Soak Up the Culture and Beauty of Azrou
The ancient little town of Azrou is situated about 80 kilometers south of Fez in the Meknes-Tafilalet region of Morocco. This friendly Berber town lies at an altitude of about 1200 meters, nestled between steep wooded hills and a volcanic outcrop. The name Azrou means “rock” in Berber and the town takes its name from the rocky volcanic outcrop. Azrou is well known in the area for its green tiled roofs, beautiful cedar forests, cherry and apples trees, as well as the friendliness of its people and is often visited by tourists as a day trip from Fez.
Each Tuesday there is a lively market in Azrou with a huge variety of goods on sale – both traditional and contemporary. Tourists and locals mingle together while enjoying a cup of traditional mint tea. The town is a lot more relaxed than some of the bigger cities and visitors have expressed appreciation for the fact that they can enjoy a traditional Moroccan town in such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Azrou is also the perfect place to buy well-priced Berber carpets and many visitors take advantage of the opportunity to buy one of these beautiful, skillfully made floor or wall coverings.
After spending some time at the market and carpet bazaars, visitors can enjoy the cool, quiet surroundings of the nearby cedar forests. About 13 kilometers north of Azrou there is an 800 year old tree which has been named Cedre Gouraud. There are paths for walking in the cedar forests and visitors are very likely to see the Barbary Macaques as they leap and swing through the trees. The apes are quite accustomed to people and are more than happy to pose for a photograph. It is also possible to take a guided hiking tour through the surrounding forests which spread out for kilometers around Azrou through scenic areas.
Tourists who visit Morocco often marvel at the diversity of this exquisite country. In their travels visitors are likely to journey past gigantic sand dunes and through lush gorges with cascading waterfalls. They may get to see a palm fringed oasis, visit a bustling city or a sleepy little fishing village. A visit to the friendly town of Azrou and the beautiful cedar forests that are home to the Barbary apes is another facet of Morocco that should not be missed.
