Ideas for Self-Led Activities
KEEPING FIT
- Swimming – of course most of you will use our pool which is we believe the warmest in Taroudant in winter because of our care in its design. If you are a very keen swimmer you may want to go to the Olympic-sized municipal pool. It is located near the university on the north edge of the town (on the left on the road to the High Atlas). The fee for entry is moderate but changing facilities are very limited and it is very busy in summer.
- Running – a nice challenge is to run around the town walls (over 7 kilometres long). We suggest turning left out of our front gate and running anticlockwise. Your run be longer than the walls because the road is often some distance from the walls.
- Football – You’ll be welcomed to join in – it goes on all over the place because Moroccans are keen on football – even more so since their amazing performance (men and women) in the 2023 World Cup. There are a number of pitches, often rather informal, just outside the town walls
- Tennis – There are courts near the Palais Salam hotel on the south side of town near the town walls. Rackets may be hired. Reasonable prices.
- Cycling – We have 2 mountain bikes for hire (and can advise on where to get them if you want more). Please try to avoid rush hours as the roads are very busy.
MORE LEISURELY PURSUITS:
- A visit to the large weekly market on Sunday mornings, which takes place outside town on the north side (best to go early – it starts around 6 am and finishes about 3 pm). Ignore guide books which tell you it’s on Thursdays.
- A stroll in the public gardens near the wall (for example, head towards the Palais Salam Hotel). Some areas have unpredictable opening times.
- A Visit to the Tannery on the outskirts of town. It is a smelly place, but nonetheless fascinating. They took the opportunity to remodel it during the pandemic.
- Reading – We hope you will enjoy browsing our library, which includes a lot of specialist books about Morocco as well as plenty of fiction and various other general interest books. Please ensure that you return books to the place they came from (you’ll see labels on the shelf and on the spine of the book eg B for botany etc). Please feel free to swop any fiction book you have read for any you find that you’d like to take away. We also have a number of very special books and maps which we keep locked in the office; you are welcome to borrow these by recording with our manager what you have taken. These are for use only in the ecolodge.
DRINKING AND EATING OUT
If you are vegetarian or vegan it is generally difficult to get interesting options in town except with us. But if you have not chosen to eat with us, try these places in town:
1) Complexe el Kasbah varied menu, set in spacious gardens. 20 -25 minutes walk around the walls.
2) Jnane Soussia for traditional meat-orientated food; their gardens are almost next door (turn left out of our main gate – the entrance is on your left as the path comes close to the town wall)
If you like a more formal setting, higher prices and don’t mind travelling. We can supply transport to the following 2 hotels at fair prices:
3) Dar Zitoune 3 km away on the main road towards the airport. They offer alcohol and a Moroccan menu with French influence.
4) Dar Al Hossoun which is slightly closer, also offers alcohol and has an impressive range of plants in the gardens. Again a French-influenced menu.
Going out for a non – alcoholic drink: Atmospheric places include the cafes around the main square (Place Assarag), Complexe el Kasbah and street cafes (more for men).