Sharon Louthian

Staff a bit rude, room very ordinary, was dusty with renovations, our request for sea views room was never honored, location good, food was good

Very pretty boutique hotel, very nice staff, service and food, good location

Dusty, musty, our request for ground or lower floor was not known to the hotel and we had to climb multiple flights with luggage, allergies were bad here. Location very good.

Most amazing hotel palace, very accommodating staff, my room had a window opening to wall do they upgraded us next day to a suite. Food and location perfect.

Room okay, food poor, entertainment very poor, manager driver reckless and uncaring

Warm hospitality, great food, pretty setting

Great room, food, location and staff

Not much to see except the Hassan mosque which was spectacular , beach walk was nice, dinner was nice at the hotel , hotel itself ordinary

Guide disinterested, not prepared, couldn’t show us the drive through palace grounds because it was time for royal kids to leave school, could not show us the mausoleum because some special visit. Mostly waste of time. We went and saw the mausoleum next morning on our own.

Pretty yet very touristy town, asking for money every where for photos, had a great meal

Roman ruins very nice, good guide

Guide Said, so so little disinterested, city magnificent

Beautiful drive, Ifrane just beautiful

Camel ride substandard poor seats, dunes magnificent, camp substandard, poor food and very poor entertainment, reception office before the camel ride unfriendly and asking to paid for washrooms use. Camp manager driving us was reckless and scary.

Bit long drive, the Ait Ben Haddou trip got, dusty and tiring, rose and Dades valley very pretty

Lovely family, very warm and welcoming. Very nice cooking class, yummy food, getting dressed in traditional Moroccan outfits a surprise bonus.

Great guide Salaam . Enjoyed the tour, Souks and atmosphere

Nice camp if you’re ok with basics… luxury by tent standards… but there are better camps we noticed along the way that are better maintained and offer better amenities.

This served its purpose as a place near the airport so we could make our morning flight.

Charming hotel. Great rooftop terrace with ocean views.

Good location near the main square. We were able to find our way through the maze of streets using Google maps. We were here for 3 nights

A rave review for this Kasbah and for Michelle who refurbished this historic building with authenticity and elegance. The hospitality, food, beauty and comfort of this place were a stand out.

This was a gorgeous camp. Our rooms were comfortable and attractive - amazing to have plumbing and hot and cold water in the desert. The dining room was beautiful and we had amazing meals at this camp.

This was a comfortable hotel and served well its purpose as a jumping off point for the desert camp.

We enjoyed our stay here. A beautiful Riad, great breakfasts and good service.

A beautiful Riad. The staff may have been a little over their heads, though Fatya was working hard to make us comfortable and was a lovely hostess. We were two couples traveling together and the rooms we were assigned were quite different - one quite spacious, and the other rather small.

A beautiful Riad with excellent service - great start to our Morocco adventure. We had a lovely dinner there as well as breakfast.

We enjoyed our visit to Majorelle and Anima gardens. Majorelle gardens are a tour de force of color and garden design meeting amazing plantings especially of succulents. The little museum of Berber clothing, ornamentation and life was also gorgeous. The Anima gardens are a bit outside the city but were worth a visit for another unique garden which incorporates colorful artwork and sculptures. It had a good outdoor cafe which was a good and relaxing lunch spot.

Our original driver/tour manager Sallam was able to be back with us for this extended tour of Marrakesh. Visiting the Palais Bahia, an old madrassa with a long history, and of course a tour of the medina were done really well by Sallam and we enjoyed it all very much! We stopped at a government certified herbalist shop. Sallam also filled in info about Ait el Benhaddou for us. We said good bye to Sallam after this tour.

We had a guided tour of a kasbah which involved also understanding cultivation inside a kasbah. This road is spectacular and the kasbahs are amazing to see - the way in which they mimic and blend into the countryside is interesting. Ourzazate was interesting with an entertaining tour guide of this big movie studio where many movies were filmed from westerns to historical and biblical movies. At Ait el Benhaddou we were dropped off at the wrong place to enter - this necessitated crossing a stream on stepping stones. When we contacted our driver he came back and got us to a bridge which seemed to be the more normal way to enter. Lack of signage and aof guide at this site made it less enjoyable.

Please note: There seems to be no way to indicate that we did not do this activity. I couldn't proceed with the review without giving it some star.

We had a different driver for this segment of our tour who was a very good driver but was not a guide. Again, he was doing this at short notice and did his best. The Todgha Gorge was gorgeous as was the drive to Dades valley. Very lovely countryside!

One couple from our group of four rode the camels to the camp. The others took the suv. The handoff from our driver to the camp personnel was a bit chaotic and it was hard to understand exactly what was going on. The sunset ride was beautiful and a unique experience made more unusual by the fact that it was raining in the desert!

I think I covered this in the previous review. We also visited a workshop where we learned about the fossils from that region and saw the artifacts they made incorporating the fossils. Very unique!

Our driver Mohammed was the nicest man but perhaps was not someone who usually functioned as a guide. He did his very best, since he had been assigned to us at short notice. Getting to the hotel on a rainy night (not usual in a desert region for sure) was a challenge and it was a good thing we had phones with service so we could help with online maps and navigation. Next morning we visited Rissani, a kasbah, and also enjoyed the Gnawa musicians. All enjoyable.

Mohammed, our guide for Fes, was the best site specific guide we had. He grew up in the medina there and seemed to know everybody. This was an extensive tour, which took us to a great viewpoint for a panoramic view of Fes, and also included the palace, the medieval university and the madrasa as well as a visit to the jewish quarter and a synagogue, also the souk. The famous tanneries where leather is dyed was interesting also. We also got to see how the tiles for the amazing tile work were made. We really enjoyed our guide and the tour!

Volubilis is a wonderful site located in beautiful countryside. We enjoyed the mosaics which are in pretty good condition , the baths and the remains of a temple. Our guide was helpful.

We did not have an orientation walk. However when we asked, Salaam was able to make suggestions about what we should try to see and also about places to eat.

Beautiful drive with good and informative conversations with Salaam. We stopped in Volubilis, an ancient Roman site. The guide there was good but not a stand out.

We had this tour on the morning before we drove to Chefchaouen. We were a bit tired the first evening and just enjoyed walking around a bit on our own. The next morning we had a wonderful tour with our guide (so sorry not to be able to pull up his name). We also visited the ancient necropolis of Chellah where we got a sense of what an amazing city it must have been. We also got to see the amazing black and white storks who have built enormous nests. We had requested a visit there and it has a history going back to the Phoenicians and the Romans prior to being used by Muslim rulers. Spotting the stork nests became a feature of our whole trip - they often they build nests at the top of a mosque.

We had set up a group Whats App chat with Salaam prior to our arrival. This made our arrival go smoothly despite the fact that one couple arrived in Casablanca a few hours after the other couple. Salaam made sure the other couple was comfortable and got coffee and water before we got there.

Beautifully restored and updated Riad. In the one night stay we enjoyed the delicious food for breakfast and dinner, nice staff.

My least favorite place to stay. A tad antiquated compared to the other beautiful Riads we stayed in. The staff was excellent, good breakfast. Our rooms were right off the main lobby so it was a bit awkward. The window in the bathroom was shared with the kitchen, another awkward situation.

Beautiful Riad in the medina of Marakech. Close to restaurants and shopping. Clean and modern.

Warm welcome and delicious food made by the host Michelle. Clean and beautifully restored Kasbah.

Great food. Beautiful "tents"! a magical experience!

Learned a lot on this tour but felt we had to spend money when visiting the many vendors and crafters.

Highlight of our trip. A magical experience

The peaceful location and the furnjtiong and confort were perfect

The location wqs excellent except for the fact that room was overlooking the cemetroes

Our camel trek took us to the Madu Premium Camp (https://www.riadmadu.com/en/camp/premium-camp), NOT the Merzouga Dunes Royal Camp. This review is for the Madu Premium Camp. This desert camp was delightful. Upon arrival on our camels, we were checked in at an open-air reception area and taken to our tent. Our room had all the amenities of a luxurious hotel room. It was quite remarkable. If it weren't for the canvas walls, you'd never know you were in a tent! The dining "room" was outside (but covered); the floor were rugs on the sand (it worked so well). It was so pleasant enjoying dinner as the moon rose behind us. And the food -- terrific. The camp had a nice firepit with chairs and cushions for some after-dinner entertainment. We were exhausted and decided to forego this fun, but we did hear it from our tent! (Regardless, we had no trouble whatsoever falling asleep!) In hindsight, we should have joined in the festivities -- even though we were so tired, it's unfortunate that we missed sitting by the fire and more closely experiencing the music. We woke up early enough to experience the moon setting behind the dunes and then the sun rising a bit later in the east. The breakfast was so generous and so scrumptious (five different breads plus condiments, hard-boiled eggs, and a tagine egg dish and, of course, teas, juices, and coffees). It seemed like we spent so little time here -- arriving after sunset and leaving not too long after breakfast. A fleeting "moment" in our journey, but a very memorable one.

Wonderful lodging in the desert (almost, if not literally). Our room was large, elegant (in a Moroccan, desert-y way), and very comfortable. The common areas are very spacious and nicely decorated. We spent some time around (and in) the pool which was very welcome after a hot day of travelling. The provided dinners and breakfasts were delightful. Highly recommended!

Very, well, palatial! Way above our "pay grade" but a special experience (probably for that reason). Our suite (and it was a suite with multiple rooms, two bathrooms, several sitting areas, and a walk-in closet) was spectacular. It opened out directly adjacent to the pool area.

NOTE: We did NOT stay at the Riad Hicham in Chefchaouen. It was overbooked and Sharon, our local travel agent in Morocco booked us in the Lina Riad and Spa instead. She indicated that this was an upgrade from the Riad Hicham. This review is for the Lina Riad and Spa, NOT Riad Hicham. Lina Riad was wonderful! It was a bit of a walk up the hill from the main square and our room was up several flights of stairs -- almost the top floor. The benefit was that we had our own personal (and HUGE) balcony/patio overlooking the city and the valley beyond. Glorious. The breakfasts were superb -- we started getting the idea of how generous Moroccan breakfasts are -- so many types of breads (served without asking), unique (as well as "standard") preparations of eggs and meats, juices and hot tea or coffee. The Riad includes a spa (which we did not indulge ourselves with) but they also have a small indoor pool which you can book for an hour of private time. We did do this at the end of our full day in Chefchaouen. It was so relaxing! Not to be missed.

This is like having a bedroom in a palace! The common areas are stunningly elegant -- both the main areas on the ground floor as well as the smaller common areas outside the private rooms. Our own room was very neat, clean, and good-looking -- perhaps not on par, elegance-wise, with the common areas, but so suitable for our needs.

This riad is "buried" (in a GOOD way) in the Marrakech medina. To get to it, we had follow a maze of narrow pathways, corners, and junctions. Delightful. Once through the front door, you're in a modern, elegant riad. The room was modernly appointed and very comfortable.

We would rate this hotel near the top -- relative to what we need in a hotel. It's definitely not "over the top" but it is so pleasant and comfortable. We had our own balcony overlooking the pool (and exterior dining) area as well as the gardens and farms and rocky cliffs of the Dades Gorge. The dining experience was exquisite -- some of the most elegant meals that the had on our whole vacation in Morocco.

Very satisfactory accomodations. Nothing fancy, but clean and comfortable. The provided meals (dinner and breakfast) were excellent. It's located well north of Midelt and there's not a lot to do, but we did buy a couple beers at the front desk and took a short walk to a nearby lake which was very pleasant.

Great location. We were able to choose which of the five rooms we wanted. The dinner and after-dinner entertainment was wonderful -- a great first-night introduction to Morocco! The staff was so friendly and helpful.

We spent most of the day with Hicham as he took us on a tour of the Marrakech medina and the major sites including Rahba Kedima Square, Ben Youseff Madrassa, Le Prince Avenue, the Bahia Palace, Moulay El Yazid Mosque, Koutoubia Mosque and Garden, a natural products pharmacy (Herboristerie Bab Agnaou), and, of course, the iconic Jemaa El-Fnaa Square. Hicham's style, which we really appreciated, was to lead us to the site (with some commentary along the way), give us an introduction to the history and the significance of the site, and then give us a little time to explore on our own. He was alway willing (and usually took the initiative) to take pictures of us, often including selfies of him with us. He always took several photos from several angles and zoom levels for us to choose from. One little special "surprise" was a stop at a small local sidewalk cafe (probably frequented almost exclusively by locals) to enjoy the Moroccan specialty, Bisarra, a fava been soup (often served with Moroccan home bread for breakfast). It was delicious.

We spent today in the Valley of the Roses with our tour manager, Hicham, some of his family and friends, and our travel agent Sharon Louthian (who is Hicham's sister-in-law) and lives here with her husband, Abdou (Hicham's brother), for a good portion of the year. This was a very relaxing and pleasant day where we enjoyed the company of Hicham and Sharon. We started the day with a grocery shopping trip -- freshly-butchered lamb (we saw it butchered) and fresh vegetables. We then went to Sharon and Abdou's house where one of their friends prepared a luscious lamb, vegetable, and couscous tagine dish. We all shared it at the table in Sharon's living room. It was SO good. Some other friends of theirs came by to help finish off the delicious dish. After this special lunch, Hicham, Sharon, and the two of us took a walk through Hicham's childhood neighborhood. Many of the buildings are abandoned now (unsafe due to substandard construction and deteriorating from old age) and the area is suffering from several years of drought. We tried bringing up some water from an old well that Hicham used as a child, but there was hardly any water to be had. He showed us the old (abandoned) home where he grew up. It was touching to hear his stories about his childhood and I bet it was emotional for him. It was a special experience. Hicham then took us to a local rose oil distillery where gave us a personalized tour and introduction to the distilling process. The shop was filled with the strong aroma of rose oil! Hicham used to have a job delivering products for this shop. We finished the day (except for dinner at Chez Ichou) with a drive back up the Dades Gorge (Sharon came with us), stopping at some of the scenic spots (red rocks, red buildings, the Monkey Fingers, and lush green flora) and on past our hotel to the dramatic Tisderine Bends and the oh-so-narrow upper Dades Gorge.

This was another driving day, but we had some really interesting stops along the way. But the day started out with a moonset, a sunrise, and a delicious breakfast at our desert camp (Madu Premium Camp) and a 4x4 drive back to Riad Madu. (One can opt for a camel ride back, but we decided to take the 4x4 -- it was fun riding over the dunes.) Shortly after leaving Merzouga, we stopped at the Khettaras Irrigation System, a no-longer-used irrigation system to bring water in underground tunnels down from the mountains to the desert. The system has long since been abandoned but a small section had been restored for exhibition purposes. We had fun trying out the pulley and bucket system for removing muck from the tunnel via vertical access shafts. We were also able to climb down in the tunnel. Very interesting. The drive towards Boumalne Dades took us through lots of "real Morocco" -- the rural landscape and small towns. We stopped at Toudgha Gorge and were left off to take a half hour walk along the road going into the gorge -- very narrow, incredible geology, and not to be missed. It is a little touristy with lots of souvenir stalls along road and lots of tourists (including us!). After the gorge, we stopped for lunch at Restaurant Inass in Tinghir. After our experience yesterday, we ordered light and shared... or so we thought! Ahead of the entree that we ordered, they brought us all kinds of lead-ins... bread, pasta, vegetables. And, of course, there was an included dessert. So much for cutting back! But we loved it. Further along, we stopped in the city of Tinghir where a local guide took the two of us on a walk through the cultivated oasis and some old city ruins. It was a very laid back and relaxing stroll and quite a contrast between the lush oasis and the dry, red crumbling structures of the ruins. Our walk ended at a Women's Rug Cooperative where we were shown the by-hand weaving process (with a loom but without a shuttle) and we were able to try it ourselves. We were shown the wide variety of rugs made by the women of the region -- some small and very simple... other huge and incredibly detailed. We now have one (a smaller one) in our front entryway. Hicham finished the drive by taking us up the Dades Gorge (which we would see several times in the next couple days) to our lodging at Chez Ichou. One thing special about this vacation is that even on the days that we are getting from Point A to Point B, our guide shows us some very interesting sites and gives us time to do some exploring. Today was one of those days.

Another nice travel day taking us from Fes to the Ksar Timmy hotel north of Midelt. We took a coffee break at the destination small city of Ifrane that looked more like a Colorado or Switzerland alpine ski destination, not a Moroccan village. Indeed, it is an upscale skiing destination (in the wintertime, of course). We stopped to feed the Atlas Monkeys (Barbary Apes) alongside the road on our way through the heavily forested Atlas Mountains. Some locals sold us some bags of carrot spears and we had fun feeding the tame monkeys. Later on, the drive through the high (unforested) farmlands made for good scenery and an interesting view into the Moroccan rural life: lots of sheep farms and sheep herds, some rather impoverished nomadic camps, and small villages (e.g., Azrou and Zayda). After checking in at the Ksar Timnay hotel, we bought a couple beers at the reception desk and took a short walk to a nice, quiet and scenic lake with views of the mountains off in the distance. This was a nice, relaxing day after our hectic day in Fes yesterday.

Hicham gave us a walking tour of Chefchaouen the day of our arrival (May 16) which was delightful. He showed us the narrow pathways and shops of the medina, the main square and the Ras El Ma Waterfall. Hicham was really good (throughout the trip) about offering to take pictures of us (often including himself, too, as a group "selfie") which was great. We had the rest of the evening to ourselves. Per Hicham's recommendation, we walked up to the Spanish Mosque (about 20 minutes) for a beautiful view of Chefchaouen at sunset (and the evening Call to Prayer from various mosques around the city and beyond). We finished the day with a nice dinner on the square. The next day (May 17; the actual day for this experience), Hicham took us on a super-scenic drive to the trailhead for the hike to Cascade d'Akchour. He accompanied us on a hike up to the first falls. There were charming swimming holes and creekside outdoor cafes (lots of taglines!). It was a delightful day trip. We had the rest of the day (after our return to Chefchaouen) further exploring Chefchaouen's medina, including a fascinating 5-story clothing store/riad. We had dinner at Riad Hicham on the balcony overlooking the main square and the kasbah.

Beautiful scenery along the way. Part way to Chefchaouen, we met up with our "permanent" driver, Hicham, who was bringing clients back from Chefchaoen (they continued to the airport with Said). After the "chinese fire drill" we and Hicham and his van headed for Chefchaouen. There wasn't too much notable along the way, but we did enjoy the scenery.

We took a cooking class at Khadija's Kuzina the evening of our first full day in Essaouira. This was one of the highlights of our entire trip. We had Hussein and Khadijah (and their young son, Amir) all to ourselves for the evening. It started with Hussein meeting us at our hotel (Villa Quieta), walking us to a main street, and then taking a horse-drawn taxi to his neighborhood. He asked us what we would like to prepare for dinner -- we kind of left it up to him, but we were interested in seeing cooking-with-a-tagine technique and also seeing how Bisarra (the fava bean soup that Hicham introduced us to in Marrakech a couple days ago) is made. We help Hussein do the shopping (fruits, vegetables, meat, dry goods, beans, olives -- and more, I'm sure) in his neighborhood souk (street market and shops). He then took us up to his flat (upstairs right in the middle of this neighborhood, literally above some of the shops) where we met his wife, Khadija (the chef) and their son Amir. We relaxed with tea and snacks in their living room while they prepped the kitchen (staging the ingredients) on the prep counter. Khadija then took over and showed us how to prepare the dishes for dinner -- of course, we had to participate and do much of the "work" ourselves. When it was all ready, it was served up on a table in the living room and we enjoyed an authentic home-cooked Moroccan meal. It was a really fun experience. And, of course, the food we prepared was superb!

As with other driving days (here, on our way to Marrakech), we made a few stops along the way. We stopped briefly in Ouarzazate and took a look at the Taourirt Kasbah (from the area across the street; no tour). Because of the sordid history (those who ruled from the kasbah), Hicham did not think it was worth our while to take a tour (even though it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). On the way out of town, we took a brief look (photo op) at one of the several movie studios in the region. Again, we did not take a tour -- just looked at it from the outside. Our next stop was Aït Benhaddou, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here we did stop, and Hicham took us on a nice walk through the ancient (but still inhabited) hillside village, known for its earthen architecture (and also its use in various movies). We walked all the way to the top, to the ancient "bank" building (which, unfortunately was badly damaged in the September 2023 earthquake). The view down across the village and the valley beyond was breathtaking. After walking back to the more modern town on the other side of the river, we enjoyed a very nice lunch at Chez Brahim (Hicham was careful to take us to this particular restaurant to avoid the more touristy and crowded ones -- much appreciated!). The highlight of the remainder of the drive was traversing the Atlas Mountains along the Tizi n'Tichka Path. The winding, twisty highway was originally built by the French during their occupation of Morocco but a lot of it is being modernized now to widen it and straighten out some of the curves. We stopped at the top (the Tazart Rest Area) for a potty and coffee break and to take in the beautiful views. We proceeded into Marrakech where one of our hotel's staff met us at the van and escorted us through the maze of the Marrakech medina to our Riad -- our lodging for the next couple nights. This is one example of how the logistics for the trip were so well thought out and coordinated by Hicham, and well-executed. We had a very nice dinner at the M Rooftop Restaurant (recommended; they have traditional Moroccan options plus some "western" fare -- like hamburgers! -- if you need a break from Moroccan food; not us... we had Beef Tagine and Chicken Pastilla!). It was a nice day, although not as "action-packed" as many of our days so far in Morocco; nice to have a little break.

Although seemingly a very "touristy" activity, we are, after all... tourists! This was a really fun few hours as we rode the camels (guided by two very friendly and happy-go-lucky guides who were on foot), There were just four of us (plus our camels and our two guides); my wife and I and two nice ladies (mother and daughter) from France. We trekked to the Madu Premium Camp (tent camp in the desert) and got there a little after sunset. Along the way we got lots of nice photos and stopped to enjoy the sun as it set behind the dunes. The colors were just stunning! The guides were willing (even taking the initiative) to take pictures of us, individually and as a group.

This was a driving day from the Ksar Timnay hotel, through Midelt, and on to our lodging, the Riad Madu, near Merzouga. We loved the drives (today and other days) through the Moroccan countryside -- glimpses of the rural life and culture and the gorgeous scenery. It wasn't "immersive" as we saw it from the back seat of our van, but it was close. We did make several stops along the way for photos. Hicham was good to point out things along the way and to answer our questions.

A pleasant driving day with stops at Volubilis and Meknes. At the Volubilis Roman ruins we had a local guide show us the site. He was knowlegeable and willingly answered our questions. It was fascinating to see so many mosaic floors and how well-preserved they were considering their exposure to the elements. We only made a quick stop in Meknes because so many of the interesting sites were in renovation and not open to the public. We were disappointed that we couldn't see some of these sites in more detail, but it was out of our (and our tour manager's) control. Upon arrival in Fes, we checked into our room at the Palais Faraj. Simply stunning! (The most exotic room we've ever stayed in, on this trip or any other. The views from the room were not spectacular, but the room itself... stunning.)

We were picked up at the airport by what turned out to be our temporary tour manager/guide, Said (until a switch on the way to Chefchaouen). Before heading to Rabat for the night we were given a quick tour of Casablanca -- just a quick photo op at Rick's Cafe and a tour of the Hassan II Mosque. The tour (included in the Kimkim package) was good. The mosque is relatively new (finished in the early 1990s), incredibly large (but just the 14th largest in the world) and very impressive architecture.

Today was a diverse, event-filled day with a tour guided by Hicham, our driver/tour manager. We started with a visit to the "black desert" where he left us off the explore the rocky desert terrain where fossils were everywhere (granted, most of them were fairly low grade). We found some, good enough to take home as souvenirs. We then stopped at a fossil museum and shop where we were given a very nice guided walk-through of the museum. The staff evaluated our "finds" from the desert - no real gems, but definitely verified as actual fossils. We bought one nice nautilus fossil from their shop. It was a really nice experience. Next, Hicham took us to the Rissani Market. This was a very different experience than the exploration of the Fes medina (or the Marrakech medina later in our trip). It's just as hectic and diverse but seemed so rural and local. I'm not sure if we saw any other tourists the whole time we were there. It is definitely a working market more than it is a tourist attraction. This authenticity made it a special and unique experience. Hicham then took us to the Chez Ibrahim Restaurant for lunch where, after several preliminary courses (all delicious), we were served the regional specialty, Medfuna (also known as Berber Pizza). Highly recommended. We then visited Dar Gnaoua where we were treated to music and song by Gnaouan musicians. The beat and rhythm were mesmerizing. Lots of fun. Finally, Hicham took us to a shop in Merzouga to but some scarves which will serve as our tuareg turbans (headdresses) for our upcoming camel ride into the desert for our night at the Madu Premium Camp. This was a fun day and well-orchestrated by our tour manager. It was a full day and we would not pass up any of the activities if we were to to do it again.

The tour of the Fes medina was fabulous. Our guide (tour manager and driver, too) guided us through the maze of alleyways and narrow pathways of the medina, visiting shops, the University of Al Quaraouiyine, the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II, the incredible (but very stinky!) Chouara Tannery, a pottery school, the Born Sud (fortress), the Jewish District, and the Royal Palace. It was definitely a "sensory overload" day. This is maybe stereotypical Morocco but it was sure a treat to see, hear, feel, taste (and smell!) it firsthand!

We were introduced to a local guide who showed us around the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed II, and the Kasbah of the Udaya. Our guide was very knowledgeable and had good stories to tell. We found the Kasbah particularly interesting to explore. It was close enough to our riad (hotel) that we walked up there again in the evening to watch the sunset.