Azrou Ensemble Artisanal | Moroccan Handicrafts

Azrou

Azrou is a town of approximately 50,000 people, located at the crossroads of the Fes-Marrakesh and the Meknes-Errachidia routes. The name Azrou means “Big Rock,” after the town’s principal feature, a rock where Berber tribes used to gather for trade. Azrou is nestled into the beautiful Middle Atlas mountains and is more laid-back than its big city neighbors (Meknes and Fes are both nearby, within an hour and a half drive). While the town is becoming more popular with tourists, Azrou still retains its authenticity with a comfortable medina and amazing hospitality. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants in the area, as well as a variety of things to do both in and around Azrou.

In Azrou

Check out the namesake rock topped with a crown.
Walk the grounds of the grand Ennour Mosque in the center of town.
Wander through the medina (you may get lost temporarily, but it’s small enough to find your way back out easily).
Sit at a café and people watch while you sip a glass of mint tea.
Try a new Moroccan dish or find a fresh local specialty for a snack.
Explore the weekly souk; it’s one of the region’s largest and is held every Tuesday.
Hike up one of the hills and enjoy a birds-eye view of the town.
Discover Berber history at the Museum of the Middle Atlas (currently still under construction).

Around Azrou

Spend time in the region’s mountains, the habitat for the second-largest stand of cedar trees in the world, several troops of Barbary Macaques, and an amazing abundance of wildflowers every spring. Hiking in the area is quite popular, and the scenery really is quite stunning.
Visit one of the many nearby villages, such as Ain Leuh -- a picturesque mountain town about 25km southwest of Azrou. There are plenty of opportunities to hike in the area, and the town hosts an annual cherry festival in early June. Ain Leuh is also home to two women’s weaving cooperatives. Stop in and see the showroom of Cooperative des Tisseuses, or check out similar cooperatives in the villages of Timhadite, Ben Smim, and Ouad Ifrane.
Enjoy the waterfalls and relaxing atmosphere of Sources Oum Rabia, about 20km south of Ain Leuh. It's a beautiful place for exploring, swimming or just having a laid-back lunch next to the water.
Go to Ifrane, Azrou's neighbor to the northeast. The apine-styled resort town is a tourist destination for many Moroccans who wish to escape from the summer heat or want to ski in the winter. Ifrane also houses the campus of the prestigious Al-Akhawayn University.
Hug an 800 year-old tree. The tree is no longer living, but Gouraud's Cedar still stands at 40 metres (tallest in Morocco), with an astonishing girth of 8 metres.