7 Day Imperial Cities Grand Tour from Tangier

Morocco has four imperial cities — Fez, Meknès, Rabat, and Marrakech — each a former royal capital and each entirely distinct in character. This 7-day private grand tour from Tangier visits all four, along with Chefchaouen’s blue medina, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, and Morocco’s magnificent Atlantic coast. It is the single most comprehensive introduction to the country’s history, architecture, and culture available as a guided tour, and it ends in Marrakech — giving you the option to continue south to the Sahara or fly home from one of Morocco’s main airports.

Tour Highlights

• Chefchaouen — the iconic Blue City of the Rif
• Fez el-Bali — the world’s largest and best-preserved medieval medina
• Volubilis Roman ruins with intact mosaic floors
• Meknès — Moulay Ismail’s grand imperial capital
• Rabat — Morocco’s modern capital with its UNESCO medina and royal necropolis
• Casablanca — the Hassan II Mosque, Africa’s largest active mosque
• Marrakech — Jemaa el-Fna, the souks, palaces, and gardens

What’s Included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver (fuel included)
• Tangier port/hotel pickup; Marrakech airport/hotel drop-off
• Licensed local guides in Fez and Marrakech
• 6 nights in hotels or riads (breakfast daily)
• Complimentary bottled water
• Unlimited scenic photo stops

Not Included

• Lunches and dinners
• Museum and site entrance fees
• Gratuities
• Travel insurance
• Optional activities

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Tangier › Asilah › Chefchaouen

Your journey south begins with a scenic coastal detour to Asilah, a small fortified town whose Portuguese-built ramparts frame stunning Atlantic views. The whitewashed medina, decorated with large-scale murals during its annual International Cultural Moussem festival, is one of Morocco’s most charming places to stroll. Continuing inland and into the Rif Mountains, you arrive in Chefchaouen by afternoon. Overnight in a medina riad.

Day 2 — Chefchaouen › Fez

A morning guided walk through Chefchaouen‘s blue alleys and main square before departing for Fez. En route, stop at a roadside argan cooperative to watch women cracking nuts and pressing oil — the essential ingredient of Moroccan cuisine and cosmetics. Arrive in Fez for dinner. Overnight in a riad in the medina.

Day 3 — Fez Medina Immersion

A full day inside Fez el-Bali with an expert local guide. The morning covers the tanneries, the madrasa, and the Andalusian quarter. The afternoon explores the food markets, the ironworkers’ souk, and the Jewish mellah with its distinctive high-windowed houses and silver jewellers. Optional evening visit to a traditional hammam. Overnight in Fez.

Day 4 — Fez › Volubilis › Meknès › Rabat

Drive to the Roman ruins of Volubilis — Morocco’s most impressive ancient site, where triumphal arches, forum temples, and extraordinarily preserved mosaic floors spread across an open hillside. Continuing to Meknès, explore the monumental Bab Mansour gate and the underground granaries of Heri es-Souani before pressing on to Rabat, Morocco’s elegant modern capital. Overnight in Rabat.

Day 5 — Rabat › Casablanca

Rabat morning visit: the Hassan Tower (a 12th-century minaret halted at half its intended height), the Chellah necropolis with its ruined Roman city and stork-topped minarets, and the Kasbah of the Udayas — a blue-and-white Andalusian quarter at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River. Then drive to Casablanca for an exterior visit and optional interior tour of the awe-inspiring Hassan II Mosque, built on a platform over the Atlantic Ocean and the third-largest mosque in the world. Overnight in Casablanca.

Day 6 — Casablanca › El Jadida › Essaouira

Head south along the Atlantic coast, stopping at El Jadida — a town built by the Portuguese in the 16th century whose remarkable underground cistern became famous after Orson Welles filmed Othello there. Continue to the wind-carved harbour city of Essaouira, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its whitewashed ramparts, blue fishing boats, and thriving art scene. Overnight in Essaouira.

Day 7 — Essaouira › Marrakech

The scenic road east through argan forest and semi-arid plains brings you to Marrakech by early afternoon. A guided tour of the highlights — the Jemaa el-Fna square, the Koutoubia Mosque, the Majorelle Garden, and the labyrinthine souks — fills the afternoon before your driver drops you at your hotel or Marrakech airport.