hakim!
Arrive in Tangier, first time seeing the sea and tall buildings. It’s a busy city, and unlike the others we have experienced in Morocco. There is a more European feel with tall buildings and traffic lights, and it feels a little more touristy. We drive to our final hotel, Kasbah Rose, in the old Medina, where we say goodbye to Hakim 🥲.
Kasbah Rose is a small boutique hotel in the old Medina of Tangier… small! But perfect for our one night stay, less than 24 hours in this port city.
Stretch our legs and take a stroll through the old Medina to a swanky lunch overlooking the Straits of Gibralter. It was too nice not to stop and grab a bite at Villa Mabrouka to enjoy!
We head back to our Kasbah to jump in what we are pretty sure is an illegal taxi/tour ride. Strict rules in Morocco, but we are only here for less than a day, so we enjoy a ride through this city more than 2,500 years, and a taxi with a ‘guide’ is the fastest way to soak it in.
First stop, Rmilat Park, from there, we head to the Cap Spartel section of town.
Cruise to Hercules Cave. Note: Don’t do this stop! Crowded, gimmicky, waste of money to enter.
And kind of sneak our way into the Le Mirage Hotel for some coffee, but we decide to just walk around and enjoy the hotel grounds. Beautiful place where many celebrities stay when in Tangier.
Lastly, the spot where the Mediterrean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Our drive back along the Tangier coast back to Medina reminds us of Portugal, with rocky cliffs and clear water.
Get dropped off by the water and eat dinner at Nahda (awful). Our walk back through the old Medina was different. It is a much more modern feel than other stops in Morocco with traditional shops and restaurants.
All good, but you can tell we are just a short ferry ride across the water to Spain. Back to our small room at Kasbah Rose for a relaxing evening and a little work on blogs and pictures.
Day 11 – Alwadae Morocco! Hola Espana!
Not much sleep, and we are up and moving on our ferry to Spain! We get to the port before 7 am. They check our tickets 3 times and our passports twice. Guess they don’t want Moroccans to find a way to get on this ferry to Europe!
A few takeaways from Morocco: Marrakech > Fes, the real Morocco is beyond Tangier, Hakim enhanced our trip and we hope to have made a lifelong friend, life for locals in Morocco is hard, East Morocco culture is fascinating, it wasn’t as hot as we were expecting, and going in low season was great, it may be a bit bananas in parts during high season.
Loved our time here, and we made some core memories in a special place! The people, culture, and scenery of Morocco captivated us! Until next time, beautiful Morocco!
Two Wayfaring Wanderers 
Beautiful pictures!!!! Thank you for sharing !!!! ENJOY READING YOUR STORIES. !!!!
JoAnne
Thank you! Glad you are enjoying our blog 🙂