Summary: On this day, we completed our lengthy journey to Marrakesh, making stops along the way to visit Ouarzazate, known as the Hollywood of Morocco, and the historic Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where iconic films like Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia were filmed. Prior to arriving in Marrakesh, we traversed the stunning Atlas Mountains, pausing at Tichka Pass for some photo opportunities. The day concluded amidst the vibrant hustle and bustle of Marrakesh, offering us a preview of the upcoming exploration in this lively, quintessential Moroccan city.
[This blog is part of a 10-days in Morocco Trip].
Ouarzazate and Touring Atlas Studios. Seemingly out of nowhere sots a full, Hollywood-like studio in the City of Ouarzazate. We were just bumping along a rural highway when we pulled into this full-scale operation where scenes from hundreds of films were shot. Who knew?
Upon arrival, visitors are gathered into language groups for tours of the grounds. So many well-known films and TV shows were produced here including, Game of Thrones, Gladiator, the Mummy and more.
Gladiator. Parts of the set of the original film, along with what was used for the upcoming release of Gladiator 2, are preserved for visitors to walk through. Our favorite guest was this studio cat, of course.
Our next destination was the neighboring Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou. Exploring this 17th-century city, which is remarkably well-preserved, begins with strolling through its narrow streets where local merchants offer their wares to visitors. Representing the architectural style of southern Morocco, this UNESCO World Heritage site necessitates ongoing conservation efforts to combat erosion, a natural phenomenon that affects the site, while also promoting sustainable tourism.
View from above. A walk up to the granary (agadir) leads to a pretty view of the town below.
Atas Mountains and Tichka Pass. Our final stretch of the journey to Marakesh took us through Tichka Pass.
Coffee Cats. A pitstop for authentic Moroccan coffee also gave us some time with these cute coffee cats.
Preview of Marakesh. Our hotel accommodations in Marakesh were within walking distance of the main market square. Making our way into town was a fun, shock to the senses as compared to the last few days in rural Morocco.
We Found a Bar! It's not like we are big drinkers but on vacation, we do enjoy a cocktail or beer. So as we approached the tail-end of our trip through this predominately Muslim, predominately alcohol-free country, we couldn't help but enjoy an evening out in the only bar we saw the entire trip. After that, we rested up for a big site-seeing day in Marakesh.
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