Exploring Morocco’s Taroudant

Just when you’re suffering a sensory overload from the heady bouquet of roses, honeysuckle and jasmine on a balmy desert evening, a glance upward reveals a black bowl of desert sky pierced by what seems like thousands of stars hanging above this ancient walled town of southern Morocco.

Then, to top things off, a muezzin mounts the minaret of a mosque for the last of his five daily calls to prayer, wailing his shrill entreaty for the faithful to join him in facing Mecca. The effect on a visitor is indelible.

Although Taroudant has been a hotbed of intrigue and warring desert tribes since the 10th Century, the sublime beauty of its four miles of ochre-colored, crenelated walls have been spared to enclose an oasis of orange trees, palms, bougainvillea and hibiscus, plus the centuries-old former palace of a pasha.

The French ignored Taroudant during their period of protectorate (1912-1956), so th town has no broad and orderly boulevards as have many other Moroccan cities. Nor are there hordes of tourists, faceless hotels, tacky fast-food joints and familiar souvenir shops.

Getting here: Fly KLM, Air France, Lufthansa or Iberia to Casablanca, then Royal Air Maroc on to Agadir. Advance-purchase, round-trip economy fares for flights from Los Angeles to Casablanca range from $999 to $1,106. The Casablanca-Agadir leg is $55. Take a bus or rental car from Agadir.

How long/how much? Give Taroudant two days, including time for visits to nearby cities. Lodging and dining costs are moderate.

A few fast facts: The Moroccan dirham recently traded at 7.32 to the dollar. April-May and September-October are ideal times to visit, with inland Morocco very hot but humidity-free in summer, and most pleasant in winter except in the chilly mountains. Bottled water is a must at all times. A visa is not needed.

Getting settled in: That 200-year-old pasha’s palace is the Palais Salam Hotel ($57-$82 B&B; double), a maze of courtyards and patios, gardens and fountains, with the entryway an old gate through the city walls. It has two pools, continental and Moroccan restaurants and a coffee house with soft couches and ottomans.

The more expensive rooms have a Moroccan-type salon, all decorated with the country’s carpets, lamps and wall hangings. Service is friendly and adroit, and a pleasant woman sits in regional costume at a silver tea service in the lobby to greet you with a friendly “marhaba” (welcome) and the traditional glass of tea.

Hotel Saadien ($38 double, half-pension) is at the heart of the medina (Old City), near the main square and souks (markets). It also has to be the bargain to end all bargains, because it’s newly refurbished with neat and bright bedrooms, all in white, hand-painted furniture and Moroccan decor.

The inner courtyard has a swimming pool, garden and dining area. Also it has a rooftop bar, a dining room and another terrace overlooking the town. The Saadien has its own pastry shop, with about 50 kinds of tempting sweets displayed.

Regional food and drink: “You eat in Morocco with your eyes” is an old proverb, and the colorful food bears it out. Raise the lid of a tajine (a top-shaped cooking vessel), and the fresh and attractive meat and vegetables catch your attention immediately.

One of the most colorful dishes to start with is the Moroccan salad, usually made up of fresh or cooked vegetables. Choose from a platter of an eggplant mixture, carrots with green herbs, tomatoes with sweet red onions and, invariably, beets. Harira (a thick chick pea soup) is also on most menus.

Tajines of vegetables, meats and fish cooked in an earthenware vessel are the national dishes. And bstila or pastilla , a sweet pigeon pie with cinnamon, saffron and almonds wrapped in filo dough and dusted with powdered sugar, is a special treat.

Moroccan beer in its midget bottles is nothing to shout about, but the red and white wines are pleasant.

Good dining: You’ll find good food at moderate prices in the Hotel Taroudant dining room, just off the main square in the medina. The hotel is modest in the extreme, but the $8 daily menu is marvelous.

We started with Moroccan salads and rabbit pate, then a fine cheese souffle, followed by a lamb tajine with prunes and fresh almonds. It was one of the best dishes of the trip. Last came platters of cheeses and fruits.

The Moroccan and continental dining rooms of Hotel Palais Salam were excellent. We sampled each, plus a luncheon in the flowery patio beneath trees by a tinkling fountain. The salad nicoise and poulet basque were superb.

Restaurant Tout Va Bien at town center is an upstairs place where decor is nonexistent and there are no tablecloths. A salad- tajine -dessert-tea meal there costs less than $5, but don’t count on any frills.

Going first-class: La Gazelle d’Or (just outside town; $242 double occupancy, half-pension) has an international reputation as a pleasure dome in the desert.

Its 30 bedrooms are palatial, with private terraces and wood-burning fireplaces, each with a view of the Atlas Mountains. A tented dining room will take your breath away. The pool is fed by spring water with year-round average temperature of 73 degrees. A dozen Arabian horses are available for riding in the desert.

On your own: Start with a visit to the souks for inspecting a wondrous selection of ornate silver jewelry, swords and dirks, antique muskets and other handicrafts made locally. The big days for a general souk that brings in natives from the surrounding region are Thursday and Saturday.

Take a walk or carriage ride around the town walls and follow it up with a visit to Taiout, a Berber village 15 miles northwest. The Taiout souk is on Wednesday. Use your camera carefully, as these rural people are very jumpy about having their pictures taken.

For more information: Call the Moroccan National Tourist Office at (213) 271-8945, or write to 421 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills 90210 for a brochure on the road to the Kasbahs, showing many of the sights and towns of southern Morocco, complete with map. The map highlights major towns, scenic sites, transportation and festivals. Ask for the Taroudant package.