Casablanca Trip Overview
Explore the Imperial Cities of Morocco with this amazing family-friendly 7-day private tour! Travel through Rabat, Fes, Meknes, and Marrakech with a private driver and knowledgeable guides that allow you the flexibility to see things at your own pace. Learn of the history of Morocco throughout the changing dynasties. Visit iconic sites such as the Hassan II Mosque, Volubilis, and the Al Quaraouiyine University. Enjoy the amazing Moroccan cuisine, marvel at the beautifully intricate architecture, and immerse yourself in a feast for the senses.
Additional Info
* Duration: 7 days
* Starts: Casablanca, Morocco
* Trip Category: Multi-day & Extended Tours >> Multi-day Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat, Morocco
Explore the Imperial Cities of Morocco with this amazing family-friendly 7-day private tour! Travel through Rabat, Fes, Meknes, and Marrakech with a private driver and knowledgeable guides that allow you the flexibility to see things at your own pace. Learn of the history of Morocco throughout the changing dynasties. Visit iconic sites such as the Hassan II Mosque, Volubilis, and the Al Quaraouiyine University. Enjoy the amazing Moroccan cuisine, marvel at the beautifully intricate architecture, and immerse yourself in a feast for the senses.
Itinerary
Day 1: CASABLANCA, RABAT
Stop At: Hassan II Mosque, Blvd Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Casablanca 20450 Morocco
Arrive in Casablanca and meet your driver outside the airport.
Begin with a visit to the stunning Hassan II Mosque, the largest in Morocco and the third largest mosque in the world that non-muslims are allowed to enter. Able to accommodate up to 105,000 in prayer, this marvel of modern Moroccan architecture is the work of hundreds of expert craftsmen from around the country, many of them donating their work.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Hassan Tower, Boulevard Mohamed Lyazidi, Rabat 10030 Morocco
Continue on to Rabat, where you will visit the Hassan Tower, which has sat unfinished since 1199. Commissioned by Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, the tower was to be the minaret for the largest mosque in the world. Unfortunately, when the sultan passed away in 1199, the project was abandoned, leaving some partial outer walls, 348 columns, and a minaret only standing half-finished at 140 feet rather than the intended 260 feet.
Standing opposite the Hassan Tower is the Mohammed V Mausoleum, which contains the tombs of Mohammed V, the current king’s grandfather, as well as the king’s father, Hassan II, and his uncle, Prince Abdallah. It is considered a masterpiece of Alaouite architecture with its white walls and green tiled roof.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Modern hotel in downtown Rabat.
Day 2: VOLUBILIS, MEKNES, FES
Stop At: Volubilis, Morocco
Depart Rabat in the morning to travel to Volubilis.
Tour the site with a guide. The site of the ancient Roman ruins dates back to 3 BCE, when it was the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. The Roman rule began in the 1st century CE, and continued until it fell to local tribes in 285. The remains of many ancient structures are still being excavated, as well as the triumphal arch still standing. There are several large mosaic floors still fully intact, and they will still reveal vibrant colors when wet.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Meknes, Meknes, Fes-Meknes
Continue on to to the Imperial City of Meknes, which was the capital of Morocco from 1672 to 1727 under sultan Moulay Ismail.
See Bab Mansour, which was built with marble columns stolen from nearby Volubilis.
Stop by the Royal Stables, which once held the sultan’s 12,000 horses, each with its own groom and slave to attend to its every need.
Visit the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, one of only three active Moroccan shrines that non-Muslims may enter. In spite of his excesses, Moulay Ismail is fondly remembered for bringing peace and prosperity and driving out Spanish and British forces.
Complete your journey to Fes in the afternoon.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast is included at your hotel
Accommodation included: Overnight in a traditional riad in Fes.
Day 3: DAY TOUR OF FES
Stop At: Fes, Fes, Fes-Meknes
Tour Fes with a private guide. (Walking tour with some transportation between sites.)
Begin at the royal palace, with its seven golden doors, and learn about the significance of the intricate decor.
Stroll through the Mellah, or Jewish quarter, which was built next to the palace to offer protection.
Take in the view of the city from Borj Sud, a former fortress and one of the lookouts on a hill where you can see all of Fes laid out, allowing you to spot landmarks otherwise hidden by the skyline-obscuring buildings.
Visit a pottery co-op to see how they make the unique Fes pottery, as well as handcrafting the intricate mosaics adorning half of Morocco.
Head into the ancient medina and step into a sort of living museum. The Fes medina is very much a local community that lives and works and goes about daily life in the medina, so be sure to keep moving and watch out for the donkeys!
Stop by the Al-Quaraouiyine University, the oldest degree-granting university still in operation, having been founded in 859CE by a woman.
Visit handicraft workshops, where you will see why Fes is considered the handicraft capital of Morocco. This can include, among other things, the silk weavers, where beautifully colorful fabrics are woven from silk fibers of the agave plant; and the famous Fes tannery, where they process all manner of animal hides by hand, much as they have for nearly 1,000 years.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast included at your riad.
• Lunch: During your tour of the medina, you will stop for lunch in a local restaurant.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a traditional riad in Fes.
Day 4: TRAVEL TO MARRAKECH
Stop At: Marrakech, Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi
Depart Fes in the morning to begin your journey to Marrakech via highway.
OPTIONAL: Make a stop in Rabat for lunch and a bit of sightseeing, such as the Kasbah Oudayah. (Entrance fee required)
Continue south to Marrakech, arriving in the afternoon/early evening. Check in to your riad in the medina.
Enjoy the evening exploring Jemaa el Fna, which comes alive with street performers as the sun goes down.
Duration: 7 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast is included at your riad.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a traditional riad in the Marrakech medina.
Day 5: DAY TOUR OF MARRAKECH
Stop At: Jemaa el-Fnaa, 38 Jemaa el-Fna, Rue El Ksour, Marrakech Morocco
Tour Marrakech with a private guide.
Visit the Koutoubia minaret, the tallest in Marrakech. Within the city walls, no building is allowed to be taller than the Koutoubia’s 253 feet. The minaret is part of the largest mosque in Marrakech, which was completed in 1199.
Stop at a Berber Apothecary shop, learning of the medicinal uses of many of the common spices and herbs that are still used across Morocco to treat common illnesses. While it’s not as picturesque as the heaps of spices you find in the market, it is far more informative!
Tour the Bahia Palace, a late 19th-century palace built for the grand vizier and named for his favorite wife. The rooms, set in a 2-acre garden, include the rooms which housed his harem, an often political position.
Explore Jemaa el Fna, the primary square in the medina and a UNESCO world heritage site. Though now filled with street performers, snake charmers, merchants, and orange juice stalls, when it was created in 1050, it was used for public executions, perhaps leading to its name which can be translated as “assembly of death”.
Head into the souks surrounding Jemaa el Fna to several workshops, including shoemakers and bakers.
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast is included at your riad.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a traditional riad in the Marrakech medina.
Day 6: FREE DAY
Stop At: Marrakech, Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi
Enjoy a free day to explore Marrakech.
You may choose to visit museums, such as the Yves Saint Laurent Museum and Berber Museum, along with the Majorelle Garden (entrance fee required).
Maybe indulge in a traditional hammam, which includes being covered in black beldi soap, scrubbed with an abrasive kessar mit to remove dead skin, and relaxing in a steam room.
Or just enjoy exploring the bustling city, wandering the souks and people-watching from streetside cafes.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast is included at your riad.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a traditional riad in the Marrakech medina.
Day 7: DEPARTURE
Stop At: Casablanca, Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat
After breakfast, return to Casablance for your departure flight.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast included at your riad.
No accommodation included on this day.
