Posts Tagged ‘Souks in Tangier’

Historic Tangier, Jewish Heritage Tour, A Guided Port Excursion

Wednesday, April 18th, 2018
Tangier Jewish Heritage Tour, Nahon Synagogue

Tangier Jewish Heritage Tour, Nahon Synagogue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tangier the capital of the Tétouan Region has a rich Jewish history due to the historical presence of many civilizations and cultures that conquered this area from the 5th century BC. Visiting the Jewish Heritage sites of Tangier on a private one-day tour can serve as a rewarding way to discover Tangier and the Jewish History of Morocco. Whether you are visiting Tangier while at Port for a Shore Excursion or desire a Guided Experience from your hotel, there’s much to see in this cosmopolitan Moroccan city many often refer to as the “Bride of the North.”

Tangier Jewish Cemetery

Tangier Jewish Cemetery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Historic Tangier, Jewish Heritage Tour, A Guided Experience:

Tangier Arrival. Pick Up at Tangier Med Ferry Port, Airport or at your Hotel. On this On this Tangier Jewish Heritage Tour you will start your morning off visiting Tangier’s Jewish Sacred sites and then continue seeing the highlights of old Tangier. Visit the Moshe Nahon Synagogue in Tangier. Next Visit Chaar Rafael Synagogue. Chaar Rafael is one of the last surviving synagogues and remnants of Jewish Heritage in Tangier. Explore the Jewish Cemetery and the continue onwards to other non-Jewish sites.
Explore the vantage point of the Colline de Bella-Vista. Then, drive to see the Grand Socco, a popular nighttime square close to the Mosque of Sidi Bou Abib and the link between Ville Nouvelle and the medina. Visit the American Legation Museum, located in the oldest American consulate in continuous use. Next, visit the old medina, enter the medina at Rue Es-Siaghinie, the busiest part of this Roman medina lined with cafes and bazaars, a Spanish church, jewelers’ shops and an arts center displaying works depicting Tangier’s social history. Walk Petit Socco which was once the heart of the medina where businessmen and bankers frequented cafes, hotels, casinos and cabarets that have relocated to Ville Nouvelle.
Lunch Suggestions: El Morocco Club or Le Saveur du Poisson or Traditional Moroccan lunch in the city center
Explore the Caves of Hercules (Grottos) and Cap Spartel, a majestic part of Tangier and one not often seen by those passing through. In the late afternoon, take a break and experience Tangier’s cafe scene at the Cafe de Paris, a popular meeting place for Tangier residents, a former favorite of Paul Bowles and other famous foreigners.
Cafe Hafa, Tangier

Cafe Hafa, Tangier

End the tea at Cafe Hafa with a cup of steaming hot Mint Tea. Moroccan Cafe Hafa, is a white-washed restaurant with a terrace and gardens that overlook Gibraltar –perfect at sunset and a former writing spot for Paul Bowles.
Paul Bowles achieved critical and popular acclaim with the publication of his first novel The Sheltering Sky, in 1949 set in French North Africa. The Sheltering Sky was later filmed in 1990 by Bernardo Bertolucci. The film was shot in Morocco’s cities of Tangier and Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate. The Sheltering Sky tells a dangerous and erotic journey of an American artist couple, Port and Kit Mores, and their aimless travels through Africa in search of new experiences.
In 1947 Paul Bowles settled in Tangier, Morocco, and his wife, Jane Bowles followed in 1948. Paul Bowles produced numerous musical scores, four novels, more than sixty short stories, many travel pieces and dozens of translations of stories by Moroccan storytellers.
Transfer to the Port or your Hotel. Your Travel Exploration Tour ends here.

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Souks of Morocco, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Monday, May 24th, 2010
Woman Picking Oranges at Sunday Souk Ouarzazate, Morocco

Woman Picking Oranges at Sunday Souk Ouarzazate, Morocco

Exploring the Souks of Morocco is a great way to connect with the local people and to experience first hand the tradition of Moroccan buying and selling of a wide range of goods. Moroccan Souks are typically held once a week in each city and region with the “day of the souk” being the best time to purchase fresh vegetables, fruits, preserved lemons, olives, spices, household items, Moroccan jewelry, Music, Toys, Glass ware, Silver, Gold, Clothing, Moroccan carpets and other exciting finds that are carried across the Maghreb from souk to souk.

Man from Atlas Mountains with Antique Silver for Sale, Ouarzazate, Morocco

Man from Atlas Mountains with Antique Silver for Sale, Ouarzazate, Morocco

A majority of the goods that are sold at Moroccan souks are either imported or made and sold by local artisans, vendors and Nomads who descend from the Atlas mountain regions to sell their wares. The good s at Moroccan Souks which are primarily imported from abroad are made available to cater to the local population in Morocco who prefer goods that are made of plastic, glass and porcelain as a result of their low price point, quality and attraction to foreign goods.

Imported Plastic Goods at the Sunday Souk, Ouarzazate, Morocco

Imported Plastic Goods at the Sunday Souk, Ouarzazate, Morocco

A Souk (souq) is referred to as the commercial quarter in an Arab or Berber city and specifically refers to the weekly market.

Historically in Morocco, souks were held outside of cities in the location where a caravan loaded with goods would stop and merchants would display their goods for sale. Souks were typically held when there was a caravan passing through a city or if there was excess of goods available. At that time, souks were more than just a market to buy and sell goods; they were also major festivals and many cultural and social activities took place in them.

Woman at Sunday Souk, Ouarzazate, Morocco

Woman at Sunday Souk, Ouarzazate, Morocco

A result of the expansion and growth of Moroccan cities during the past ten years has created an environment where traditional Moroccan souks have become less important in major cities such as Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes, Essaouira and Tangier. The reason an interest in traditional souks in major cities has declined is because larger, more modern Moroccan places to shop such as Marjane (American “Target” equivalent), Acima, and other urban centers now offer a similar or better quality of goods. Moroccan Souks in smaller cities, towns and Moroccan villages are still a large weekly tradition and the main source of goods for the local population. Families who live in remote mountain regions of Morocco or in small villages often travel long distances each week to the traditional Moroccan Souks where they can stock up on goods.

Spices in a Moroccan Souk

Spices in a Moroccan Souk

Each city and small town in Morocco has a particular day of the week when a  “Souk” takes place and many refer to it with the day of the week as it’s title. For example in Ouarzazate, Morocco there is a “Saturday Souk” and a “Sunday Souk” however in other regions and cities there is often a “Thursday Souk” or a “Monday Souk.”

If you are considering a Morocco tour make sure to ask your travel agent to include a visit to the local Moroccan Souk. Visiting a Moroccan souk offers an unforgettable visual and sensory experience.

For more information about Moroccan Souks or a Private Tour to Shop the Souks of Morocco

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806  or 1 (917)703-2078  and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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