The sun is still shining in Fez, Autumn break time is luring. It is about time to plan your family getaway if you did not already do so.
Autumn-break, may sometime be a real headache for parents looking for change and good quality time with their children.
Indeed, there’s nothing worse during a holidays than to see your little one sharing their time between moaning and addiction to screens of all kinds.
The Fez/Meknes region offers an ideal destination for cultural, historical and culinary discovery.
You will return home :
Knowledgeable, and happy to have discovered that the Romans came all the way to Morocco.
Militant, having discovered that in a small village perched on the slopes of the Middle Atlas, women have been helping to boil the pot with their work for centuries.
Filled with the colours and flavours of Moroccan tagines. You’ll even be amazed to see that in Morocco, your children eat vegetables without batting an eyelid.
Family getaway in Bhalil
Situated on a hillside in the Fez-Meknes region, Bahlil is a troglodyte village, whose inhabitants are sometimes keen to open their doors to tourists for a few dirhams. Around a hundred troglodyte houses with rudimentary comforts are still inhabited. Wandering through the narrow streets is both a change of scenery and a fun experience. The village tour can also be followed by a short walk, with or without a donkey for the children. Experiencing wood painting in a cave with a local artist is also an option.
Here, You will discover that women’s live is very different from the usual local customs. In fact, whereas Moroccan women traditionally retire to their homes out of sight, the women of Bhalil go about their business in broad daylight.
Most of the women wash their clothes in the wash-house located not far from the village square. But above all, many of them are gainfully employed, earning their living by making the small buttons used to make caftans and djellabas.
While Moroccan women traditionally retire to their homes out of sight, the women of Bhalil carry out their painstaking button-making in broad daylight. They crochet and chat for four or five hours a day, sitting in small groups in front of their caves, moving their chairs following the rays of the sun. A lovely ballet to witness.
Every day, thousands of buttons are made in Bhalil, before being shipped to the major Moroccan cities, and even exported to Belgium and France.
Family outing in Volubilis, Roman city
Located near Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, Volubilis used to one of the largest Roman cities in Africa. Nowadays, the place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The history of Volubilis is a perfect illustration of Morocco’s many cultural influences.
In fact, the city bears the marks of several civilisations.
Founded in the third century BC, Volubilis was the capital of Mauritania, the territory of the Amazighs. This means that Volubilis was originally a Berber city. It then expanded rapidly under Roman rules. At its peak, Volubilis had a population of between 10,000 to 20,000. Its main source of income was the olive oil trade. Up to now, the plains around Volubilis are still covered with olive trees, and olive oil remains a flourishing business. It’s also a great wine-growing region, producing some of Morocco’s finest wines, including the Premier Cru Classé from Château Roslane.
Towards the end of the third century AD, the Romans abandoned Volubilis. From then on, it was occupied by a Christian community. Later, with the arrival of Islam in Morocco, the town became Muslim and remained inhabited until the eleventh century.
It was not until the Middle Ages that it was abandoned. However, it remained perfectly preserved until the 18th century, when it was seriously damaged by a violent earthquake.
Today, Volubilis remains a major, well-preserved Roman site.
All in all, here are two fun-filled tours, ideal to fit keep the whole family busy for a two days family getaway. A pool dip in the Mayfez pool, a snooker game or a few Mario Kart laps in the playroom will be the icing on the cake, before heading to a tasty dinner.
For those who like to be more hands on, private cooking class at Mayfez are fun and kids friendly.