Cultural Highlights of Northern Morocco - 10 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Casablanca, Tour Hassan II Mosque

Welcome to Morocco! Touch down in Casablanca, where your driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Settle in and then head out to explore this beloved port city, which offers a mix of architectural styles from Art Deco to Moorish and French colonial designs. Start with a guided tour of Casablanca's most famous attraction: the Hassan II Mosque. 

Hassan II is Morocco's largest mosque and perches dramatically on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Inaugurated in 1993, the building's 650-foot (200 m) minaret is the highest structure in Morocco and the world's tallest minaret. The mosque is also unique because it's one of the few in Morocco that non-Muslims can enter. 

Tour the historic complex, which includes a museum, baths, Koranic school, a library, and a prayer room that can hold 25,000 people, supported by 78 granite and marble pillars. Marvel at the mosque's elaborate mosaics, decorative wood, and ornamental ceilings created by skilled artisans from across Morocco.

Day 2: Transfer to Tangier, Afternoon Food Tour

This morning you'll join your driver for a four-hour transfer to the northern tip of Morocco and the cultural hub of Tangier. Strategically situated on the Strait of Gibraltar, the city serves as a gateway between Africa and Europe, making it a key trading port over the centuries. Check into your hotel in the whitewashed Old Town before venturing out to explore. 

Get a taste of Tangier on a food tour with a local guide, who'll take you to the city's top culinary spots. Visit the community bakery to sample freshly-baked bread and then learn all about Moroccan spices. You'll also indulge in various street foods and savor regional specialties, including grilled meats, fried sardines, and braised stews.

Day 3: Full-Day Tangier & Asilah Tour

Day 4: Transfer to Chefchaouen & Explore

Journey south today to Chefchaouen, also known as the "Blue City" for its maze-like medina filled with bluewashed buildings. Set beneath the raw peaks of the Rif mountains, the city's name translates to "two horns," a reference to the twin peaks that shadow the metropolis. Revered as a holy mecca, the city is home to eight mosques and several zaouias (an Islamic place of worship, school, monastery, or mausoleum) and marabouts (Muslim religious leaders). The Grand Mosque, built in 1560, makes a stunning photo stop.

The town also has a distinctive Spanish feel due to a wave of Granada migrants in the 15th century, who built typical whitewashed houses complete with patios and citrus trees. This cultural blend is evident as you stroll through the old medina, home to blue buildings topped with European red-tiled roofs, which converge on Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the main square named for the hammams (public baths) that once encircled it. 

Find a restaurant or café for a bite to eat before browsing the many shops peddling traditional wares. Don't miss a trip to the old prison cells of the kasbah, used during Spanish rule, then end the day at Ras el Ma Spring, the town's primary water source, where families wash their clothes in the river. Take a break at one of the quaint riverside cafés for mint tea. 

Day 5: Hike to Akchour Waterfall & Hammam Experience

Start the day with a trip to Akchour Waterfall in nearby Talassemtane National Park. Follow your guide along a trail through the forest to the lower and upper falls, which God's Bridge connects. Watch the water crash into sparkling topaz pools, perfect for cooling off after your trek. You'll have time to swim and relax before returning to Chefchaouen for lunch. 

Decompress at one of the city's hammams this afternoon. A crucial part of Moroccan culture, hammams offer hot steam baths and body scrubs to rejuvenate your body and mind. For the ultimate pamper session, book an extra massage or facial. Afterward, enjoy a leisurely evening in the city.

Day 6: Transfer to Fes via the Roman Ruins of Volubilis 

Continue your trip south today toward Fes, breaking up the five-hour drive with a stop in Volubilis, a set of Roman ruins. Ramble through the streets of this once-grand settlement, which dates back to the third century and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Along the guided tour, you'll learn about the site's history as an Amazigh (Berber) city and its significance in establishing the first dynasty of the Kingdom of Morocco as you pass wealthy residential houses and public buildings with intricate mosaic floors.

Afterward, you'll continue to Fes, often referred to as Morocco's cultural capital. Check in at your riad (a traditional Moroccan townhouse with a central courtyard) and then head out to explore this sprawling medieval city, the oldest of the country's four Imperial Capitals and home to cobbled streets, spice-scented souks, and heritage-listed architecture.

Day 7: Half-Day Tour of the Fes Medina

Uncover more of Fes' charms today on a tour of the fortified medina, accompanied by a guide. Begin by passing through the Moorish Bab Boujloud (Blue Gate) and wandering the bustling souks, where you'll find handcrafted treasures. Browse the bright collection of rugs, jewelry, and leather goods, or take in the towers of spices, dried fruits, and culinary delicacies.

Admire the city's ancient walls as you walk to the Marinid Tombs, a hilltop archaeological site hosting the ruins of two 14th-century mausoleums. You'll also visit the famous Chouara Tannery, with its extensive assortment of colorful leather dyes produced using centuries-old techniques. Next, head to the ninth-century Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University, the world's oldest continuously-operating university.

Other tour highlights include Bou Inania Madrasa and Al Attarine Madrasa, two 14th-century schools featuring beautiful Marinid and Moroccan architecture and zellij tiles, the Mellah (Jewish district), and the Dar el Makhzen (Royal Palace of Fes). To finish, your guide will take you to top restaurants to taste dishes such as couscous, shakshuka (eggs poached in tomatoes), makouda (spiced battered potato cakes), and mechoui (spit-roasted lamb). 

Day 8: Free Day in Fes

Today is yours to spend as you please in Fes. Enjoy a long breakfast at your riad, return to the medina for some shopping, or soak up some culture at the city's Armory and Woodworking museums. 

Optional activities include another hammam session or a pottery and mosaic workshop, where you'll learn to create zellij plates from an artisan. Wine fans should head to the fertile Guerrouane region for vineyard tours and tastings. For more history, you can also visit the nearby imperial city of Meknes, where you'll discover Roman ruins, sultan tombs, and the city's vast underground prison and tunnel system.

Day 9: Transfer to Rabat, Explore

Transfer about 2.5 hours west this morning to Morocco's capital Rabat, recognized as a UNESCO site for its impressive white architecture. Explore the city, starting with a trip to the Royal Palace of Rabat and the Chellah Necropolis, where you can wander Roman and Islamic ruins. Continue to the Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohamed V, an abandoned 12th-century project that features the minaret of an incomplete mosque and some 200 columns. 

You'll have time to stroll through the medina and peruse the souks, where you'll find everything from rugs and spices to jewelry and leather goods. Your guide is on hand to help you barter for goods. Take a break from the crowds next at the Andalusian Gardens, where paths lead through exotic flower gardens and fruit tree groves reminiscent of Spain's Alhambra Gardens. 

The journey ends at the doorway to the Kasbah des Oudaïas, the heart of the original city center. The Kasbah des Oudaïas is home to the city's oldest mosque and Musée des Oudaïas handicrafts museum. Spend time admiring the white and blue architecture and learning about regional crafts. Return to your hotel afterward to enjoy your final evening in Morocco. 

Day 10: Return to Casablanca, Depart

Today your Morocco adventure comes to an end. You'll be transferred to the airport in Casablanca in time to catch your homebound flight. Safe travels!