Palace Tours 12000 Biscayne Blvd. #107 Miami FL 33181 USA 800-724-5120 / 786-408-0610 Call Us 1-800-724-5120 Imperial Morocco Revisited Depart on a seven day journey through all of Morocco’s Imperial cities, which have all held the title of capital at some point in history. Re-live the glory of these cities, with visits in between to Fes, Casablanca, Marrakech and Rabat on this unforgettable journey from Costa del Sol. The oldest former capital is Fes, which was established in the ninth century under Sultan Idriss II. After the fall of his dynasty, Marrakech became the capital under the Almoravides, but Fes regained status as capital twice since under different rulers. In the 12th century under Almohad control, Rabat was built and became the capital before being replaced by Meknes during the rule of Morocco's notorious sultan Moulay Ismael. Rabat again became capital under the French protectorate, and has since retained the title after Morocco’s independence. **Tours will be multilingual Highlights: Ferry across the Mediterranean Panoramic tour of Fez Mansour Gate in Meknes Fortune tellers, snake charmers, acrobats and dancers Tour of Casablanca's monuments Mohamed V Mausoleum and the Hassan Tower Itinerary Day 1 - Welcome to Morocco Breakfast at the hotel. Drive along the picturesque tourist route of Costa del Sol, arrive Algeciras or Tarifa where a ferry boat will be used for a short and interesting crossing of the strait of Gibraltar towards Africa. Arrival to Morocco, disembark, clear customs and continue on by bus via Larache to Fez, the most monumental one of the Imperial Cities, its University of “Karaouyne” is the largest Islamic sanctuary in Morocco, ancient theological schools, etc. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel. Day 2 - Magical Fes Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a morning city tour of the most ancient and monumental of the Imperial Cities visiting the most interesting points: the 7 gates of the Royal Palace, Jewish Quarters or Mellah, gate of Bab Bou Jelous and walking tour of the “Medina” (Old City), declared World Heritage Site. Afternoon free. Dinner and accommodation at hotel. Optional dinner with show. Day 3 - Sights of Meknes After breakfast at the hotel drive towards the ancient city of Meknes, old walled (40 Kms.) imperial city located in the heart of the Mid Atlas. Panoramic tour; admire the great Bab Al Mansour Gate, Morocco’s most beautiful gate and the most well known monument in town. Continue driving southwards through the Mid-Atlas mountains to Marrakeck, Capital of the South, which is located within an extensive oasis between the Atlas Mountains and the pre-desertic area. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel. Imperial Morocco Revisited(© www.palacetours.com) 1/9 Day 4 - The sights and sounds of vibrant Marrakech Breakfast at the hotel. City sightseeing, including the Koutoubia Tower, twin tower of the Giralda in Seville, Saadines Tombs and Bay Palace. In the afternoon walk around the medina, souks and the magic Jma El Fna Square, which is packed with fortune tellers, snake tamers, acrobats, dancers, all making the centre of the city an open air theatre that requires the participance of the audience. Don’t forget your camera. Back to the hotel, free time. Dinner and accommodation at hotel. Optional dinner with show at “Fantasia Chez Ali”. Day 5 - Panoramic tour of Casablanca After breakfast departure northwards via Benguerir and Settat to Casablanca, current industrial and economic capital and the most populated city housing a 10% of the country population. Panoramic tour through the most interesting sections of the city, Anfa boulevard, Nations square, residential areas and visit from the outside of the Hassan II grand mosque. Afternoon departure to Rabat, diplomatic and administrative capital, official residence of the King Mohamed VI. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel. Day 6 - Scenic tour of Rabat Breakfast at the hotel. Morning city tour visiting the important sights as the Royal Palace from outside, Mohamed V Mausoleum, the unfinished Hassan Tower which are important examples of the Almohade architecture. In the afternoon, via Larache, we will head for Tangier, cosmopolitan city that has always been pretended due to its strategic location, at the main gate of Europe and Africa. Short panoramic tour. Time at leisure. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel. Day 7 - Return to Costa del Sol Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the pier and board the ferry to return across the strait of Gibraltar back to Spain. Drive towards the Costa del Sol and your tour ends. Destination Information Casablanca Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Greater Casablanca region. With a population of 3.1 million (3.85 million in "greater Casablanca" according to the September 2005 census), Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It's also the biggest city in the Maghreb and the sixth biggest city in the entire continent of Africa. Casablanca is considered the economic capital of Morocco because it is the heart of Moroccan business. Casablanca has a mild Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters, with little seasonal temperature variation and a lack of extreme heat and extreme cold. Costa del Sol The Costa del Sol ("Sun Coast") is a region in the south of Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the Mediterranean coastline of the Málaga province. Formerly made up only of a series of small, quiet fishing settlements, the region has been completely transformed during the latter part of the 20th century into a tourist destination of world renown. Costa del Sol is a popular destination for foreign tourists not only for its beaches but also for its local culture. The area is particularly famous for its towns like Marbella, which provides the Costa del Sol with its reputation for being a playground for the rich and famous. Fes Fes or Fez is the fourth largest city in Morocco, after Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech with a population of 946,815 (2004 census). It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region. Fes is one of the four so-called "imperial cities" (the others are Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat). It is separated into three parts, Fes el Bali (the old, walled city), Fes-Jdid (new Fes, home of the Mellah), and the Ville Nouvelle (the French-created, newest section of Fes). The Medina of Fes el Bali, the larger of the two medinas of Fes, is believed to be the largest contiguous car-free Imperial Morocco Revisited(© www.palacetours.com) 2/9 urban area in the world. Fes el Bali is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marrakech Marrakech or Marrakesh, known as the "Red City", is an important and former imperial city in Morocco. It has a population of 1,070,838 (as of 2004), and is the capital of the mid-southwestern economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, near the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. Like many North African and Middle Eastern cities, Marrakech comprises both an old fortified city (the médina) and an adjacent modern city (called Gueliz). Marrakech has the largest traditional market (souk) in Morocco and also has one of the busiest squares in Africa and the world, Djemaa el Fna. Meknes Meknes is a city in northern Morocco, located 130 kilometers from the capital Rabat and 60 kilometers from Fes. Meknes was the capital of Morocco under the reign of Moulay Ismail (1672– 1727), before it was relocated to Rabat. The population is 950,322 (2006 estimate) and it is the capital of the Meknes-Tafilalet region. Meknes is named after a Berber tribe which was known as Miknasa in the medieval Arabic sources Rabat Rabat is the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco and the capital of the Rabat-Salé- Zemmour-Zaer region. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg. On the facing shore of the river lies Salé, Rabat's bedroom community. Together the two cities with Témara account for a population of 2 million. Unfortunately, silting problems have diminished the city's role as a port; however, Rabat and Salé still maintain relatively important textile, food processing and construction industries. Tourism and the presence of all foreign embassies in Morocco serve to make Rabat the second most important city in the country after the larger and more economically significant Casablanca. Tangier Tangier or Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000. It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. It is the capital of the Tangier-Tétouan Region and of the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture within that region. Price Chart All Rates in US$ per person including ALL taxes and surcharges Group Tour Rates Class Dates Single Rate Double Rate Triple Rate Deluxe For departures September 19,2021 Deluxe US$ 1,061 US$ 842 N/A through September 26,2021 For departures October 3,2021 through Deluxe US$ 1,108 US$ 889 N/A October 31,2021 For departures November 7,2021 Deluxe US$ 1,061 US$ 842 N/A through December 12,2021 For departures December 19,2021 Deluxe US$ 1,179 US$ 960 N/A through December 26,2021 For departures January 2,2022 through Deluxe US$ 1,108 US$ 889 N/A March 27,2022 Imperial Morocco Revisited(© www.palacetours.com) 3/9 Luxury For departures September 19,2021 Luxury US$ 1,434 US$ 1,043 N/A through September 26,2021 For departures October 3,2021 through Luxury US$ 1,529 US$ 1,138