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5 favourite daytrips from Rimini, Italy

November 17, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Italy

Besides being a nice destination, Rimini is perfect for going on daytrips because of its location. In this blog I will share my 5 favourite daytrips that I did from Rimini and how to get there by public transport.

San Marino

The idea of a country in a country sounds so weird to me. However, Italy has two countries in the country: San Marino and Vatican city. From Rimini, you can get to San Marino in approximately 30 minutes by bus. You will get dropped off at the spot that is the most interesting for tourists. This is a small castle like settlement on a hill with paths going up to the towers. Along the way up you will pass a lot of tourist shops and restaurants. Besides the fact that this feels a bit like a tourist trap, it also feels like your going back in time. The little castles feel like a fairy tale. You do not need a awful lot of time up here, in about 2 to 3 hours you will have seen everything. I would suggest to just walk around and enjoy the beautiful views of San Marino and Italy.

How to get there and back?

There are two bus organisations operating between Rimini and San Marino: Benedettini and Bonelli. For both organisations I would suggest to buy a ticket of 5 euros (one way) in advance on the opposite side of the train station in Rimini. The bus to San Marino leaves from multiple stops like Arco di Augusto or in front of the trains station and I would suggest to check the updated timetable.

Ravenna

I love this little Italian city, which is also why I visited it multiple times. Ravenna is mostly known by its beautiful mosaic. On many street corners you can enjoy a small mosaic art piece, but the main attraction here is the Basilica di San Vitale. This big basilic has the most beautiful mosaic work inside I have ever seen in my life. With bright colours and gold shimmering in the sunlight this cathedral is a must-see when visiting Ravenna. On the same ground there is a small mausoleum where you can enjoy another beautiful and mosaic covered building. Furthermore, there are a few more places where you can see mosaic, but I think the two listed above are the best.

Another place worth to visit is the basilica di San Francesco, in which you can see a part covered in water. When you throw a small coin in the machine, the lights will turn on and you can see the water in the church. Also, if you are lucky you can see the fish swimming in the water. The next stop is Dante Alighieri’s tomb, this small tomb is dedicated to the famous Italian philosopher Dante Alighieri who lived from 1265 until 1321. My last tip for Ravenna is to have a visit at the Biblioteca Classense. This town library is covered in beautiful paintings and covered in mosaic floors.

How to get there and back?

From Rimini central station there is a direct train to Ravenna. You can buy your ticket at the station at the Trenitalia ticket machines. The train ride will take you around an hour and during this trip you will pass the station of Cesenatico, which will also be covered in this blog. Do not forget to validate your ticket before you board the train!

Bologna

The next daytrip option is the city famous for it Tagliatelle al Ragu and it often called the food capital of Italy: Bologna. In a day you will probably not be able to see everything and so this city is actually worth more days. But for this blog I will share the main highlights.

Besides good food, Bologna has a lot of nice buildings and streets to offer. One of the main squares is called Piazza Maggiore (the Big square). Here you will find a nice church and some streets for a great aperitivo! If you have never heard of the concept of Aperitivo I would like to refer you to one of my previous blogs about food in Rimini (button).

If you are feeling active and you like good views, I can recommend climbing the Due Torre. One of these towers (the highest one) is available for visitors and wooden steps will bring you up the roof. From the tower you can search for the second tower which seems gone, until you find it! From here you have a beautiful view over the city and you will understand why Bologna is called ‘La Rossa’ (red).

Enjoy some nice food at one of the pizzerias or osterias, I will share my favourites in my Bologna city guide and if you still feel active afterwards, you can walk all the way up to Basilica di San Luca. More information about this hike and more about Bologna will soon be on my website so stay tuned!

How to get there and back?

From Rimini station there are multiple direct trains to Bologna. It depends on the speed and time when you book how much it will cost. Most of the trains take around 2 hours and will cost a bit less than 10 euros one way. The station of Bologna is in the centre and after a 10 minute walk you will reach Piazza Maggiore. You can buy your train ticket again at a Trenitalia ticket machine. Do not forget to validate your ticket before you board the train!

Padua

This city is a bit further away than the others, but if you have time, definitely worth a visit. I did this in one day but Padua deserves more days. This cosy city is full with students which means that there are a lot of nice bars to drink or eat. Futher, Padua offers a beautiful and big cathedral: Basilica di Sant’Antonio. Another signature spot of Padua is the Prato Della Valle which is surrounded by multiple statues. And of course: you should not miss Palazzo Bo. Not only because it has my name haha, but because it is the oldest anatomic theatre in the world and is now home to the School of Law.

How to get there and back?

The easiest and cheapest way to get to Padua from Rimini is by taking the Flixbus. You can buy tickets in advance on their website. The ride takes around 4 hours and the bus provides you with WI-FI and comfortable seats.

Cesenatico

This last daytrip is especially nice when you go in the December period before Christmas. I visited this place when my parents came to Italy in the beginning of December. The whole town is covered in Christmas lights and the boats are decorated with Christmas stories. The little fishers village gets a romantic and cosy atmosphere with Christmas music playing on the speakers. Here I just suggest to walk around and enjoy the boats and the lights. If you decide to go in Summer, there is also a nice beach where you can go for a swim or work on your tan.

How to get there and back?

From Rimini station you can get a direct train in the same direction as Ravenna. This will only take you around 25 minutes and costs around 3 euros one way. You can buy the ticket at the station at a ticket machine of Trenitalia. Do not forget to validate your ticket before you board the train!

Story time: How we got invited to a local home in Jerash, Jordan

November 8, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Beautiful People Jordan

This story is about someone we met during our travels in Jordan. This story is about a salesman in Jerash working in the tourism industry. This story is about kindness, trust and respect. This story is about Morad.

Daytrip to Jerash, Jordan

We start our trip in Jordan in the capital Amman. Amman is a great city and also has a lot of possibilities for daytrips. Jerash is one of these possibilities. Jerash is the largest Roman site of Jordan which is why a lot of tourists decide to go see these ruins. Of course, where tourists are, there are souvenir shops and salesmen trying to sell you all kinds of local products. One of these salesmen is Morad and he tried to sell us the typical scarves of Jordan.

At first, I felt really annoyed as we were not even through the main gate of the ruins and already ended up in a shop, but after a while we saw that he was actually a very nice guy. He looked our age and was just doing his job. Men working in tourist shops often are seen as pushy and annoying and I also sometimes try to avoid an encounter with them. However, Morad made me look differently at these people.

We spend way too much time in his shop talking with him and ended up both buying a scarf. Afterwards he made us necklaces which he gave to us and then he invited us for lunch the next day at his home. His mother would cook a traditional meal for us. My boyfriend gave his phone number and we promised to stay in contact.

To be honest, I was a bit scared. I did not fully trust the situation but I was also curious about the experience. We decided to do it and arranged an appointment with him for the day after. The next day we took a taxi back to Jerash and the whole way I was picturing everything that could go wrong in my head. But now I am thinking: what were these scary images based on?

Lunch at a local home

He picked us up from the taxi stop and we walked to a restaurant of someone he knows and had a nice lemon mint there (if you go to Jordan, make sure to try the lemon mint!!). We were not allowed to pay for the drinks as the custom in Jordan is when you invite someone, you pay everything for them.

After this drink, we went to his house where he and his mom live to eat traditional Mansaf. On the way to his house, which is not in the tourism part of Jerash, we were looked at by local people but he said that we were his guests, and so they left us alone. In his house, we sat down on one of the pillows that were laying on the floor and he told us that this was also the place where they slept.

He placed a piece of plastic on the floor and put plates and glasses on there. Then, his mom came with the Mansaf, which is a rice dish with chicken (or lamb) and yoghurt, and this was also placed on the plastic on the ground. We sat down and enjoyed the food and some nice talks, of course for me it was hard to eat chicken but I did it out of respect. Morad told us about his life in Jordan and before Jordan and his goals in life.

Traditional Mansaf

Pushy salesman or person with a story?

Morad is from Syria and had to flee his country because of safety. He arrived in Jordan when he was 15 years old and now only lives with his mother. His father helped his sister and brothers to move to Canada and Germany but by the time he was going to help Morad he passed away. Now Morad got the full responsibility to take care of his mother and find a job. After a while he found a job in tourism because he could speak English and this is where we met him.

He explained to us that a lot of times tourists can be very rude or even ignore him. He finds this hurting as he is also just a person with a story. Tourists can treat him like he has no talent or knowledge and nothing better to do in life.

This is what I would like to raise awareness on. It is of course okay if you are not interested in particular products, but I think it is very important to respect other persons at any time. If you show interest in the local people you might get a beautiful experience in return and otherwise made their (and your) day a little bit better! This lunch was one of our highlights of the trip as it really brought us closer to local life. It opened our eyes and showed us a story of an incredible friendly person who despite everything that happened still tries to accomplish his dream: to rap.

As a kid he already dreamed of writing songs in English and rap about his life. This is the way for him to show his soul and heart instead of always only listening to the mind. He loves humans from every religion or country as he believes that we are all the same in the afterlife. So next time, when you are annoyed by local sales people, think about people like Morad. Just people with a different life story.

Sumba: The Unspoiled Pearl in the South of Indonesia

November 7, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Indonesia

There is a big possibility that you have never heard of Sumba before in your life. I had not heard of it in my life before my University programme announced that we were going to do research on the island of Sumba. Sumba.. sounds quite exotic right? Well it really is a rough diamond with a lot to offer to travellers. In this blog I will list my favourite spots of this almost undiscovered island.

How to get there?

Multiple Indonesian airlines operate between Sumba and for example Bali. Garuda Indonesia is an airline that operates and is a member of the Sky Team Alliance. From Bali it takes around one and a half hour to get to Sumba and along the way you will have the most beautiful views of multiple Indonesian islands. You can either fly to the airport of Waingapu (the capital of Sumba) or Tambolaka which is located more to west of Sumba.

Garuda Indonesia plane

Tambolaka Airport

Getting around

Getting around Sumba is quite a challenge. As Sumba is still very underdeveloped it does not have many good roads. A 4W drive is most of the times necessary. We always arranged a driver at the hotel to take us somewhere and wait for us at the destination. If you choose to do this, be prepared to pay more than you are used to spend in Indonesia. This is simply because the roads are bad and public transport is (almost) not a thing on this island. If you dare to, you can also choose to rent a motorcycle and explore the island by yourself, this will give you freedom to move around, however, if something happens help is most of the times far away.

Another option is to arrange a ‘tour’ with a local tour operator like Tour Sumba. We used this little company when we travelled to the eastern part of the island for a few days. You will get a guide and a driver and they will take you wherever you want to go. We were really happy that we had them, as the roads are often hard to find!

With our guide of Tour Sumba

Southwest Sumba Regency

If you arrive in Tambolaka, you arrive in the Southwest Sumba Regency. Here you can stay in a hotel and go to some highlights like the Weekuri lake and Mandorak beach (pantai) by car.

Weekuri Lake

About an hour drive west from Tambolaka you can find the Weekuri Lake. This big lake is located in the middle of the woods and is beautiful blue/green of color. Here you will be probably the only (foreign) tourist, surrounded by some local people that try to sell something. You can swim in the lake which is salt because of its opening to the sea. The local people build a small diving board for those who want to experience some adventure. Would you dare to jump? After some swimming you can walk up to see the lake from above and see the difference between the rough ocean and the quiet lake.

Pantai Mandorak

Nearby the Weekuri Lake there is a small beach what I would like to call paradise. Pantai Mandorak is surrounded by palm trees and green grass. On the white beach there are some traditional fishing boats and in the bright blue water some big rock formations. Again, here you will find almost nobody besides a few local people or Indonesian tourists: perks of going to an unspoiled destination.

West Sumba Regency

About an hour drive south from Tambolaka you will find the small village of Waikabubak. Now you are in the West Sumba Regency and here are also some pearls I would like to share with you.

Air Terjun Lapopu

40 minutes from Waikabubak you will find a beautiful waterfall (air terjun) called Lapopu. This waterfall is famous by local people for swimming and jumping off the waterfall. Enjoy a nice swim and try to beat the strength of the water of the falls!

Pantai Watu Bella

The name says it already: Bella! Palm trees, green grass white beach, blue sea and white rocks on both sides of the beach. When you go to the right side of the beach you might find an opening which will bring you to small cave with water.

Pantai Kerewei

Another beach located close to some nice home stays and surf hostels is Kerewei. The road to this beach is just magnificent and on the beach itself you might find a dog or a local person. This beach is more rough but still worth the visit, even only for the road to the beach.

The road to pantai Kerewei

East Sumba

For going from West to East on Sumba we travelled with Tour Sumba. This nice local travel company brought us in the afternoon to the eastern part of Sumba. Of course with only a few good roads, you should not expect a very comfortable experience. Also, do not be surprised when the road gets blocked by cows, sheep, goats, which makes this trip even more special. To explore the part of East Sumba that we explored it is easy to stay in the capital of Sumba: Waingapu. There is not much to this city, so I would suggest to get back to nature as soon as you can!

Bukit Wairinding

As a little kid, did you every watch the Teletubbies? Well I did at least, and this place reminded me of this tv show because of the green hills. This big, green, open space does not look like an Indonesian island at all, which shows the diversity of Sumba’s vegetation.

Bukit Persaudaraan

‘Bukit’ in Indonesian means ‘hill’ and Sumba has a lot of them! I already told you about the Bukit Teletubby, but Persaudaraan is also gorgeous. From this hill you have an amazing view over grasslands, rice fields and palm trees. Just look at the picture and you will know why it is a must visit on your Sumba trip!

Air Terjun Wai Marang

After an hour and a half drive and a walk through the bushes (this is why we were happy to have guide with us) you arrive at the Wai Marang falls. One word: wow. I have never experienced such a beautiful pearl in my life. This waterfall is hidden in some kind of cave and has bright blue water. The cave creates a kind of pool in which you can swim. It is crazy that places like these are completely quiet and the beaches of Bali are crowded. Anyway, I am really happy as this gives Sumba the possibility to develop without mass tourism. Go here and enjoy the quiet beauty of what Sumba has to offer.

Pantai Walakiri

Then, when the day is almost over, the sun is going down. You have one spot left on your list: Walakiri beach. This beach is known by mostly Indonesian tourists as the perfect spot for sunset. During sunset the beach will get flooded by high tide as this is exactly what you want. At this point, the mangrove trees on the beach are in the water and look like they are ‘dancing’. This is one of the best sunsets I have ever experienced in my life. But be careful! The sea is home to tons of beautiful thin starfish.

Visit a local village

When visiting Sumba, this should be definitely on your list. Sumbanese villages are characterized by its unique houses. The roofs of the houses are cone shaped and it is believed the higher the closer to their gods. Also this roof serves as a storage place. In every village you will find different sizes of these houses, the biggest being the one of the most important person, often the chief of the village. Using skulls of buffalos they show their prestige.

So now you know some of the best spots of Sumba, but of course this island has so much more to offer! There are still some spots on my bucket list and I will definitely go back. This island made such an impression on me no other place has done before.

Where to stay?

As Sumba is not very well developed for tourism, the amount of hotels is little. We even stayed in Tambolaka in a hotel that was not even finished yet! However, Sumba is home to worlds best resort: Nihi Sumba. But of course, a resort like this one comes with a price. So if that is not really your budget and to make it a bit easier for you, I listed some of my favourite places.

Tambolaka and surroundings

Oro beach houses: located at the beach this little accommodation with around 5 cottages is located in the middle of nowhere. The owner of the accommodation cares about sustainability and offers a water tank with filtered water where you can fill your bottles. The bathrooms are partly open so you shower without a roof, which gives it a very adventurous feeling. If you go outside during the night, you will see a ton of beautiful stars in the sky. In the morning you can enjoy a fresh made banana pancake. Sometimes its good to be of the radar right?

Musa Homestay: These kind people picked us up in the middle of the night after we left our accommodation (will come to that later). They gave us bananas and some tea and showed us our ‘rooms’. The rooms consist of a hut with a mattress on the floor and a mosquito net. The toilet has to be flushed with a bucket of water and the shower is a bucket of water. But in exchange for some luxury, your staying at the property of local people ON the beach. We could hear the waves from our bed. I think everyone should experience this once in their lives.

Rumah Budaya: this accommodation is at the same time a little culture centre of Sumba. The buildings are shaped in the same style as the local villages and this is a great place to stay when you are in Tambolaka.

Sumba hospitality foundation: this completely sustainable resort is at the same time a school for Sumbanese students to learn about the hospitality industry. We visited this place during our research. However, we did not stay here as it was above our budget.

Sumba Sunset Surf Camp

Musa Homestay

Rumah Budaya

Sumba Hospitality Foundation

Do not stay here! Sumba Nautil Resort

This is the place where we left in the middle of the night. The owner of the hotel is the unfriendliest person I have ever met in my life and we ended up in a fight. The location is beautiful but that does not weigh up to the fact that the staff is the worst. If you are in doubt: read the negative reviews on Tripadvisor. Instead: go to Musa home stay or Sumba Sunset Surf Camp where we met kind local people and most importantly: felt safe.

A perfect day in Taghazout

October 30, 2019

by Bo with 2 Comments Morocco

Surfer or no surfer, Taghazout is definitely worth a visit. I went by public bus to this small fishers village, which is now a relaxed surfing heaven. Taghazout has some of the best surf spots in Morocco and offers a lot of classes to beginners and more advanced surfers. I like to surf, but this time I did not go to surf. I took my camera, travel journal and swimsuit and was ready to enjoy a nice and relaxed weekend day.

How to get to Taghazout

To go to Taghazout, which is located around 20 kilometres up North from Agadir, you can take bus 32 from Wilaya – Jardin Belvere and it will cost you 5,5 dirhams. This bus will run every 15 minutes, but be prepared that the bus can run late. After half an hour you will arrive in Taghazout, but make sure to pay attention because the bus driver will not tell you where you are.

I went without a plan, so I was kind of lost in the beginning. However, when you start walking you will soon see that it consists of one big street with shops and restaurants and when you turn left into the small streets and just keep walking, you will end up at the beach. And that is where we want to be! If you want to go surfing, there are tons of surf shops and schools to choose from. Either take classes or rent your equipment and start playing in the sea yourself! As I worked all week and spend the whole Saturday walking in the streets of Agadir, I chose to do the surfing some other time.

Where the bus stops – Taghazout

Taghazout without surfing?

Also without surfing Taghazout is great fun! Drink a smoothie and eat some healthy food at World of Waves or eat a nice pizza, pasta or tajine at Windy Bay. Both places have a very nice atmosphere, with nice staff and a great view over the beach and the Atlantic ocean. Use one of the stairs to get to the beach and stroll around through all the little boats that are laying on the beach. I used this opportunity to take some pictures of this picturesque spot.

Now that you are on the beach already, you can go enjoy the sea and take a nice swim. At first I did not feel very comfortable with wearing a bikini, but then I saw multiple tourists doing it so it was okay. The local people here are very friendly and they will not stare at you. They are minding their own business and playing some sports on the beach.

World of Waves

Windy Bay

Anchor Point & Surf Berbere café

After some relaxation at the beach I was ready for the second part of my day: walking towards Anchor Point. This should be the spot to watch the professional surfers, instead I was walking in the heat and I did not see anything spectacular. Maybe it was because of the time of the day and the little amount of wind, but I was a bit disappointed by that. After giving water to some cute kittens there, I walked back to the centre of the village (a 20 minute walk). I decided that I did not want to end my day like this, so I went back to the cafes at the water and sat down at the Surf Berbere café for a nice mint tea. This spot is just like a dream! Sitting on a Berber cushion with a low table and looking at the water with the sun getting lower is the perfect way to end your day in Taghazout. But be aware: practicing your Moroccan tea pouring skills here is maybe not the best idea as the wind might blow your tea away!

The view during the walk to Anchor Point

Moroccan mint tea at Surf Berbere café

The way back to Agadir

Around 6 pm I decided it was time for me to get back to the busy city of Agadir, so I walked back to the same spot where the bus dropped me off. The bus was (according to Google Maps) supposed to come around 6.20 pm but it did not show up. Something past 7 pm the bus was finally there and as I was getting up to go to the bus, I got passed by a lot of locals that tried to get in the bus before everyone else. I ended up standing in the bus again even though it arrived empty.. So be prepared to ‘fight’ for your spot in the bus! On the way back, the bus cost me 7.5 dirhams.

I loved Taghazout and I will definitely go back to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and maybe do some surfing!

Using Plastic Waste to be Independent: the story of Armin’s handicrafts

October 17, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Beautiful People Indonesia

This blog is not about nice places or tips. As you can read on my ‘Beautiful People’ page I would also like to share stories of people that I meet during my travels. People that inspired me in some kind of way, all with an eye to environmental and social sustainability.

This post is about a girl that I met on an Indonesian island called Sumba. With two other friends I did research on this island into the waste management. It appeared that Indonesia is one of the biggest producers of waste and they often do not have a great waste management system. A lot of waste gets dumped on a landfill, in the sea or gets burned. All of these methods are damaging the environment and serious changes are needed.

We went looking for people that were contributing to the solution of managing plastic waste. This is the point where we got in contact with a special girl on Sumba..

The Girl that wants to be Independent..

Armin lives in a small house with her family on the island of Sumba near the city of Tambolaka. She is 17 years old and has a disability. She is born without hands and legs, which makes her very dependent on help of her family. In order to be more independent, she decided to watch tutorial videos on how to make certain handicrafts by reusing plastics. After a while she started asking friends to collect plastic cups that they use for water and juices and bring them to her. She would pay them a small amount of money in exchange for their efforts.

Of the cups she uses the top ring for herself made products. These products are baskets, bracelets and plates. By making the baskets she hopes to encourage her buyers to use these baskets for grocery shopping so that no extra plastic bags are needed. In this way, she not only recycles plastics that were thrown away but also adds a small part to the solution of this plastic problem.

Ambitions for the Future..

Being the real business woman she is, she thinks about expanding her business in the future by moving her production to a small shop. This shop will be given to her by the Sumba Hope Foundation of which she is part and to which she also sells some of her products. Other buyers can be foreigners (tourists) or other local people of Sumba.

To me it was such an honour to meet this strong and ambitious woman and her family. She tries to make the best out of her situation in life and also contributes to a better world. The way she taught herself to use her handless arms to make the products is just fascinating. She really stole a piece of my heart, of which she made use of course by selling a basket to me!

5 destinations for the real Moroccan experience

September 16, 2019

by Bo with 2 Comments Morocco

In this blog I am going to write about my experience in Morocco by listing five destinations that impressed me in various ways. These five destinations are not the most common top 5 of Morocco when you read other blogs, however I chose those that surprised me the most. It shows the 5 destinations and shares some ideas on how these places can develop in a more sustainable or responsible way and provides some ideas on how you as a traveller could act more responsible during your journey to and at these places.

1. Fez

Fez is what I would like to call authentic Morocco. With its little streets dazzling through the medina you feel like your in a maze. It is easy to get lost in this Imperial city but that is exactly what you should do here. The Fez medina shows you all kinds of local industry like the leather production. Here, the leather still gets produced as in the early days and as a tourist you can get to see it yourself. Of course, the locals will try to offer you tours but you can also perfectly do it yourself. However, when you want to get a nice view of the tanneries you will have to tip a person to go to a viewpoint, they will give you some mint for your nose because of the smell and you can stay as long as you want.

In the medina itself you can also find leather shops where you can buy handmade products or look for the building that once was the first university ever in the world. Also, I would like to recommend you to go to an old Coran school and enjoy the details of these beautiful buildings. If you feel hot and feel like a cold drink and some non-Moroccan food have a look at my restaurant tips in Morocco!

My experience with Fez was not only amazing because of the beauty and authenticity of this city, but also because of the people who I met there. Via a Mexican girl working at a small restaurant I got in contact with a woman called Najat. This Moroccan woman grew up in Morocco and also lived in Mexico for a while. With her passion for food she created the restaurant called ‘Nur’ which serves real Moroccan dishes but creates a whole experience around it. With her success she tries to make a difference for the women of Morocco. By showing them how to stand up for themselves she tries to improve the rights of women in this culture. Her success even brought Gordon Ramsey to Morocco for an episode of ‘Unchartered’ where he cooks authentic dishes with Najat. I think Najat is an amazing and strong woman and her story must be heard. If you want to know more about her story, follow her on her social media: Instagram: Najatkaanache_

2. Essaouira

This little fishing village definitely earns its spot in my top-5 list. From the moment we arrived here I loved the medina with its wider streets. Most of the medinas in Morocco have very narrow streets where you can get easily lost. Essaouira is much easier to walk around and the medina itself is also not very big.

Still this village is worth a stop because of its location at the sea. At the port you can experience fish trade as you might have never seen before: fresh fish laying on the ground with people and cats walking almost through them. The fish gets sold and bought by the local people and are prepared at the little restaurants in the city. I am not sure if you can really call it ‘fresh’ as the fish are laying in the open air without any protection or ice to cool them, but hey.. we did not get sick so do not worry too much. If your nose is not too sensitive to unpleasant smells it is worth it to walk around and experience the fish trade of the locals, with cats and birds waiting for their turn to grab some fresh fish.

Not only Essaouira is worth a visit for its authentic trade, it is also famous by surfers for its great waves. So it is also not weird that Essaouira is called ‘the Windy City’. Wave surfers and kite surfers get together at the best spot to catch a wave while being watched by the multiple dromedaries that are laying at the beach waiting for another tourist to ride them. Here I would like to say: catch a wave, but not a ride.. For only a small amount of money you can get a board and a suit for a few hours and you can enjoy the nice waters of Essaouira.

The last aspect I would like to cover of Essaouira are the popular ‘climbing goats’. These goats tend to climb argan trees to eat the nuts of the tree and this is the only place in the world where you can see this phenomenon. However, such an unique phenomenon is also a way of making easy money by, for example, providing goat tours. Busses from Marrakech or Essaouira take tourists just outside Essaouira to see these goats climbing the trees. What these tourists often do not know is that the goats used for tourism are often tied to the trees and forced to be in the tree. There is nothing authentic about this anymore and it is pure animal torture. So if you do not want to be part of this animal abuse, I would recommend you to take a public bus to Essaouira and keep your eyes open to catch a glimpse of them. But as this is often only in the early mornings the best way to see them is going by car yourself and see if you can find shepherd with his goats and offer him a small tip to take a photo.

3. Casablanca

Maybe it is weird that this city is in my top 5 as the city itself is not very spectacular. However, if you love architecture as much as I do, you would understand my decision. Casablanca is home to the biggest mosque of Africa called the Hassan II mosque. This mosque is the only reason why I would recommend someone to go to Casablanca. However, the magnificence of this huge building should not be underestimated. The details in the architecture are like a 1001 nights story. This is also the only mosque in Morocco where non-Muslims are allowed in and this is why I would totally recommend taking a tour to go inside. A guide will tell you some nice facts about the mosque and show you the interior.

Standing outside, looking at the mosque I could stand there for ages. The whole building amazed me with its colours, heights and grandeur. But the mosque itself was not the only experience for me, around sunset the square surrounding the mosque gets filled with Moroccan families enjoying the evening. Mothers with children, friends and whole families get together at the square for a picnic, a game or even a swim in the sea. I loved all the people enjoying their free evening surrounding this holy building, but I would also like to share a more negative side of it. As I was walking alongside the coast and looked at the families enjoying the sea, I smelled a very unpleasant odor coming from all the garbage that was laying at the ‘beach’ and in the sea. All the picnic items that were brought by the people were left there and no one seemed to care. This is why the Hassan II mosque to me was like “The great mosque surrounded by garbage.” In my opinion it is such a waste to let a beautiful place like this get polluted by the laziness and ignorance of people. It can be so easy to just take home your trash..

4. Chefchaouen

The fourth destination is one to many more familiar by the name of the ‘Blue Pearl’ or ‘Blue City’. These nicknames are perfect for this little town as the whole medina is covered in blue. Chefchaouen is located in the middle of the Rif mountains in the North of Morocco, which creates a magical scenery with the blue contrasting the green and brown of the mountains.

However, because of the huge aesthetical value of this city, a lot of tourists are attracted to go here. So do not think you will be alone wandering the little streets as people from all over the world come to experience the magic of the blue medina. Even though this place is a popular tourist spot, it is not as easy to reach as other destinations. There is no airport or train station nearby so the quickest option to get to Chefchaouen is by bus or car from either Fez, Tangier or Rabat. Of course as a supporter of sustainability I would always recommend to take the bus. This ride from, for instance, Fez takes around 4 hours and shows some nice scenery of the mountains. Make sure to book your ticket at the local office a day before to be sure of a seat.

Chefchaouen is very little and for sightseeing you will only need a day. You can choose to stay longer and experience everything at a lower pace. There are also some nice hiking trails nearby with waterfalls as a nice reward, these are also more unknown than the famous Ouzoud falls nearby Marrakech.

5. Agadir

Some might be surprised to see Agadir in this list, but I personally think Agadir has a lot to offer. In the end, it is one of the most popular destinations for the local people themselves to travel to in their holidays. Agadir is located in the south-east of Morocco at the coast. This coastal destination is home to multiple luxury hotels and resorts and is perfect for a beach stroll or a walk on the boulevard with a lot of food and beverage options to choose from. At the end of the boulevard you will find the Agadir Marina which to me felt like an European port.

What makes Agadir more special than other beach destinations is its location. It is surrounded by mountains and parts of ‘desert’. I chose to put desert into quotation marks as some tour companies might promise you to see the desert when booking a trip around Agadir, however this desert is not the Sahara with its sand dunes, as the Sahara is around 13 hours away from Agadir. Still, I would definitely recommend to also go outside Agadir for a day, for instance to ‘Paradise Valley’. Paradise Valley is located in the mountains approximately an hour drive from Agadir and according to its name you will find a small paradise in a valley where you can swim in natural waters.

Here, you will find again mostly Moroccan tourists enjoying the pools. To enjoy your day at Paradise Valley I have some points of advice for you to keep in mind: try not to book at your hotel but at a local agency and preferably a private local guide. When you book a ‘half day tour’ at your hotel it might happen that you will be driving around for 2.5 hours before arriving at the destination instead of one hour. Also, arriving at the destination you will first have to go to a local restaurant for a drink and after that you will only have one hour left to enjoy the Paradise Valley. This hour will give you enough time to enjoy the set up place for tourists, with plastic tables and chairs in the water and multiple little shops and restaurants near the water. To be honest, this place felt like a tourist trap and not worth the effort. However, if you can go by yourself with a guide who can give you all the time you want at the destination, you will have enough time to explore the place and find real paradise a bit further away from the crowds.

By choosing for a local agency you make sure your money stays with them instead of ending up in the pockets of the wealthier people. Another thing to keep in mind when visiting Paradise Valley is to make sure to bring all the waste you produce back to the city instead of leaving it in the nature. We all want to be able to keep enjoying the beauty nature provides us right?