The tiny African islands nicknamed the ‘purple isles’ – with short flights costing £18

WHEN it comes to island locations, most people think of Mykonos in Greece, Majorca in Spain, or Capri in Italy.

But there are plenty of other little-known islands that many Brits probably haven’t heard about.

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One of those places is Île de Mogador, which is just off the coast of Essaouira in Morocco.

The Île de Mogador is formed of two main islands as well as several tiny islets.

Historically known as the Purple Isles (Îles Purpuraires) by the Romans thanks to their population of molluscs.

Purple dye was extracted from molluscs and used to dye imperial togas.

While they may sound enticing to visit, the islands are currently uninhabited, providing protection for Eleonora’s falcons – a rare medium-sized falcon.

According to local media websites, permits to land on the islands are hard to obtain.

Holidaymakers can instead bird-watch from Essaouira Beach using binoculars or book a bird-watching boat trip around the island too.

There are plenty of other sites, attractions and activities in Essaouira for holidaymakers to explore.

Situated on the Atlantic Coast, Essaouira is home to vast sandy beaches and vibrant markets brimming with leather goods and spices and delicious food.

The medina of Essaouira was named a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2001, and its buildings received a deserving restoration.

Essaouira also has a thriving surf scene and plenty of other watersports are also

Ryanair operates direct flights from London Stansted to Essaouira, with tickets starting from £18 for a one-way ticket.

Flights from the UK to Essaouira take three hours and 40 minutes.

Tourists can even travel between many of the Moroccan holiday destinations following transport improvements in recent years.

The first high speed train in Africa launched in 2018, connecting Tangier to Casablanca.

What else do I need to know about Morocco?

Morocco is just one hour ahead of the UK.

The local currency is the Moroccan dirham, which has to be bought in the country, with around £10 working out to 125 dirham.

The local languages are Arabic and French, although some resorts may speak English.

Recently, the Moroccon city of Ouarzazate has been dubbed the “Hollywood of Morocco” because of its strong ties to the film industry.

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Here is what you can expect from a trip to Rabat, the capital of Morocco.

And we’ve rounded up some of the cheapest Moroccan holidays along the coastal cities – for some winter sun and beach time.

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