Fast Facts

Banks & Currency Exchange -- There's a cluster of banks with ATMs and/or bureaux de change on or around place al Alaouyine. They all operate the regular banking hours of Monday to Friday 8:15am to 3:45pm. There's also a BMCI branch on nearby place al Nasr with the same business hours. On avenue Hassan II -- the main road coming from Ouarzazate or the Tizi n'Tichka pass -- are branches of WAFA, Credit Agricole, and Banque Populaire, all with ATMs. WAFA also claims to cash American Express traveler's checks.

Drugstores -- There are a number of pharmacies dotted around town. Pharmacie Taroudannt (tel. 028/851392) is on place al Alaouyine, while along avenue Moulay Rachid are Pharmacie Ibn Sïna (tel. 028/850700) and Pharmacie al Kasbaa (tel. 028/850222). At the junction of avenue Moulay Rachid and avenue Hassan II is Pharmacie el Baladia (tel. 028/850700). They all operate daily between 9am to 1pm and 3 to 8pm, with a list of after-hours pharmacies posted on their front windows. An all-night pharmacy, Pharmacie du Nuit, is on avenue Prince Heritier Sidi Mohammed, .5km (1/3 mile) east of place al Nasr.

Emergency -- For general emergencies and the police, call tel. 19.

Hospitals -- The public hospital, Hôpital Mokhtar Souissi, is located on avenue Moulay Rachid. Clinique Taroudannt (tel. 028/854100) is a private clinic located on avenue Hassan II.

Internet Access -- Club Roudani is on avenue Bir Zaran, just north of place al Nasr, and Internet-Cyber is located at the far west end of avenue Moulay Rachid. Outside the medina, Cyber el Ayadi is close to Hotel Palais Salam, behind the police station and Banque Populaire, on avenue Hassan II.

Photographic Needs -- Labo Photo Ennakhil, on place al Alaouyine, and Labo Photo Bourar, on place al Nasr, both offer digital downloading onto CD as well as the usual supply and processing of film. Labo Photo Bourar also has a small supply of memory cards, card readers, and USB hubs. Both are open daily from 9am to 12:30pm and 2 to 9pm.

Police -- The main police station (La Commissariat) is located just off avenue Hassan II, behind Banque Populaire and across from M'Haita mosque. There is also a police station on place al Alaouyine.

Post Office & Mail -- Taroudannt's main post office, which receives all poste restante mail, is across from M'Haita mosque and the police station, just off avenue Hassan II. Within the medina, there's a small post office on rue du 20 Août off avenue Mohammed V. Post offices operate Monday to Friday 8am to 4:15pm and Saturday 8 to 11:45am.

Restrooms -- There are no public toilets in Taroudannt. Within the medina, your best bet is to politely ask for the toilette in one of the budget hotels around place al Alaouyine. If you're anywhere near the kasbah, duck into the Hotel Palais Salam.

Safety -- Personal safety generally isn't an issue in Taroudannt. Some of the streets and vacant lots surrounding the medina walls aren't well lit at night, including the bus/grand taxi station, but even then only normal precautions need to be considered.

Telephone -- Morocco's country code is 212. Taroudannt's city code has recently changed from 048 to 028.