Senegal
to Morocco Voyage

Fabulous museums, a thriving art scene and elegant seaside dining showcase Dakar's rich culture and forward outlook. The bustling traditional Medina quarter with its mosques, tea shops and street markets contrasts with the Senegalese capital's French-influenced architecture and cuisine. Mbalax music dominates the vibrant nightlife. Traditional crafts like woodcarvings and paintings sell at Soumbédioune market, making it the perfect souvenir stop.

Nouakchott, Mauritania's capital and largest city, is a key Saharan hub. It offers Fishermen's Beach, known for its colourful boats and sunset views. The city hosts the Presidential Palace and the National Museum of Mauritania, which provides insights into regional history. Notable shopping areas include the Grand Market, Artisan's Village and the Silver Market, known for Mauritanian silver jewellery with distinctive designs.

Nouadhibou, Mauritania's bustling port city, is a cultural hub known for its diverse population, vibrant markets and a strong economy based on iron ore and fishing. The Port Artisanal is busy with Mauritanian and Senegalese pirogue fishing boats. Nearby, Cap Blanc features pristine sands and a colony of monk seals, while the UNESCO-listed Banc d'Arguin National Park, renowned for its nesting birds and migratory waders, is also close by.

Arrecife's waterfront blends volcanic landscapes with bright Atlantic light, framed by lagoons, palm-lined promenades, and centuries-old fortifications. The 18th-century Castillo de San José, once a defensive bastion, now houses the International Museum of Contemporary Art with panoramic sea views. Wander the characterful backstreets of El Charco de San Ginés, a historic lagoon encircled by whitewashed houses and tapas bars. Nearby, the striking Castillo de San Gabriel guards a small islet linked to town by the stone Puente de las Bolas. Other highlights include the Iglesia de San Ginés, with its distinct Canarian architecture, and local markets showcasing island crafts shaped by Lanzarote's volcanic soul.

Agadir's beach is alive with sea-facing cafes, overlooked by the 16th-century Saadian Kasbah which graces Agadir Ou-fellah hill. The sprawling El Had Souk has 6,000 glittering stores, while the reconstructed medina, reborn after an earthquake, offers a glimpse of the city's historical charm. Other highlights include the grand Mohamed V Mosque, one of Morocco's most impressive, and the Ethnographic Museum delving into local Berber culture.

Safi, a port city on Morocco's Atlantic coast, is renowned for its sardine industry. Also known as the Pottery Capital of Morocco, the city's pottery, made in workshops in the Colline des Potiers, is showcased at the National Museum of Ceramics in the Kechla Citadel. Colonised by the Portuguese, the old town features food and craft stalls along Rue du Souq, and the 16th-century Ksar El Bahr fortress highlights Safi's Portuguese heritage.

Casablanca, Morocco's largest city, showcases a fusion of French, Moorish, and Art Deco styles in its downtown neo-Mauresque structures. The prominent Hassan II Mosque, finished in 1993, features a towering 210m minaret with laser projections, and the 18th-century medina's lively alleyways provide a glimpse into the city's historical charm. Place Mohammed V, with palm trees and an elaborate fountain, symbolises Casablanca's dynamism.