Imperial Capitals

(07 Days / 06 Nights )

“Imperial Capitals Tour” is one of our best group tours in Morocco !

In this tour, you will be in the company of a wonderful escort guide. The main focus of the tour will be the very rich history of the four historical capital cities of Morocco:  Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech. These cities are always referred to as the Imperial Cities.

In this group tour, you will go back in history to the 3rd century BC when Volubilis, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania, was founded. You will move on to the 8th century when the city of Fes was built. You will travel after that from a city to another, and with that century after another, till you get to the 21st century. You will learn a lot about the different dynasties that succeeded one another in the history of Morocco throughout these centuries. In Toudgha Voyages “Imperial Morocco Tour”, you will learn about Mauritania Tingitana, the Idrisid Dynasty,  the Almohad Dynasty, the Marinid Dynasty, the Wattasid Dynasty, the Saadi Dynasty and the Alaouite Dynasty.

This group tour in Morocco is simply amazing ! why don’t you enjoy it with us ?

Cities covered in this tour

Detailed Itinerary:

Arrive at Casablanca airport. Meet and greet by your escort guide, then transfer to the hotel to relax. Welcome meeting with you escort guide followed by an orientation tour of Casablanca, the economic capital of Morocco and its largest city. The short tour covers Ain Diab Corniche, which is one of the city’s most fashionable districts in Casablanca. Ain Diab Corniche offers expansive views along the Atlantic Ocean with its scenic promenade bordering the western seafront of Casablanca and a cluster of stylish hotels and beach resorts. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight in Casablanca.

Breakfast in the hotel. Continue the city tour of Casablanca. Stop first at the famous Hassan II mosque, the largest mosque in the country and one of the largest mosques in the world. Its minaret is the world’s tallest at 210 metres (689 ft): it is 60 stories high topped by a laser. Hassan II mosque was completed in 1993. Stop next at Mohammed V Square in the city center. Transfer to Rabat, the administrative capital of Morocco and one of its oldest cities. Enjoy the city tour of Rabat covering the Kasbah of the Udayas. This Kasbah was constructed during the realm of the Amazigh (Berber) dynasty the Almohads in the 12th century. Continue to Mohammed V Mausoleum. This mausoleum is home to the tombs of the current king’s grandfather, King Mohammed V, and his two sons King Hassan II and Prince Moulay Abdellah. Next to the Mausoleum, stop at Hassan Tower, which is the towering minaret of the Hassan Mosque. The construction of the site began in 1195. Complete the city tour of Rabat with the visit of the entrance to the Royal Palace. Transfer to Meknes, the “Moroccan Versailles” and one of the oldest cities in the kingdom. Meknes was the capital of Morocco under the reign of Moulay Ismail (1672–1727), a contemporary of Louis XIV, before it was relocated to Marrakesh. The city tour of Meknes includes the massive Bab El Mansour gate. Stop to take pictures there. Complete your city tour with the Harri Souani stables, the medina ramparts, and the entrance to the Royal Palace. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight in Fes.

Breakfast in the hotel. Enjoy the guided city tour of Fes. Begin with the entrance to the largest royal palace in Morocco. Continue with a panoramic view of the ancient medina. Enjoy an authentic experience at the traditional ceramic crafts village of Fes after that. Your next stop is Fes El Bali, the ancient town or Medina, which is a medieval part of Fes that has not changed for centuries. Optional lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the famous Al-Karaouine mosque, built by Fatima Al Fihria in 857. Al-Karaouine mosque became home to the University of Al-Karaouine, which is the first university in the world and the world’s foremost center of learning at the beginning of the second millennium. The university was built by Fatima Al Fihria in 859, and, since then, it has become one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Muslim world. In the medina, visit also a Merdersa, which is a Coranic school. Complete the city tour of Fes with the leather Souq and the oldest Leather Tannery in the world. The tannery dates back at least nine centuries. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight in Fes.

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Marrakech, “Paris of the Sahara” and Winston Churchill once described it. The journey takes you through the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop first in Ifrane, a charming town and ski resort. Ifrane is famous for its Alpine climate, European-style houses and its 1665 metres (5,460 ft) in elevation. Ifrane experiences snow during winter months and a cool climate during summer. Ifrane is also the place where the lowest temperature was ever recorded in Africa, -24 °C in 1935. Expect to find animals like the threatened Barbary Macaque and local tree species such as the native Atlas cedar, Scrub oak and the introduced London plane. Arrive at Beni Mellal where you will stop for an optional lunch. Beni Mellal is an important economic centre in Morocco in the areas of petrochemical production, textile manufacturing as well as agriculture. Late in the afternoon, arrive at your hotel in Marrakech. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight in Marrakech.

Breakfast in the hotel. Enjoy a guided city tour of Marrakech, “Paris of the Sahara” and Winston Churchill once described it. Stop first at the Koutoubia Mosque, which is an old monument built under the reign of the Almohad Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur (1184 to 1199). This monument inspired other buildings such as the Giralda in Seville in Spain and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. Stop next at the Bahia Palace. This Palace was built in the late 19th century and was intended to capture the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan style. Visit Madrasa Ben Youssef after that. This Coranic school is named after the Almoravid Sultan Ali Ibn Yusuf (reigned 1106–1142). Madrasa Ben Youssef is the largest in all of Morocco. Stop next at the Saadian tombs, which is a site that dates back to the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (1578-1603). The tombs were discovered in 1917 and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. Optional lunch at a local restaurant. Continue the tour with the world famous Jema El Fna Square where you will enjoy amazing performance of traditional activities by storytellers, snake charmers, peddlers of traditional medicines. Your last stop is the bustling souks in the old medina. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight in Marrakech.

Breakfast in the hotel. Enjoy your morning at leisure to explore Marrakech on your own. Optional lunch at a local restaurant. Late in the afternoon, transfer to Casablanca. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight in Casablanca.

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Casablanca airport for your departure flight.                                                     

                              

No Surprises !