Great Morocco Itineraries
Quintessential Morocco: The Grand Tour
In two weeks you can experience most of Morocco: coastal havens on the Atlantic coast, the High Atlas Mountains, pre-Saharan palmeries, Berber and Moorish architecture, rural hillside towns, and exquisite imperial cities.
Days 1 and 2: Tangier, Tetouan, and Chefchaouen
The best way to enjoy Tangier is by taking a walking tour along the beachfront. Enter the medina and see the Grand Mosque and large market at the Grand Socco. Head to the north side of the mosque to enter the beautiful Mendoubia Gardens before meandering through the smaller alleyways to the Petit Socco. From here, reach the 15th-century kasbah and sultanate palace of Dar el-Makhzen, which houses the Museum of Moroccan Arts and Museum of Antiquities. Visit the historic American Legation Cultural Center and Museum commemorating the first diplomatic relations between the United States and Morocco. Enjoy a leisurely dinner by the water. On Day 2, pick up a rental car and drive southeast through the Rif Mountains to visit Tetouan, the historic town and UNESCO World Heritage Site dating from the 8th century. Continue onto the stunning blue-washed hillside city of Chefchaouen; stay in Casa Hassan-Dar Baibou, which is nestled in the heart of the medina.
Day 3: Meknès and Volubilis
Start early on Day 3. Drive through Ouazzane en route to Fez, stopping off at the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Spend at least 90 minutes walking the grounds. The Tangier Gate, Diana and the Bathing Nymphs mosaic, House of Orpheus, House of Columns, and House of Ephebus are must-sees. Then continue onto Meknès, arriving by midday. Pass the Bab Mansour and visit the holy Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, which is open to non-Muslims. Walk toward the lively place el-Hedime, which leads into the medina. Tour the open bazaars of the medina streets and have some lunch. Near the row of pottery stands, visit the food souk. The Museum of Moroccan Art in the 19th-century Dar Jamai palace and Heri el-Souani (Royal Granaries) are recommended stops. Late in the afternoon, get back in the car and continue to Fez, arriving by nightfall, and splurge on a sumptuous Fassi meal in a riad or former palace.
Days 4 and 5: Fez and the Middle/High Atlas
Spend Day 4 and the morning of Day 5 exploring the Fez medina, absorbing the view from one of many rooftop terraces overlooking this ancient labyrinth or atop the hill of the Musée des Armes for an incredible panorama of the whole city. Tour the Fez el-Bali and Fez el-Djedid. Don’t miss the blue-tiled gate of Bab Boujeloud, Bou Inania medersa, Attarine madrassa, Zaouia Moulay Idriss II, Nejjarine fondouk, and Karaouine Mosque and University. Visit the tanneries to find leather bargains, and explore the souks for famous blue-and-white Fassi pottery and carved cedar wood. On the afternoon of Day 5 head south through olive groves and small villages before reaching the indigenous macaques playing in their natural habitat of the serene Azrou Cedar Forest en route to Erfoud, where you can spend the night.
Days 6 and 7: Merzouga Dunes and Ouarzazate
Rise very early on Day 6 to catch the sunrise over the Merzouga dunes, and then get on the road to Tinerhir. Visit the spectacular Todra Gorge and stay overnight in this dramatic region. On Day 7 explore the rugged landscape on the kasbah route in the Dadès Valley, passing stunning cliffs and canyons and palm-lined oases on the road to Ouarzazate. Treat yourself to a night at the wow-factor Hotel Sultana, where you can stargaze surrounded by flickering lanterns.
Days 8–11: Marrakesh and Essaouira
Devote Day 8 to driving the Tizi-n-Tichka pass to Marrakesh, stopping off at the ksour (fortified villages) of Aït Ben Haddou and Telouet. Settle into a Marrakesh hotel by nightfall, and spend days 9 and 10 storming the medina, architectural monuments, and Djemâa el Fna. On Day 11, escape the crowds and head west to the calm coastal town of Essaouira for a relaxing afternoon and evening by the Atlantic shores.
Days 12–14: Oualidia, Casablanca, and Rabat
Day 12 takes you north along the coast to Oualidia, where you should try some of the famous oysters, then on to the former Portuguese port town of El Jadida. Spend the night here at the charming Hotel L’Iglesia. On Day 13, check out the stunning ocean-side Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca before heading up to Rabat for your last day. Wander through Rabat’s rue des Consuls for last-minute purchases on your way to the 12th-century Kasbah des Oudayas,savoring your final taste of imperial Morocco. Casablanca is about an hour away by train.
