Morocco day 17. Azrou, Ifrane and Fez

Submitted by maria on Tue, 24/09/2024 - 13:56

Before leaving Azrou we visit the Cedar forest in the Atlas Mountains, famous for its endangered Barbary monkeys.

Cedar Gouraud

In the forest there are two hundred-year-old cedars worth admiring, even though they are no longer alive. The best known is the Gouraud Cedar, which is over a thousand years old. Next to it a lot of stalls selling food mainly to feed the monkeys.

Be careful with these monkeys as they can get aggressive. They are wild animals and although people are used to feeding them, you must not forget to take precautions.

Barbary monkeys

We continue our journey to Fez but first we stop in Ifrane, known as the Switzerland of Morocco.

Ifrane

Ifrane is famous for having the country's most prestigious university. The French built this town with European Alpine-style buildings as a holiday retreat. It is very clean, and we were surprised to see street sweepers with outdoor hoovers.

There is a very curious statue in the centre of Ifrane in the shape of a lion, we understand that in ancient times there would have been lions in this area.

Ifrane

It is difficult to have breakfast before 9am anywhere in Morocco. We find the café-restaurant La Paix open, eggs with bread and jam and tea for 160dh for the four of us.

We continued to Fez airport, where we arranged to meet the car hire company to return the car. There was a misunderstanding with the time and the person who was supposed to come and pick him up did not arrive, to save time we went to a nearby bus station to pick him up and return him. In return he drove us to our riad next to the Medina of Fez.

Fez

In Fez they drive very aggressively, it was the only place where we saw a lot of aggression at the wheel, even to the point of stopping to shake hands.

Our accommodation in Fez is wonderful. It is located next to the medina near a taxi and van rank on the lively R'Cif square. It is called Amimi Fes Riad two rooms with bathroom and breakfast for 81€/2nights/4pax.

We decide to take the pulse of the city. We take a van taxi from R'Cif square to Bab Boujloud known as the Blue Gate with 50dh. The petit taxis, red in colour, can only take three people and there are four of us.

The Blue Gate or Bab Boujloud, built in 1913, leads to the oldest part of the city, the completely walled Medina Fez el Bali. It owes its name to the blue tiles that decorate the outside of the gate, which is green on the inside.

Bab Boujloud

Passing through the gate means entering a decadent, bustling and lively place.

About 100 metres from the gate is the Madrasa or Medersa Bou Inania. This Koranic school of higher learning and residence was built in the mid-14th century.

Medersa Bou Inania

It is still in use today, so you cannot visit the rooms but you can visit the central courtyard next to the mosque. The richness of its decoration, wood carving and stucco work is impressive.

Opening hours, open 10am-5pm except for prayer times. Admission 50dh/pax

Medersa Bou Inania

Next to the entrance door of the Madrasa you can see the old water clock or Dar al-Magana (House of the Clock), of which only vestiges remain today. In the old days the clock was operated by a kind of trolley that slid from left to right behind the twelve doors thanks to a counterweight that emptied the water and from each of the windows a metal ball fell down to indicate the time of day. It must have been spectacular.

Dar al-Magana

The Medina of Fez is a large market divided into different souks according to the guilds. There are many restaurants, some of which are very small and only have room for one table. We ordered take-away bread cakes stuffed with meat which were delicious for 10dh each.

After lunch we visited the Mellah or Jewish quarter of Fez, located about 20 minutes walk from the Blue Gate.

Sinagogue

There are three synagogues in the Jewish quarter. We visited the Ibn Danan Synagogue, the oldest in Fez and one of the most important in North Africa, dating from the 17th century. Its interior preserves the tevah, the heikhal, Eliahu's chair (for the circumcision ceremony), oil lamps and embroidered tapestries. In the lower part there is a cistern where the women washed before and after their periods.

From its upper terrace you can see the Jewish cemetery.

Jewish cemetry

Next to the Mellah is the Royal Palace and the souk of Bab El-Semmarine, which is easy to get lost in.

Bab El- Semmarine

We leave the souk and arrive at the Jnan Sbil gardens, which are closed today. These gardens are like a real oasis in chaotic Fez.

We have a drink in Garden Coffe, mint tea, the menu looks very good. 15h.

We return to Boujloud square to take a taxi back to R'Cif square. An UBER stops us and we get in, he takes the four of us for 50dh. He gives us a price to go to Chefchaouen in two days for 90€, it seems very expensive but we ask him for his phone number in case he can get more people and reduce the price.

Sandwich stall

Once in R'Cif we looked for a restaurant for dinner and we were right on the money. We dined at the Dar Alaoui restaurant, an old riad converted into a restaurant, one of the best of the whole trip. We ordered harira soup, Moroccan salad (cooked), pastilla and lemon chicken tajine. The dishes are huge and they're all amazing. They are quite big so don't ask for too much. He invited us to tea and pastries. We paid 412dh. We highly recommend it.