Taroudannt is one of the places least touched by the French, without being a remote village. When arriving here, the city stands out as big, but the reported number of inhabitants is around 30,000, only. Taroudannt is a must for the traveller doing the southern parts of Morocco. The dark red, 7 metres tall wall around it, is splendid, and the city life bustling. The quality of handicrafts are often higher here than you'll find it elsewhere in Morocco.



Taroudannt is best visited on Thursdays and Saturdays when people from the High Atlas come down to the city, to the market. Then this bustling city, gets even more of its friendly crowdedness.

If you think that it looks like it just rained on this picture, you're absolutely right. This is in January 2000, and Taroudannt in rain has a strange feeling to it — it doesn't happen all too often. Streets of Taroudannt are narrow, and driving a car here is a bit exhausting. But for walks, Taroudannt is great!

The city walls of Taroudannt are among the very best found in Morocco. Not only are they practically complete, they even protect almost all of the city. It is fully possible to make the city walls into an excursion, all in all they offer a 5 km long walk.

The Berber market is not really about Berber products any more, these days. The permanent shops, like this one, often specialize in modern products, even if there still are plenty of shops selling every form of spices or dates found in Morocco.

I just had to make a photo of this area: the colours are almost shocking pink, a colour rarely used elsewhere in Taroudannt. The Arab market is the main area for touristic shopping, but it has a relaxed feeling compared to Marrakech.



Taroundant is well known for the high standard of its handicrafts, and in most cases reasonable prices. While there is just as much need to be careful in your haggling here as anywhere else in Morocco, Taroudannt might still be the place to do most of your souvenirs.

This is smarter than it first seems: The horse is a good idea in Taroundannt's narrow streets. Place Assareg is very much the main centre of Taroudannt, with the Arab market as immediate neighbour, and the Berber market only 200 metre away.

The Kasbah is best from the outside, with the walls and the simple but elegant entrance. As you enter, there is nothing special beyond houses similar to hundreds of other cities in Morocco.



And yes, this is the kasbah as seen from the outside.