The Morocco expert reveals the country’s top secrets
… wonderful stories and secrets for your holiday!
Delving into a holiday destination’s lesser known stories is one of the greatest pleasures of travel. The Pur Life Maroc specialists hold the inside information. Skiing with a desert view. Édith Piaf’s Moroccan roots. The world’s largest sardine producer. Be inspired by the diversity of this vibrant land!
Did you know that…
Skiing in Morocco? Of course! Just 80km from Marrakesh, the High Atlas Mountains are a wonderland for skiers and winter sports fans. Mount Toubkal is the highest peak in north Africa, standing 4,167m tall. Oukaimeden is Morocco’s largest ski resort, with 23km of slopes, ten lifts and a breathtaking view of the vast Sahara Desert. Oukaimeden’s northern slopes offer fantastic skiing with a truly unique panorama!
French singer Édith Piaf, born in Paris in 1915, was the great-granddaughter of a Moroccan circus artist from Essaouira.
Morocco is the world’s leading producer and exporter of tinned sardines. Their flavour and health benefits make them a popular feature of Morocco’s excellent cuisine … and of its economy! Morocco’s fish and seafood industry exports to around 100 countries on five continents, with an annual turnover of approximately €1.5bn. Our Morocco expert will be happy to show you the best spots for sardines!
Moroccans refer to their country as ‘Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah’. ‘Morocco’ comes from the Portuguese who, like the Spanish, referred to Marrakesh as ‘Marruecos’ – and that’s how its European name developed.
It is possible to travel from Morocco to Europe without boarding a ship or plane. In the north of the country, on the Strait of Gibraltar, it has a 16km border with Ceuta, Spain.
A major study by the World Economic Forum of 140 tourist-friendly countries awarded Morocco third place for hospitality. Experience the warmth, openness, friendliness and generosity of the Moroccan people for yourself!
The Alaouite dynasty has ruled Morocco since 1666. In the 17th century, Moulay Ismail made Meknes the capital, successfully fought against European powers, the Turks and a number of Berber uprisings, and installed an efficient central government. From the mid 19th century, the royal family began to improve the economy. They initiated trade agreements with Europe and the USA, optimised the administrative system, and made peace with the rebel Bedouin and Berber tribes. The Alaouites are still in power today, and the country has been ruled by King Mohammed VI since 1999.
Morocco is a proud producer of red gold: saffron, the world’s most precious and expensive spice. Saffron is derived from the stigma of the crocus flower. It takes up to 200,000 flowers to produce just one kilogram, so it’s no wonder that a single gram can cost up to €30! Morocco expert Saïd Boumahdi reveals that: ‘You can buy it cheaper at the spice stalls in the souks. But make sure to buy beautiful red strands – a little yellow is acceptable too!’
The divine hero Heracles – or Hercules as the Romans called him – completed the eleventh of his legendary labours in Morocco. In the Garden of the Hesperides, not far from the Atlas Mountains, there grew golden apples that gave the gods eternal youth. They were guarded by Ladon, a hundred-headed dragon. Heracles succeeded in beating the dragon and stealing the golden apples to complete his 11th labour.
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© Unsplash, Freepik, Pixabay, iStock, Said Boumahdi, Studio Harcourt Paris
