Page 342 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Morocco

340  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

intimate and is located in one
of Gueliz’s villas. In Essaouira,
Fès, Ouarzazate, Rabat and
Tangier, it is mostly in hotel
bars that music can be heard.
The best approach is to obtain
information directly from
the various bars and
hotels themselves.

Nightclubs
Except in Casablanca, Rabat
and Marrakech, most nightclubs
The Villa des Arts in Casablanca in Morocco are located within
hotels. In Rabat, one of the most
Cultural Centres There is also a branch in Rabat, fashionable discos is L’Amnesia.
Among the most dynamic while the Matisse Arts Gallery In Casablanca, nightclubs are
cultural centres in Morocco and Dar Bellarj are in Marrakech. concentrated around Aïn-Diab.
are the French Cultural They include La Bodega and
Institutes, which are found in the V Club. Le Theatro at Hôtel
major cities. These organize a Es Saadi in Marrakech has a
wide-ranging programme, good reputation, as does Le
including exhi bitions, film Flamingo in Agadir.
festivals highlighting the work While discos and nightclubs
of particular directors, as well are relatively empty on weekday
as concerts and theatrical Painting by Mohammed Tabal, one of nights, all are filled to capacity
performances. The remarkably Essaouira’s “free artists” at weekends and during
well laid-out Institut Français school holidays.
de Marrakech even has an Piano Bars Some close at about 3am
amphitheatre for open-air or 4am. Others stay open until
performances. The Spanish Places where traditional dawn, particularly in Marrakech,
Instituto Cervantes and the Moroccan music can be heard Agadir and other large
German Goethe Institut also are relatively few. However, tourist centres.
contribute to the promotion piano bars in large hotels and
of the artistic activity of the jazz clubs offer the opportunity Casinos
multiple cultures that coexist to hear European and North
in Morocco. American bands. Gambling is severely frowned on
These centres are good places The Amstrong Jazz Bar by Islam, so there are very few
to meet Moroccans who have an and the Villa Fandango in casinos in Morocco. The casino
interest in Europe. Programmes Casablanca, for example, are in La Mamounia, the famous
in the form of a bimonthly very fashionable. Marrakech hotel in Marrakech (see p311), is
pamphlet are available on the has several modish venues easily the most prestigious.
premises. The British Council such as the huge Al Anbar, If you decide to spend the
in Rabat also organizes an whose restaurant contains evening in a casino, dress
interesting range of events. several hundred tables and smartly. A jacket is essential, and
has live orchestras, and Le jeans, track-suits and trainers are
Montecristo, which is more definitely not acceptable.
Art Galleries
Since the Dane Frederic
Damgaard (see p128), opened
an art gallery in Essaouira in
1988, the artistic world in
Morocco has enjoyed a new
dynamism. Galleries exhibit the
work of painters from far and
wide, including, for example,
that of the well-known “free
artists of Essaouira” (see p129).
Galleries in Casablanca include
Venise Cadre and the Villa des
Arts, the latter an extensive
showcase of Moroccan artistic
creativity over the last 50 years. Nightclub in Agadir, with dancing beneath a replica of the Eiffel Tower

340-341_EW_Morocco.indd 340 09/08/16 11:20 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.7)
Date 5th March 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm