"My Orange City" by Chaymae Brazi
Here is Morocco, here is the city of Berkane. In the Berber language, ABerkane - where I was born and raised. It is a city located in the northeast of the country, very close to the Moroccan-Algerian border. It is also called the “Orange Capital” because it is known for producing citrus fruits such as oranges and tangerines. In general, it is considered one of the most important Moroccan agricultural cities, as it witnessed a great and remarkable development in the last period. It is also characterized by the element of tourism, because this city includes wonderful areas for hiking and vacations, and surely I will describe them as they were on my last visit to each one of them; we start first inside the city, where there is a park for the white storks, next to it is a long cornice overlooking a valley called Wad Wartas.
Photos from the stork park. Photo Credit: Brazi, 2021.
If you choose to visit some of the areas near Berkane, there are many, but I will only mention some of them: such as the city of Saidia; it is a city belonging to the Berkane region, located on the Mediterranean coast in the north-east of the Kingdom of Morocco. The city is located 22 km north of Berkane and 100 meters from the Algerian border. It takes around 25 minutes by car from the center of Berkane city. Saidia is characterized by the presence of tens of kilometers of yellow sandy beaches, as well as an ideal climate throughout the year, which prompted many Spanish companies, such as FADESA, to finance a range of projects in the city, including hotels, restaurants, and tourist facilities; like Marina Saidia, which also contains a recreational port. There is also the Marjan Market, which is profitable in quality and prices.
Photo Credit: Brazi 2021.
There is Zegzel, which is also a tourist area in the Berkane region, It’s about 14 km from the city of Berkane, and is characterized by its green forests and fresh air, as it attracts a large number of tourists due to its pleasant atmosphere. It has a cave called the Camel Grotto, which is a karst cave dating back to the Neolithic era, with a depth of 80 meters.
In an area not far from Zegzel there is Tafoughalt. It is a village group, located exactly in the middle of the Beni Yazansen mountain range, it’s 18 km far from the center of Berkane city. The Tafoughalt area is famous for its cave (the Pigeon Cave), which represents a large hallway with a depth of around 28 meters. It has beautiful landscapes and a strategic location close to the sea, the Mediterranean, which are both factors that qualified it to be a great tourist area. Also, if you wish to see beehives; for pure and healthy honey, you can do so.
We won’t forget the village of Fezouane, which is about 15 km from Berkane city. It is known for its rare mineral water, which gave it a world fame that went beyond the borders of Morocco. There are those who visit them looking for the beautiful landscape, and there are those who come in search of treatment due to its water that is said to treat renal failure. The water of that Hama (الحامة), which is located in the village of Fezouane, is said to help increase and facilitate urination, in addition to dissolving the salts responsible for the formation of kidney stones, reducing urinary tract infections and facilitating the digestion process.
In general, these areas that I have mentioned are among the most famous areas that belong to Berkane city. I personally, when any vacation comes, find myself returning to my small city so that I can visit these areas and have fun times with my family and friends in order to discover new mountainous areas and enjoy more and more. I advise everyone who reads this blog to visit the Berkane city, I promise you that you will not regret it, but rather you will like it very much, so welcome to everyone!
Photos of the region of Berkane. Photo Credit: Brazi, 2021.
Chaymae Brazi was an Assistant Arabic Teacher in Rabat with Amideast/Morocco.
