Day 1: Casablanca | Le Casablanca 5***** Hotel | D

• Your first day in Morocco begins on arrival in Casablanca, the home to Morocco’s largest Jewish community.  The Mohammed V airport is the group's gateways to a stunning, warm, tourist-friendly country filled with rich history and stunning natural landscapes.  Following the airport greeting by your Morocco Jewish Culture specialist guide and driver, enjoy a brief panoramic tour of the city en route to your 5***** hotel, the Barcelo Anfa in the Jewish Quarter. Before checking, enjoy a brief fresh air walk a few blocks away to coffee, drinks and snacks at Tavola Herzl ("Herzl's Table") restaurant.  After a few hours of rest and relaxation at the hotel's spa, gym, hammam or in your room, enjoy a Welcome Morocco dinner reception with music and dance at the private home of Dorith, Morocco's 30-year JDC country leader.

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Day 2: Casablanca - Rabat (Riyad Meftaha or Barcelo Marina Hotel | B L D​​

• After breakfast at the hotel, visit the beautiful, immense Hassan II Mosque (world’s 3rd largest), the beachside Corniche quarter and the Anfa residential quarter.  Next, we will visit the Jewish quarter (the Mellah) in the old market with its kosher butcher shops, and the city's ancient Beth El synagogue, (Morocco’s largest and still a community center), followed by a guided visit to the Museum of the Jews of Morocco created by the city’s Jewish Community in 1997 and featuring ethnographic and artistic objects depicting the history, religious life, traditions and daily lives of Jews throughout Moroccan civilization. After lunch we visit the Jewish cemetery and the grave of the Rabbi Eliyahu the Tzadik (Righteous Man) esteemed and revered by Moroccan Jews to such degree that at the conclusion of Shabbat, Casablanca’s Jewish community arrives at his tomb there to light candles and partake of the Melava Malka concluding Shabbat there to honor the Tzadik.

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• Following a lunch break before heading to Rabat, we’ll end our "Casa" day at Abderraham Slaoui Museum featuring a beautiful collection of antiquities from all over the world and ofen referred to as a highlight gem of their days in Casablanca. 

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Day 3: Casablanca / Rabat | Riyad Meftaha or Barcelo New Marina Hotel | B D​

• This morning following breakfast at the hotel we start to explore Rabat, capital city of Morocco and home to a small Jewish community with one active synagogue and a kosher restaurant. In Rabat we'll visit the Royal Palace, a stunning example of Islamic architecture and official residence of the King of Morocco and the Hassan Tower, an iconic mosque standing on a hill overlooking the Boregreg River, famous for its unfinished minaret where storks nest.  Next to the tower is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a revered Sultan who saved the Jews during World War II.  You will view its stained glass windows, white marble and wrought iron entryway, and the staircase leading to an impressive dome.  We'll continue on to Oudayas Kasbah, an historic fortress offering beautiful views of the Atlantic.  Next we will see the ruins of the ancient Phoenician site of Chellah, a medieval fortified Muslim necropolis and ancient archeological site.

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• Following a break, we continue to Sale, Rabat’s twin city and birthplace of Rabbi Raphael Hayyim Ben Moses Attar, famous 18th century scholar and Kabbalist known throughout the Jewish world for his Torah commentary Or Ha-Hayyim (“Light of Life”).  Renown Rabbi Raphael Encaoua is buried in the Sale cemetery. The city of Sale is famous for its iconic Great Mosque and the immense Mausoleum of Sidi Ben Ashir, an early teacher, fervent adherent of Sufism and role model for asceticism, probably best known for his acclaimed healing powers.  Enjoy the balance of today for shopping and taking it easy, then enjoy dinner and the evening exploring Rabat at a leisurely pace.

 

Day 4: Rabat / Chefchaouen |  Riyad Lina, Riyad Cherifa | B  D​

• Depart after breakfast for Chefchaouen, the picturesque “Blue City” founded in 1471 as a small fortress enclave in the Rif mountains to support Moroccans resisting the Portugese invasion of Northern Morocco. Our guide today is Alina, first female guide of the City. Background of the city:  after the Spanish Reconquista (recapture of Muslim territories by Spain) and Spain’s outlawing of Muslim and Judaism, the Muslims, originally Moors but termed “Moriscos” (“little Moors) in the late-15th century (after being forced either to leave Spain or convert to Christianity), and Jewish refugees from Spain, settled here. Chefchaouen is a city thriving for decades for its laid-back ambiance, scenic surroundings and buildings painted in a striking blue hue. The town's dramatic location surrounded by valleys and gorges make it an idyllic base for a variety of easy to moderate countryside walks of choice. Akchor waterfall and God’s bridge, aptly called one of Morocco’s most beautiful spots, offer opportunities to splash in emerald green pools and hike beneath natural rock bridges.  Catch some live music after dinner on the city’s safe streets, or relax at your riyad or hotel.

 

Day 5:  Chefchaouen – Meknes – Volubilis - Fez | Palais Faraj | B  D​

• After breakfast today, travelers embark on the picturesque guided walking tour of the Blue City, absorbing a myriad of colorful crafts enterprises in the souks of the old medina. We then depart for Meknes, Morocco’s 17th century capital (drive time 3:30)  the original Imperial Kingdom city developed from an unimportant small town by the fierce warrior Sultan Moulay Ismael and quickly becoming Morocco’s version of France’s city of kings, “Versailles”. Meknes and its storied history are revered throughout Morocco. Walking through its old Medina, the Mellah Jewish quarter with narrow streets and colorful courtyard evokes a taste of Meknes’ importance – its majestic ramparts, stables housing the Sultan’s cavalry, the city’s 25km of exterior walls and gates, and the monumental gate Bab el Mansour overlooking food markets and El Hedim Square. Enjoy lunch in Meknes before departing for Volubilis to see its recently excavated Roman ruins, a majestic town arch and the basilica, terminating in Fez, spiritual capital of the kingdom of Morocco (:45 drive time).​

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• Fez, the beautiful spiritual capital of the Moroccan kingdom, is the best-known city in Morocco’s medieval history. In Fez we’ll tour many Jewish Heritage sites, from Universities to Mosques and synagogues, with emphasis on Fez’s Mellah (Jewish quarter) founded in the 15th century. Upon touring the Jewish cemetery travelers visit the site where the revered holy Solika was buried after her public execution for heresy in 1834.  Your guide tells the story here of Solika the martyr woman’s resistance; she remains today a symbol of pride against oppression for Morocco’s Jewish community. 

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Day 6:  Fez | Palais Faraj | B  L  D​

• Fez boasts the world’s largest Medina and car-free zone – a labyrinth of narrow streets and souks, the hub of the city’s culture and spirituality. This city was Morocco’s first Jewish District established in 1438. After breakfast and throughout today we’ll be visiting dozens of Jewish Heritage sites together with Fez’s architectural highlights, including the must-see Madrasa Bou Inania, a beautiful ornate 14th-century madrasa. Built in 1350–55 CE by Abu Inan Faris, it is the only madrasa in Morocco that simultaneously functioned as a congregational mosque.  We’ll also visit the fountain of Najjarine, tour the pottery quarter in Fez’s New City and the Royal Palace esplanade, visit the vibrant tannery where traditional leather production methods are still in practice, and end a fascinating day listening to captivating sounds of the evening call to prayer and/or relaxing and enjoying the hammam or the hotel’s spa before dinner at the hotel's famous restaurant named by TripAdvisor one of the world's "top 1%" dining establishment.

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• A few highlights of Fez’s history, palaces, museums, and mosques:​​​

  • Jardin Jnan Sbil: 19th century gardens originally exclusive to royal elites and connected to the Royal Palace by an underground passage.

  • Al-Attarine Madrasa:  Built between 1323-25 and considered one of the highest achievements of Marinid architecture due to its rich, harmonious decoration and the efficient use of limited space.

  • Chouara Tannery:  It is the largest tannery in the city and one of the oldest

  • Fez el-Bali: The oldest walled part of Fez - an engaging local neighborhood

  • Museo Nejjarine: The specialty museum of wooden arts & crafts

  • Bab Boujloud: Ornate carved city gates

  • Jewish district: Morocco’s first official Jewish district established in 1438 east of the royal palace 

  • *Fez Hotel Sarai: More like an urban resort than a city hotel, the property is perched over the Ville Nouvelle on a grassy hilltop with two glorious pools and a Givenchy spa.

 

Day 7:  Fez - Sahara Desert | Luxury Desert Bivouc hospitality | B D​

• Following an early hotel breakfast, set out for our longest travel day through the Middle Atlas Mountains passing through small towns and villages, including Ifrane, the “Little Switzerland” of Morocco and stopping there for a drink and walk about town before continuing on to Medelt, home to a small synagogue. (For travelers with an extra overnight available, a lovely Midelt hotel property with fine restaurant awaits as an often welcome break in the 7-hour journey to the desert). From Midelt, we continue through spectacular Ziz Valley, as the scenery evolves from mountain to the rocky desertscape of the Sahara. Head to Merzouga, the Erg Chebbi region of the Sahara Desert and from Merzouga, climb aboard the safe camels, or a 4x4 Jeep, to begin a Moroccan desert evening and overnight that travelers consider among their best-remembered trip highlights! Admire the desert sunset over the majestic Sahara dunes, and spend tonight in a luxury Berber tent at this desert oasis.  Dinner & overnight is at a full-service luxury desert camp featuring heated / air-conditioned tents, showers and large beds.
   

• ​   A few highlights of this day’s travel stops of interest:​

  • ​​​​Ifrane is known as Morocco's "Little Switzerland" for its alpine-style architecture and nearby ski slopes and forests. A stone statue of a lion near leafy Parc la Prairie is a well-known landmark. Ain Vittel outside the town is a spring with several waterfalls. To the west, Ifrane National Park’s Atlas cedar forest is home to rare Barbary macaques. (Hiking opportunities at Ifrane are available.)​​​​

  • Ziz Valley: The Ziz River with its source in the High Atlas Mountains brings to life the last southern valley of the Ziz and Tafilalt oases before ebbing out in the rose gold dunes of Merzouga.

  • Merzouga is a small Sahara Desert town near Morocco’s border with Algeria known as the gateway to Erg Chebbi, a huge expanse of sand dunes to the north of town. West of Merzouga is a salt lake, often dry in summer, but when full is home to a wide range of migratory and desert birds including desert warblers, Egyptian nightjars and, occasionally, flamingos.

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Day 8: Merzouga – Dades Gorges | Xaluca Dades Hotel | B L D​

• After breakfast, drive an ATV, ride your camel or ride along in a 4x4 over the dunes back to Merzuga. On the road today we’ll travel through the the Todra Gorges, limestone river canyons, or wadi, in the eastern High Atlas near the town of Tinghir.  Enjoy the Todra Gorge hike: a 2-4 hour, easy to moderate, walk into the deep canyon past a combination of barren vistas and lush green scenery of the Tinghir Oasis. (Easy options are available for briefer out-and-back walk). In addition to captivating landscapes, hikers pass goat and sheep herders, nomadic settlements high up the hills and rural farmers who make their living on the valley floor. The hike through nature offers a respite far removed from busy markets and vendor stalls.  Next, we will travel through the Dades Gorges, also known as “Gorges Valley”, a scenic valley in the High Atlas Mountains at an elevation range between 1500 - 2000m (4900’ – 6500’). Spend the evening relaxing in your luxurious hotel.

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Day 9:  Dades Gorges - Ouarzazate | Hotel t/b/d | B L D

•  After breakfast we begin today’s travels by stopping in Skoura (1:10 drive) to visit the Kasbah of Skoura, 17th century Kasbah Amridil, among the most impressive kasbahs of Morocco visited annually by throngs of travelers. (“Kasbah” – the high-ground fortress of a North African city). Kasbah Amridil was formerly featured on the Moroccan 50 dirham (U.S. $5) note. We then continue (:45 drive) to Ouarzazate at 3,810’ altitude and its Kasbah of Taourirt built with mud and straw and set among a stunning background of mountain scenery and the Sahara Desert. Toaurirt is one of the country’s most beautiful and best-preserved Kasbahs. Then continue on to visit the immensely popular tourist destination at UNESCO World Heritage Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, filming location for Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator I & II, The Mummy, Time Bandits, Prince of Persia, and many others

 

• We will arrive in Ouarzate and visit “The Old Synagogue” that now is preserved for posterity by its guardians, a Moroccan family, as a museum full of artifacts left from town’s former Jewish community and is now preserved by a Moroccan family.

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• Dinner and then relax in your hotel 

 

Day 10:  Ouarzazate - Taroudant | Hotel t/b/d | B  D  

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     (Note that with a 12-day itinerary, travelers today head to Marrakech for the final trip days)

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• After breakfast, we begin our day’s journeys toward Taroudant (4:00 drive) with stops along the way to visit one or two small Berber villages and view the cottage industries of rugs hand woven by the village women.

 

• Taroudant, a charming town enclosed by majestic pink and orange-hued walls remains an authentic Berber town untouched by French occupation, offering a peaceful, crowd-free experience.  Known as the "Pearl of Souss," Taroudant is one of Morocco's oldest fortified cities and was the first Almoravid capital in the 11th century. A former trading hub, it boasts lively markets, skilled artisans, and bustling, shaded streets. 

 

• Enjoy a panoramic city tour followed by a guided medina stroll, where you’ll explore vibrant souks around Assarag and Tamaklotte Squares. Discover exquisite Berber carpets, leather goods, jewelry, and finely-etched silver crafted by master artisans. 

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• After dinner, relax in your hotel.

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Day 11:  Taroudant - Agadir | Hotel t/b/d | B  D​

• Today following breakfast on the way toward Agadir and a short (:20) from town, we’ll visit the Claudio Bravo Palace. A native of Chile, Claudio Bravo was an internationally celebrated artist known for his hyperrealist paintings, who selected Morocco to live and paint for its striking light during the day and at night. His home is a place of exceptional beauty.

 

• The journey continues to Agadir (1:30 drive).  Agadir during the 1980's was the world's premier sardine point and today is Morocco's most important fishing port, with business booming from exports of citrus fruits and vegetables grown in the fertile Souss Valley. Attracting thousands of Jewish visitors annually who learn of Agadir's rich Jewish heritage and partake of the Sabbath in its active synagogue, and with its 340 days of sunshine, a 6 mile beach and seafront promenades, Agadir is a welcoming respite off the primary tourist routes offering a balancing mix of relaxation together with the city’s rich culture and history

 

• After lunch we visit the Agadir Synagogue, a key site in gaining understanding of the city's Jewish history, and we explore the nearby Agadir Jewish Cemetery, Chalifa Ben Malka, for a poignant reflection on the community's legacy.

 

• This evening, we can relax and enjoy the atmosphere at Plage d'Agadir, a bustling beach with restaurants and shops that offer a contemporary contrast to the city’s historical sites. 

Day 12:  Agadir | Hotel t/b/d | B 

• After breakfast, we’ll immerse in the secular cultural context by visiting the Agadir Amazigh Heritage Museum, showcasing Berber heritage and traditions. 

 

• Next, we discover the historical significance of Agadir Oufella, the Kasbah that once housed the old city, offering insights into the city's past. 
   

• Lunch and dinner today will be on your own, followed possibly by strolls in the afternoon along oceanfront promenades and perhaps an evening at leisure in this beautiful beach town

Day 13:  Agadir – Essaouira | Dar L'Ouissia | B L D

• After breakfast, we travel to Essaouira (3:15 drive),”the Artists’ City”.  “Essaouira” means “a little picture” and the town lives its name showing off its vibrant blue and white old medina, sandstones gates, colorful ramparts and a bustling harbor.  Essaouira offers a fascinating glimpse into the lasting influence of the city’s rich Jewish history.

 

• For lunch we will savor a fresh seafood meal, the culinary specialty of this coastal town. 

 

• Next, we will tour Essaouira's Mellah, built in the 18th century, once home to a thriving Jewish community. Walking through its narrow streets, you can see remnants of Jewish life, including homes with Star of David motifs and old shop signs in Hebrew.

 

• Skala and Sunset: Head to the Skala to catch a stunning sunset over the ocean waves.  The Jewish community played a key role in Essaouira’s trade, especially in the port. Visiting the ramparts and old cannons of Skala de la Ville offers insight into the city's economic and strategic significance

Day 14: Essaouira | Dar L'Ouissia | B  D

• Following breakfast, start your local Essaouira day with our local specialist guide by visiting the old medina and the local souk. 

 

• Next, a visit to Simon Attias Synagogue & Bayt Dakira (House of Memory.) Recently restored, visiting this historic synagogue is a “must” as it reflects the city's vibrant Jewish past and today serves as a Jewish cultural and historical center showcasing Jewish-Moroccan history through exhibits, photographs, and artifacts and also highlighting the city’s Jewish / Muslim coexistence throughout Essaouiran history.

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• After lunch we continue to The Jewish Cemetery of Essaouira, one of the oldest and best-preserved Jewish cemeteries in Morocco.  The site holds centuries-old tombstones with Hebrew inscriptions and silently and poignantly recounts the story of the once-thriving Jewish community.

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• Enjoy the remainder of the afternoon on the beach, consider taking advantage of camel and horseback riding along the lovely beachfront!

 

• After dinner, relax at your hotel or strolling through town.

Day 15: Essaouira - Marrakech | Dar Rhizlane, 2 Ciels, Villa | B  D

• After breakfast we depart for Marrakech (2:30 drive)

 

• Arrive in Marrakech and enjoy an introductory walk guided by one of the preeminent Jewish specialists through Jewish Marrakech, including its Mellah boasting synagogues that include the beautiful Lazama Synagogue, and the town’s lovely restored souks. Marrakech is a world-renown charming city, safe as are all Moroccan cities and is busily and proudly preparing to FIFA’s 2026 Africa's Cup and the 2030 World Cup games! Marrakech’s reputation as a main destination for Western Jewish tourists is burnished with the traces of the city’s Jewish life on practically every main street corner.  Moving on, we visit the majestic Palais el Bahia, its grand halls, gardens and Harem quarter.

 

• Following a break for snacks or lunch we’ll visit the 11-century Almoravide Koubba el Baroudiyn. It is one of the few architectural reminders of the Almoravide Dynasty that presided during the “Golden Age” of the Jewish people in Spanish Andalusia and Morocco. Also on today’s schedule are the Saadian Tombs and beautiful art and architecture of these 16th century Saadians, the dynasty relying on Jewish traders for vibrant commerce with Moroccan-controlled Timbuktu in Sub-Saharan Africa to help finance the Almoravide wars against Portugal and the Turkish Empire.  

 

• Your day is completed with a cooking class, creating then enjoying for dinner some of the delicious Moroccan dishes you've savored at restaurants until now during your Morocco journey.

Day 16:  Marrakech / Ourika | Dar Rhizlane, 2 Ciels or Villa | B L D

• Today following breakfast at your lodging, depart for several hours in nature to visit a Berber village at and for a taste of Berber life at Vallée d’Ourika. In Aghbalou near the tomb of the Tzadik Shlomo bel Hensh is an old Jewish sanctuary and synagogue. The Tzadik’s name is linked to legends and mysteries that draw visitors from all over the world. Several accounts suggest that in the 1500’s the Tzadik came to Ourika from the land of Israel to raise funds before deciding to make his home in the Kingdom. During the 1590’s Ourika was home to a big Jewish community of 300 Jewish families and had two synagogues, Jewish schools, rabbis who doubled performing circumcisions, bar mitzvahs and weddings, and kosher food and matzah for Pesach, all recalled in the book "Scattered among the Nations".

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• Enroute back to Marrakech, visit the private collection of a gallery owner to view amazing 19th-early 20th century paintings extolling the exotic beauty of Morocco’s landscapes, her peoples and culture. The visitor can tour 85 original works showing how Morocco has inspired famous artists as Legrand, Bertuchi, Majorelle, Delacroix, Pontoy, Van Dongen and others of renown. 

 

• Return to Marrakesh to enjoy a walk around famous Jamaa El Fena Square with its snake charmers, monkeys, acrobats and fortune tellers. 

 

• Enjoy dinner and relax at your hotel

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Day 17:  Marrakech | Riyad Dar Rhizlane, 2 Ciels or Villa | B  D

• After breakfast today, we’ll visit the main city attractions of the Dar Si Said Museum, Badi Palaces, the Menara Garden and the expansive and beautiful Majorelle Gardens, known today for having been the private residence and pride of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. The Majorelle Garden is a two-acre botanical and artist’s landscape garden created by Jacques Majorelle through forty years(!) of construction ending in 1963. The property, featuring a Cubist villa from the 1930’s, was purchased in the 1980’s by Saint Laurent and his Pierre Berge his business manager and also houses the Berber Museum and from 2017 the Yves Saint Laurent Museum nearby. 

 

• Afternoon free time for last minute shopping in the souks, several hours of  therapeutic massage and relaxation in the hotel’s private hammam, or visiting any attractions not yet seen.

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• Tonight’s Farewell Morocco banquet is a sumptuous gourmet dinner and show at a famous dinner club and evening venue, Safran by Koya. ​

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​​Day 18:  Marrakech – Casablanca or Marrakech Airport  | B        

• After breakfast today, bid farewell to your private guide and driver and depart for the international airport at Casablanca or Marrakech.​

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*Notes: (1) MTAG Itineraries are customized to suit travelers' unique interests, pace and budget; (2) Listed lodgings are indicative of the excellent quality our travelers can expect. All accommodations employ price algorithms based on availability, and therefore, substitute properties may on occasion replace those listed.  ​​