9-Day Northern Morocco & Imperial Kingdoms from Tangier

Your nine-day journey through northern Morocco's imperial kingdoms begins the moment you land at Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport, where your private driver will be waiting with a sign bearing your name. After checking in to your riad or hotel and taking a little time to settle in, we head out in the afternoon to the Caves of Hercules, a striking natural and partly man-made cave system on the Atlantic coast around fifteen kilometres from the city, famous for an opening carved by Berber inhabitants that, when viewed from inside, resembles the outline of the African continent — a genuinely unusual and photogenic sight, and according to legend, the mythical resting place of Hercules before he separated Europe from Africa to create the Strait of Gibraltar. We continue to Cape Spartel, the northwesternmost point of the African continent, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea, marked by a lighthouse and offering sweeping coastal views. Back in Tangier, the evening is yours to explore the Kasbah and the atmospheric Petit Socco, once frequented by writers including Paul Bowles and William Burroughs during the city's mid-20th-century heyday, before a welcome dinner of fresh seafood, a local specialty given Tangier's dual coastline. This stretch of coastline, where Tangier's cliffs meet the open Atlantic, has drawn visitors and legend-makers for millennia, and the contrast between the caves' natural drama and the modern city just behind makes for a memorable first afternoon.

This morning we drive south along the Atlantic coast to Asilah, a small, immaculately whitewashed fortified port town considerably quieter than Tangier, known for its Portuguese-built ramparts, narrow flower-lined lanes, and vibrant contemporary mural art — since 1978, Asilah has hosted an annual international arts festival during which local and international artists paint murals directly onto the medina's whitewashed walls, many of which remain visible year-round. We take a relaxed walk along the ramparts and through the medina, with time for a seafood lunch at a restaurant overlooking the harbour. In the early afternoon, we turn inland and head into the Rif Mountains toward Chefchaouen, the famous 'Blue City', arriving in the late afternoon in time for the celebrated golden-hour light on its blue-washed walls. Founded in 1471 as a small defensive fortress, Chefchaouen later became a refuge for Muslim and Jewish families fleeing the Spanish Reconquista, explaining its distinctly Andalusian character. The evening is yours to wander the photogenic blue alleyways and enjoy dinner on a rooftop terrace overlooking the Rif Mountains. Lunch in Asilah is typically fresh seafood at a restaurant overlooking the harbour, a fitting way to enjoy this quieter, art-filled coastal town before we turn inland.

This morning is dedicated to Chefchaouen, with no early departure — this remarkable town rewards unhurried time. Your guide leads you through the upper medina, past Plaza Uta el-Hammam and the 15th-century Kasbah fortress, before free time to wander the labyrinth of blue stairways and doorways independently. Around midday, we begin the journey south toward Fes, Morocco's spiritual and cultural capital, the route descending through cork oak forests and olive groves. We arrive in Fes in the late afternoon. Founded in the 9th century, Fes el-Bali is the largest car-free urban area in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Rather than diving into the medina today, we recommend checking in, resting, and taking an easy orientation walk before tomorrow's full exploration, with dinner tonight an excellent chance to try a refined Fassi tagine. Lunch is usually taken independently in Chefchaouen's medina, an easy final taste of Rif Mountain cuisine before the journey continues south.

Today is dedicated entirely to Fes, with an early start around 9am before the midday heat and crowds build. Your driver hands you to a licensed local guide, compulsory in Fes, who leads you through Fes el-Bali. We begin at Bab Boujloud, the ornate blue-and-green tiled 'Blue Gate', winding through souks organised by traditional guild. A highlight is the Chouara Tannery, one of the oldest in the world, where hides are still dyed by hand in stone vats using methods essentially unchanged since the 11th century. We view the exterior of the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University, founded in 859 AD and recognised as the oldest continuously operating educational institution in the world, and visit the Bou Inania Madrasa. Lunch is at a traditional Fassi restaurant. The afternoon continues gently with time to browse the souks, with the evening free. Lunch during the guided Fes tour is typically at a traditional restaurant near the souks, a welcome midday pause in a full day of walking.

This morning we depart Fes for Meknes, one of Morocco's four Imperial Cities, envisioned on a grand scale by Sultan Moulay Ismail in the late 17th century as Morocco's answer to Versailles. We visit Bab Mansour, widely considered the most beautiful gate in North Africa, before continuing around thirty minutes to Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, once the thriving administrative capital of Roman Mauretania Tingitana, where we explore the Basilica, the Capitol, and a remarkable collection of intact mosaic floors preserved almost two thousand years thanks to Morocco's dry climate. A short drive brings us to Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, Morocco's holiest town, before we continue west toward Rabat, arriving in the evening. Lunch is usually taken in Meknes before we continue to Volubilis, giving a proper introduction to the city's cuisine alongside its history.

This morning we explore Rabat, Morocco's political capital and one of its four Imperial Cities, beginning with the Kasbah des Oudayas, a 12th-century fortified citadel of blue-and-white lanes and tranquil Andalusian Gardens overlooking the mouth of the Bou Regreg River, followed by the Hassan Tower, the unfinished minaret of what was intended to be the world's largest mosque, standing alongside the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, guarded around the clock by the Royal Guard in ceremonial dress. After lunch, we continue south along the coast to Casablanca, Morocco's largest city and commercial capital, arriving in the early afternoon with time to check in and, if you wish, take an initial look at the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world and one of the very few in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors. Lunch en route to Rabat is typically a simple stop in a small town along the way, breaking up the day's driving.

Today is dedicated to Casablanca, Morocco's largest city and its commercial and industrial heart. We begin with a proper tour of the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest religious buildings on Earth, perched dramatically over the Atlantic with a 210-metre minaret, the tallest in the world, completed in 1993 and showcasing extraordinary hand-cut zellige tilework, carved cedar, and gilded stucco alongside modern engineering including a retractable roof — a guided interior tour (available at scheduled times for non-Muslim visitors) reveals details you simply cannot appreciate from outside. We continue to the Corniche, Casablanca's seafront promenade, and the elegant Art Deco architecture of the city centre, a legacy of the French colonial period that makes Casablanca architecturally distinct from Morocco's older imperial cities. The afternoon is free to explore the Central Market, a lively covered market for fresh produce, spices, and seafood, or simply relax at a beachfront café. Lunch today is usually enjoyed at a restaurant near the Hassan II Mosque, with views that make the most of Casablanca's Atlantic setting.

Today is intentionally left free, giving you the flexibility to shape your final full day around your own interests. Some guests choose to revisit the Hassan II Mosque area for photographs in different light, or explore the Habous Quarter, a planned 'new medina' built by the French in the 1930s that recreates traditional Moroccan urban design with wider streets and more orderly architecture than the older medinas, home to good artisan shopping for leather goods, ceramics, and spices in a considerably calmer setting than Fes or Marrakech. Others prefer a day of rest at their hotel, particularly if it has a pool or spa. Your driver remains available for any questions or last-minute arrangements, and this evening makes an excellent opportunity for a final Moroccan dinner featuring the fresh seafood for which the Atlantic coast is known. The Habous Quarter's calmer, more orderly layout makes it an easier place to browse unhurried than the older medinas further north, and lunch here is a good way to sample Casablanca's own culinary character.

Our journey together comes to an end this morning. Depending on your flight time, enjoy a final breakfast and, if time allows, a last stroll through the Habous Quarter or Central Market for any remaining gifts — argan oil, saffron, and handmade leather goods travel well. At the appropriate time, your private driver collects you and your luggage and transfers you directly to Mohammed V International Airport. Over these nine days, you will have travelled from the Mediterranean-Atlantic crossroads of Tangier, along the coast through the charming mural-covered town of Asilah, into the mountain calm of Chefchaouen's blue alleyways, deep into the medieval intensity of Fes's ancient medina, through the imperial grandeur of Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis, and finally to the royal capital of Rabat and the modern commercial energy of Casablanca — a comprehensive exploration of northern Morocco's coastal towns and imperial kingdoms. On behalf of your driver, guides, and the entire Marokko Travel team, thank you for travelling with us through northern Morocco's coastal towns and imperial kingdoms.