Northern Morocco Private Immersion

Upon your arrival, you will be greeted by your private driver at the airport in Casablanca. Once you’ve made your introductions, you will head north to the charming beach down of Asilah. Known as Morocco’s Santorini, this walled and white-washed city is punctuated with colorful murals that can be found around every corner. This city epitomizes the importance of art in Moroccan culture. The streets are lined with local artists selling their work and even the children “play” artist by displaying their own masterpieces on the cobbled streets of the medina.

You’ll arrive here in time to explore. Be sure to climb the ramparts in the late afternoon to see the biggest show in town: watching the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean.

After breakfast this morning, you’ll have a little more time to explore Asilah before heading a little further north to the Caves of Hercules. According to legend, this is the spot where Hercules rested before performing his 11th labor (Golden Apples of Hesperides), but that is just one of the legends. The cave was enlarged by the Phoenicians who mined mill stones from within, but some say that they also carved the shape of Africa into the seaside cave entrance so that they could identify it from the sea. When you are in there, you will understand how this space sparked the imagination of so many people.

After visiting here, you’ll head inland to the Blue Pearl of Morocco: Chefchaouen. You’ll arrive in time to begin your exploration of this magical small city nestled between to peaks in the Rif Mountains. Upon your arrival here, you’ll check into your accommodations and then rejoin your tour manager for an orientation walk of this magical city. Once you’ve gotten your bearings, you’ll be free to explore on your own.

After breakfast today, you’ll say farewell to Chefchaouen and begin your journey to Fes, the first imperial city of Morocco and the spiritual capital of the country. On the way, you will stop to visit the ruins of the Roman outpost of Volubilis. Before the Romans came, Volubilis was an Amazigh city known as Oulili (pronounced wa-lee-lee) which dates back to the 3rd century B.C. Although severely damaged by an earthquake in the 18th century and subsequently further damaged by Moulay Ismail’s architects (who used pieces to build the gates of the city of Meknes), it is still “an exceptionally well preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire”, according to the UNESCO World Heritage listing. The city was reclaimed by the local Amazigh tribes around 235 AD and it was near here in the 8th Century that Idriss I established the first dynasty of the Kingdom of Morocco.

After a guided tour of Volubilis, you’ll head to the lessor known imperial city of Meknes. Your visit will begin by entering the old medina through the interesting gate of Bab Mansour, which incorporates marble pillars that were moved from Volubilis. Once inside the medina, you will visit the tomb of Sultan Moulay Ismail. It was under this eccentric ruler’s reign from 1672 to 1727 that Meknes served its time as the capital of Morocco. Next you will visit the impressive Agdal reservoir and Heri es-Souani, a former granary and stable which once housed 12,000 horses. As a contemporary of Louis XIV, Moulay Ismail sought to rival Versaille with his capital city, and the Agdal Reservoir may remind you a bit of the Grand Canal at that famous site. After exploring Meknes, you’ll make the short drive to Fes where you will check into your accommodations and have the rest of the evening free to explore on your own.

Note: Most of the monuments in Meknes are currently undergoing extensive restoration and are closed for the foreseeable future. You may choose to skip this stop to have more time in Chefchaouen or Fes, if you wish.

Today after breakfast, your local guide will meet you at your riad and together you will embark on an odyssey through this medieval city. You will begin your tour with your driver as you make your way to the Royal Palace. After this, you will walk through the old Mellah (Jewish Quartier) where you will note a change in the architecture. If you are interested in Jewish Heritage sites, let your local guide know as there are several points of interest in this neighborhood.

When you’ve finished here, you will head to one of the towers (or Borj) of the wall that surrounds the city for panoramic views of the whole medina. Fes boasts the largest pedestrian-only old city in the world with over 9000 streets and alleyways. From this vantage point, you can really appreciate the size of the city.

Next, you’ll head to a mosaic house where you will have a demonstration of the traditional pottery methods utilized by Fassi artisans – you’ll see every step of the process from the formation of the clay to the piecing together of the mosaics. After this, your driver will take you as far as he can towards the medina. From here, your guide will lead you through the gates of the old city where you will discover the ancient streets and neighborhoods, visit the various artisan sections (including the tanneries), and see the important historic monuments (including the tomb of Idriss II and the Al-Qarawaiyin University – the oldest continually operated university in the world). Your tour will end in the mid-afternoon. After which you’ll have a chance to explore on your own. Or perhaps after all of that walking, you may wish to enjoy a relaxing hammam and massage!

This morning after breakfast, you’ll bid farewell to the first capital of Morocco and head to the current capital city of Rabat. Upon your arrival here, you’ll check into your accommodations and then meet your local guide for an exploration of this modern-day capital city. On your tour, you will visit the important monuments of the city such as the Royal Palace, the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, and the Kasbah of the Udayas.

After your guided tour, you’ll have the rest of the day free to relax and explore on your own. Of course, as always, your tour manager will be available to you should you need any suggestions or assistance.

This morning, after breakfast, you will transfer to the airport in Casablanca. There, your tour manager will bid you bon voyage until you next trip to Morocco!

Note: If your flight leaves later in the day, you may have time to visit the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca on the way to the airport should you choose to do so.