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A Magical Tour of Morocco : Legendary Cities, the Mountains and the Atlantic Coast

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A Magical Tour of Morocco : Legendary Cities, the Mountains and the Atlantic Coast A MAGICAL TOUR OF MOROCCO : LEGENDARY CITIES, THE MOUNTAINS AND THE ATLANTIC COAST. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DAY 1 - FES On arrival at Fes Airport you’ll be met by your personal driver and privately transferred to your luxurious accommodation in Fes. Dinner at your leisure. DAY 2 - FES After breakfast your guide will meet you and take you on a tour of the medieval world of Fes, whose narrow and cobbled streets are filled with ancient mosques and towering green-glazed minarets. Fes el Bali, UNESCO World Heritage Site, was founded in the 9th century and is home to the oldest university in the world. Fez reached its height in the 13th–14th centuries under the Merinids, when it replaced Marrakech as the capital of the kingdom. The urban fabric and the principal monuments in the medina – madrasas, fondouks, palaces, residences, mosques and fountains - date from this period. Although the political capital of Morocco was transferred to Rabat in 1912, Fez has retained its status as the country's cultural and spiritual centre. Artisan workshops in the medina are as active today as 100 years ago, and strongly contribute to the city’s industrial economy. Trades such as metal and leather working, ceramics, silk, tapestries, and sculpting are still practiced in these workshops. Original ramparts still protect the ancient city and its’ 9000 passageways and narrow streets. Places of interest to visit in Fes include the Medersa (koranic university) Attarine, Foundouk Nejjarine, the shrine of Moulay Idriss II, countless souks and the famous tanneries. Explore the Dar Batha Museum, the recently restored Ibn Danan synagogue and the stunning gates of the Royal Palace. DAY 3 – FES /MEKNES AND VOLUBILIS/RABAT After breakfast your guide and your driver will meet you to continue your trip to Rabat, current administrative capital of Morocco and one of its imperial cities. The way will provide you with the chance to visit the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis sprawled over a wildflower- dotted hillside. Excavated by the French in 1915, these Roman ruins date back to the 3rd century AD and should not to be missed. Then you’ll be driven to the Imperial city of Meknes, known as the “Moroccan Versailles” and founded in the 17th century by King Moulay Ismail, who tried to rival in splendor the Paris of his age. Meknes is famous for its 25-milelong walls. There are numerous historic sites to see and here we name but a few; the massive gate of Bab Mansour, the Bassin de L’Agdal (a massive 400m x 100m pool dating back some 300 years), or The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, one of only three Moroccan shrines that non-Muslims can visit. The Bou Inania Medersa, an Islamic educational institution, was built by Merenid Sultan Abu el Hassan and finished by his successor Sultant Abou Inan around 1340 – 1350. This is the Meknes version of the educational institution by the same name in Fez, more beautiful and better preserved than its more famous twin. Meknes is also the wine centre of Morocco with vineyards covering thousands of acres. The wines produced in the region are excellent. We can arrange a tour of a winery with a tasting. You will arrive at Rabat in the afternoon, enjoying a sightseeing tour of the cityincluding the Royal Palace and the wild gardens of the Chellah, a 14th-century Merinid necropolis. You will walk in the Andalusian Gardens, within the walls of the kasbah of the Oudaya, and will stop at the Hassan Tower, a huge unfinished minaret, built mostly at the end of the 12th century. DAY 4 – RABAT –CASABLANCA - ESSAOUIRA. After breakfast you’ll be taken to Casablanca, , located on the Atlantic Ocean and the business centre of Morocco. Casablanca was established as a commercial centre by the French. The architecture is a mix of modern, art deco and the traditional. The highlights of Casablanca include the Central Market, then the old Mahakma building constructed in marble, stone and wood, with no fewer than sixty rooms. It was simultaneously a Muslim law court and the Pasha (Governor) of Casablanca’s reception hall. You will visit, on the ocean front, the remarkable Mosque Hassan II, one of only two mosques in Morocco open to non Islamic believers. Built bythe late King Hassan II at the end of his 40-year reign, this astounding edifice is larger than Saint Peter’s in Rome and capable of holding 80,000 worshippers. You will continue then your way to Essaouira, arriving in the afternoon, where you’ll stay in a luxurious Riad . For your lunch en route we recommend you stop at Oualidia – a protected marshal amongst eerie landscapes, famous for its oysters. DAY 5 – ESSAOUIRA. After breakfast your guide will meet you and take you on a tour of Essaouira, built by the Portuguese in the 17thC is a magical fortified coastal town on the Atlantic Ocean. The fishing port creates a backdrop to the white painted buildings of the Medina, declared Human Heritage by the UNESCO. This small town was once one third Jewish and had over thirty Synagogues. An 18th century synagogue may still be visited. You can visit the tomb of Rabbi Chaim Pinto in the vast Jewish cemetery built adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. Rabbi Pinto is the object of an annual pilgrimage in the week preceding Rosh Hashanah. Explore the town, its ramparts, and its lovely street of Thuya wood craftsman, the lively port, the colorful souk and the medina. In total contrast to Marrakech, the pace of life here is relaxed and slow. Essaouira was made famous by Orson Wells who filmed Othello here and more recently, by residents like Jimmy Hendrix. Essaouira is a haven for artists and handmade works of art are abundant. Being a fishing port, fresh fish is readily available and lunch on the port is a must as the day’s catch is cooked in front of you. DAY 6 – ESSAOUIRA – HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS. After breakfast, your driver will take you to the village of Imlil, in the high Atlas mountains, situated at 1800m surrounded by the lush valley with the stunning backdrop of Mount Toubkal that rises to 4300m. Here you will see a way of life which has hardly changed in centuries. DAY 7 – HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS. After breakfast you will enjoya day out in the mountains. A Berber guide, mules, muleteers and a cook who will prepare a delicious pic-nic style lunch en route, will be at your disposal. You will wander through wonderful valleys and landscapes full of contrasts, visiting some hamlets where Berbers still live life as their ancestors did. DAY 8 – HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS – MARRAKECH. After a leisurely breakfast your driver will take you to Marrakech, where you’ll be lodged in a luxurious Riad in the medina. Rest of the day at leisure. Dinner will be provided at your accommodation. DAY 9 – MARRAKECH. After breakfast, your guide and your driver will meet you for a complete tour of Marrakech. Marrakech, founded over 1000 years ago, is also known as the "red city", and is perhaps the most famous location in Morocco. A combination of the old (the Medina) and the new (Guéliz), Marrakech is an exotic cocktail of sights and sounds. The most dominant landmark in Marrakech is the 12th century tiled minaret of the Koutoubia mosque and there is no better place to begin your venture into this entrancing city. Explore the colourful souks (marketplace) of Marrakech and visit shops displaying spices, carpets, jewelry, enamel, copper, brass and cedar. In the early evening, head towards the frenetic Djemaa el Fnaa, the most famous square in all of Africa, and as old as the city itself. Once the scene of public executions, it is now the city's cultural epicentre, thronged day and night with a carnival of local life, including snake charmers ; dentists; scribes; herbalists; and beggars. In the evenings, the square becomes a venue for alfresco eating and entertainment of a bizarre nature with troupes of costumed acrobats, storytellers, magicians and semi-mystical Gnawa musicians. The "new town" Guéliz, built by the French in the 1930's, is a total contrast to the Medina with its broad avenues, modern shops and cafés. The most visited site in Guéliz is the "Jardins Marjorelle" created by Yves St Laurent. A haven of peace set in an exotic garden. DAY 10 – MARRAKECH After breakfast you will be met by your driver and guide to continue your tour of Marrakech visiting the Majorelle Gardens, the Saadien Tombs, the medieval Medersa (Koranic university) Ben Youssef, the Musée de Marrakech and the Dar Bellarj cultural foundation. After lunch your driver will take you outside of Marrakech to visit the area of the Ourika valley in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains where the snow melt waters descend creating a lush and verdant farming landscape. After some relaxation at your Riad, you’ll enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride at sunset, by the ancient ramparts of the city, until you reach Bab Doukkala, one of the legendary entrances to the medina; there you will enjoy a dinner of the best Moroccan cuisine at well-known Dar Yacout, an ancient palace turned into a restaurant, reputed to be one of the best in town. DAY 11 – MARRAKECH DEPARTURE At the time scheduled, your driver will take you to Marrakech Airport for your onward journey. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- .
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