This weeklong holiday gives you enough time to sample some of the best of Morocco, with a focus on its four historic imperial cities. Remember to add a day on each end for travel time (a direct flight from New York to Casablanca takes approximately seven hours), and pace yourself to see the most important places.
Day 1: Arrival in Casablanca
Flights generally arrive in Casablanca in the early morning. The cosmopolitan coastal city doesn’t have too many sights, and you can cover them in a few hours if you’re short of time. As your starting point, visit the opulent ocean-front Hassan II Mosque and Mohammed V Square, surrounded by impressive architecture. You’ll probably be exhausted after a transatlantic flight, so spend your first night in Casablanca; however, if you want to make an early start in the morning, travel one hour along the coast to Rabat.
Day 2: Rabat
The key sights of Morocco’s capital city are the 12th-century Kasbah des Oudayas overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the Mohammed V Mausoleum and the adjacent Hassan Tower, and the Chellah Ruins and Gardens. Contemporary art lovers will also find plenty to enjoy. Spend the night in Rabat and drive to Meknès (around two hours) early the following morning.
Day 3: Meknès and Volubilis
Begin your tour by passing the monumental gate of Bab Mansour. Walk across the lively Place el-Hedim to the Hispano-Moorish Dar Jamai, built in the 19th-century and now home to the National Museum of Music. Dip into open bazaars and the food souk, and visit the recently restored Moulay Ismail Mausoleum (all but the tomb is open to non-Muslims); the Imperial City’s Heri el-Souani (Royal Granaries) is also recommended. In the afternoon, drive 30 minutes to the ancient Roman archaeological ruins of Volubilis. As you approach, the Triumphal Arch rises above the open plain; count on 90 minutes for a thorough visit. The Triumphal Arch, House of Orpheus, House of Dionysus and the Four Seasons, House of the Labors of Hercules, and House of Venus are must-sees. You can spend the night near Volubilis in Moulay Idriss, or head to Fez (around one hour).
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Days 4 and 5: Fez
Try to spend two full days exploring everything that Fez el-Bali and Fez el-Djedid have to offer: medieval monuments, artisans’ workshops, public squares, ancient tombs, cultural museums, chaotic souks, atmospheric cafés, and palatial gardens. The blue-tiled gate of Bab Bou Jeloud is the gateway to one of the medina’s main arteries, the Talaa Kebira. The most important sites include the Bou Inania Medersa, Attarine Medersa, Zaouia Moulay Idriss II, and the Karaouine Mosque, home to one of the world’s oldest universities (peek in to both from the doorways—they’re not open to non-Muslims). Visit the restored Nejjarine fondouk for some of the best examples of woodworking craftsmanship and marvel at the medieval process of leather making from a roof terrace overlooking the Choura Tannery. Discover the area of the Royal Palace (Dar el-Makhzen) that leads to the Mellah, the former Jewish quarter, beyond the Fez el-Djedid. Watch the sunset over the medina from the Borj Nord before indulging in an authentic Fassi dinner in a riad courtyard.
Days 6 and 7: Marrakesh
The quickest way to travel the 387-km (240-mile, as the crow flies) distance between Fez and Marrakesh is by plane (direct with Air Arabia and Ryanair). After dropping your bags at your hotel, hit the ground running. The best place to start is the Jemaa el-Fna, the famed square that’s the gateway to the maze of souks, including the Souk des Teinturiers for leather, Souk Addadine for metalwork, and Souk Zrbia, the main carpet market. The Ali ben Youssef Medersa, Koutoubia Mosque (non-Muslims cannot enter), Bahia Palace, the ruins of the El Badi Palace, Saadian Tombs, Musée de Marrakech set in the ornate salons of the Mnebhi Palace, Maison de la Photographie, and Dar Si Saïd museum in a 19th-century mansion are important sites in the medina. On your second day, take a petit taxi along the wide boulevards of the Ville Nouvelle to the lush Jardin Majorelle, the former home of Yves Saint Laurent, with an exotic garden and extraordinary collection of Imazighen ceramics, textiles, jewelry, and art in the small museum. Then head next door to the suitably stylish Musée Yves Saint Laurent, which showcases the legendary designer’s work alongside contemporary Moroccan art. Plan a relaxing hammam to rejuvenate after a week of touring.