5 Day Imperial Cities Tour from Casablanca
Morocco has had four imperial capitals, and this private round trip from Casablanca visits all of them: Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech's rival in splendour, Fes el-Bali. Add the Roman city of Volubilis, a night in the blue town of Chefchaouen and the Hassan II Mosque, and you have the cultural heart of the country in five unhurried days.
- Duration: 5 days, 4 nights
- Starts and ends: Casablanca (airport or hotel)
- Route: Casablanca → Rabat → Meknes → Volubilis → Fes → Chefchaouen → Casablanca
- Driving: no day longer than 4 hours
- Price: on request, depends on group size and hotel level
Highlights
- The Hassan II Mosque, inside and out
- Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas and Chellah necropolis
- Meknes, the city of a hundred gates, and the granaries of Moulay Ismail
- The Roman mosaics of Volubilis
- Two nights in Fes with a full guided day in the medina
- An evening and morning in the blue lanes of Chefchaouen
Day by Day
Day 1: Casablanca → Rabat
Guided visit of the Hassan II Mosque, then a short drive up the coast to Rabat for the Kasbah of the Udayas, the Hassan Tower, the royal mausoleum and the storks of the Chellah ruins. Night in a Rabat riad.
Day 2: Rabat → Meknes → Volubilis → Fes
Visit Meknes with its Bab Mansour gate, Lahdim square and royal stables, then walk the ruins of Volubilis before driving on to Fes.
Day 3: Fes, the spiritual capital
A licensed guide leads you through Fes el-Bali: madrasas, fountains, the Chouara tannery and craft quarters. In the late afternoon, a panoramic drive to the Merinid tombs and the Royal Palace gates.
Day 4: Fes → Chefchaouen
Cross the Rif foothills to Chefchaouen. Spend the afternoon exploring the blue medina, the kasbah museum and the Ras el-Ma spring, and watch the sunset from the Spanish Mosque.
Day 5: Chefchaouen → Casablanca
A final morning walk, then the drive back to Casablanca or straight to the airport for your flight.
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver
- 4 nights in riads with breakfast
- Local guides in Casablanca and Fes
- Fuel, tolls and bottled water
Not included: lunches, dinners, entrance fees, tips.
Good to Know
- Flights: ideal as a first or last week in Morocco when you fly in and out of Casablanca.
- Add the desert: see the 7 day tour from Casablanca for the same cities plus the Sahara.
- End in Marrakech instead: the 4 day Casablanca to Marrakech tour.