Morocco in 8 days – Things to do

We just came back from a week-long trip to Morocco along with our dear friends @ Tripinerary.com. It was an amazing experience and here is the itinerary we followed. Hope it helps in planning your trip!

Getting To Morocco

Morocco has several international airports providing connectivity to places in Europe and Africa. If you are flying in from Continental America, as we were, you will be landing in Casablanca’s Mohammad V International Airport.  We recommend hiring a taxi and heading straight to Marrakesh.

Travel Tip: Based on a recommendation, Dipanjan (of Tripinerary.com) booked us a car with Easy Take Transport.  As per the arrangement, we got a chauffeured car to take us from city to city for the week we were there. Our car was spacious and clean and our driver, Soufiyan,  spoke fluent English and was great company.

Day 1 to 3: Exploring Marrakesh

Take it easy the first day that you get there and take some time to orient yourself to the old part of the city. The Marrakesh medina consists of narrow winding streets with no names, so we recommend hiring a local guide to get you a sense of the souk and the old city. End your tour at the wonderful Koutoubiya Mosque which is lit up with an orange glow in the evening.

Just across the Mosque is the famous Djemaa El Fna, where all of Marrakech comes to hang out in the evening. Grab dinner at one of the rooftop cafés. If you are feeling more adventurous, sample a kebab or two at the several dozen barbeque stalls that get set up in the square in the evening.

On the second day, hit the tourist circuit with a quick visit to the Saadian Tombs. Spend the remaining morning admiring the beautiful design and intricate craftsmanship at Bahia Palace. For lunch, explore the eateries at Place de Ferblantiers just outside the Jewish Quarter (‘Mellah’).

Post lunch, enjoy a leisurely walk through the narrow streets of the Mellah. Spend the afternoon understanding the history and making of carpets at Dar-Si-Said, a 19th-century palace which today houses the National Carpet Museum. Apart from the interesting exhibits, some of the rooms offer stunning examples of Moroccan handiwork on doors and ceilings.

Save the best for last, on the 3rd day head to world famous Ben Yusuf Madrassa (currently closed for renovation through 2020). Spend the last day shopping, checking out local museums and gardens as per your interest.

 

Travel Tip:  1) Distances around the Medina are typically walkable, but if you are tired then you can also opt for a horse-drawn carriage where available. 2) If you don’t mind rushing around a bit, then you can squeeze this itinerary into 2 days. Use the third day for a day-trip to the many nearby Atlas Mountain valley towns or the Sahara.

(Watch this space for a detailed 3 day guide to Marrakech)

Day 4: On the road to Fes, with a pit stop in Casablanca and Meknes

On day 4, start early from Marrakesh and hit the road to Fes. On the way stop over to visit the magnificent Hasan II Mosque in Casablanca. The largest mosque in Africa, it’s a modern marvel of architecture and artisanship. Internal access is available through only through guided tours which have fixed timings. The mosque is closed at prayer times so you may end up waiting for the next tour. It is totally worth the visit.

Make another stop at Meknes to check out the largest arched gateway in all of Morocco, Bab Monsour. This gate leads into the former imperial city. From the gate, head towards Bou Inania Madrassa, a 14th-century Koranic school. With its intricately tiled turquoise courtyard, latticed windows, and ornate doors, this place is a hidden gem that should not be missed. Take your time to admire the craftsmanship and the view from the dorm rooms upstairs. Wrap up your visit to Rabat by enjoying the rooftop view of Lahdim Square from Pavillion Des Idriss ( admission charge: 1 drink)

Travel Tip :  Meknes has other points of interest and can be considered for a full day trip. Other places to check out are the Grand Mosque ( interior access to only Muslims) , Dar-el-Ma ( Water Palace) and Moulay Ismail Mausoleum.

Day 5 and 6: Experiencing History in  Fes

If you thought the Median of Marrakech was fascinating and old, then you have seen nothing yet. More than 9000 streets crisscross the Fes Medina otherwise known as the Fez el-Bali. We highly recommend hiring a guide for a full day to show you around the area.  We also suggest going with a list of things that you specifically want to cover and ask the guide to follow the plan. While that suggestion may not be most welcome, you will at least avoid the tourist traps often set up by the guide in cahoots with the local shopkeepers.

There is a lot to see and discover in Fez-el-Bali and in a single day, you can make good work of quite a few places. Enter the medina through the famous blue gate, Bab Boujloud.  Admire the exteriors of Kairaouine Mosque and University ( the oldest university in the world) and the elaborately decorated doors and walls of Moulay Idriss Zaouia ( a mausoleum, closed to non-muslims).

Step inside the tiled courtyards of Attarine Medersa and Bou Inania Medersa, medieval Koranic Schools and imagine the lives spent here by young boys sent away from parents to study. Notice the architecture of these buildings, their decorative tilework, the marble fountains and elaborately painted doors and windows.

Spend some time at the Fondouk el-Nejjarine, the Carpenter’s Museum on Place-el-Nejjari. A roadside inn for travelers in the 18th century, it is now a museum of carpentry and showcases things from wooden doors and windows to bridal chest and children toys. The rooftop provides a stunning view of Fez-el-Bali.

No visit to Fez is complete without a tour of the Chourara tanneries. Traditional leather workers process animal hides into leather in large vats of chemicals, pretty much the same way they have been doing for several hundreds of years.  The stench of the leather hits will you as soon as you approach the lanes near the tanneries. The buildings around the wells provide a view over the leather workers and are the best way to see this place.

Wrap up the day by shopping on Rue Taala Sighra, the main street that runs down from the Bab Boujloud.

On the second day, spend time strolling the Jewish Quarters and then head towards the Royal Palace to get some great pictures of the exteriors. From there take a cab to go to the Merenid Tombs to get a view of the entire city of Fes. Wrap up the day relaxing massage in the hammam and dinner at one of the outdoor restaurants near the Blue Gate.

Day 7: Volubilis & Chefchaouen

If you are interested in the history of the Roman Empire, then a visit to the Roman ruins of Volubilis should be on your list. Did you know that parts of northern Morocco were on the outer reaches of the Roman Empire?

Volubilis was established as a frontier town around the 1st century AD and was under the Roman empire for about 200 years. It then fell into the control of various local tribes till the 8th century, when it was taken over by Idris Bin Abdullah (founder of Morocco) as his seat of rule.

All that remains today are the ruins of a mid-sized Roman town. The notable things to see are the mosaics in House of Orpheus, the stunning views through the Arch of Caracalla, the arches of the Basilica and the pillars of the Capitoline temple.

Travel Tip: Visit in the morning or in the evening as this place can get hot. A clearly marked trail takes you around the ruins.

A 3 and a half drive from Volubilis will bring you to the hilly town of Chefchaouen. Chefchaouen is something out of a fairy tale. Secluded high up in the mountains, the ‘Blue Pearl’ of Morocco is an entirely unique place made ridiculously popular by Instagrammers. The city gets its sobriquet due to the color of its walls which are painted different shades of blue. There isn’t much to do but to walk along the streets and discover cute nooks for photography.

( Watch this space for a 1 day guide to Chefchaouen)

Day 8: Morning in Chefchaouen, lunch in Rabat and dinner in Casablanca

On your last day in Morocco, you are looking at a long drive from Chefchaouen to the airport in Casablanca. Take one final stroll through the blue town in the morning. If you have time, take a short hike to the Spanish Mosque to get a bird’s eye view of the city.

Hit the road and stop for lunch at Rabat. If you feel like it, explore the Rabat Kasbah and pose in front of the gate that was featured in MI5. Depending on how much time you have you can explore the Hasan Tower complex that houses the 11th-century incomplete tower (duh) and a ridiculously grand and ornate Mausoleum of Mohammed V.  You will find a lot of locals hanging out with their families taking selfies.

Blend in  and take a stroll for a nice, relaxing wrap to a lovely vacation!

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