Morocco

Five escapes from the winter gloom

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The European winter is long and hard with freezing weather and dreary days.

Here in Manchester, we’re enduring a spell of really cold torpid days instead of hopeful signs of Spring.

This makes February and March a perfect time to get away and inject some sunshine and warmth into our lives.

If you’re fortunate enough to be able jet off, jumping from winter into an early summer is worth the journey. Here are five places you might consider for an injection of Vitamin D – and much more.

1. AGADIR

Feb/March temperature: 20-23C

This Moroccan seaside resort has been welcoming European visitors escaping the winter for decades and is a four-hour flight from the UK. It has a broad stretch of Atlantic beach and a host of hotels and restaurants. The old town comes with a souk and a splash of North African colour to complement the warm seaside vibe, while there are other lovely coastal towns to visit.

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Visitors on a shimmering shoreline on Agadir beach in Morocco.

2. HAVANA

Feb/March temperature: 26-28C

This sunny destination is more long haul, but well worth the journey. This legendary city with its colourful, tumbledown buildings, vintage cars and salsa rhythms is a real experience which will erase all memories of winter. If you want to sip rum cocktails on the beach, then head to Varadero to soak up the sunshine and also consider visiting some of Cuba’s other delightful cities.

Tap/click image for more about Havana and the island of Cuba

A jumble of multi-coloured buildings in the Cuban capital Havana.

3. CAPE VERDE

Feb/March temperature: 22C

This African island archipelago adrift in the Atlantic Ocean, around six hours flying time from the UK,  boasts a very pleasant all year round climate. The arid islands of Sal and Boa Vista have become popular beach holiday havens. But you can visit the other islands for a different flavour, such as rugged, verdant Santo Antão which is a great place to get your hike on.

Tap/click image to explore the Cape Verde islands

The rugged coastline of the Cape Verdean island of Santo Antão at Ponta do Sol

4. ABU DHABI

Feb/March temperature: 25-28C

The futuristic city of Dubai is a huge draw for winter tourism with a party vibe, but just up the Gulf coast is Abu Dhabi, which is less about staggering skyscrapers, feels more lived in and less of a showcase. It boasts a delightful corniche and sandy beaches, while a visit to the stunning Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque is an absolute must.

Tap/click image to see more of this waterfront city

Water and illuminated marble of Sheikh Zayed mosque in Abu Dhabi, seen at night.

5. CAPE TOWN

Feb/March temperature: 25C

One way to virtually guarantee a successful escape from the European winter is to head to the southern hemisphere summer. This South African city is perched on the edge of the continent with invigorating beachscapes and the majestic backdrop of Table Mountain. The multi-coloured district of Bo-Kaap lifts the soul. Cape Town is a great starting point for exploring more of South Africa.

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A street of multi-coloured houses in the Cape Town district of Bo-Kaap.

✈️ Do you seek the warm sunshine in winter? If you have any destination suggestions, please leave a comment below. Thank you!

Five memorable day trips to beautiful places

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A day trip is all about leaving your cares behind and enjoying some fresh air, visiting somewhere new in good company or by yourself. Here are five of my favourites – beautiful locations, photographically inspiring and memorable. Please tell me about your best days out in the comments section.

SHUGBOROUGH

Location: Staffordshire, UK

An ancestral seat set in rolling countryside with a connection to the Royal family. With extensive grounds, beautiful gardens, wondrous follies and a stately home to wander around, this is the stuff days out are made of. And I visited on a landmark birthday! TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

The drawing

You will enjoy lavish interiors at Shugborough

ESSAOUIRA

Location: Morocco

An unmissable day trip of you are lucky enough to visit Morocco when coronavirus restrictions allow. This colourful, vibrant city is situated next to the wild Atlantic Ocean and in easy reach of the tourist town of Agadir from where I made my visit. It would be easy to stay here longer. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

Three elderly Moroccan men meet on a bench in Essaouira

People-watching are among Essaouira’s joys

STOCKPORT

Location: Greater Manchester, UK

This town is close to my Manchester home, but easily turned into a full day out. It’s architecturally beguiling and has an old centre which deserves a lot of exploration on foot. With added indoor attractions like the air raid shelters and hat museums, you’ve got a satisfying trip on your hands. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

A view of Stockport's old market place

Stockport gives you a dose of Victorian grandeur

FYLDE COAST

Location: Lancashire, UK

This has been a favourite day trip of mine since moving to north-west England in 2016. I like taking the train to the seaside town of St Anne’s and walking south, passing the pier, Lytham’s famous windmill and the wide open coast. Very good for the soul. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

Remains of the old pier at St Anne's, Lancashire

The Irish Sea is wide open along this coastline

JOKULSARLON

Location: Iceland

This is an unmissable trip if you visit the otherworldly island of Iceland. It’s a glacial lake which you will probably get close to on a boat trip – and even taste some of the pure, ancient ice. The black beach nearby is strewn with glacial, diamond-like chunks. It’s one sight among many to see in Iceland. TAP/CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE ICELANDIC LANDSCAPES

Glacial ice on Jokulsarlon in Iceland

This is not just any old lake

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Five breathtaking beaches worth visiting

/ mikeosbornphoto / 11 Comments

We all love the seaside. We flock there in our droves to find relaxation, sunshine and good times. The world has an endless choice of beaches from palm-fringed idylls to wild inlets. Here’s five of the best beaches that left me with lasting memories. Please share your favourites too!

JOKULSARLON, ICELAND

This isn’t a beach to pop your towel down and sunbathe. Wrap up warm and marvel at the fragments of glacier scattered over black sands, giving it the popular name of Diamond Beach. Chunks of ice pepper the shoreline here on the southern Icelandic coast. A must-see on any trip to Iceland. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE ICELANDIC LANDSCAPES

Diamond Beach, Iceland

PRAIA DE CHAVES, CAPE VERDE

A dramatic stretch of sand on the island of Boa Vista in this Atlantic archipelago, with crashing waves on one side and dunes on the other. There’s plenty of warm weather and delicious sunsets. You can explore or simply crumple into a sun lounger. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

Bathers in crashing waves at Boa Vista, Cape Verde

KHOR AL ADAID, QATAR

This is a corner of the Arabian Peninsula where the desert dunes meet the sea. The chances are you’ll arrive in a four-wheel drive buggy after some stomach-churning (but fun) ‘dune bashing’. The swathes of sand and bright blue sea will relax you, while picnics and paddling are also options. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

Khor al Adaid, Qatar

NINETY MILE BEACH, NEW ZEALAND

As the name suggests, this is one heck of a stretch of sand in the far north of New Zealand. With its huge blue skies and wide horizons, this place is a tonic for the soul. You might zoom along the beach in a bus and end up dune boarding. The Kiwis like to relax and exhilarate you in equal measure. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE OF NORTH NEW ZEALAND

Visitors on Ninety Mile Beach, New Zealand

PLAGE D’AGADIR, MOROCCO

This Moroccan seaside resort may not have the wow factor of some beaches, but has stuck in my mind as my most recent overseas destination. It’s an admirable stretch of Atlantic sand with plenty of life. It’s surprisingly photogenic and puts on marvellous sunsets. Paddling in the sea or ambling along the corniche make it a worthy destination. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE ON AGADIR

Parasols on Agadir beach, Morocco

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Agadir: Morocco’s resort city

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Morocco’s seaside city of Agadir was rebuilt from scratch in 1960 after a devastating earthquake. It’s popular with European tourists but does it lack Eastern promise? CONTINUE READING BELOW

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Agadir’s crowning glory is its long, sweeping beach and promenade. They’re popular with Moroccans and tourists for walks, football games and dipping into the frothy Atlantic brine.

The shoreline is beautiful, and drew me into the water with my camera to capture reflections and the sheen on the sands.

It’s lined with a dizzying array of hotels, including the Palais de Roses which was my pleasant base for the week. Yes, the area feels a little watered down, European-leaning and lacking the North African buzz and excitement of Marrakech. It’s easier to find a steak dinner than a lamb tagine.

Couple on Agadir beach, Morocco

A romantic moment on Agadir’s beach

You could easily spend a week lounging by the pool and wandering along the beach. But inland there’s a whole other Agadir which is well worth exploring. It’s quite a walk from the seaside but there’s no shortage of taxis to take the strain. 

The city centre is where everyday Moroccan life happens. And given it was rebuilt in the 1960s, back streets in the Abattoir district look like they’ve been there for centuries.

You have to visit the Souk el Had, crammed with produce, tourist trinkets and just about everything else you can lay your hands on. It’s heady, pungent and brings you that Eastern promise in spades. Don’t be too polite to say no to stallholders’ approaches, and be careful when photographing people in the market.

It’s also worth taking a taxi up to Oufella, the hill that overlooks Agadir bay and is emblazoned with the words ‘God, King and country’. The views are exceptional, although when I went it was unusually murky (typical).

I also went on day trips to other parts of the coast, but can appreciate why some visitors decide to take it easy and just soak up the sun. The choice is all yours in the city of Agadir.

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Morocco road trip

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On a trip to Morocco earlier this year I wanted to visit Legzira, of the country’s most striking beaches. Here’s how I did it. Read full story below

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The trip nearly didn’t happen after a booking made in the UK failed to materialise. But I was rescued by Bakhazouz Tours at my seaside base of Agadir.

It was early morning when small, wiry tour guide Imad arrived in his smart four-wheel drive jeep. My companions for the day were a pair of friendly, polite older French ladies – it was time to scrabble around for my schoolboy French. In the back were a young Russian couple who seemed content in their own bubble. Yet somehow they made it into one of my photographs.

The fabled stone arches of Legzira were a good three hours from Agadir, but this road trip came with a number of stops along the way. First it was a rustic Moroccan service station, complete with a butcher’s shop.

We reached the Youssef Ibn Tachfine Dam, with an artificial lake creating some unexpectedly beautiful landscapes. And close to this was a tiny scrap of full-on Sahara Desert, with orange sands and even a resident camel.

But for me a real highlight along the way was the old city of Tiznit where I could have spent much longer exploring and gathering photographs. Moroccan cities are intoxicating, colourful and humming with life. Tiznit’s ancient walls and crooked back streets were a thrill on the way to the main coastal attraction.

We finally got to Legzira by way of another beach called Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdelah, where buildings cling to the headland. Legzira itself is a small beach settlement of simple restaurants serving fish tagine, while there are also rooms for hire. Very tempting for catching blazing sunsets.

The beach is a broad sweep of sand with its famous ochre stone arch creating a corridor that you simply have to walk through. On one side it was enveloped in mist, from the other everything was clear and bright. You could spend hours wandering up and down the beach and exploring its rugged rock formations. Legzira was definitely worth the effort of getting there.

Our final stop seemed like a bonus. Further back up the coast, paragliders swooped around the sky catching some of those Atlantic thermals. A breathtaking sight, but a serious challenge for the camera.

Back in Agadir, I was the first to be dropped off. The end of a day trip is always tinged with sadness. Your companions head off into the sunset and are never seen again. It’s not usually long enough to establish real human connection. But I’d achieved my goal, I’d seen the Legzira arch and more besides.

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