Famous Cities of Morocco Private Tour

Welcome to Morocco! Arrive at the airport and meet your private driver for the transfer to your hotel. Take time to rest and settle in after the journey. Depending on arrival time, head out for a short walk or light exploring once refreshed. Your driver remains available for transport if needed.

After breakfast, the adventure begins. If Day 1 left little time to explore, your driver takes you to the Hassan II Mosque and the Old Medina, then follows the coast north to Rabat, the first stop of the Imperial Cities route and Morocco’s current capital.

In Rabat, visit the ruins of the Roman town of Sala Colonia, also known as Chellah, first settled in 40 AD. Continue to the Kasbah of the Udayas and walk its narrow blue-and-white streets before exploring the old medina. Return to your hotel in the evening and settle in for the night.

After breakfast, leave Rabat and travel on to the next imperial city, Meknes. Enter the old medina through Bab Mansour, an impressive gate built with marble columns taken from the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Inside the medina, visit the tomb of Sultan Moulay Ismail, whose reign from 1672 to 1727 marked Meknes as Morocco’s capital.

Continue to the Agdal reservoir, built during Moulay Ismail’s rule, then explore Heri es-Souani, the former royal granary and stables beside the water. Round out the visit with a stop at Musée Dar Jamai to see fine examples of Moroccan craftsmanship, followed by free time in El-Hadim Square to wander, shop, or relax.

After breakfast, leave Meknes and travel to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Before Roman rule, this site stood as an Amazigh city known as Oulili, dating back to the 3rd century BC. Despite damage from an 18th-century earthquake and later stone removal under Moulay Ismail, Volubilis remains one of the best-preserved Roman colonial towns on the edge of the empire, as recognized by UNESCO. Local Amazigh tribes reclaimed the city around 235 AD, and nearby in the 8th century, Idriss I established the first Moroccan dynasty.

Continue to Moulay Idriss Zarhoun, the hilltop town named after Idriss I and an important pilgrimage site. Take time to explore its compact lanes and viewpoints, then continue to Fez and check in to your riad for the night.

Start the day with breakfast, then dive into another of Morocco’s imperial cities: Fez. This ancient city began as two separate settlements. Fas El Bali dates back to 789 AD, founded by Idriss I. Al-‘Aliya followed in 808 AD under Idriss II, serving as his seat of power and replacing Oulili as the capital. In 1070 AD, the two cities merged and became Fez.

Enter the medina through Bab Boujloud, the Blue Gate, and walk the narrow streets and neighborhoods of the old city. Visit Al-Qarawiyyin University, founded in 864 AD and still operating today, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest continually running university. After time in the medina, head to a high viewpoint for panoramic views over the old city, then return to your riad for the evening.

After breakfast, set out on the road to Marrakech. This is the longest day of travel, but there are plenty of stops along the way to stretch your legs, enjoy coffee or lunch, and take photographs as you pass through Morocco’s fertile agricultural heartland. Arrive in Marrakech in the evening, with time to relax. Your driver remains available throughout the day if needed.

Spend the day with a local guide exploring Marrakech, the Red City, named for the pink walls of its medina. Once the capital under the Saadian Dynasty (1554–1659), the city is full of historic sites. Visit the old Ben Youssef Madrasa, El Badi Palace, the Saadian Tombs, and the Koutoubia Mosque.

After touring the monuments, your guide leads you through the bustling souks to see artisans at work, using traditional methods to create their handicrafts. Later, escape to the peaceful Marjorelle Garden, designed by French painter Jacques Marjorelle over 40 years ago. Wander among exotic plants and trees before heading back into the medina to Jemaa el-Fna, Africa’s busiest square, which comes alive after dark with sights, sounds, and smells unique to Marrakech. Return to your riad for the evening.

After breakfast, your driver picks you up and takes you to the Ourika Valley for a day of relaxation and natural beauty. Explore authentic 16th- and 17th-century Berber villages nestled in the High Atlas Mountains, surrounded by agricultural terraces and the region’s distinctive reddish peaks.

Stop for lunch at a riverside restaurant along the Ourika River, then continue to Setti Fatma to admire the seven waterfalls. After taking in the scenery, return to Marrakech for the evening.

After breakfast, transfer to Marrakech Airport for your return flight.