Morocco Shopping Tour - Discover Morocco Culture, Arts and Crafts

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Casablanca and Transfer to Rabat

Stop At: Rabat Old Town, Rabat Center, Rabat 10030 Morocco
The guide will meet you at your arrival gate at Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca and check you into your hotel in Rabat, a smooth 45-mile drive. Guided historical and cultural tour of the capital city will feature some monuments but mainly the vibrant market of Souika; a place of all trades.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel Chellah or similar 4 star

Day 2: Travel to Fez visiting Volubilis and Moulay Idriss on the way

Stop At: Volubilis, Morocco
We will take the back roads visiting few day markets of villages outside of mass tourism. Nkhila will be one of these villages. We will continue to the farmer market of the 9th-century ancient Roman city of Volubilis, followed by the citadel of Moulay Idris nestled at Mount Zerhoun. Lunch will be in the village square to taste some of the most authentic staples at typical Moroccan eateries. The next stop the Versailles of Morocco, just 15 miles away, a guided historic tour of the 17the century Imperial city of Meknes, built by Moulay Ismail to rival Fez where you will stop for the night. We will not miss the H'dim square and afternoon auction market.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel L'Escale or similar 4 star

Day 3: Fez Guided tour of historic sites

Stop At: Medina Tours, Bloc E3 N8 ERAC, Fes 30000, Morocco
Full day will be devoted to your historic walking tour of the Medina of Fez. The most ancient of the imperial capitals and the most complete medieval city of the Islamic world. Your guide will prepare you with some tips on the art of bargaining to explore this endless market of all goods. You can also consult with him for quality of goods. He is your guide and your buying advisor.

Time spent in Fez will reveal much about the sophistication of the Moroccan artisan, providing an unparalleled learning experience to those who cross its path. Your morning will be spent visiting the Medina. Our specialized guide will take you on a historic discovery of the city of Fez starting at the King’s Palace and its Meshwar with ramparts and majestic gates, each gives to a major souk specialized in its trade dominated by a local guild.

Nere we are in a real medieval city, not even a bicycle is able to be used as tool of transportation. Only donkeys, mules and horses are able to help moving all what the city produces and needs as supplies.

The first guilds you will immediately encounter are the cobblers, the saddlers and black smiths interlaced by some caravansaries for tribesmen who come from the surrounding areas to trade and supply their needs. Down the hill to Juteya you will encounter all sorts of crafts but noticeably carpenters and leather workers as one of the traditional tanneries is not far. This walk will lead you to El Ashabine square with its variety of activities. From there, you will wind your way to the Sagha square which will lead you to Attarine then Souk el Henna and the Mausoleum of Moulay Idris, the founder of Fez. Next to it, you will visit the Nejjarine square with its famous fountain, its guild of carpentry and the museum of folk arts at the Fondouk. The best market here is the Merktan, a second hand goods of mainly what is artistic or antics.

You will walk to the tannery and on to visit the great Mosque university of Al Quarrawiyyine, passing by Shemma’ine, the market of dried fruits. After that, you will visit the Medersa Attarine and walk to Sbetryyine, a guild of book binders, which will lead you to the Seffarine Square, where the tapping of metalworkers is still deafening passerby as it was the case for centuries. You will break for lunch then continue exploring the marvels of Fez Medina. These will highlight the Dyers souk, Foundouk Tetouani a medieval warehouse. You will end your walking tour and retreat to your hotel for dinner and other accommodations.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel L'Escale or similar 4 star

Day 4: Transfer from Fez to Marrakech

Stop At: Ifrane National Park, Ifrane Morocco
Departure to the Berber villages in the Atlas Mountains of Azrou, an important market center for the region’s Berber tribes, located at a major junction of nomadic and villagers routes. We will also stop at Khenifra, the hub of tribal textiles, here you will see Berber locals trade rugs, kilims, saddlebags, embroidered capes and all sorts of textiles where the Middle Atlas ranges give way to the High Atlas Mountains, whose peaks are visible through the haze, soaring to over 12,000 feet. You will arrive at Marrakech in the late afternoon, where you will conclude your day with dinner and other accommodations at your hotel.
Duration: 7 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel El Andalous or similar 4 star

Day 5: Historic tour of Marrakech with an excellent guide

Stop At: Jemaa el-Fnaa, Marrakech Morocco
Your local guide will meet you in the morning at the lobby of your hotel to take you walking visit to historic and artistic Marrakech. You will devote your morning to the exploration of Marrakech’s many historical sites, then the afternoon to auction markets of principal goods crafted in Marrakech. We will take you to guilds auctions of goods before they reach the shelves of Bazaars and shops. We will teach you how to bargain and how to be part of this traditional market without an intermediary. Shopping in Marrakech has become a nightmare though you find all imaginable arts and crafts, the touristy shops have their networking that is not sustainable at all and does not benefit the artisan by any means. Our professional buyer will advise on goods qualities and help you to deal with artisans directly.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel El Andalous or similar 4 star

Day 6: Day excursion to Ourika Valley - Explore rural Berber markets of the Atlas Mountains

Stop At: Ourika Valley, Ourika Morocco
You will begin your day with an excursion to the Ourika Valley, where you will visit the traditional Berber Souks, as well as some workshops. After lunch, you will visit the Berber Museum of Arts and Crafts to learn about the dwellers of these mountains and their products before you discover their workshops and sophisticated, hand-made products. You will return to Marrakech for dinner at a festive Moroccan Restaurant.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner: Festive Dinner in a typical Moroccan setting with entertainment
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel El Andalous or similar

Day 7: Transfer to Casablanca Airport

Stop At: Casablanca Morocco, Usine DLM، Morocco
Enjoy an afternoon guided tour of Casablanca before heading to the airport for flight back home.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.