Magic & Medinas in Morocco

Arrival in Tangier, Journey to Chefchaouen

Your Moroccan journey begins in Tangier, where our private driver and guide will meet us at Ibn Battouta Airport. We’ll be whisked off to lunch at La Muralla, an eatery perched atop the walls of the historic Kasbah, where three rooftop terraces open onto panoramic views of the city below. In the afternoon, we'll travel through the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, Morocco's famous blue city, and settle into TAJ Chefchaouen, a boutique retreat with sweeping views of the mountains and the medina's cobalt rooftops. Tonight we'll gather for dinner at Triana, a restaurant celebrating the shared culinary heritage of Morocco and Andalusia—a fitting introduction to the story of the two shores.

Accommodations: TAJ Chefchaouen Luxury Hotel and Spa
Meals: Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

Chefchaouen at Your Own Pace

After breakfast, we'll set out on a guided morning tour of Chefchaouen—or Chaouen, as it's known locally—tucked at the foot of the Rif Mountains. We'll wander the medina's striking blue-washed buildings and winding alleys, where shops sell hand-woven Berber textiles, knitted socks for chilly mountain evenings, and soaps scented with local spices. Don't leave without tasting the local goat cheese and olive oil. Lunch is at Dar Echchaouen, perched above the blue medina with lush gardens and panoramic views, followed by an afternoon at leisure—time for a spa treatment, another glance in a favorite shop, or simply doing nothing at all. In the early evening, we'll walk up to the Spanish Mosque, a curious landmark that is now the town's most photographed viewpoint, looking out over the whole blue city. We'll then gather for dinner at El Cielo, with contemporary Moroccan cooking in a tropical garden setting.

Accommodations: TAJ Chefchaouen Luxury Hotel and Spa
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

From the Blue Pearl to Imperial Fez

After breakfast, we'll leave Chefchaouen behind and journey to Fez, Morocco's cultural and spiritual heart — a historic city of winding alleys, ancient madrasas, and artisan traditions that we'll begin exploring tomorrow. The four-hour drive winds through the country's ever-changing landscapes, as the green hills of the north give way to open plains. We'll arrive mid-afternoon at Hotel Sahrai, a five-star hilltop retreat overlooking the largest medina in the Arab world — twelve centuries of history laid out below you. The hotel balances traditional Moroccan detail with contemporary design, and offers a rooftop bar, panoramic terrace, and a spa with a traditional hammam. There's time to settle in before we gather for dinner at Dar Roumana, where the kitchen turns out Franco-Moroccan cooking built around the seasons of the Fez medina.

Accommodations: Hotel Sahrai
Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Hidden Fez: The Medina & Its Artisans

After breakfast, we'll meet our local guide for a full-day exploration of Fez el-Bali, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's largest car-free urban areas. This morning takes us past the obvious and into the medina's quieter corners — ancient palaces and Islamic gardens, the depths of the Chouara Tanneries, weavers at their looms, and hidden workshops where generations of artisans have adapted centuries-old techniques to a modern market. We'll stop for a light lunch at The Ruined Garden. The afternoon belongs to the medina's finest craftsmanship, including one of Morocco's most respected ceramic ateliers, where you can watch zellige shaped and painted by hand; the workshop of the last master weaver of Fès brocade, a silk worked with gold and silver thread since the 13th century; and artisan shops renowned for handwoven carpets and tribal textiles. Tonight we'll gather for dinner at Medusa, where contemporary Italian cooking meets the Moroccan art of living.

Accommodations: Hotel Sahrai
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

Ancient Volubilis & Moroccan Wine Country

After breakfast, we'll drive out to Volubilis, Morocco's best-preserved Roman ruins and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's still only partly excavated — Moroccan archaeologists continue to bring its remarkable mosaic floors to light. We'll continue to Château Roslane in the Meknes region, one of Morocco's most respected wine estates, for a tour of the vineyards and cellars followed by lunch among the vines and olive trees. If Moroccan wine is new to you, this is a fine introduction. We'll return to Fez by mid-afternoon, leaving the rest of the day free for the hotel's pool, rooftop terrace, or a spa treatment arranged in advance. Tonight, dinner is yours to choose — we'll share our favorites, from the palace setting of Palais de Fès to the contemporary kitchen at Ishq.

Accommodations: Hotel Sahrai
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L)

Between Two Imperial Worlds: Fez to the Red City

After breakfast, we'll set off by road for Marrakech, a beautiful drive across the middle of the country — rolling hills, olive groves, and small villages where daily life carries on much as it has for generations. We'll break for lunch along the way and arrive at Selman Marrakech in the late afternoon.

The Selman is unlike anywhere else in Morocco. Set just outside the city with the Atlas Mountains on the horizon, it's built around a stud farm of Arabian thoroughbreds, privately bred and prize-winning. If time allows, we'll meet the horses with the man who cares for them, or slip into the spa for a hammam before dinner. Later we'll head into the medina — souks full of artisan workshops, the boutiques around Topolina, and Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk, where storytellers, snake charmers, and musicians have made the square Morocco's great open-air spectacle for centuries. Dinner is at DarDar Rooftop, above the medina, with the Koutoubia and the mountains beyond.

Accommodations: Selman Marrakech
Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Palaces, Souks & Secrets: Imperial Marrakech

After breakfast, we'll set out on a guided tour of this stunning city's most significant historic sites. We'll begin at the Koutoubia Mosque, whose soaring minaret has served as the symbol of Marrakech for eight centuries. From there we'll visit the Bahia Palace, a 19th-century royal residence filled with painted ceilings, tilework, and tranquil courtyards, and the ruins of El Badi, once among the most opulent palaces in the Islamic world. We'll finish at the Madrasa Ben Youssef, a Quranic school whose carved cedar and zellige are among the finest craftsmanship in Morocco. Lunch is at El Fenn, where the kitchen builds its menu around what's freshest from local farms and markets. The afternoon is yours — the pool, the gardens, or a hammam and massage at the hotel spa. Tonight we'll dine at Assyl, where an all-female kitchen cooks in the tradition of the dadas, the women who have carried Moroccan gastronomy through generations.

Accommodations: Selman Marrakech
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

The Majestic High Atlas

After breakfast, we'll leave the city behind for Imlil, a Berber village set in a valley high in the Atlas Mountains. From there we'll take a gentle walk on the paths above the village, through walnut groves and small farms, past mountain streams and traditional Berber houses, with Mount Toubkal — the highest peak in North Africa — rising in the distance. There's no climbing involved, just time in the mountain air with the valley spread out around you. Afterward we'll head to Kasbah Tamadot for lunch, where the kitchen cooks with produce from its own garden and the setting is worth lingering over. We'll return to Marrakech in the afternoon for a traditional hammam and massage at the hotel spa, along with time to unwind at the indoor and outdoor pools. This evening is at leisure, with several dining options at Selman — Moroccan, international, or a table beside the garden and pool.

Accommodations: Selman Marrakech
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L)

Moroccan Kitchens & Majorelle Blue

This morning we'll head to La Maison Arabe for a private cooking workshop led by a dada, one of the traditional Moroccan cooks who have carried these recipes through generations. You'll learn to prepare three courses, and then sit down to the meal you've made. In the afternoon we'll visit the Majorelle Garden, where the French painter Jacques Majorelle spent forty years gathering plants from five continents around a villa painted in the cobalt blue that now carries his name. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought the garden in 1980; Saint Laurent's ashes were scattered here after his death in 2008. Tucked into Majorelle's old painting studio is the small Berber Museum, with jewelry, textiles, and ceramics from Saint Laurent and Bergé's own collection. There's time afterward for the YSL museum next door and the boutiques in the surrounding neighborhood. Tonight we'll enjoy a farewell dinner at SABO, where Michelin-starred chef Jean-François Piège brings French technique to Moroccan ingredients.

Accommodations: Selman Marrakech
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

Departure

After breakfast, we'll transfer to Marrakech airport for your departure flights. As you carry home memories of imperial cities, mountain villages, and warm hospitality, Morocco will stay with you long after you've gone.

Meals: Breakfast (B)