22 Days Maghreb Marvels

About the destination: Algiers is the capital and the largest city of Algeria. Algiers is a lively cosmopolitan city. In terms of population, it has grown rapidly of late. Indeed, the city is now home to over three million people, amounting to around a tenth of the population of Algeria as a whole. Modern Algiers is located in and around the waterfront area of the city. Most of the shops and restaurants can be found in this neighborhood, which is centered on the Rue Didouche Mourad. The seafront district of Baba-El Oued is home to Kettani Beach, a popular draw for both local families and visitors alike.

About the destination: Constantine is a city in Northeast Algeria. The city is framed by a deep ravine and has a dramatic appearance. The city is very picturesque with a number of bridges and a viaduct crossing the ravine. There are several bridges in Constantine, but the hanging one is the most spectacular. The view of the natural arch beneath is something that captivates you. Only for that bridge the visit to Constantine is justified. Other attractions in the city are the Ben-Badis Mosque, the Casbah, the Soumma Mausoleum, the Palace of Ahmed Bey and the ruins of the Antonian Roman aqueduct.

About the destination: With a balmy, sand-fringed Mediterranean coast, scented with jasmine and sea breezes, Tunis is refashioning itself as an ambitiously modern Arab capital. The city is keen on preserving its Mediterranean traditions as well as its Arabic and African roots. It's an attitude reflected in its architecture, with the old Arab medina sat next to the French colonial Ville Nouvelle (New Town). As any other Arabic metropolis, the medina is the historic and spiritual heart of the city. The tangled streets of the medina are crammed with people selling, buying and carting goods around, enveloped in the scent of spices. The contrast with the palm trees and café terraces of the ville nouvelle's avenue Habib Bourguiba could not be greater. Old men in traditional dress watch suited office workers and the young go past in jeans and shirts: this is Tunis. In the suburbs are the wonderful Bardo Museum and the impressive and mysterious ruins of the ancient Carthage, from where Hannibal set forth to drive his elephants over the Alps. Also nearby is Tunisia's most beautiful village, Sidi Bou Said, inspiration to many artists, and the gorgeous white-sand beaches of La Marsa. Tunis is a vibrant yet laid-back capital city that celebrates its Western and Eastern influences and flaunts proudly its cultural heritage.

About the destination: A pleasant Mediterranean port city, Tripoli is the capital and largest city of the North African country of Libya. Founded in the 7th century BC by the Phoenicians, there are multiple sites of archaeological significance in the city and in its surroundings worth exploring. Tripoli can be divided into three sections. At the western end of the harbor is the old city or Medina with its narrow streets, a number of restored houses and a synagogue. In the center, extending eastwards from Martyrs' Square, is the Italian colonial section of the city, centered on Maidan Al-Jezayir, where the Italians built their cathedral in the 1920s. Finally, at the western end of the harbor is the modern city, with its high-rise office blocks. The Assaraya al-Hamra or Red Castle dominates the city skyline and is located on the outskirts of the medina. The city has a bit of everything, a beautiful seaside location, a colorful fishing harbor, a picturesque medina with its minarets, souks, twisting alleys, and so much more. Come and see for yourself.

About the destination: Located on the Atlantic coast, Casablanca is the largest city and the economical hub of Morocco. Casablanca is a modern city with lively boulevards and many street cafes that give it a very European feel. Casablanca is a blend of both tradition and modernity. Visitors will find traditional buildings of Moorish, Roman, Jewish, Spanish and French influence alongside the new modern skyscrapers. Although the city is fairly modern in Moroccan standard, there are many historical sites and striking white colonial architecture. The oldest part of the city, the medina is relatively small in comparison with other medinas in Morocco, but still worth a stroll around its narrow alleys. Near the Medina you’ll find the City Hall, which has beautifully carved roofs. Casablanca’s main attraction is King Hassan II Mosque. Located on a beautiful setting on the Atlantic Coast, it is the largest mosque in Morocco and the third largest in the world, with the tallest minaret in the world. Visiting Casablanca is a must for many travelers who come to Morocco. Oriental yet modern, Casablanca is a city of many faces.

About the destination: Gateway to the desert and the south, Marrakech is overwhelming like no other imperial city of Morocco. Its reddish-pink streets and alleys are full of sounds, sights, smells and life. The mid-summer heat is enough to prostrate most tourists. The best times to explore Marrakech are early morning, early evening, and winter, during winter temperatures are mild, but fall significantly at night, due to the cold air from the High Atlas. The Djemaa El-Fna, Assembly of the Dead, is anything but what its name suggests. A hot and crowded market by day, the Djemaa really gets rolling at sunset when the entertainers invade. This chaotic outdoor circus offers a microcosms of Morocco at its most exotic. The huge audience clusters in tight circles around the diverse cast of performers. Almost every tour of Marrakech begins at the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque, with its magnificent minaret presiding over the Djemaa. The minaret, crowned by a lantern of three golden spheres, is the oldest and purest surviving example of the architecture of the Almohads. The city’s two most breathtaking monuments date from the 16th century. Feast your eyes and cool off at the ornate Ben Youssef Madrassa, the largest Qur’anic school in North Africa. Even more lavish are the dazzling Saadian Tombs, modelled upon the interior of the Alhambra in Granada. The view from the terrace at the Badi Palace, now in ruins, is majestic. Close by we find the 19th century Bahia Palace. It is an ornate and beautiful palace with restful fountained gardens. To escape from the relentless midday sun, wander in the lush Menara Gardens and lounge in the charming lakeside pavilion. Marrakech is noisy, busy, dusty and chaotic. It is a visual and sensory banquet of colour, diverse cultures, architecture and design. Marrakech delivers an exotic and exciting taste of Africa and the best part is that it is only a few hours away from Europe by plane.

About the destination: Fez is the definition of magic, a cauldron of beautiful charms that’s been simmering since medieval times. The city has almost everything Morocco has to offer; the ringing hammers on sheets of brass, the squawks of chicken strolling all around, perpetual voices of endless talks, the deep voices of prayers passed on from a minaret to another, young women balancing trays of rolled dough on their heads, crowds of people in the narrowest of streets, the enticing aromas of brochettes on open grills, the sweet scent of cedar shavings and freshly cut mint leaves. The life size maze that is the medina, old city, is the largest and most difficult to navigate in Morocco; sometimes it's even easier to simply lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of the various markets. Entering the medina through Bab Boujeloud, bear left immediately onto shop-lines, bamboo-shaded rue Talaa Kebira. Nearby to the left is the grain market, while further along is the entrance to Bou Inania madersap the finest Qur’anic university in Morocco. Built under the Merinid Dinasty in the 14th century its beautifully carved white plaster walls and mihrab remain in remarkably good conditions. The Zaouia de Moulay Idriss contains the tomb of Molay Idriss II, who made Fez the capital of Morcco in 808. The cedarwood portal is decorated with faded geometric patterns. Close by is the 14th century Al-Attarine Madrasa. Behind the superb bronze door lie intricately carved plaster walls topped by a cedarwood mantle and a splendid fountain. Other worthwhile places in Fez are the viewpoints to the north of the city or most parts of Fes el Jedid, with the Royal Palace, the Jewish Quarter and the Museum Dar al Batha. Once the capital of the country, today Fez is Morocco’s third largest city but is considered the country’s religious, cultural and intellectual centre. Located between the Riff and the Middle Atlas Mountains, the city is made up of Fes El Bali, the old city, and Fes El Jedid, the New city. The King of Morocco’s wife, Princess Lalla Salma, was born in Fez which has made this medieval city even more popular.