5 day Imperial Cities Tour
“Taste of History”
5 days, 5 nights
Starts: Casablanca
Ends: Marrakesh
Overnight stays in: RABAT – FES (2 NIGHTS) – MARRAKESH (2 NIGHTS)
Introduction
Do you love to visit historic places but have less than a week available? Then our 5 day Imperial Cities Tour, “Taste of History” is perfect for you! Explore Morocco’s rich history during this 5 day, 5 night Casablanca to Marrakesh tour. Plus, see stunning scenery as you travel inland from the Atlantic Coast & through the Middle Atlas Mountains.
The “Taste of History” Tour features historic attractions in Morocco’s 4 Imperial Cities (Rabat, Meknes, Fes & Marrakesh). As a bonus, you also get to tour the Roman ruins at Volubilis.
Note: The “Taste of History” Tour does NOT go to the Sahara Desert. So, if you want to go camel-trekking in the Sahara, check out other popular 5 day tours below. Or, contact us about modifying this tour to meet your needs!
Outline
Your 5 day Imperial Cities Tour, “Taste of History” starts in Casablanca. Visit the Hassan II Mosque, then head north to Rabat, Morocco’s capital & current Imperial City.
The next day spans centuries of history & culture. Start with the 12th century Hassan Tower in Rabat. Next, tour Roman ruins at Volubilis. Later, visit the Imperial City of Meknes before ending the day in Fes, Morocco’s oldest Imperial City.
Explore the medieval Fes medina with a local guide on Day 3 of your Casablanca to Marrakesh tour. Your day includes the famous Fes tanneries & a local pottery co-operative.
Travel through the Middle Atlas Mountains to Marrakesh the following day. You’ll reach the “Red City” of Marrakesh in the evening.
Spend Day 5 exploring the medina of the Imperial City of Marrakesh with a local guide.
Your 5 day Imperial Cities Tour, “Taste of History” ends with a final night in your riad in Marrakesh. (Breakfast the next morning is included.)
Tour Highlights
- Visit the impressive Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
- See the 12th century Hassan Tower & the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat
- Tour Roman ruins at Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Visit historic sites in the Imperial City of Meknes
- Go on a guided tour of the Fes medina & tanneries
- Visit a pottery co-operative in Fes
- Go on a guided tour of the Marrakesh medina & key historical sites
- Enjoy free time to explore in Fes & Marrakesh
- See Barbary apes at Azrou
- Have lunch in the Atlas Mountains
For more information…
For more details about this tour, see the tabs further down this page. You’ll find a detailed itinerary, a route map, & a list of what’s included & excluded in the cost.
Questions?
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Other Imperial Cities Tours
The following tours also include visits to all 4 of Morocco’s Imperial Cities (Rabat, Meknes, Fes & Marrakesh):
10 day Morocco itinerary – “Imperial Cities, Majestic Dunes”
This round-trip 10 day tour from Casablanca explores Central Morocco. Includes the 4 Imperial Cities, a 2 day camel-trekking adventure in the Sahara, Ait Ben Haddou, Volubilis & more.
14 day Morocco Tour from Casablanca – “Best of Morocco”
This 2 week tour from Casablanca hits all the best spots, with time to linger & enjoy. Features Sahara camel-trekking, 4 Imperial Cities, Asilah, Blue City, Agadir, Essaouira, Ait Ben Haddou & a lot more.
14 days from Tangier Tour – “Tangier Triangle”
This 2 week Imperial Cities Sahara Atlantic Tour features all 4 Imperial Cities & 2 nights in the Sahara. Also included are Atlantic Coast cities Casablanca & Essaouira, plus Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou, & so much more.
Other 5 day tours
5 day Casablanca Desert Tour – “Culture & Camels”
This 5 days from Casablanca tour has top attractions in Casablanca, Rabat & Fes and camel-trekking in the Sahara. Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou & a final night in Marrakesh are also featured.
5 days Fes to Marrakesh Tour – “Shifting Sands & Mud Bricks”
This 5 day tour from Fes features 2 nights in the Sahara & stays in Valley of the Roses and Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou in the Atlas Mountains. It ends with a night in Marrakesh.
6 day tours
Have an extra day to spare? Check out the following 6-day tours:
6 day Agadir Sahara Marrakesh Tour – “Camels, Carpets & Kasbahs”
This round-trip 6 days from Agadir tour combines stunning natural destinations with exotic cities old & new. Camel-trek in the Sahara then roam historic Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. Explore exciting Marrakesh then relax in Paradise Valley.
6 day Marrakesh Desert Kasbah Tour – “Rock the Kasbahs”
This 6 days from Marrakesh tour features 4 impressive Kasbahs, 2 nights in Marrakesh, & camel-trekking in the Sahara Desert. Enjoy stunning scenery as you go from Marrakesh across the High Atlas Mountains to the Sahara & back.
6 day Sahara Tour from Marrakesh – “3 Ergs, 2 Camels & a 4×4”
This 6 days Marrakesh to Sahara Tour features camel-trekking & off-roading in 3 different dune-filled ergs of the Moroccan Sahara. In between, travel through scenic mountains & valleys, explore historic Kasbahs & much more.
Details
5 day Imperial Cities Tour - "Taste of History"
Your 5 day Imperial Cities Tour, "Taste of History", begins with an airport or hotel pick-up in Casablanca. After some Moroccan mint tea to welcome you, we’ll take you to see the impressive Hassan II Mosque at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in Casablanca. The mosque is the one of the largest in the world and showcases Moroccan Islamic architecture, beautiful hand-crafted Zelig tile mosaics, & and intricate plaster carving.
From there we’ll drive about 1 hour north along the coast to Rabat, Morocco’s current capital & Imperial City. After checking into your hotel, you’ll have some time to rest and freshen up before enjoying a welcome dinner in a nearby local restaurant.
After breakfast, we’ll visit the 12th century Hassan Tower and mosque, in Rabat. The tower was recently restored, and you can walk amongst the ruins of walls and pillars, which create an open-air square.
Across from the tower is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, built for the king, who died in 1961. His son and successor, Hassan II, who died in 1999, is also entombed here. Here you’ll find more stunning examples of intricate Moroccan carving & zelig tilework. It may be possible to tour the Mausoleum, depending on the time and date.
Leaving the Atlantic coast, we’ll head inland to the magnificent Roman ruins at Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins include stunning partially-excavated mosaics, buildings, arches, and columns, which you’ll explore with a local guide.
Our next stop is the historic city of Meknes, one of Morocco’s four Imperial Cities. Founded as a fortress in the 11th century, Meknes became the capital of Morocco in the 17th century. We’ll visit the Moulay Ismail shrine, see the impressive Bab el Mansour gate, and tour the remains of the Imperial Stables.
After lunch in Meknes, we'll drive to Fes, the oldest of Morocco’s four Imperial Cities. You’ll check into your riad, then we’ll enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal at a restaurant in the medina.
Your 5 day Casablanca to Marrakesh tour continues on Day 3 with a tour of the Fes medina with a local guide. Fes was established in the Middle Ages, and walking through the medina’s narrow, winding alleys is like stepping back into history. Your tour includes a visit to the famous tanneries, where medieval natural methods are still used to cure and dye leather, which is then fashioned by local craftspeople into world-renowned leather clothing and accessories in every colour of the rainbow.
You'll have lunch in the medina with your guide.
After the tour, we'll take you outside the medina to visit a pottery co-operative. There you’ll learn how Morocco's colourful pottery & intricate zelig tile mosaics are made, completely by hand, by skilled artisans. Although it makes for a long day, this stop is fascinating and not to be missed.
When you arrive back at your riad, you'll have time to relax before having dinner there.
After breakfast, we'll start our drive towards the Imperial City of Marrakesh. You’ll see the amazing change in the landscape as we travel through the Middle Atlas Mountains.
On the way, we’ll pass through Ifrane, a popular ski resort town known as the "Switzerland of Morocco", with its steeply-peaked rooves designed to shed show easily. We’ll stop to rest at Azrou to see the Barbary apes that live in the cedar forests on the mountainsides.
Next, we’ll stop for lunch in Beni-Mellal in the Middle Atlas Mountains, before continuing towards Marrakesh. The winding drive through the mountains offers some stunning scenery.
We’ll reach Marrakesh in the evening. After checking into your riad, you’ll have the evening free. You may want to visit the world-famous Jmaa El Fna square, which fills every night with tourists and Moroccan families alike, out to enjoy fresh-cooked food and be entertained by storytellers, musicians, and dancers. It’s a carnival-like atmosphere and not to be missed!
After breakfast in your riad, a local guide will take you exploring in Morocco's "Red City". Marrakesh has many fascinating cultural and historic sites to visit, such as the Saadian Tombs, in addition to the bustling souks in the medina.
You'll have lunch with your guide at a local restaurant in the medina.
After the tour, you’ll have some free time in the afternoon to relax or explore on your own. Or, if you prefer, we can take you to see the famous Majorelle Gardens outside of the medina.
Your 5 day Imperial Cities Tour, "Taste of History" ends with a second night in Marrakesh.
(Breakfast the following morning is included.)
