Things to do in Morocco

Golf: Morocco is a golfing paradise. Few other countries can match the wonderful weather, fastidiously manicured greens and range of courses to choose from. Marrakech alone has three superb golf courses. Even better is the fact that green fees are about £20 and caddies can be hired from as little as £5. Our top tip is to stay in the South Medina and then you can be on the Royal Golf Course in as little as 10 minutes drive yet still be staying in the hub of things. The new opening for late 2008 is the Mogador Golf course in Essaouira.

Horse-riding: There are several well-kept riding schools around Marrakech and Essaouira. Most are happy to accommodate either a one-off lesson or a day trip on horseback into the mountains or desert.  

Windsurfing: Essaouira is the surf capital of northern Africa and thanks to the prevailing Atlantic winds it is a year-round destination. For the best surf head just south of Essaouira to Sidi Kaouki or go 25 kms north to Moulay. Check out Ocean Vagabond on Essaouira's beach for more details, courses and equipment rental.

Kite surfing: The consistent wind and large open beaches make Essaouira a great place to Kiteboard and there are good schools along the beach. Call Fleewinter's resident kitesurfer bore for up-to-the minute advice on the best timing.

Cookery: Marrakech offers one of the best cookery schools available at La Maison Arabe. Here you learn the skills involved in producing the finest Moroccan cuisine including tagines. Other courses can be arranged in the medina or even in your riad

Skiing: In winter, those in the know head to Oukaïmeden, just 75 kms from Marrakech where there are over 20kms of pistes for all abilities. Snow and weather conditions are generally best in January and February.

Quad Biking: This is a great way to get around once the road runs out. The favourite places are along the dunes  in Essaouira and in the Sahara Desert around Merzouga.

Camel Trekking: Whilst you will be offered plenty of opportunities to hop on a camel around Marrakech, our advice is to save this for the Desert (need to book in advance) or Essaouira where you can trek for miles along the beaches.

Cycling: Cycling is probably the most popular mode of transport in Morocco and no reason why visitors can't have a go. There is good mountain biking in the coastal area south of Essaouira. The more adventurous might like to read a recent client's account where he and his friends took their bikes and did a grand tour of the area around Marrakech and even into the atlas Mountains. Marrakech Bike Tour

• Eat in the make-shift open air restaurants of the Place Jemaa el-Fna at night
• Wander the many souks where you can watch craftsmen at work and bargain for souvenirs
• Visit the colourful Majorelle gardens
• Eat breakfast at one of the cafés overlooking the Place Jemaa el-Fna and watch the square come to life
• Relax in a hammam (Moroccan steam bath with traditional scrub)
• Admire the beauty of the Koutoubia Mosque tower (only Muslims are allowed inside)
• Visit the Saadian tombs to see some of the finest Islamic architecture in Morocco
• Marvel at the intricacy of the stucco work and zellij tilework of the Palais Bahia
• See the storks nesting on top of the Palais el Bahia

• Watch the fisherman return to harbour with their catch and then choose your own fish for dinner
• Get lost in the labyrinth of narrow streets within the medina walls
• Discover the many and varied souks and bargain for your purchases
• Gallop along the beach on horseback - or ride a camel at a more leisurely pace
• Ride the Atlantic waves - either by windsurf or surfboard or fly a kite on the vast crescent sands of Essaouira's beach
• Eat dinner at the Villa Maroc (even if you're not staying there)
• Eat lunch in one of the cafés near the harbour
• Watch the craftsmen carve the local Thuja wood and buy something as a souvenir
• Look out for gulls, rare falcons and migratory birds on the Îles Purpuraires
• Walk around the ramparts just before sunset
• Go for a quad bike tour in the sand dunes
• Visit an argan oil co-operative

• Take a walk around the city following one of the set trails
• Go and see The Chouara Tannery - the largest of the four traditional tanneries still open in the Medina
• Indulge yourself in one of the famous traditional hammams and be pampered by their wonderful masseurs
• Watch the craftsmen working in open workshops
• Visit the oldest universities in the world (unlike mosques there are open for tourists)
• Visit one of the two thermal springs near Fes ( Moulay Yaacoub 20km from Fes; Sidi Harazem, located 12 km from Fes
• Organise a trip to the Middle Atlas with a pit-stop in one of the mountain resort
• Visit Volubilis, which is the site of the largest and best preserved Roman ruin in Morocco. Once home to up to 20,000 people, historians estimate it was originally settled by Carthaginian traders in 300 BC
• About 70km south of Fez is the small Berber town of Azrou. This peaceful town makes a great day trip from Fes. There is a lively market on Tuesdays.