Group tour: Morocco's imperial cities in 12 days

Day 1: CASABLANCA Arrival in Casablanca. Pickup. Hôtel check-in, welcome, and program discussion. Our hotel is located in the city center, not far from the Place des Nations Unies. This presents an opportunity for us to take a leisurely stroll, the best way to discover Casablanca's famous Art Deco buildings. The Mohammed V Square is one of the most iconic, with its historic buildings and administrative center. The Palace of Justice, Central Bank, Grand Post Office, and Prefecture showcase the colonial architecture from the 1920s, during Marshal Lyautey's time and the French protectorate. We will pass by the new Grand Theatre of Casablanca, a remarkable example of modern Moroccan architecture. It's a multidisciplinary space dedicated to the performing arts: theater, dance, music, and musicals. The Grand Theatre can host up to 1,800 people in its versatile hall and 600 people in its amplified music hall. There's also the Museum of Moroccan Jews, the former Church of the Sacred Heart, and a stroll through the paths of the Arab League Park, the city's largest green space, ideal for catching your breath. Later, you can explore the Anfa district, Boulevard Racine, and the Souissi neighborhood. These areas offer international brand shops, galleries, Michelin-starred restaurants, and Parisian-style sidewalk cafes with New York or London vibes. Enjoy a drink and a good meal to wrap up this first day.

Day 2: CASABLANCA After breakfast, we begin with the classic city tour of Morocco's largest metropolis, home to 3.5 million people. We'll visit the old quarter of Habous, the royal palace, the Finance City, a significant African financial hub and one of the world's top financial centers. We'll also explore the grand architecture of the Hassan II Mosque. Casablanca offers a multitude of possibilities and attractions, including the Corniche with its café terraces, shopping centers (such as Marina Mall), which delight the ladies, stunning cliffside ocean-view pools, hotels overlooking the sea, a vast sandy beach stretching for kilometers for all water sports enthusiasts, trendy casinos, and nightclubs. After this impressive city tour, we can say we've had a glimpse of this booming tourist destination. Experience the reopening of the state-of-the-art Ain Sebaa Zoological Park, spanning 10 hectares and a Casablanca heritage for over 80 years, home to at least 45 animal species. Moreover, there's much to explore around and beyond Casablanca: a few kilometers away lies Mohammedia, and within 45 minutes, you can reach El Jadida for the largest casino in Morocco. You can also discover other beautiful places like the Bouskoura forest (over 3,000 hectares), where you can spend hours at one of the equestrian clubs or play on one of the 3 exceptional golf courses selected by EMIT Services: Royal Golf d'Anfa, Casa Green Golf Club, and The Tony Jacklin Club. Casablanca is a city to be discovered both day and night.

Day 3: CASABLANCA After breakfast, we're off to Rabat - the administrative and royal capital of Morocco - 100 kilometers of freeway - all day long, we'll be gathering new impressions. We'll visit the unfinished mosque with the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of King Mohammed V. We'll also visit the Kasbah des Oudaias, the royal palace, the government district and the Chellah. But Rabat has much more to offer, including the new Grand Theatre de Rabat, a jewel in the crown of Moroccan culture, by the famous English architect of Iraqi origin, the late Zaha Hadid, and the Tour Mohammed VI, the tallest and future jewel on the African continent. Both bathed on the banks of the Bouregreg. And let's not forget the delicious couscous and tajines we'll have for lunch in a typically Moroccan restaurant.

Jour  4 :  295 km jusqu’à FES – Après le petit déjeuner et pour éviter les embouteillages, nous essayerons de sortir de Casablanca le plus tót possible,  direction Fes. Après 240 Kms d´autoroute, nous nous arrêterons d´abord à MEKNES, Ville patrimoine Mondial de l´UNESCO, fondée au XI è siècle par les Almoravides et arrivée à son apogée sous le régne du Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672 – 1727), fondateur de la dynastie régnante jusqu’à nos jours, Alaouite. Meknes est une ville centrale du Maroc avec un arrière-pays des plus verdoyants, des champs à perte de vue d’orangers, d’oliviers, de vignobles et d’autres arbres fruitiers, c’est à Meknes que se tient chaque année le plus grand Salon International de l´Agriculture de l´Afrique SIAM. Nous visiterons entre autres la Médina et ses vestiges, Bab Mansour, les Écuries et le Mausolée de Moulay Ismail, le Bassin de l´Agdal etc.., Mais Meknes ne vaut pas qu’une journée, à quelques dizaines de Kms on y trouve la ville de Moulay Driss Zerhoun, Tombeau du 1 er Sultan Idriss I et fondateur du Maroc actuel, cette cité est restée longtemps interdite aux non musulmans; il y a aussi Volubilis, une des plus belle ruine romaine du Maroc. on est pas loin des villes cultes comme El Hajeb, Ifrane, Azrou etc.. Meknes et sa région est aussi le poumon de la viticulture marocaine avec plusieurs celliers, dont certaines caves de grandes cuvés, renferment de précieux élixirs comme celle de Rosalie qui mérite à elle seule le détour. Pourquoi ne pas faire une dégustation d’un bon vin Gerrouane et déguster un vin de qualité marocain? Dîner 1 ère nuit à Fès.

Day 5: FES After breakfast, we descend to the Medina. As we look around, we feel transported to the Middle Ages in the Orient. Walking through the winding old town, we hear, smell, and see the quarters of tanners, coppersmiths, dyers, carpenters, and spice merchants. We pass by the beautiful Kairaouine Mosque, a combination of mosque and Islamic college, and the tomb of Moulay Idriss II. As non-Muslims, we can only view the two monuments from the outside – and admire the Attarine Medersa, a Quranic school built between 1323 and 1325, wonderfully intricate, where the students, however, lived ascetically.

Day 6: FES – Après le petit déjeuner, nous faisons une excursion à Sefrou , à 30 kilomètres au sud-est de Fès,  comme une ville fortifiée avec des quartiers désignés pour les marchés (Souks),  le mellah , un quartier résidentiel musulman (Médina),  un fort (Kasbah). Le Mellah y est considéré comme le plus ancien quartier juif du Maroc. On découvre le Parc National de Tazekka. Le Parc National de Tazekka est situé dans la partie la plus septentrionale du Moyen Atlas, il a été créé par décret en 1950 et couvre une superficie de 680 hectares. L’objectif de sa création s’inscrit dans le cadre forestier et environnemental de protéger toutes les ressources naturelles du pic du Jbel Tazekka (qui culmine à 1 980 mètres) à sécuriser. Dîner et 3 ème nuit à Fes.

Day 7: FES – Petit déjeuner et journée libre à Fes. La ville de Fes avec 1,5 millions d’habitants est une merveille. Rappelons nous que c’est la ville mère du Maroc. L’Histoire, le Royaume du Maroc, l´Islam, l´Arabisation, la Culture, la Spiritualité, l´Art et la Gastronomie, tout a débuté ici. D’ailleurs son nom d’origine berbère Fas fait d’elle une métropole cosmopolite. Il y a un amalgame entre les habitants de Fes et les Fassis. Visitez le parc Jnan Sbil avec ses 3.000 espèces de plantes, faites une balade sur le boulevard Hassan II, une des plus belle avenue au Maroc, refaire une descente à la médina, où vous découvrirez de multitudes galeries et de musées et prendre une pause et boire un verre de thé à la menthe à Bab Boujloud. etc.. Dîner et 4 ème nuit à Fes.

Day 8: 483 km to MARRAKECH After breakfast, drive to Marrakech via Immouzer, Ifrane, Khenifra and Beni Mellal.

This day takes us through the picturesque Middle Atlas with its cedar forests, almond groves, and walnut trees. We take a break in the mountainous freshness of the village of Ifrane and are surprised: here, winter sports are enjoyed in a refined manner! Let's simply soak in the view of the diverse nature at the edge of the Atlas Mountains! Finally, the road leads us to Marrakech, the "pearl of the south," which stands charmingly amidst palm trees, facing a magnificent mountainous panorama.

 Day 9: MARRAKECH We discover Marrakech with its palaces, souks and famous Djemaa El Fna square, where actors, storytellers, acrobats, dancers, snake charmers and musicians rub shoulders. The long stroll through the souks, with their dyers' alleyways and blacksmiths' quarter, is an unforgettable experience. In the former royal city, a turbulent past is everywhere. We are inspired by the Saadian tombs, which lay dormant behind thick walls until 1917. We visit the Koutoubia minaret, the only completed Almohad minaret and symbol of the city. Also on our map is the ancient Medersa Ben Youssef madrassa, once the largest in the Maghreb. Today you can smell it: it's the day of 1001 nights!

Day 10: MARRAKECH – Après le petit déjeuner, éxcursion à Ourika avec visite de Anima Garden, Le jardin de l’artiste universel André Heller offre une nouvelle attraction extraordinaire à proximité de la ville de Marrakech. Situé à 27 km de la ville dans la vallée de l’Ourika et à l’ombre des montagnes du Haut Atlas. Dîner et 3 ème nuit à Marrakech.

Day 11: MARRAKECH After breakfast, you have the opportunity to explore Marrakech on your own, with its palaces and gardens, and perhaps do some shopping? Design the day according to your desires. For instance, enjoy the exotic garden of Yves Saint-Laurent, the Majorelle Garden, and take a look at the impressive Berber Museum or the new Yves Saint Laurent Museum!

Day 12: MARRAKECH – Petit déjeuner. Transfert à l’aéroport de Marrakech et vol retour.

Practical info & Commitment : A detailed program, travel formalities and documents will be sent to you after booking. We are proud to accompany you in your discovery of Morocco, an authentic journey of impact with EMIT-Services. (Travel insurance recommended. Program subject to change).