Journey Beyond Travel...going beyond the destination

If you enjoy the adventure of getting lost in a whimsical destination, Fez el Bali should be right up your alley…literally.

Known for its seemingly infinite winding alleyways, Fez’s old town allows you to experience ancient Morocco with its well-preserved historical character. Wandering through the city’s narrow walkways is like embarking on a journey as far back as the ninth century, shortly after Arabs arrived in the country.

Fez el Bali is a huge medina and UNESCO World Heritage site with narrow alleys packed with lively restaurants, spice markets, crafts, workshops, hammams, mosques, fountains and performers. You’re welcome to wander at your leisure throughout the medieval town, but, of course, if getting lost isn’t up your alley, plenty of local guides are available for hire. (more…)

Volubilis is not a town in Morocco, but rather a set of Roman ruins situated near Moulay Idriss and outside of Meknes. The spot was probably chosen for its rich soil that would reap abundant crops, especially olives.

Volubilis is one of the best preserved archaeological sites in Morocco and has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997.  The most interesting artifacts of Volubilis are the mosaics which have survived time. (more…)

A trip through time is almost everybody’s dream. There is a time machine right at your fingertips, and it starts on the plane. The journey begins when you land in Morocco. So let your Moroccan itinerary begin in a timeless setting. This little North African country sets on the modern side of history. Its roots, however, go way back to before the Romans and Phoenicians came. (more…)

If your first stop in Morocco is Casablanca then let your second stop be just 60 miles up the coast in Rabat. It is the country’s capital and where most of the foreign embassies are located as well as the country’s head of state, King Mohammed VI. The most talked about and well-visited site in Rabat is the Tour Hassan, built of rosy copper sandstone with a minaret that soars 144 feet above an array of 300 columns of a mosque that was never actually completed. Morocco’s cities are filled to the brim with such boiling brews (more…)

The Roman settlement of Volubilis, located in Morocco, has been around since at least the third century BC, where it was most likely constructed on top of a fallen Carthaginian city. This particular city was once the home of the main administrative center for Roman Africa during ancient times, and it was the home of quite a few major players in the government. On top of that, this city was the main hub of the exports made to Rome during that time, and it was responsible for the production of grain in that particularly fertile region of the country. Volubilis was also home to the diplomats who would contact the Berber tribes and attempt to suppress them for the Roman Empire, but were unable to. (more…)

Just down the road from Fez lies the Imperial City of Meknes. Not on your Moroccan tour list? Well, it should be. Talk to your Moroccan tour operator and schedule a stop. It is definitely worth a visit. It’s quieter and smaller than most imperial cities, a sort of still-stored secret. If you’re into attractions but not into crowds, then you’ll feel less of the abash hassles instituted in other more visited Morocco cities. The Middle Atlas Mountains provide the backdrop and olive groves, fruit orchards and grain fields add to the pleasant surroundings where zoneless nature mixes amok with buildings and shops. (more…)