- Let's take a look at the map
- How New Year is celebrated in Morocco
- Useful information for travelers
If you loved reading oriental tales as a child, you should go to Morocco. From the very first minutes of staying in this country, this country resembles illustrations of ancient Arab books with oriental beauties, minarets resting against the sky, the scent of exotic spices floating through the maze of streets of the old city, and the cunning eyes of boys that burn with childish curiosity at every corner of Medina. Saffron and couscous, juicy ripeness of lemons and donkeys dutifully pulling their luggage along the stone sidewalks, the skyscrapers of Casablanca and the bright blue of fishing boats in the port of Essaouira - all this is impossible to describe in words. But what if you go to Morocco to celebrate the New Year? The idea captivates with its originality and economic rationalism, because at this time there are not too many tourists in North Africa, which means that prices will be more merciful to guests suffering from oriental exoticism.
Let's take a look at the map
The Kingdom of Morocco is located in the far northwest corner of the "black" continent. It is washed by the Mediterranean Sea in the north and the Atlantic in the west, and its climate largely depends not only on latitude, but also on the proximity of the ocean:
- Throughout its entire length, Morocco finds itself in several climatic zones. In the north, the weather is determined by the Mediterranean climate, in the southeast - desert, in the center of the country - continental.
- The air temperature on the Mediterranean coast in winter rarely drops below + 15 ° C, but at this time precipitation is possible in the form of rain. There are many sunny days, but cloudy weather on New Year's in northern Morocco is not uncommon.
- During the winter holidays, pleasant warm weather reigns on the beaches of the resort of Agadir with an air temperature of about + 20 ° C during the day and + 15 ° C at night. The water in the ocean warms up to only + 14 ° С, but if you wish, you can refresh yourself. Sunbathing can be hampered by cold winds from the Atlantic, but if you find a secluded spot to sunbathe, you can get a bronze skin tone in just a couple of days.
- Cosmopolitan Casablanca is chilly in winter. Mercury columns reach + 16 ° C during the day, and drop to + 8 ° C at night. The water in the ocean is cold - only + 15 ° С, and the beaches of Casablanca are not the best place in Morocco for swimming. It is better to celebrate the New Year here in nightclubs, restaurants or at a disco.
- One of the most exotic cities in the kingdom, Marrakech offers a rich cultural program at any time of the year. During the New Year holidays, the thermometer usually stops at + 17 ° C and + 6 ° C during the day and at night, respectively, and therefore a warm jacket for an evening dress on New Year's Eve will not be superfluous.
Significant daily temperature fluctuations throughout most of Morocco throughout the year are a good reason to carefully consider your wardrobe. Don't forget to pack a high SPF sunscreen in your suitcase. The high level of sun exposure in these latitudes is complemented by strong winds, and therefore the skin can get burned quickly and imperceptibly.
How New Year is celebrated in Morocco
The vast majority of the inhabitants of the kingdom are Muslims, and therefore the New Year's surroundings at the end of December is rather a tribute to foreign tourists. Most of the Christmas decorations can be found in hotels and shopping centers, European restaurants and nightclubs.
When planning to celebrate the New Year in restaurants in Morocco, study the menu in order to know what to order for the festive table. The most delicious and popular dishes of Moroccan cuisine are prepared in tagine - a special ceramic frying pan with a cone-shaped lid. Try chicken baked with vegetables and lemon, harira soup, grilled vegetable stew. Moroccan desserts can honestly be called festive New Year's dishes. The most popular and delicious are puff pies and gingerbread cookies, which are best accompanied by a cup of mint tea (if you are not afraid of combining sweet and even sweeter) or strong coffee with cardamom. As festive alcoholic drinks in Morocco are local wines - red "Taleb" and white "Walpierre".
It is best to continue your holiday in a nightclub, especially if you have arrived in Casablanca. The main nightlife is concentrated on the Corniche. Nightclubs are present in Casablanca in huge numbers, but if you want a table, it is better to book it in advance on New Year's Eve.
Ancient Marrakech is famous for the El Fna square, where a magnificent performance begins every evening. It involves snake charmers and fire eaters, illusionists and acrobats, dancers and common pickpockets. Watch your wallets especially vigilantly on New Year's Eve, because a festive carnival starts in the center of Marrakech and the crowd of onlookers increases several times.
Useful information for travelers
European carriers will help you to fly to the New Year in Morocco:
- For 300 euros you can get to Casablanca aboard the Alitalia. The flight will be from Sheremetyevo, the docking will be in Rome, and you will have to spend about seven hours in the sky.
- French airlines offer tickets Moscow - Casablanca - Moscow with a transfer at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. The issue price is 350 euros. The journey, excluding the connection, takes seven hours.
An electronic subscription to the newsletter, issued on the official websites of air carriers, will significantly save money when buying tickets. You will be the first to know about discounts, bonuses and special offers and you will be able to travel much more profitable.
Agadir, like any resort town on the coast, offers entertainment programs in hotels during the New Year holidays, but due to the fact that the weather in December-January is not very warm here, city beaches are not particularly popular.
But in winter, prices for wellness programs in thalassotherapy centers are significantly reduced. In Morocco, these services are well-deserved popularity and cosmetology based on algae, sea water and mud has a long tradition
Do you dream to devote your winter vacation to facial and body care? Then you are in Morocco, where hundreds of beauty centers are ready to provide guests with incomparable healthy pleasure.
New Year's Eve in Morocco is the right weather for surfing. The wave off the coast of Essaouira reaches its peak, and adherents of fine water sports flock to the beaches of the Atlantic to celebrate the holiday in full accordance with their own ideas of the ideal vacation.
