7 Day Marrakech to Fes Tour via Rabat, Meknes & Chefchaouen – Imperial Route

Your 7 day Marrakech to Fes tour begins with airport or hotel pick-up in Marrakech. Depending on arrival time, you visit the Bahia Palace, a 19th-century masterpiece of Moroccan architecture with zellij floors, carved cedar ceilings and lush riad gardens. You continue to the Jardin Majorelle & YSL Museum (advance booking recommended), a colourful botanical garden and artistic landmark best enjoyed earlier in the day.
Later, you experience Jemaa el-Fna, the iconic square and UNESCO-recognised stage of storytellers, food stalls and night-time life. You can end the day with tea on a rooftop, taking in the medina’s soundscape before returning to your riad.

This morning you explore Marrakech’s medina and Mellah (former Jewish quarter) with a local guide. You visit atmospheric lanes, synagogues or the Jewish cemetery if you wish, and possibly the Maison de la Photographie to see Morocco through 19th–20th century images.
A pause at a rooftop café such as Café des Épices lets you feel the heartbeat of the souks from above. In the afternoon, you drive north to Rabat, arriving in time to settle into your riad near the medina or oceanfront and enjoy a calmer evening after Marrakech’s intensity.

After breakfast, your Rabat guide leads you through the city’s key sites. You visit the Hassan Tower and Mausoleum Mohammed V, which together symbolise modern Morocco’s monarchy and national unity. You continue to the Kasbah des Oudayas, with its white-and-blue lanes, Andalusian-style garden and views over the Bou Regreg estuary.
You then explore the Chellah necropolis, a tranquil site of Roman and medieval ruins frequented by storks, and stroll along Rue des Consuls in the medina, known for refined artisan work and a more relaxed atmosphere than larger medinas. Night in Rabat.

Today you travel to Meknes, once the capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail. You see the monumental Bab Mansour, a symbol of his ambition, and visit the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, open to non-Muslim visitors and notable for its solemn yet ornate interior.
You explore Hri Souani, the vast former royal granaries and stables, and, if accessible, the Koubbat as-Sufara (Hall of Ambassadors), used historically for receiving foreign envoys. As evening approaches, you experience Place El Hedim, a lively square with cafés, food stalls and local activity—often described as a smaller, more local version of Jemaa el-Fna. Night in Meknes or nearby.

After breakfast, you head north into the Rif Mountains towards Chefchaouen, the Blue City. The landscape shifts from plains to hills and valleys as you approach a town where houses, steps and alleys are painted in varying shades of blue. After check-in, you wander the blue medina, where simply getting lost is part of the charm, and visit the Kasbah of Chefchaouen in the central square for views and a small local museum.
In the late afternoon, you walk up to the Spanish Mosque (Jemaa Bouzafar) above town for a panoramic view over the blue-washed houses and surrounding hills—a classic Chefchaouen sunset moment. Evening is free for dinner in a local restaurant or a quiet café watching daily life in the valley.

In the morning, you can revisit your favourite corners of the blue medina, stop by Ras El Ma, where locals gather by the running water, or relax at a café overlooking the valley. Late morning or midday, you depart for Fes, arriving in the afternoon.
On arrival, your driver or Fes guide introduces you to the city with a panoramic viewpoint over Fes el-Bali, a look at the Royal Palace gates, and a short walk through Fes el-Jdid or the Andalusian quarter, depending on timing. You settle into your riad overlooking the medina, ready for a full exploration the next day before departure.

Your final day of this 7 day Marrakech to Fes tour is dedicated to Fes el-Bali, one of the world’s most complete medieval medinas and a UNESCO site. With your Fes guide, you navigate the maze of lanes lined with leatherworkers, metalworkers, carpenters, weavers and spice merchants, visiting the Chouara Tanneries to see traditional leather dyeing from a terrace above.
You visit or view the Bou Inania Madrasa, admire the architecture of Fondouk Nejjarine / Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts, and pause in Place Seffarine, where the sound of coppersmiths at work fills the square. Depending on your onward plans, your driver then transfers you to Fes Airport, train station or your next hotel. Extra nights in Fes or onward private tours can be arranged.