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 – After breakfast, and to avoid traffic jams, we will try to leave Casablanca as early as possible, heading for Fez. After 240 km on the highway, we will first stop in Meknes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids and which reached its peak under the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672–1727), founder of the Alaouite dynasty, which still reigns today. Meknes is a central city in Morocco with a lush hinterland, fields stretching as far as the eye can see with orange trees, olive trees, vineyards, and other fruit trees. It is in Meknes that the largest International Agricultural Show in Africa, SIAM, is held every year. Among other things, we will visit the Medina and its ruins, Bab Mansour, the Stables and Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, the Agdal Basin, etc. But Meknes is worth more than just a day trip. A few dozen kilometers away is the city of Moulay Driss Zerhoun, tomb of the first Sultan Idriss I and founder of modern Morocco. This city was long forbidden to non-Muslims. There is also Volubilis, one of the most beautiful Roman ruins in Morocco. We are not far from cult cities such as El Hajeb, Ifrane, Azrou, etc. Meknes and its region are also the heart of Moroccan viticulture, with several wineries, including some large cellars containing precious elixirs such as Rosalie, which alone is worth a detour.

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 – After breakfast, we take a trip to Sefrou, 30 kilometers southeast of Fez, a fortified city with designated market districts (souks), the mellah, a Muslim residential district (medina), and a fort (kasbah). The Mellah is considered the oldest Jewish quarter in Morocco. We will explore Tazekka National Park. Tazekka National Park is located in the northernmost part of the Middle Atlas Mountains. It was created by decree in 1950 and covers an area of 680 hectares. The aim of its creation is to protect all the natural resources of the Jbel Tazekka peak (which rises to 1,980 meters) within a forestry and environmental framework. Dinner and third night in Fez.

Day 7: FES – Breakfast and free day in Fez. The city of Fez, with its 1.5 million inhabitants, is a marvel. Let's not forget that it is the mother city of Morocco. History, the Kingdom of Morocco, Islam, Arabization, culture, spirituality, art, and gastronomy all began here. Moreover, its original Berber name, Fas, makes it a cosmopolitan metropolis. There is a fusion between the inhabitants of Fez and the Fassis. Visit Jnan Sbil Park with its 3,000 species of plants, take a stroll along Boulevard Hassan II, one of the most beautiful avenues in Morocco, revisit the medina, where you will discover a multitude of galleries and museums, and take a break and enjoy a glass of mint tea at Bab Boujloud. etc. Dinner and fourth night in Fez.

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 – After breakfast, excursion to Ourika with a visit to Anima Garden, the garden of the universal artist André Heller, which offers a new and extraordinary attraction near the city of Marrakech. Located 27 km from the city in the Ourika Valley and in the shadow of the High Atlas Mountains. Dinner and third 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!

Day 12: MARRAKECH – Breakfast. Transfer to Marrakech airport and return flight.

******Practical Information******

After booking, you will receive a detailed program including all travel formalities. We're delighted that you've chosen EMIT-Services for an authentic, high-impact trip to Morocco! (Travel insurance recommended. Program subject to change.)