If you're on a budget, here are
some free things for you to see and do in Taroudant.
1. Walk around the
5km city walls
Taroudant has the
most complete walls of any town in Morocco. They were originally built in 11th
Century and rebuilt in 16th and early 17th Century after Taroudant was
destroyed by the Merinids. The old original walls are still visible in places
and restoration work still is still going on today.
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| A Caleche within the City Walls |
2. Climb up to the
ramparts at Bab el Kasbah.
The grandest of the 5 main gates of the city wall is Bab el
Kasbah where you can climb the ramparts for a view of an old property of one of
the locations where Ali Baba and his 40 Thieves was filmed. It was built in the
early 1900s and belongs to an aristocratic family.
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| A View From the Ramparts |
3. Sneak into The Palais Salam Courtyard
Built into the town walls and close to the Bab el Kasbah,
the Palais Salam features a tiled courtyard with patios and fountains, coloured
lanterns and banana trees. Once the old imperial palace, open to non residents
and a lovely place to relax in the shade with a cool drink.
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| Inside the Palais Salam Caourtyard |
4. The Tanneries
The tanneries are just outside the city walls, within
walking distance but if you’ve hired a caleche, your driver will be happy to
take you there and wait while you have a tour.
The tanneries are smaller and less smelly than Fez and Marrakech
tanneries but nonetheless interesting, smelly and free.
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| Working on the Skins inside the Tannery |
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| Drying Skins in the Tannery |
5. An Evening Stroll
Take an evening stroll in the Jardin Brahim Roudani, a park
just outside the city walls opposite the Palais Salam and one of the few green
areas in Taroudant. Palm trees and orange trees line the paths and romantic arched
bridges cross water features. But beware! There are no public toilets.
6. The Kasbah
The Kasbah is a village within the city where artwork adorns
the walls and children play in the narrow streets. The enclosed maze of narrow streets may feel
slightly intimidating and somewhat confusing but the people are friendly and
curious of the few tourists they see.
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| Inside the Kasbah |
7. The Art Square
Beyond the city walls, the land is desolate and littered
with waste but at the entrance to the gate of Bab el Djedid is an Art Point, a plein
air display of large, stone sculptures. All
but one of them is abstract and it also seems to be the most popular - a stone
scooter.
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| Abstract Stone Sculpture in the Art Square |
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| Scooter Stone Sculpture |
8. The Weekly Market
Outside the city walls on a Sunday morning, you’ll find Troudant’s largest market. It’s a great place to buy a donkey or goat but if you think you’ll have trouble getting them home on your Ryanair flight, perhaps some local spices, preserved lemons, or Argan oil would be more appropriate.
Outside the city walls on a Sunday morning, you’ll find Troudant’s largest market. It’s a great place to buy a donkey or goat but if you think you’ll have trouble getting them home on your Ryanair flight, perhaps some local spices, preserved lemons, or Argan oil would be more appropriate.
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| Buying Live Meat at the Weekly Market |
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| Mini Spice Mountains at the Weekly Market |
9. Get Lost
Don't bother with a map, they don’t work! The streets are
not named, despite what it says on the map.
Just get lost within the city walls and if you find your way to the main
square, you can chill out with the locals and the odd tourist and listen to
musicians.
10. Traditional Souks
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| Taking Life Easy in the Main Square |
10. Traditional Souks
A trip to Taroudant would not be complete without a visit to
the Souks which are less crowded and friendlier than their Marrakech
counterparts. You will find a varied selection of local leather, crafted silver
wear and artisans of every trade and pleasant witty banter from the sellers.
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