Morocco offers spicy, colorful and lively vacation

This country boasts many sites included on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list and attracts many tourists from all around the world. In recent years it has become a popular destination for Turkish tourists. Casablanca became famous thanks to the eponymous 1942 Hollywood film set in the city. The city is mostly adored for its streets decorated with palm trees, its coast on the Atlantic Ocean and the Hassan II Mosque with a 210-meter-high minaret. Casablanca was a Berber town in the seventh century, Portuguese in the 15th century, Spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries and in 1907, the French invaded and remained under French control until 1957. All the cultures that have inhabited Casablanca have shaped the city into what it is today.

It is possible to get to Casablanca from Turkey on a direct, five-hour flight. Casablanca is composed of two parts - the historical area called the Old City or Old Madina and the modern part called Ville Nouvelle.

The Place de Nations Unies square, luxurious buildings and the Clock Tower, built by the French architect Henri Prost at the beginning of the 20th century, form the center of Ville Nouvelle. The center area is the Habous district. The buildings in the area contain modern features even though they were built according to traditional western Arabic architecture. With neat streets, green areas, commerce centers and shops, the district is one of the most important districts in Casablanca. The Royal Palace is also located near this district. Mohammed V Boulevard is in the north of the Habous Quartier. The most important passages of this boulevard are Passage Sumica and Passage du Galaoui, which were built in the Art Deco style.

The world's highest minaret is part of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, built by the French architect Michel Pinseau. The minaret is 210 meters high and its mosque is located on a cape near the harbor on the Atlantic Ocean. Moreover, in Morocco, places like Ain Diab, La Corniche, Anfa Region, Cathedrale Sacre-Coeur, Casablanca Twin Center, Musee du Judaisme Marocain and the Port of Casablanca are among recommended destinations to see. Casablanca is the center of commerce and culture as well as the center of entertainment in Morocco. Besides cinemas, theatres and cultural centers in the city, the entertainment organized by big hotels, which recreates the atmosphere of the tales of "One Thousand and One Nights," are tourist draws. The night clubs in the city are manily located in the Ain-Diab neighborhood. Moreover, water sports, golf, sailing and trekking are among the preferred activities by tourists. The Casablanca International Video Arts Festival and Jazzablanca are among the famous festival organized in the city.

Morocco's second most famous city is Marrakesh. With its maze-like streets, the part of Marrakesh that can be enjoyed the most is the Djemaa el-Fna Square. At all times of day, the square is filled with dancers, local rhythms, snake charmers, street vendors and colorful food counters.

Morocco's interaction with different cultures can be most seen in its cuisine. In the cuisine of Casablanca, the influences of Arabic, Maghrebi, Mediterranean and sub-Saharan African cuisines can be found. The main ingredient is fish and meat. A famous meal cooked in a cooking pot with many different spices is called "tajine." Couscous, "bstilla" and "harira" are also among the delicious dishes in Casablanca. The most consumed drink in Casablanca is mint tea.