You will be greeted at Marrakech airport by our representative and transferred to your Hotel or Riad.
Depending on your arrival time and after you check in and refresh in your hotel, your driver will pick you up for a panoramic and orientation drive of Marrakech.
A full-day guided tour of Marrakech with a local professional guide to discover the imperial city’s major monuments and cultural treasures.
You will visit the Madrassa Ben Youssef, the Souks of the Medina, the Museum of Marrakech, the Saadian Tombs, the Dar Si Said Museum, the Bahia Palace, the Majorelle Gardens with Yves Saint Laurent’s private collection of Islamic Arts and the Jamaa L’Fna Square.
Leave Marrakech to Essaouira, the former Mogador. Arrival at lunchtime (on own). Afternoon visit to the city.
First is a Phoenician counter dating back to 814 BC. Then under Roman occupancy, Essaouira became famous for its production of «Purple dye» from the Murex shellfish, used for the Roman Togaes.
In the 16th century, the Portuguese sailors renamed the city Mogador, which became an important trading centre. In 1764 the sultan Mohamed ben Abdellah will call upon the French architect Théodore Cornut – a disciple of Vauban – to build a new city, which he did, and Essaouira deserves her name, meaning «the well-drawn».
The city was very wealthy until the second half of the 19th century, mainly due to a large Jewish community (up to 17.000 against only 210.000 Moslems!). But most of them left after the Six days war. After a decline of its fishing harbour – as the sardines shoals were drifting far more south – the blue and white city is born and alive, mainly through culture (handicraft of Marquetry, painting, music festivals) and Tourism.
Dinner and overnight in your hotel.
Morning departure to Safi, fishing harbour on the Ocean and centre of a very famous pottery tradition. Visit the city and the potters quarter.
Then on to Oualidia, a holiday seaside resort on a lagoon famous for its oyster breeding and seafood restaurants. Lunch stop (on own).
Then onto El Jadida by a superb road bordering the Atlantic ocean.
Check in at your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Morning visit of El Jadida, including the Portugaise Cistern and the Remparts.
Then, either lunch there or on to Casablanca (only 85 km away by the motorway). Check in at your hotel.
Afternoon at leisure with a car at your disposal if you want to finish shopping.
In the morning, transfer to Casablanca airport according to your departure flight schedule.