Category: Africa

Bahia Palace, Marrakech, Morocco

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Bahia Palace is a palace of century XIXᵉ of eight hectares in Marrakech, Morocco. It is a masterpiece of Moroccan architecture, one of the major monuments of cultural heritage. It was built southeast of the medina of Marrakech between 1866 and 1867. It was built for Si Moussa, chamberlain of Sultan Hassan 1st of Morocco, at his death, his son, Ahmed Ben Moussa, had enlarged the southern part his father’s palace by the successive acquisition and glitzy development of large sets of neighboring houses. The palace takes its name from his favorite mistress, Bahia. From 1912, General Lyautey, Marshal of France, used it as his personal residence as well as the residence of French officers by adding chimneys, heating and electricity. It has about 150 lavishly decorated rooms. There are marble, wood paintings, stained glass windows, many patios and gardens with orange trees, banana trees, cypresses, hibiscus and jasmine. The Moroccan royal family of King Mohammed VI sometimes stay there in a large private party not open to the public.

Tips

The palace is open to visitors, at your visit ask for information because you can also attend concerts of Arab-Andalusian music and art exhibitions.
You can also ask for a guide to accompany you and tell the whole story which is very interesting.

Luxor, Egypt

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Luxor is a city located on the right bank of the Nile, in high-Egypt, located about 700 km south of Cairo and approximately 300 km north of Aswan. The site is visited by lots of visitors per year and is one of the most touristic places of the Egypt and constitutes the southern part of Ancient Thebes. The temple of Luxor, linked to Karnak by a dromos with a long line of Sphinxes, was erected in the 14th century BC during the reign of Amenhotep III. Ramses II changed it after adding six monumental statues and two obelisks, one of them is at the ‘Place de la Concorde’ in Paris (it was offered to France in 1831). The inhabitants of Luxor live directly or indirectly from tourism. To see: the temple of Luxor, Karnak, the colossi of Memnon, the temple of Hatshepsut, the Ramesseum, Medinet Habu (famous for the burial of Ramesses III temple) and the Valley of the kings, queens, nobles, and craftsmen.

Tips

If you prefer to go directly to the site without any excursion, you can go by ‘calèche’ or taxi. Do not forget to fix the price before going on.
A great way to explore the region is ballooning. You can do it early in the morning.
If you prefer, you can also do a camel ride in the fields bordering the Nile.
Go out in the evening, a nice walk throughout the Nile is very nice; you will find bars and restaurants to spend a relaxed evening.
If you like shopping, there is a market just down the street from the station, the first part is for tourists but if you continue a little further, you’ll find the real Egyptian market.

Agadir, Souss, Morocco

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Agadir is a city in southwestern Morocco, located on the Atlantic coast, in the Souss region, 508 km south of Casablanca, 173 km of Essaouira and 235 km west of Marrakech. It is a city where there are three languages; Arabic, Berber and French. From 1950, Agadir is a dynamic city with the aperture of a new commercial port and good activities such as fishing, agriculture, canning, mining and tourism course which feels attracted by its mild climate throughout the year and its beautiful hotels. In 1952, the Grand Prix of Agadir was held and after the Grand Prix of Morocco. In 1960, there was a great earthquake that has ravaged the city and it was completely rebuilt with mandatory earthquake standards. The beach is over 10 km with a beautiful seafront promenade of 5 km with the best hotels, shops, restaurants, cafes,white houses or buildings of condominiums, etc. There are 340 sunny days per year and the temperature let you swim at any time, with mild winters and a summer heat that does not choke. Agadir is also the first port of Morocco and it has the role of argument to be the first tourist site in the country with Marrakech. It is a modern, dynamic city with tourists throughout the year.

Tips

It is an ideal city to spend long stays, rent an apartment, there are even with food service and cleaning, staying in a hotel with just breakfast or all inclusive. There are lots of activities to do but it is more pleasant to walk along the sea; the promenade is very wide and you have plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants if you prefer to stop a little bit at any time of day. For the best view of Agadir, go to the Casbah, where the old fortress was. A visit to the souks is also the discovery of a culture. You can buy your souvenirs, spices, typical handicraft products, etc., there.