The Imperial Cities of Morocco

Individual arrival in Morocco. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by your tour guide and driver. Here, you will receive the first information about your trip and be transferred to the hotel.

Arrival and check-in for flights to Agadir at your 4-star hotel near Agadir. For flights to Marrakesh, check into your 4-star hotel in Marrakesh, and for flights to Casablanca, check into your 4-star hotel in Casablanca for 2 nights. Dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. If you have arrived in Agadir, after breakfast, you will drive to Marrakesh. In Marrakesh, you'll have lunch (optional) before continuing to Casablanca. For those arriving directly in Marrakesh and Casablanca, the journey or program begins accordingly later.

Casablanca, made famous by the eponymous film, is Morocco's most well-known city and its most significant economic center. Its cityscape was shaped during the French colonial period with wide boulevards and townhouses from the 1930s and 1940s, making it the "dream city" for all Western-oriented Moroccans. You'll visit the exterior of the Hassan II Mosque, built from 1986 to 1993 on a promontory on the Atlantic coast by order of King Hassan II. As one of the largest mosques in the world, it can accommodate approximately 25,000 worshippers, and its minaret, at over 200 meters tall, is the second tallest in the world. From there, you can enjoy a splendid view of the city and the Atlantic Ocean. Afterwards, you'll have free time to stroll through the boulevards or along the waterfront promenade, Corniche. A visit to the Medina, the old town of Casablanca, bustling, lively, and colorful, is also recommended.

Dinner and check-in for 1 night at Hotel Oum Palace in Casablanca.

Travel distance: approximately 540 km.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, the journey begins along the coast to the north to Rabat, the capital of the country and the first of the four royal cities you'll experience on this trip. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012 for its particularly successful combination of Arab history and Western modernity. The Almohad caliphs established their capital here from the 12th century onwards, just as today, the Royal Palace of Rabat is the main residence of the reigning king of Morocco. For this reason, it can only be visited from the outside. Through the Ville Nouvelle with magnificent colonial-era buildings, the path leads to the Mausoleum of King Mohammed V, built of white marble in 1961. Right next to it is the city's landmark, the Hassan Tower, planned in 1199 but never completed. You'll also visit the Kasbah of the Udayas, built as a fortress in the 12th century and perched particularly picturesque in blue and white over the Medina. Afterwards, you'll continue to the next of the royal cities, Meknes. Anyone who loves medieval and oriental city flair will get their money's worth here. After lunch (optional), you'll embark on a city tour. The famous Medina of Meknes has been on the UNESCO list since 1996. An almost 40 km long wall encloses the old town with its souks and numerous mosques, earning Meknes the nickname "City of a Hundred Minarets." The city wall is punctuated by impressive, mosaic-decorated gates, the most famous and arguably the most beautiful of which is the monumental gate, Bab Mansour. In the past, trials were held there, and the heads of the executed were displayed. Meknes itself is surrounded by a fantastically green landscape with olive groves and is also known for its good wines.

Arrival and check-in for 1 night at Hotel Transatlantique in the vicinity of Meknes.

Travel distance: approximately 240 km.

Breakfast at the hotel. Then, you'll set off for further discoveries in the Medina of Meknes. The burial mosque of King Mulay Ismail, the Bloody, who was buried there in 1727, seems rather inconspicuous from the outside. He was considered cruel and unrestrained, but today he is respected by Moroccans as the ruler who first united the country. Then, you'll continue to the ruins of the ancient Roman trading city of Volubilis, about 30 km north of Meknes. Archaeologically, Volubilis is Morocco's oldest city and was chosen as his residence by the Moroccan state founder Idris I in the 8th century. Today, it is known for the best-preserved Roman ruins in North Africa, with column-lined, wide streets, temples, baths, basilicas, and triumphal arches. Volubilis was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. After that, you'll drive to the foothills of the Middle Atlas Mountains to Fes, the oldest of the four Moroccan royal cities and the spiritual center of the country.

Arrival and check-in for 2 nights at Hotel Menzah Zalagh in the vicinity of Fes.

Travel distance: approximately 120 km.

Breakfast at the hotel. Afterward, you'll embark on a city tour in Fes. The old town, Fes el Bali, is an oriental dream and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1981. It consists of a maze of narrow alleys, some as narrow as 50 cm, completely unsuitable for cars. Goods are traditionally transported in carts or on donkeys. The famous Karaouine Mosque is the city's most important landmark but unfortunately can only be visited from the outside. In addition to the large prayer hall, supported by 270 columns and leading to 14 gates, it also houses one of the most important centers of Islamic spirituality and culture: the university founded in the 9th century and its associated library from the 13th century. The adjacent Koranic school, Medersa Ataryne, is a splendidly equipped college with Almohad motifs, a large courtyard, an old classroom, and is absolutely worth seeing. Then, you'll visit the tomb of the city's founder, Moulay Idriss, from the outside, the city's largest sanctuary with an endless stream of pilgrims and beggars. A visit to the traditional quarter of the tanners and the blacksmith alley, where work is still done according to medieval methods, should not be missed. After lunch (optional), you'll have time to wander through the souk and the Medina. Let yourself be enchanted by the oriental ambiance of this magnificent city and don't miss visiting one of the large carpet houses, "Palais de Fes" or "Palais Ibn Khaldoun," housed in old magnificent townhouses. Here, you'll receive a free guided tour and an explanation of the carpets. Also worthwhile is a visit to the brocade weavers, unique to Fes. In the Ville Nouvelle, you can stroll through elegant residential neighborhoods and wide avenues. The Boujeloud Gardens, with tall trees, palms, bamboo groves, beautifully blooming and adorned with fountains, invite you to relax after a long day. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Menzah Zalagh.

After breakfast, drive through the caravan city of Beni Mellal in the fertile Tadla plain, the most important trading city for fruits and vegetables in central Morocco, to Marrakesh.

Finally, you'll reach the "Pearl of the Orient," Marrakesh, where the entire diversity of oriental life is reflected in its contrasts. After a process of urban upgrading in the 1980s, the Medina now shines again in all its charm and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985. The bazaar alleys house woven carpets, ceramics, parchment lamps, and huge spice stands that glow in all colors. Marrakesh is famous for its riads. These townhouses are used as exclusive private residences or fine guesthouses. With their small courtyard gardens, they are like palaces from One Thousand and One Nights. Here, you'll walk through Marrakesh's typical markets.

Arrival and check-in for 1 night at Hotel Atlas Asni in the Marrakesh area. Dinner at the hotel.

Travel distance: approximately 500 km.

Breakfast at the hotel. Then, you'll head to the Menara Garden, located near the Medina of Marrakesh. It was built in the 12th century and, with its central water basin, serves as a model for the gardens in Rabat, Ceuta, and Seville. Due to its size of 100 hectares, there is always a quiet, shady place to relax here. On clear days, the view of the High Atlas Mountains and the direct line of sight to the Koutoubia Mosque is spectacular. In the afternoon, you'll visit the Saadian Tombs, where seven sultans and their families are buried, and the magnificent Bahia Palace with its 160 rooms full of Andalusian-Moorish decorations and splendor. At the famous juggler square "Djemaa el Fna," which has its own entry on the Intangible Heritage list, all kinds of artists, snake charmers, acrobats, fortune-tellers, and fire-eaters gather. On the square, you can try freshly squeezed juices and various types of dates. Enjoy this unforgettable atmosphere.

If your return flight is from Marrakesh, you'll stay for an additional night at the hotel. If your flight is from Agadir, transfer and overnight stay at a 4-star hotel in the Agadir area. If your flight is from Casablanca, transfer and overnight stay at a 4-star hotel in the Casablanca area. Dinner at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Atlas Asni in the Marrakesh area.

Travel distance: approximately 260 km.

Breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport, and return flight.

There is the possibility to book an extension stay in Marrakesh or Agadir.