Grand Imperial Morocco: A Six-Day Journey Through the Imperial Cities

Arrive at Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport, where your private driver welcomes you and transfers you into the city. Morocco’s largest city and economic powerhouse greets you with wide Art Deco boulevards, gleaming white facades and an unmistakable energy. Check in to your hotel and take time to freshen up after your journey, with the evening free to settle in and start absorbing the rhythm of Moroccan life. Dinner tonight is at an Indian restaurant, a relaxed, flavorful first meal after a long day of travel. The discoveries begin in earnest tomorrow.

After breakfast, visit Casablanca’s most iconic landmark, the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world, its nearly 700-foot minaret rising above the Atlantic waves. Its carved cedar, marble and zellige tilework, the work of thousands of Moroccan artisans, make it a masterpiece of modern Moroccan craftsmanship. Lunch is at your leisure before you travel north to Rabat, Morocco’s elegant capital. An orientation tour takes in the Royal Palace and the Mohammed V Mausoleum. You’ll also see the Hassan Tower, an unfinished 12th-century minaret, and the Kasbah des Oudayas, before exploring the medina and its winding souks. Dinner is at an Indian restaurant.

After breakfast, travel inland to Meknes, the imperial capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail, encircled by some 25 miles of monumental walls. Admire the grand Bab Mansour gate, visit the vast royal stables and stroll through the historic Jewish quarter, the mellah. Continue to Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best-preserved Roman cities in North Africa, where mosaics and columns rise from the open plain in remarkable condition. Then travel on to Fez for a guided tour of its medieval medina, founded in the late 8th century. You’ll see the Andalusian Mosque, the historic Al-Qarawiyyin university, ornate madrasas and the graceful Nejjarine Fountain. Dinner is at an Indian restaurant.

After breakfast, set off on the long drive south to Marrakech by motorway. The journey traces Morocco’s dramatic shift from the fertile northern plains to the warmer, drier landscapes of the south. The route is comfortable and efficient, with lunch at your leisure along the way. Watch the colors change as the foothills of the High Atlas come into view and Marrakech draws closer. Arrive in the late afternoon, check in to your hotel and settle into the Red City’s unique energy before a relaxed dinner at an Indian restaurant.

Spend a full day discovering Marrakech, founded by the Almoravids in the late 11th century and Morocco’s second-oldest imperial city. The morning takes in the landmark Koutoubia Mosque, the tranquil Menara Gardens and the exquisite Ben Youssef Madrasa, one of the finest examples of Moorish architecture in the country. You’ll also visit the lavish Bahia Palace, built to be the grandest palace of its age. Lunch is at your leisure. In the afternoon, wander the souks and artisans’ quarters, where craftsmen work as they have for centuries. As evening falls, Jemaa el-Fnaa square comes alive with storytellers, musicians and food stalls. Dinner is at a local restaurant.