Morocco’s old city charm and its relaxed-paced lifestyle makes it the perfect destination for a weekend trip. With amazing sights, food and people, Morocco invites you to make the most of your time there. Citylife Madrid, a Madrid-based travel company, offered a Northern Morocco trip from Friday, Oct. 24 to Sunday, Oct. 26. The experience cost €209.99, so I took it. Citylife was the perfect mix of freedom and structure, letting me meet other travelers and see Morocco with minimal effort and planning.
Friday. After an hour-and-a-half flight for about €50 on RyanAir, we met our Citylife group, composed of about 50 American study-abroad students like me. After exchanging our euros for dirhams, we started our adventure. On our way to Tangier’s oceanside, we stopped for lunch. I had not tasted meat for seven years, but I ate chicken shawarma. Afterward, we toured Tangier’s picturesque cliffs, overlooking the Atlantic and with a clear view of southern Spain. It was a reminder of how close we were but that we were far enough away for new experiences.
One of these new experiences was the two hours we spent in a pharmacy. Unlike pharmacies in Spain, which contain prescription medications, this one contained natural oils. After our time in the shop, where we got cookies and tea in exchange for a lesson on the various oils, lotions, and fragrances and their benefits, we went shopping for scarves.
“If you want, open your heart and open your wallet,” said a vendor who was trying to convince us to buy more.
Our apartment-style lodging, filled with Citylife participants, felt like a big college dorm. After an hour of rest, we went to dinner. While listening to a live performance of traditional Moroccan music, we dined on a filling soup and a pastry-like bread with powdered sugar on the outside and fish on the inside. I loved it.
Saturday. The trip to Chefchaouen, the “Blue City” in the Rif mountains of Northern Morocco, was Saturday’s centerpiece. Our tour guide theorized that the city’s blue-painted homes are due to its ancient Jewish influence or to the color’s ability to repel mosquitoes and keep the city cool. After being introduced to Chefchaouen, we were informally introduced to its many cats sunbathing and trotting around. Later, we were free to shop for postcards, perfumes and clothing, and to bargain to our heart’s desire. Following a hearty meal, we got henna. For €5, we could have henna from ours fingers to our wrists, and for €10, from the fingers to our elbows. Later, we hiked to a mosque, enjoying panoramic views of the city. After taking Instagram-worthy pictures, we enjoyed the breezy and leisurely hike down. The three-hour ride on the bus back was quiet. Resting and recharging, we prepared for a night in or out. My friends and I got pizza and went straight to bed, fueling for tomorrow.
Sunday. On our last day, we enjoyed our usual Moroccan breakfast at the hotel: bread to dip in fruit jelly, pancakes to dip in syrup, and tea with honey to wash it all down. After our meal, our bus tour began. We passed by a wealthy neighborhood, nicknamed Hollywood, for its lavish homes of celebrities and members of Morocco’s royal family. Next was the climax of the trip: riding camels on the beach. Sitting on an unfamiliar animal six feet above the ground, you couldn’t help but think: “Where am I? And how did I get here?” A unique experience, riding a camel is a memory I will never forget. On our way to the Hercules caves, we stopped at a viewpoint where we could see both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Later, we observed the large Hercules caves, where the water pours in from the ocean through a natural opening in the rock. After exploring the caves, it was time for lunch and to head back to the airport. Feeling content, a little bit tired, with new friends and experiences under our belt, we began the journey back to Madrid.
