Marrakech and Casablanca Tour

Arrival in Casablanca

We meet at the Turkish Airlines counter in the international departures terminal of Istanbul Airport, 3 hours before the flight. After check-in we board Turkish Airlines flight TK617, departing at 12.00 for Casablanca. We land at 14.55 local time and start our city tour straight from the airport in our waiting vehicle.

Morocco's main port is the country's economic centre and its most populous city, and it gave its name to the 1942 Hollywood film. Islamic, French and Berber influences sit side by side in its streets.

The tour covers Mohammed V Square at the heart of the city, United Nations Square where Morocco's past and present meet, the Hassan II Mosque with the world's 2nd tallest minaret, the Old Medina, the Habous district known for its open-air markets, and the Atlantic seafront of Ain Diab and the Corniche. After the tour we check in to our hotel for free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Via Rabat to Marrakech

After breakfast we drive to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. A panoramic city tour takes in the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, built in memory of the current king's grandfather and a leading figure of Moroccan independence, and the Royal Palace. We then continue to Marrakech and start exploring the city on arrival.

Marrakech takes its name from the Berber words "mur akush", meaning "Land of God". Its red walls earned it the name "Red City", and its narrow lanes still carry the feel of past centuries.

Our city tour covers the Bahia Palace, a window into the life of a 19th century Moroccan noble, the Koutoubia Minaret, the Majorelle Gardens with plants from around the world, and Djemaa El Fna Square, known as the "Courtyard of Souks and Wonders". After the tour we check in to our hotel for free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day Trip to Essaouira

After breakfast at the hotel we join the tour to Essaouira, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Set on the Atlantic coast and inhabited since prehistoric times, Essaouira is known for its white-walled medina, narrow streets and traditional markets. It is a working fishing port and a quiet seaside town where art is part of daily life, far calmer than Marrakech. Over the years this atmosphere drew names such as Cat Stevens, Jimi Hendrix and Orson Welles, and the town has also served as a filming location for Game of Thrones.

On our tour we see the Essaouira city walls and fortress, the harbour with its fish market and the medina, with time to shop as we explore. After the tour we return to our hotel in Marrakech. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Atlas Mountains and Ourika Valley

After breakfast at the hotel we join the tour to the Atlas Mountains and the Ourika Valley. The range rises like a wall between the Mediterranean coast of northwest Africa and the Sahara, and its highest summit, Toubkal, stands near Marrakech. The mountains are home to many plants and animals, a large share of them endangered.

Most people here are Berbers, the oldest known indigenous people of North Africa, and their own culture and way of life give the mountain scenery a distinct character. After the tour we stop in the Ourika Valley at the foot of the Atlas to rest in the green surroundings, then return to Marrakech. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.