8-Day Imperial Cities Tour

“Bienvenue au Maroc”; this is the first thing you will hear when your step your foot in Morocco; it is a French greeting that means welcome to Morocco. You will hear it more often during your tour in Morocco from the locals as a standard act of greeting and welcoming all different tourists.

Start this Morocco private tour from Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco, you will be met, assisted, and transferred to your accommodation. Reliant on the time of your arrival, you might like to have a detour of the White City and see some of the attractions in Casablanca. Essentially, the Mosque Hassan II, one of the world’s biggest mosques in the world, and one of the rare mosques opened to non-Muslims. Therefore, seize the opportunity to discover its magnificent interior art-décor, indisputably such a superb piece of art.

Today’s journey will feature visiting the first imperial city in your Morocco travel. You will leave Casablanca towards Fez with a stopover for a traditional lunch in Rabat – the beautiful coastal imperial city, the capital city, and the residence of the King. Rabat is known for its history and heritage; you will see the brownish ocher walls with more than 6 km passing along between the old city and the modern part. You will visit the remains of Hassan Tower, and Mohamed 5 tomb; a masterwork of Moroccan architecture, full of precious materials and impressive decorations.

Continue your guided tour in Rabat to the Kasbah Udayas, home to one of Rabat’s proudest heritages that combine historical features with modern creations. After a healthy, delicious lunch in a traditional restaurant in the heart of the old Medina, you will depart to Fez, the spiritual capital of Morocco and the second imperial city on your Morocco tour.

Fez – the highest visited imperial city in Morocco– known for its rich heritage, culture, and history. Part of the fun in Fez is to get lost in its twisted tiny streets and alleyways to discover its cherished treasure. Are you ready to enjoy this experience?

Well, after breakfast, you will meet our local professional guide who will be your companion throughout your journey in Fez. You will be glad of his acquaintance while making your way deep down the old medina revealing for you the hidden stories and explain the details of the daily life of the locals in which even the pen fails to describe. Imagine passing by tiny shops filled and lined up with countless handmade products. Seeing veiled women with their traditional clothes picking up grocery and going shopping the old-fashioned way that is used for centuries and, of course, you will get amazed seeing donkeys and mules passing by you picking up goods to the markets. (FYI, Fes El-Bali is one of the car-free places in the world, the only means of picking up goods and heavy stuff into the city is by using tiny wagons or animals).

A visit to Chouara tannery, one of the city’s famous landmarks and the oldest leather tannery in the world, is essential. Do not just stare at the view from the surrounding balconies but also live the stories and secrets told by your private guide. The panoramic view of the tanners soaking and dyeing the leather down in the ancient workshops stands undeniably medieval. Continue your detour to see the rest of the unmissable attractions in Fez as only a true local can know.

We hope you had a great experience yesterday, and we hope you are excited for another one. Get prepared to experience fine arts architecture and history. Today you will travel in time to the Roman era; you will spend the whole morning discovering the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis. As you step your foot into the entrance of the city, you will start identifying some of the remnants of the Romans, deducing from it how they used to live back in the 1st century AD. The fascinating buildings, streets, stork’s nests on top of tall roofless pillars, and olive presses are some of the aspects that manifest the Roman culture in North Africa.

Not far from the ruins, you will have your lunch in Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, a sacred Muslim town located between two hills; you can easily see it from your spot in Volubilis. Afterward, for just 50km driving, you will arrive at the lesser-visited Imperial City of Meknes. You will visit the famed gate of Bab El Mansour, the Royal Stables, and the Tomb of Moulay Ismail. Your detour of Meknes will end in the masterpiece Sahrij Swani – an artificial lake surrounded by tall crenelated walls. Enjoy your time gazing at the breathtaking sites while walking around the lake. A delicious Meknesi dinner will be served to you at your lovely traditional Raid in Meknes to bring a spectacular end to this fantastic day. Make sure to sleep early; tomorrow, you will have the longest drive on your tour.

Today, you will have a full day drive with some fascinating stops that display the charming diversity of the landscapes of Morocco. After breakfast in the early morning, you will leave Meknes heading to Marrakech. En route, you will stop for lunch in a local restaurant or an optional traditional lunch with a Berber family in Khenifra – a small city surrounded by the middle atlas mountains; the city has an interesting history. In the 13th century, Khenifra stood on the border between the kingdoms of Fez and Marrakech. Khenifra region was the object of disagreement between the Merinid and Almohad dynasties.

After a healthy lunch in Khenifra, you will continue to Beni Mellal for an option trekking around waterfalls. Then continue driving to the red city of Marrakech – the most visited imperial city and the last one in your itinerary. After a long driving journey, depending on your arrival into the “Red City” you can sneak peek a short night walk to enjoy the most visited place in Marrakech, the main square of Djemaa El Fna.

Today you will detour Marrakech with the company of our humble professional guide like a true local can know. You will visit the old city with its vibrant souks where you will be amazed by the different varieties of traditional handmade products. Namely bronze lanterns, Djellabas, leather bags, carpets, and the list is long. You will have enough time to check and see these products by yourself while having your private guided tour of Marrakech. You will visit the historical sites such as the famous Mosque of Koutoubia with its influential minaret built in the 12th century. Djemaa El Fna is a great reason to visit Marrakech; it has ranked regularly the number one best place to visit in Morocco. The main square is exciting to pay a visit to; you will have a lot of stories that family and friends will love to hear from you when you go back to your country, the trained acrobat boys performing their shows with the loud music and the charmers playing head to head with their snakes. You will have some time to enjoy your lunch at one of the traditional restaurants in the heart of the medina. After lunch, you will continue your walking guided tour to Saadian Tombs with its flawless Zellij patterns and the ruined 16th century El Bahia Palace that was built for a former slave who became the king’s governor. Marrakech is a city that combines ancient heritage with the progression of modern architecture. Leave the old medina towards the modern French square, mostly known by Guelize, to visit the Majorelle Gardens. These marvelous botanical gardens were designed by the French orientalist artist Jacques Majorelle. Your detour of the Red City will end here in this magical garden filled with plenty of historical information and interesting souvenirs.

A minimum of two days in Marrakesh is required. Today, you will realize why this magical city is favorite to most of the wanderers worldwide. Today you will detour Marrakech on your own. There are many more places and plenty of activities that you can enjoy while staying another day in this fantastic city. We suggest going back aboard a horse carriage for a detour of the city as you revive the ancient era when horse carriages were the primary means of transportation used by locals. Or have a sweet cup of mint tea on the terrace of the nearby cafes of Jama el Fna that provide an outstanding aerial panoramic view while enjoying the music below and watching people walking in the bustling square. Those who want to treat themselves with a luxurious treatment, we suggest a hot Moroccan Hammam (Spa), one of the unique experiences that should not be missed during your travel in Morocco.

Today is your last full day in your Morocco tour, therefore, do not forget to do all that last-minute shopping and buy some souvenirs for your family and friends if you haven’t picked up enough already. We recommend you better plan your departure from Marrakech for tomorrow; if not, please make sure to schedule it in the afternoon if you want to depart from Casablanca airport.

It’s hard to believe you will have experienced all of that in only eight days. Your Imperial Cities Tour ends here filled with such unforgettable experiences and memories that you will treasure for the rest of your life. We hope you had a fantastic vacation with our lovely team.

-We wish you a happy flight Bye!!!-

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