Imperial Cities and Chefchaouen 3-Day Tour from Marrakech

Casablanca and the Hassan II Mosque

The first big city on the route is Casablanca, Morocco's largest city and its commercial heart on the Atlantic coast. The best-known sight is the Hassan II Mosque, completed in 1993, whose minaret ranks among the tallest in the world and whose prayer hall stands partly over the ocean. Many people ask whether the Casablanca day trip is worth it; for the mosque alone it is, as the carved cedar, marble and mosaics are remarkable.

Casablanca also offers the Corniche promenade, the Habous district with its pastry shops and the Art Deco buildings around Mohammed V Square. On this tour the stop is a first look at the coast before the road continues north. Entry to monuments is not included in the tour, so ask your driver about visiting hours and keep some cash for entry fees.

Rabat, the Royal Capital

Rabat is Morocco's capital and one of its four imperial cities, a calm and green city that is easy on the eye after Casablanca. The Hassan Tower, the unfinished minaret of a twelfth-century mosque, stands beside rows of columns and faces the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a white and green marble tomb guarded by royal horsemen. Both are best seen from outside and are close to each other.

Just across town the Kasbah of the Udayas rises above the river mouth, with blue-and-white lanes, a hanging garden and a view over the Atlantic. A stop in Rabat gives your Morocco imperial cities tour its political and historic spine, and the contrast between the royal buildings and the old fortress makes it a favourite for photographs. Time is limited, so the visit is a highlight reel rather than a full exploration.

Fes and the Guided City Tour of the Medina

Fes is the part of the trip many travellers remember most. Its old city, Fes el-Bali, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a maze of lanes without cars, filled with craft workshops, fountains, mosques and madrasas. Your guided city tour of Fes takes you through the old city, past the carved doors of Bou Inania and near the Qarawiyyin complex, whose university dates from the ninth century.

The guide explains how the medina's craft quarters work, from metalwork and weaving to the famous leather tanneries, which you view from above. Fes is also the best place on this route to buy leather goods, ceramics and carpets, so allow time and bring a little cash. The guided visit is included in the tour, but monument fees and lunch are not.

Chefchaouen, the Blue City

Chefchaouen sits in the Rif Mountains and is famous for houses painted in shades of blue and white, which make its lanes some of the most photographed in Morocco. The town was founded in the fifteenth century and later welcomed Andalusian settlers, which is why the architecture feels different from the imperial cities. It is a relaxed place for a stroll, with small squares, craft shops and cafes.

If you are wondering whether Chefchaouen is worth visiting as part of a longer tour, the answer is yes: it adds a mountain town atmosphere and some of the best views of the trip. The stop is limited, so plan your time around the old medina and the main square. Take comfortable shoes, as the lanes are steep and often uneven.