Everybody knows that Fes City the one of the most desirable destinations in Morocco, Fez is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination and many non-Moroccans are now restoring traditional houses (Riads and Dars) as second homes in the Fez medina. The kind temperatures found in the medina streets, the hospitality of the locals, the tempting food and the rich monuments and historical sites makes it such a perfect place to settle in. However, the thing that not all visitors know is the charm of the other regions near Fes the imperial.
On a cultural excursion, we would highly recommend exploring a wonderful landscape just a few hours away from Fez. Sefrou is located at the edge of the Middle Atlas mountain range. The marvelous city is known for its Cherry Festival, which is UNESCO-endorsed and is held annually every June. The festival lasts for three days and includes folk music, parades, and sporting events and it ends with a national Beauty contest. Once you’ve had your traditional breakfast at the Palais, our English-Speaking driver will pick, then drive you through the captivating olive fields.
The First stop would be The Bhalil Village, Located at the foot of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Al Bhalil is a small traditional village known for its cave houses. You will get to see some cave houses of friendly locals in Bhalil which are routinely open to tourists to visit, as they are rapidly disappearing as the village modernizes. Bhalil is also known for its production of Jelleba (Moroccan costumes), olive oil production, and traditional bread ovens.
The next stop would be Sefrou. This small Berber town is considered as a rich multicultural area since the first Jewish that lived in the area of the Ahel Sefrou, most of whom were converted to Judaism around 2,000 years ago.
Sefrou is also known as the Little Jerusalem of Morocco which is a bastion of the country’s diverse heritage. It’s old Mellah, or Jewish quarter still stands in Sefrou’s medina. It is distinguished by its low walls and reached by crossing a short bridge over Oued Aggai, which passes through the old medina. Today, this part of the city is mostly inhabited by Muslims.
The city began as a market town in the Roman era and as a stopping point for caravans of traders making their way from the Mediterranean to the Sahara desert, then became a major Moroccan town long before Fez was built in the 8th century. In fact, Moulay Idriss II lived in Sefrou while he was building Fez.
You will be taken through incredible countryside, we will get to see the charming green lands, the huge fascinating mountains to benefit from the pure clean air and to escape a bit the Medina’s chaos. Next, your driver will take to explore the Cascades, the small waterfalls of Sefrou.
After meeting The Berber people, learning a bit more about their traditions, knowing their simple lifestyle and most of all their hospitality and values, your driver will drive you back to Fes, where once more you can enjoy the magic of the nature that surrounds our city before dropping you off again at the Palais Amani.
Loubna El Bouchikhi,
Experience Coordinator at Palais Amani
