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Imperial Cities, Middle Atlas & the East االمبراطوري المدن و األطلس المتوسط و الشرق

Why Go? Fez ...... 283 If you’re looking for in microcosm, this region ...... 322 takes the title, running the whole spectrum from imperial cities and ancient ruins to grand mountain vistas and desert Meknès ...... 324 oases. Volubilis (Oualili) . . 335 The fertile plains of the north have acted as Morocco’s Moulay Idriss ...... 338 breadbasket for centuries. The Romans left remains at Volu- ...... 339 bilis, followed in turn by Muslim dynasties who birthed Mo- ...... 342 rocco’s grandest imperial city: Fez. The narrow streets of the Fez medina are a true assault Midelt ...... 344 on the senses. Meknès, another old imperial capital, offers a ...... 347 slightly more pocket-sized experience. Oujda ...... 351 The Middle Atlas mountains, home to the Barbary ape, rise to the south and the area is made for hiking. Across the mountains the distinctive kasbahs of the south begin to make an appearance. The desert isn’t far away, and Best Places to by the time you reach the oasis of Figuig, the olive tree has Eat long given way to the date palm. ¨¨Ruined Garden (p309) ¨¨L’Amandier, Palais Faraj (p310) When to Go ¨¨Marhaba Restaurant Fez (p333) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 8/200 ¨¨Dar Hatim (p309) ¨¨Hôtel Les Cèdres (p343) 30/86 6/150

20/68 4/100

Best Places to 10/50 2/50 Stay 0/32 0 J F M A M J J A S O N D ¨¨Dar Finn (p303) ¨¨Funky Fes (p303) Apr Perfect Jun Hit Fez for Sep Summer’s spring weather the Festival of heat has burned ¨¨Ryad Bahia (p331) and markets full World Sacred off making for ¨¨Dar Kamal Chaoui (p324) of orange blos- Music. perfect sightsee- ¨¨Ksar Timnay Inter-Cultures som scenting ing conditions. the air. (p345) Oujda n 0 km 0 miles 5 Saïdia Aï 3 Bouarfa s Tendrara Ra el-Maa Benimathar El-Aïoun

Berkane

Mountains Aïn-Ech-Chair Beni-Snassen Zaïo Arekmane Kariat 0 0 njoy the sound of the of the sound njoy Taourirt E Make like a troglodyte in a troglodyte like Make (Spain) Melilla Gouffre Gouffre of caverns weird the (p351) du Friouato 7 6 Festival of of sublime at the Festival Music (p311) Sacred World in Fez Nador Selouane Bi-Tajjite S329 Guercif ) Midar Imzouren Jebel Bou Naceur (3340m Al-Hoceima El-Haj Taza Gouffre du Friouato Ajdir S E A xplore the outsized the outsized xplore Bab Bou-Idir Spend a day and night on Spend a day Ifrane in the Ifrane Hike E

Outat-Oulad-

Tizi n' (p341) in the (p341) National Park Atlas Middle imperial architecture of of imperial architecture (p324) Meknès 4 5 3 pilgrimage in the holy town of of town in the holy pilgrimage (p338) Idriss Moulay Targuist Iblane Bou Jebel Touahar Iris Cala ) S311 Ziz Gorges Middle Atlas & the East Highlights k Park Ksabi M E D I T E R R A N E A N I T E R R A M E D S330 Jebel Tazzeka National Tazzeka (1980m (2448m) Ribat el-Kheir de Rhiata Enjil El-Jebha Jebel Tidiquin n Sidi Abdallah Midelt S317 Rich s Aouli Aï Bab Bou-Ahmed/Steha Issaguen n (Ketama) Berret Tissa Tattiouine Sefrou Aïcha i P20 S3424 a Oued Laou

t Fez P24 n Ifrane National Par Bhalil Jebel Martil Ceuta (Spain) Ceuta P21 Bab N16 Mischliffen Chefchaouen Taza Ayachi u Ifrane (3737m) M'Diq

o Jaffar Zaïdia Cirque Strait of Strait Imouzzer Itzer Gibraltar r M ive into the warren of of warren the into Dive Time travel amid the Time travel

Sources de l'Oum-er-Rbia S3398 Da

f Moulay Idriss mosaic-strewn Roman ruins of ruins of Roman mosaic-strewn (p336) Volubilis 2

1 Imperial Cities, i looking the medina (p302) in and souvenirs souqs for ancient Fez S303 Tetouan Azrou

R ' S3485 Ouezzane El-Merhasiyne Tangier

Ackoubaa El-Hajeb Meknès Volubilis ialial C iCties,ties, Middle Middle Atlas Atlas & the E&ast the Citi Eastes, M iddle Atlas & the East Highlights

Imper 282