DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF MOROCCO
Date: 10th December - 19th December 2023 || Double: $6,990pp || Single: $8,380pp
Magical Morocco
Itinerary
Strictly Vacations warmly invites you to join Steve as he hosts a Tauck Tour to Magical Morocco.
Experience the heart of this land, Africa at Europe's doorstep; ancient cities, medinas, kasbahs, and souks… windswept coastline and desert treasures, all on a 10-day journey through a timeless land...
Journey Details
When
DEC 10 - 19, 2023
Where
RABAT to MARRAKECH
Price
Double: $6,990pp
Single: $8,380pp
Length
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS
Day 1: Arrive in Rabat
A transfer is included from Rabat-Sale Airport or Casablanca Airport to La Tour Hassan in the heart of the city. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner with live music at the hotel.
Dinner
La Tour Hassan →
Day 2: Rabat & on to Fes
Morocco's seaside capital city of Rabat is an intriguing blend of medieval Arabic and modern European influences.. Sightseeing includes Dar-al-Makhzhen, the Royal Palace and residence of the king of Morocco, with its sumptuous Islamic ornament and exquisite formal gardens. Visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a masterpiece of Alouite-style architecture with stunning ornamental carvings and chandeliers, View the massive Hassan Tower, the city's most imposing landmark. Leave Rabat and head for Fes, stopping for lunch at a winery on the way. Arrive this afternoon and check into a lovely boutique hotel with views of the old town and the city skyline. Tonight we’ll dine at leisure at the hotel.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel Sahrai →
Day 3: The souks & bazaars of Fes
The sprawling city of Fes is over 1,200 years old, and its well-preserved old town is a vast maze of winding streets and alleys. Choose the focus for your morning walking tour: you may choose a tour on which you'll sample the local cuisine; get an insider's look at the craftsmanship of the artisans who make intricate, handcrafted carvings, rugs, leatherwork, and metalwork; or explore the Jewish quarter and learn about its influence on local cuisine and culture. Have lunch in a medina and enjoy an exclusive lecture by a local scholar on life in Morocco from a woman's perspective. After lunch, get an eye-opening tour of the city's famous leather tanneries, which are dominated by numerous, deep, multicolored pools of dye. Return to the hotel, then join us for dinner at a riad.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel Sahrai →
Day 4: Roman ruins at Volubilis
Visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis, in the rolling hills and fertile farmland between Fes and Meknes. Volubilis was a remote military outpost of the Roman Empire and is today one of the richest archaeological sites in North Africa, a well-preserved, example of a Roman colonial town that still retains its triumphal arch and remnants of its mansions, temples, forum, and glorious mosaics. Enjoy lunch in the town of Moulay Idriss at a private home known as the Scorpion House. Return to Fes for an afternoon and evening spent as you please.
Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel Sahrai →
Day 5: Meknes to Casablanca
This morning, drive to Meknes. This walled city of lavish Spanish-Moorish architecture dates back to the 11th century but rose to glory in the 17th century under the rule of Sultan Moulay Ismail. This morning's walking tour of Meknes includes Moulay's stables, large enough to house 12,000 horses; the city's medina; and a visit to a historic madrasa (or medersa), an Islamic learning center and Koranic school. After a hearty lunch and some free time in Meknes, head for Casablanca, viewing the classic Bogart-Bergman film of the same name on the way. Arrive at your seaside Four Seasons hotel, steeped in modern Moroccan elegance, in late afternoon; dine at the hotel this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca →
Day 6: Casablanca & Marrakech
In Casablanca, visit the majestic Hassan II Mosque, set on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic with a towering minaret, it is the largest mosque in the country, built to accommodate 25,000 worshippers inside and another 80,000 on the grounds. (Touring this site, women and men must dress appropriately.) Stop for a visit to the Musée Slaoui, showcasing works by Jacques Majorelle and other artists who made Morocco their home, before lunch at Rick's Cafe – a recreation of Humphrey Bogart's fabled lair in the film Casablanca. Continue on to Marrakech and check into your hotel, where you'll dine at leisure.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Four Seasons Resort Marrakech →
Day 7: Magical Marrakech
In Marrakech meet the elaborately red-costumed "watermen" who sell water on the streets of the city at a park overlooking the Koutubia mosque before beginning your day at the magnificent Bahia Palace, which perfectly captures the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan style. Go on to the Gardens Majorelle, the masterpiece and former home of French-born artist Jacques Majorelle. Visit the stunning Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech, whose collections preserve and interpret the life and work of the designer. After lunch at a local restaurant in the trendy Gueliz district, take a walk through the main square and marketplace, Jemaa el-Fna, and spend time exploring on your own before returning to your hotel for an evening spent as you wish.
Breakfast, Lunch
Four Seasons Resort Marrakech →
Day 8: An idyll in the desert
Explore Marrakech on your own this morning, then join us for a drive aboard 4x4 vehicles outside of the city to spend an evening in the desert. Enjoy a tea ceremony, visit a local home in a Berber Village, and get acquainted with Berber culture. Dinner is served Berber-style under a tent at a desert camp with entertainment. Enjoy a camel ride and the exotic flavors of the hubbly-bubbly pipe before returning to your hotel.
Breakfast, Dinner
Four Seasons Resort Marrakech →
Day 9: Your choice in Marrakech
You'll have a choice of sightseeing activities in and around Marrakech this morning. You can attend a local cooking school to learn about Moroccan cuisine, its history and influences (and enjoy a lunch you help to prepare); take an excursion to the walled seaside town of Essaouira, an ancient port whose magical light and picturesque beauty has long attracted prominent artists, accompanied by a local guide and a photographer who offers tips on getting that perfect shot; or enjoy a morning of pampering at your hotel's hammam (steam bath), where you'll learn the traditional Moroccan way of steaming and washing. After some free time this afternoon, join us this evening for a farewell reception at the hotel’s rooftop bar, followed by a farewell dinner; both are private and exclusively for Tauck guests only.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Breakfast, Dinner
Four Seasons Resort Marrakech →
Day 10: Journey home
Our tour ends in Marrakech. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Four Seasons Marrakech to the Marrakech Menara Airport (about a half-hour drive) or Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (a drive of approximately 2.5 hours).
Breakfast
Your Hotels In
Morocco
“These hotels really are the best of what Morocco has to offer, trust me when I say there is no better way to see this beautiful part of the world than with Tauck.”
- Steven
La Tour Hassan
Rabat - Night 1
A former palace built in 1914 and located in the heart of Rabat, the lovely La Tour Hassan creates a real "sense of place" with its intriguing Moorish-Andalucían style and décor. During leisure time, guests are invited to take advantage of the fitness facility and the outdoor swimming pool. La Maison Arabe specializes in Moroccan and Eastern cuisine while the Brasserie offers a French and International menu
Hotel Sahrai
Fes- Night 2-4
Hotel Sahrai offers stylish accommodations overlooking Fes. Awash in natural light, guest rooms at Hotel Sahrai imaginatively blur the line between traditional and modern, structure and space, extravagance and simplicity. The hotel trruly is an oasis of refinement in the heart of Fes.
A breath of fresh air on the oceanfront of Morocco's largest city, Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca is a sleek resort-inspired escape just 10 minutes from the city center and business district. The look is elegant and contemporary, layered with traditional Moroccan details and splashed with locally inspired colors. Most guest rooms open to a spacious private balcony with outdoor lounge furniture, offering garden views or overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the Casablanca coastline. Discover the hotel's three indoor-outdoor Casablanca restaurants and lounges, specializing in Mediterranean, Provençal, and Moroccan cuisine.
Four Seasons Hotel
Casablanca- Night 5
The heart of the Red City opens up to reveal a luxurious resort-like oasis that brings together the best of Moroccan architecture, entertainment, and style – Four Seasons Resort Marrakech. Take a deep breath and get ready to embrace all that Marrakech has to offer from this luxury resort – Every guest room has a private balcony with contemplative views of the grounds, the historic Menara Gardens next door, or the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. In a city known for culinary richness, Four Seasons Resort Marrakech puts stylish fine-dining restaurant choices at your door. Enjoy the flavors of Mediterranean cuisine at Azzera; savor Italian gourmet dishes at Solano, or share cocktails and Middle Eastern mezze in the comfort of the Inara Lounge, the heart of the resort.
Four Seasons Resort
Marrakech - Night 6-9
TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES
A day of immersion in Berber culture and cuisine, including dining, music, and entertainment under a desert tent, and a camel ride
Lunch in a terraced home in Moulay Idriss near the ruins at Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Lunch at Rick's Cafe in Casablanca, modeled on the one in the film Casablanca
Exclusive dinners in beautiful riads in Fes – rooftop farewell reception (weather permitting) in Marrakech
Choice of a Moroccan cooking class, a photography tour of coastal gem Essaouira, or a pampering hammam spa treatment
Visit the stunning stables and granary for the 12,000 horses of Moulay Ismail in Meknes
Guided visits to the Gardens Majorelle at the former home of Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakech
Lecture on contemporary Morocco from the woman's perspective
Visit to the colorful leather tanneries of Fes
Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
23 meals; gratuities to local guides and drivers, taxes, service charges, admission fees, and porterage
Tour with Tauck
Hosted by Steve
I cannot wait to travel to Morocco with you, there is something about a personally hosted group that adds to the atmosphere of a vacation right from day one. It’s the perfect time of year to head to this part of the world, avoiding the extreme heat of the Summer which can be unbearable in Morocco, but as an added bonus the Christmas markets of Europe are right on the doorstep for any who wish to extend their vacation.
Space is limited but I have made sure to hold aside plenty of space for my clients so if you are enchanted by the idea of discovering magical Morocco with me then by all means let me know!
