Custom Itinerary
Morocco Destination Guide
There are many ways to spin a trip to Morocco, but I think the itinerary will be based around one or both of Morocco’s historical cities, Fes and Marrakech. Marrakech is a popular tourist destination and a lively cultural spot with a wide range of hotels. Fes is less tourist-friendly but more gritty/authentic, with fewer nice hotels. You can also fly between them if you want a taste of both. Based on what we discussed, I think you’ll resonate with Fez and the Dades Valley most, but they are somewhat tricky to connect.
Below, I’ve provided details on both cities and the smaller towns you can explore from them. Hotel prices are only ballpark figures; final pricing and availability will depend on the dates.
Marrakech is a common highlight in a Morocco itinerary. The city is tourist-friendly, lively, and has a range of great riad hotels. It’s also a good place for day trips to the surrounding mountains. In June, temperatures will be in the low 90s, and the city will be heating up.
I love the Marrakech guided foot tours, which allow me to see the town and explore off-the-beaten-path spots. Stops include 16th-century Saadian Tombs, the old Kasbah and Jewish Quarter, Bahia Palace, the fireplace of a hammam, and a traditional bakery.
If you want a Sahara-lite experience, the Agafay stone desert is just outside Marrakech. You can stay a night in a tented camp, ride camels or ATVs, and look at the stars.
The Atlas Mountains, east of Marrakech, can either be done as a day trip or overnight from the city. You can spend a day in the mountains with the Amazigh, an authentic mountain community. Bake bread and prepare tagine in the kitchen of a village family and get to know them better over a pot of traditional mint tea. You can also walk the farm terraces to see the labor that goes into ancient irrigation and subsistence farming methods.
This is a potential last stop to splurge if you are staying overnight.
The Dades Valley lies on the other side of the Atlas Mountains from Marrakech, and it was the end point of many caravans. Here palm plantations are criss-crossed by paths that run by crumbling walls up to kasbahs in degraded condition. It is a sleepy and quite beautiful place. This includes the towns of Skoura, Tinghir, and Dades among others. I think you will like the remote feel of it.
This is a very out-of-the-way place if you want to go off the beaten path. It’s a very scenic Berber area, but there isn’t much to do besides hiking. It’s not high-mountain hiking, though.
Fes is the oldest royal city in Morocco, founded in the 9th century, and possibly the complete Medieval city in the Arab world. Because of elevation, it won’t be as warm as Marrakech, with highs in the 80s.
On your first day in Fes, enjoy a guided tour of old Fes, weaving through food and spice markets, handicraft quarters, vibrant souks, and auction markets. A highlight will be the 14th-century Medersa, a theological school boasting intricate architecture, and the Royal Palace from the late 19th century, which is now a museum showcasing the traditional arts of Fez. A second day in Fes can be spent on a full-day food tour, visiting markets, tea shops, and other vendors throughout the city.
Chefchaouen, often called the “Blue Pearl” of Morocco, is a captivating destination known for its stunning blue-washed streets and buildings nestled in the Rif Mountains. It has vibrant artisan markets and cozy cafes to explore. About an hour away, you can hike to waterfalls in the mountains near Akchour.
The downside is that it has become touristy recently because of Instagram. However, the hotel below is in a small town nearby that is much quieter. You can make a brief stop in the city and then spend the rest of the time relaxing at the lodge and taking walks.
Meknes is one of Morocco’s four imperial cities and is surrounded by walls from the 17th century. It also contains a large traditional food market, a scenic royal quarter, vineyards, and Roman ruins at Volubilis. It makes for a good day trip from Fes or a stopover on the drive between Fes and Casablanca.
A tiny town hidden in the Atlas Mountains north of Meknes is the burial place of the great-grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. Non-muslim people weren’t allowed to visit until a little over a decade ago.
To see the real Sahara with massive dunes and camels, you must fly to Errachidia in the country’s east for two nights. It is pretty far and will be hot in June, but you will get the real experience here.
Morocco has a lot of coastal towns, and even though you are going to Mallorca, it might be worth stopping in one along the way. You might also consider flying into Casablanca and out of Mallorca.
Casablanca is Morocco’s commercial capital and largest city. There are direct flights from New York to start your trip here, and it’s a natural stop between Fes and Marrakech. Because of the sea breeze, the weather in June should still be quite nice here, with highs in the 70s and low 80s.
Popular stops include the Hassan II Mosque, which offers a taste of contemporary Moroccan architecture, and the streets and boulevards from the 1930s, where you will see numerous art deco buildings from the French colonial period.
Morocco’s capital makes a good stop if you are driving from Fes to Marrakech. While there, you can enjoy the Museum of Antiquities and the Chellah Garden.
Morocco has many interesting coastal cities, and some, like Essaouira and Taghazout, are more laid back than Casablanca or Rabat. Because you are staying in Mallorca for awhile, I would probably skip these, but I wanted to note that there is more out there if you’re interested.
There are direct flights to Fes, Casablanca, Tetouan, and Marrakech from both Madrid and Mallorca, making connections to the Spanish part of your itinerary relatively simple. You can also fly between Fes and Marrakech.
There is a good train system in Morocco that can take you to Marrakech from Fes in seven hours. En route, the train stops in Casablanca, so it makes sense to spend the night there.
A private car transfer is a relatively affordable way to get around Morocco and see the smaller towns. Between Fes and Marrakech, you will need two days with stops in either Rabat on the coast or Ouzoud in the mountains. One nice thing about driving is that it gets you to less touristy spots en route between major cities.