Contemporary Morocco

If holidays have a purpose, it is to relax, have fun and, perhaps, try new experiences or activities. Whilst Morocco is a suitable holiday destination for those who simply want to relax, it holds most appeal for holidaymakers who are willing to immerse themselves in contemporary Moroccan life.

Arts and Culture

Morocco has a lively contemporary arts scene, with particular strengths in the fields of literature and cinema. However, as the primary language used in Moroccan artistic productions is Arabic, or failing that French, Moroccan films and books are largely inaccessible to an English-speaking audience. The area of Moroccan artistic expression which is most accessible to UK visitors is music. Moroccan music encompasses many different periods and genres, from traditional Berber music, through religious and secular music to modern pop. in addition to taking the opportunity to hear performances of traditional and contemporary Moroccan music, it's worth visiting of the shops which make and sell Moroccan musical instruments, often using traditional materials and techniques which have been passed down through many generations.

Moroccan Cuisine

Morocco has a culinary tradition which fuses Berber, Arab and European influences to produce a cuisine that is uniquely Moroccan. The staple dishes in Morocco are couscous, a coarse granular form of semolina, and tajine. Interestingly, tajine is a dish defined not by its ingredients but by its cooking method, the tajine being the name of the traditional conical earthenware pot in which the recipe is prepared. Tajine is made from meat, chicken or fish, to which added vegetables, spices and a fruit, usually apricots, which lends the dish its characteristic sweetness and delicate flavour.

A Moroccan meal will usually begin with starters, in summer a selection of small dishes of salad and spiced vegetables, in winter very often soup. This is followed by the main course, tajine or perhaps ketfa, a dish of meatballs cooked in sauce, accompanied by couscous. The meal concludes with desserts, possibly something light like spiced oranges or a sweet, milk-based concoction such as pastilla. The Moroccans have on a notoriously sweet tooth and whilst many Europeans will find Moroccan tea almost undrinkable on account of its high sugar content, they may find themselves tempted by the aroma of sweetmeats - delicious doughnut like confections known as sfenj; little triangles of filo pastry filled with almonds, orange flowers, cinnamon and of course sugar called briouats; chebakyas, twirls of pastry which are deep-fried and then coated with cinnamon, sesame seeds and saffron - sold by street vendors.

Moroccan Crafts

Morocco has an international reputation for the quality of the craftwork that is produced in many fields - carpets, ceramics, metalware, textiles, leatherwork and the carving of wood and stone. One of the great delights of Morocco is that it provides the opportunity to see great craftsmen at work, using tools and techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation. Visiting the tanneries in Fes and studying the leatherworkers in action or watching Berber tribeswomen making carpets in the High Atlas is to witness a tradition of craftsmanship that has endured for centuries. Visitors who are considering buying Moroccan craftwork as holiday souvenirs should aware that much of the material offered to holidaymakers in the major tourist centres is of inferior quality, or even ersatz. When shopping for Moroccan souvenirs one must keep your wits about you, shop around, be prepared to haggle and, above all, avoid being pressured into making any purchase about which you are uncertain.