Taroudant

Overview

The Moroccan town of Taroudant is a located in the Sous Valley in the southern part of the country. It is situated east from Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and south from Marrakech. It has the feel of a small market town on some ancient caravan route. It is often called the "Grandmother of Marrakech" because it resembles a scaled down, slowed down version of that bustling city. The town is surrounded by medieval ramparts that look particularly arresting by sunset when they are pink and golden in the evening light. Under the Saadi Dynasty Taroudant had its golden age, especially under the reign of Mohammed ash-Sheikh, who constructed these city walls and built the great mosque and its beautiful minaret in 935. Explore the town by horse drawn carriage or bike - the latter gives you the freedom to enjoy the olive and orange groves that surround the town walls and take in the magnificent views of the high Atlas mountains. If you choose a family holiday in Agadir, Taroudant can be easily visited as a day trip Try and get there on a Thurday or Sunday to browse the market - look out for Berber jewellery.