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Morocco is an initiation into the exotic magic of the Islamic, Arabic, African world -
the world of medinas and minarets, desert and mountain; yet it almost touches western
Europe and, for all the differences, retains a European patina, the legacy of the
French Protectorate.
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To imbibe the spirit of Morocco, wander the streets of the great cities. Fès - the ancient
capital - has a stunning array of medieval buildings, while Marrakech compels attention,
its world-famous souk selling a bewildering array of goods; both hark back to the Arab
dynasties that ruled the country from the Muslim conquest. Casablanca, a thriving
commercial centre, and Rabat, the capital, reflect their modern French origins; Tangier is
mildly seedy, slightly melancholy. All Moroccan cities are crowded, the hustlers a fact of life.
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Morocco's charm lies in its diversity. For sun-worshippers, there are miles of beaches,
while inland lies Berber country where, among the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, the energetic
can walk or trek. Beyond the Atlas are the fringes of the Sahara, where the caravans once
stopped on their way south to trade in spice and ivory.
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Whether scaling distant ridges, idling by the sea, haggling for exotic artefacts, gazing at
ancient wonders or marvelling at the pink and indigo of a desert dawn, you will be mesmerised.
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