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Morocco´s imperial cities tour in 12 days

Where else will you learn so much about the culture of this cornerstone of Islam, about the peaceful, tolerant and carefree coexistence of the most diverse ethnic groups, about the witnesses of centuries of architectural development, the mighty fortress-like Kasbah, the palaces and mosques!

"It was like being in a fairy tale," say those who took part in the tour, thinking of what they remember from the tales of 1001 Nights.

During this journey, we gain a comprehensive insight into the 4 Imperial Cities of Morocco and the city of Casablanca, experiencing the diverse lifestyle of the Moroccans. Over the course of 12 days, we will take you to Casablanca, Rabat, Meknès, Fès, and Marrakech. Three of these were once royal cities of the country's great dynasties. Royal palaces and exotic gardens, Quranic schools, mosques, bustling bazaar districts, and medieval medinas evoke a fairy tale from the 1001 nights.

The colors start in the legendary Casablanca. You will stay in selected hotels of the Moroccan kingdom, visit the most beautiful mosques, the royal palaces and the lively medina of Fes and Marrakech. You will see markets and kasbahs, bazaars and gardens in all their Moslem splendor. You will meet Berbers, Arabs, nomads and mountain people. And at the climax of your trip, after crossing the Atlas Mountains, in Marrakech, you will not be sure whether all this was a fairy tale, whether you were just dreaming. The Emit-Services team takes you on an extraordinary journey to a whole new world. Let us surprise and enchant you.

Itinerary: Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes, Fes, Marrakech, Casablanca.

  • Minimum number of participants for this tour 6 people. Maximum 24 people.
  • IMPORTANT TO KNOW:  This tour is guaranteed from 2 persons
  • Peaceful study trip with only 3 hotel changes in 12 days. 
  • 2 dates planned for 2024 and 3 dates planned for 2025 with accompanied by an expert in Moroccan history and culture from day 1 to day 12.
  • The possibility of extending your stay before or after your trip 

SERVICES INCLUDED

  • Accompanied by an expert in Moroccan history and culture from day 1 to day 12.
  • Tour in comfortable minibus/coach and air-conditioned.
  • French-speaking local guides in Casablanca - Fes - Meknes - Marrakech and Rabat.
  • 11 nights in a superior room in 4**** hotels selected by EMIT Services .
    • 3 nights at Hotel 4**** in Casablanca.
    • 4 nights Hotel 4**** in Fes.
    • 4 nights at Hotel 4**** in Marrakech.
  • 11 breakfasts + 3 lunches + 3 dinners. Drinks are not included!

Day 1: CASABLANCA

  • Arrival in Casablanca. Pickup. Hotel 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.
  • Dinner and 1st night in Casablanca.

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.
  • Dinner and secondt night in Casablanca.

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.
  • Dinner and 3rd night in Casablanca.

Day 4: 295 km to FES

  • After breakfast, to avoid traffic jams, we'll try to get out of Casablanca as soon as possible, heading for Fes. After 240 km on the freeway, our first stop is MEKNES, a UNESCO World Heritage City, founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids and reaching its apogee under the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672 - 1727), founder of the Alaouite dynasty still reigning today. Meknes is a central Moroccan city with a verdant hinterland of endless fields of orange and olive trees, vineyards and other fruit trees. Meknes is also home to Africa's largest annual International Agricultural Show. SIAM. Among other sites, we will visit the Medina and its remnants, Bab Mansour, the Stables, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, the Agdal Basin, and more. However, Meknes is not limited to just a day's visit. Just a few tens of kilometers away, you'll find the city of Moulay Driss Zerhoun, the tomb of the first Sultan Idris I and founder of present-day Morocco. This city remained off-limits to non-Muslims for a long time. There's also Volubilis, one of the most beautiful Roman ruins in Morocco. You're not far from iconic cities like El Hajeb, Ifrane, Azrou, etc. Meknes and its region are also the heart of Moroccan viticulture, with numerous wineries, some cellars housing exceptional vintages, such as the Rosalie cellar, which is worth a visit on its own. Why not indulge in a tasting of fine Gerrouane wine and savor quality Moroccan wine?
  • Dinner 1st night in Fez.

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.
  • Dinner and 2nd night in Fes.

Day 6: FES

  • After breakfast, we take an excursion to Sefrou, located 30 kilometers southeast of Fes. It's like a fortified city with designated market districts (Souks)  the mellah (Jewish quarter) a Muslim residential quarter (Medina)  a fortress (Kasbah). Visit The mellah is considered the oldest Jewish quarter in Morocco. We discover the Tazekka National Park. Tazekka National Park is located in the northern part of the Middle Atlas. It was established by decree in 1950 and covers an area of 680 hectares. Its creation aims to protect all the natural resources of the Jbel Tazekka peak (which reaches 1,980 meters) within a forest and environmental context. Please note that while I strive to provide accurate translations, it's always a good practice to verify specific terminology and context for important information.
  • Dinner and 3rd night in Fes.

Day 7: FES

  • Breakfast and free day in Fes. The city of Fes, with its 1.5 million inhabitants, is a marvel. Let's not forget that it's the mother city of Morocco. History, the Kingdom of Morocco, Islam, Arabization, Culture, Spirituality, Art and Gastronomy all began here. Indeed, its name, of Berber origin Fas has made it a cosmopolitan metropolis. There is a blend between the inhabitants of Fes and the Fassis. Visit Jnan Sbil Park with its 3,000 plant species, take a stroll along Boulevard Hassan II, one of the most beautiful avenues in Morocco, revisit the Medina, where you will discover numerous galleries and museums, and take a break to enjoy a glass of mint tea at Bab Boujloud, and more.
  • Dinner and 4th night in 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.
  • Dinner and 1st night in Marrakech.

 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!
  • Dinner and 2nd night in Marrakech.

Day 10: MARRAKECH

  • After breakfast, excursion to Ourika with a visit to Anima Garden, the garden of the universal artist André Heller offers an extraordinary new attraction close to the city of Marrakech. Located 27 km from the city in the Ourika Valley, in the shadow of the High Atlas Mountains.
  • Dinner and 3rd night in 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!
  • Dinner and 4th night in Marrakech.

Day 12: MARRAKECH

  • Breakfast
  • Transfer to Marrakech airport and return flight.

Program subject to change!

(We recommend that you take out foreign health and cancellation insurance).

We are delighted that you would like to discover Morocco with EMIT-Services.

From 04. 11. to 15. 11. 2024.

1.358,€

With an expert

Guaranteed from 2 persons

From 02. 12. to 13. 12. 2024.

1.358,€

With an expert

Guaranteed from 2 persons

From 24. 03. to 04. 04. 2025.

1.439,€

With an expert

Guaranteed from 2 persons

From 07. 04. to 18. 04. 2025.

1.499,€

With an expert

Guaranteed from 2 persons

From 28. 04. to 09. 05. 2025.

1.499,€

With an expert

Guaranteed from 2 persons

From 26. 05. to 06. 06. 2025.

1.499,€

With an expert

Guaranteed from 2 persons

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