Imperial Cities

Imperial Cities

Inclusions

Hotels

Food

Transport

Flights*

Discover the four Imperial Cities of Morocco Fez, Meknes, Rabat and Marrakech on this private eight day Morocco. Experience the history, architecture, rich culture and traditional Moroccan hospitality. Visit the ancient medieval medinas, monuments, mausalomes and souks

Description

DAY : 1 : CASABLANCA

Arrival at Casablanca International Airport, meet & great by your Italian Speaking driver and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and Overnight at hotel. According to arrival time proceed with Casablanca City Tour including:

Start with Parc de La Ligue Arabe, a huge garden with avenues lined with tall palm trees, ficus, arcades, pergolas and flower beds. On its edge is situated the Cathedrale du Sacré Coeur, which is disused, but is a splendid example of Mauresque architecture.Moving north, work your way up to the old medina as you move through Place Mohammed V and the Place des Nations Uniones, the main focal points of Ville Novelle, Casa’s new town. See French architecture complemented with Moorish design in Place Mohammed V, the protectorate square.

Then enjoy the visit the Mosque of Hassan II.designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau. It is an enormous architectural masterpiece and the second largest religious building in the world.

End the tour with visit of Anfa District and Ain Diab Sea Resort.If arrival late in the day the city tour will take place on the morning of the following day.

 

DAY 2 : CASABLANCA – RABAT – MEKNES – FES

After breakfast depart to Rabat. Rabat has a population 2 million, is a main university town and the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River.

 

Your tour will start by the Hassan tower, which stands on the hill overlooking the Wadi Bou Regreg. It is a gigantic mosque, emblematic of Rabat and famous for its unfinished minaret where storks nest. Next door, visit the beautiful Mausoleum of Mohammed V decorated with stained glass windows, white marble and a wrought-iron entryway with a stairway leading to an impressive dome. Also on the list is Ville Nouvelle. The new town has wide boulevards, open green spaces and avenues lined with residential blocks, a railroad, the Bank of Morocco, Musée de la Poste and the cathédrale Saint -Pierre.

Next, your guide will escort you on a walk around the picturesque Almohad northern walls of the Oudaïa Kasbah. The kasbah was built by Moulay Ismaïl from 1672-1727 to protect the city and is enclosed by ramparts dating from the Almohad period. Visit Bab Oudaïa, a monumental gate and example of Almohad military architecture. Before moving on to city medina, relax in the Moorish style Andalusian garden.

Continue to Volubilis

Explore the breathtaking archaeological site of Volubilis (Walili). Once occupied by the Romans, Volubilis has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site and gained international acclaim when Martin Scorsese made it a feature location for his film, The Last Temptation of Christ.

Continue to Meknes

Arrive in Meknes and begin your tour of Meknes at Bab Mansour. First we will pass through the triumphal arch. Standing at sixteen meters high with an eight meter long arch, the intricately patterned triumphal arch is argued to be the most beautiful in Morocco. Enter Place El-Hedime (Square of Ruins) which links the medina and the kasbah. The square is lined with modern residential buildings and a covered food souk (market).

We will stop and visit the Musée Dar Jamaï, a museum showing modern Moroccan arts, woodwork, ceramics, carpets, costumes, jewelry and metalwork. The sophisticated building was once a palace incorporating a mosque, menzah (pavilion), courtyard, kitchen and hammam.

Next we will visit the Bou Inania Medersa to explore the beautiful Koranic school established by the Merinids in the 14th century. Opposite of the Medersa, see the Grand Mosque.

Browse Rue de Souks, a street filled with hardware merchants (akarir), corn chandlers (bezzazine) and metalsmiths (haddadin). Next visit the En-Nejjarine Mosque, a 12th century Almohad built structure. Before moving on to see the square towers and zellij tilework of the Bab el-Berdaïne gateway, catch the action of Ed-Dlala Kissaria.
Drive to Fès where you will settle in your hotel
.

Dinner & Overnight.

 

DAY 3 : FES

Breakfast at the hotel than proceed with a full day tour of Fes.

Start with the Fès el- Bali through the symmetrical horse shoe arches at Bab Boujeloud (The Blue Gate). Fès -el Bali, best characterized as a sea of rooftops embellished with minarets and domes, is too narrow for cars. Aside from walking, donkeys and mules are still the best way to travel within the cities old walls.

Upon entering Rue Talaa Kebira, the main street in the medina, you will see lines of shops covered by canopies. Make your way to the Karaouiyine Mosque. Located in the Karaouiyine quarter, the Mosque is one of the oldest in the world and functioned as the first university in Morocco. After your visit, continue along the streets which will lead you to some of Fes’ most important buildings including Dar el- Magana, a fourteenth century water clock and Zaouia el Tijaniya, containing the tomb of Ahmed el Tijani, who spread his infamous doctrine Tariqq el- Tijaniya (The Way) throughout Morocco.

We will also stop to visit the Ech Cherabliyine Mosque (Mosque of the Slipper makers) then browse the souks selling henna, slippers, caftans, silks, jewelry and spices.

After lunch (at leisure) we will visit the Musée Dar el- Batha to view the great collection of pottery, leather-work, wood, books and manuscripts from the nineteenth century.

Next, enter Bab el Ftouh, the “Gateway of the Aperture” to explore the Andalusian quarter, a residential part of the medina laced with monuments. Our last part of the tour will take you into the Fès el Jedid, a kasbah which functioned as Morocco’s administrative center until 1912. Explore the royal palace and many interesting quarters including the Moulay Abdalllah Quarter, the Mellah (Jewish Quarter) and a little farther down south lies Ville Nouvelle (The New Quarter).

Dinner & Overnight

 

DAY 4 : FES – BENI MELLAL – MARRAKECH

Breakfast at the hotel then proceed with a full day drive to Marrakech
Depart Fès to head for Beni Mellal, a modern town surrounded by orange and olive groves. The nearby Bin-el-Ouidane Dam keeps the groves and other cultivated crops like Beetroot and sugarcane well watered.
Enjoy a traditional Berber lunch (at leisure) in Beni Mellal. Located at the foot of the Middle Atlas Moutains, Beni Mellal is on the edge of the great Tadla Plain where cereals are cultivated. The town has an interesting history of also being called Day and Kasba Belkouche and was inhabited by the Berbers and Jews before the arrival of Islam. In the 13th century Beni Mellal stood on the border between the kingdoms of Fes and Marrakech, which were the objects of dispute between the Merinid and Almohad dynasties. In 1680 Moulay Idriss built a kasbah in. Arrival to Marrakech.

Dinner & Overnight

 

DAY 5 : MARRAKECH

Breakfast at the hotel. Full day devoted to Marrakech city tour.
Your introduction to Marrakech will begin in the Medina, the old quarter of the Marrakech. From here we will explore this historically charming area by foot. In Djemma el Fna, you will visit the famous 12th century Koutoubia Mosque and its influential minaret.
Marrakech is a city of underground channels built by the architects from Cordoba, Spain to provide water for the town and Palmery. We will drive to the Lower Medina to explore more of Marrakesh’s secrets: the sixteenth century Saadian Tombs with its stark towers, the ruined 16th century El Badhi palace, and the Mellah and the Jewish quarter. Lunch at Leisure
Your guide will lead you through the labyrinth streets and alleys of the Djemma. Enjoy aromatic smells, taste fresh squeezed orange juice and venture into the souks specializing in Berber carpets, silver jewelry, artisan workshops, handmade shoes and tanneries. Dinner & Overnight at hotel

 

DAY 6 : MARRAKECH

Breakfast at the Hotel.
Full day at Leisure.
Lunch at the hotel.
In the evening departure for dinner in a Moroccan restaurant.
Overnight at the hotel.

 

DAY 7 : MARRAKECH – CASABLANCA

Breakfast at the Hotel.
Morning at leisure.
Depart to Casablanca. Free time
Lunch at the hotel.
In the evening departure for dinner at an international restaurant.

 Overnight at the hotel

 

DAY 8 : DEPARTURE

Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Casablanca International Airport in time for your departure flight.
This ends your Morocco Travel experience.

Booking

Tour Information

Inclusions
Exclusions
Documents Required for Travel
Payment terms

Guests can pay by bank transfer.

Weather
Weather description
Transport

Coach travel:

A/C Vehicle - Seating capacity depends upon group size.

Cancellation Policy

Booking will not be considered as confirmed until receipt of: First deposit.

In case of total or partial cancellation of the above agreement:

-      From 60 to 45 days prior to group’s arrival, the client will pay 30% of the total amount of the cancelled services.

-      From 45 to 30 days prior to group’s arrival, the client will pay 45% of the total amount of the cancelled services.

-      From 30 to 15 days prior to group’s arrival, the client will pay 60% of the total amount of the cancelled services.

-      From 14 days to the arrival day, the client will pay full rooms & services charges for full period.

Remarks

Standard Check-in time of hotels in Morocco is generally 3h00 PM. Check-out 12h00 PM.