8 days Private Imperial cities in 8 days from Casablanca
Explore Morocco's imperial cities on an 8-day tour with plenty of history, culture and time in each city.
from 400 € per person
View tourCultural itineraries
Imperial cities tours of Morocco: Marrakech, Fes, Meknes and Rabat
Morocco’s four historic capitals in a single trip: the medinas of Fes and Marrakech, the palaces of Meknes, modern Rabat and the Roman ruins of Volubilis, with a private driver and local guides.
- 4Imperial cities
- 5UNESCO sites along the route
- 5–18 daysLength of the itineraries
- from €250Per person
The imperial cities tour is the cultural journey through Morocco par excellence. The four imperial cities have each in turn been the capital of the kingdom and preserve medinas, palaces, mosques and gardens that tell the story of twelve centuries.
- Fes, where you spend at least two nights
- Marrakech, where the classic itinerary ends
- Meknes, on the road to Fes
- Rabat, the capital
- Volubilis, the most important Roman city in Morocco
- Moulay Idriss, the holy town
The classic itinerary
Most travellers arrive in Casablanca, Marrakech or Tangier.
From Casablanca
You head up to Rabat, then continue to Meknes and Volubilis as far as Fes; the trip ends in Marrakech. This is the route of our 8-day tour from Casablanca.
From Tangier
You start in the north, with Chefchaouen, the blue city, before heading down towards Fes and Rabat: you will find it in the 5-day tour and in the 7-day tour as far as Marrakech.
On your own or with an agency?
This is the question many travellers ask themselves. The four cities are linked by the rail network, but travelling by train takes longer, leaves out Volubilis and Moulay Idriss and forces you to handle transfers and luggage on your own.
With a private tour with a driver, on the other hand:
- You leave when you want and stop wherever you prefer
- In the evening you find your accommodation already booked
- A local guide saves you hours in the medinas of Fes and Marrakech, labyrinths of alleyways with no signs, and takes you to the places you would never find by yourself
The cost is often close to that of a do-it-yourself trip with a hire car, but without the stress of driving and parking in the cities.
Imperial cities and the desert
With a few more days you can combine the imperial cities with the Sahara. The 10-day tour from Casablanca and the 12-day tour from Tangier link Fes to the Merzouga desert and head back towards Marrakech by way of the Todra Gorge and Aït Ben Haddou.
To find out more about the history of each city, read our article on the imperial cities of Morocco and the guide to Rabat, the capital of Morocco.
Imperial cities tours
8 days Private 
5 days Private Northern Morocco in 5 days from Tangier
Northern Morocco in 5 days from Tangier: Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Meknes, Fes, Rabat, Casablanca and Asilah, back to Tangier. From €250 per person.
from 250 € per person
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7 days Private Tangier to Marrakech in 7 days, imperial cities
Tangier to Marrakech in 7 days through the historic cities: Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Meknes, Fes, Rabat and Casablanca, no desert. From €350 pp.
from 350 € per person
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10 days Private 10 days from Casablanca: Chefchaouen, Fes, Sahara
A 10-day tour from Casablanca discovering Morocco's cities, desert, mountains and culture.
from 500 € per person
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12 days Private 12 days from Casablanca: Sahara and Essaouira
12 days from Casablanca: Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, 2 days in Merzouga, Todra, Aït Ben Haddou, Marrakech and Essaouira on the ocean. From €600 per person.
from 600 € per person
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12 days Private 12-day loop from Tangier with the Sahara
A 12-day loop from Tangier: Chefchaouen, Fes, the Merzouga desert, Todra, Aït Ben Haddou, Marrakech, Rabat and Asilah, back to Tangier. From €600 per person.
from 600 € per person
View tourThe four imperial cities
The imperial cities in pictures
Frequently asked questions about the imperial cities tour
Which are the imperial cities of Morocco?
They are the four cities that have been capitals of the kingdom over the centuries: Fes, Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat. Many itineraries also add Casablanca, Chefchaouen and the Roman site of Volubilis.
How many days do you need to visit the imperial cities?
The four cities need at least 6–8 days, with two nights in Fes and two in Marrakech. In 5 days from Tangier you can see the north, Fes, Meknes and Rabat properly; with 10–12 days you can add the desert.
Is it better to travel independently or with an agency?
The cities are linked by train, but Volubilis, Moulay Idriss and the stops in between are not, and in the medinas a guide makes all the difference. With a private driver you do not have to worry about transfers, luggage and timetables, and you see more places in the same number of days.
Are local guides included?
On the longer tours local guides are included for the visits to the medinas of Fes and Marrakech; on the other itineraries we can add them on request. Check the “Included” list of each tour.
Can the desert be added to the imperial cities tour?
Yes: from Fes the Merzouga desert is a day’s drive away. The 10 and 12-day tours from Casablanca and Tangier already combine the imperial cities and the Sahara.
Imperial cities
Your imperial cities tour, tailor-made
Tell us how many days you have and which city you arrive in: we will suggest the most suitable itinerary with a private driver.