All Things Divine: Holidaying in Africa

Fez and Jemaa el-Fnaa, Morocco

Morocco is a pristine mix of African and Arab cultures that will enchant any traveler. Fez, once the country’s capital, is now the nation’s cultural and spiritual hub with a medieval feel and inviting arabesque structures. Its medina — otherwise referred to as “Fez el-Bali”– is a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site.

Its authentic medieval aura encompasses sites, such as the luxury hotel Karawan Riad, the Madrasa Bou Inania, city Volubilis, the Royal Palace of Fez (Dar el Makhzen), the Merenid Tombs, and the Kairouine Mosque. The Bab Boujloud is also an exciting holiday spot, lending the North African country the “Athens of Africa” title.

Jemaa el-Fnaa is a square and market area in Marrakesh, Morocco, that underscores the city’s heritage via a tapestry of storytelling, dance, music, acrobatics, water selling, traditional medicine, and lots of other entertaining commercial activities. Its edges comprise a souk or a market traditional to North Africa, hotels, gardens, café terraces, and narrow streets that will get you to the medina quarter. It is a charming holiday destination.