Morocco Imperial Cities Tour: Marrakech, Fes, Meknes and Rabat
Morocco's four imperial cities are Marrakech, Fes, Meknes and Rabat, each a royal capital at some point in the country's history and each with a UNESCO-listed historic centre. A private imperial cities tour links them by road, usually adding Volubilis and Chefchaouen, as a loop from Casablanca or Marrakech lasting five to ten days.
The four imperial cities at a glance
| City | Royal capital under | UNESCO listing | Do not miss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fes | The Idrisids and the Marinids, from the late 8th century | Medina, 1981 | Fes el-Bali, the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine medersas, the Chouara tannery |
| Marrakech | The Almoravids, Almohads and Saadians, from the 11th century | Medina, 1985 | Jemaa el-Fna, the Koutoubia, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs |
| Meknes | Sultan Moulay Ismail, late 17th to early 18th century | Historic city, 1996 | Bab Mansour, Place el-Hedim, the Heri es-Souani granaries and stables |
| Rabat | The capital since 1912 | Modern capital and historic city, 2012 | The Kasbah of the Udayas, the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Chellah |
The cities sit close together in the north and far apart in the south. Rabat to Meknes and Meknes to Fes are short drives, while Fes to Marrakech is about six to seven hours direct on the motorway via Rabat and Casablanca. That geography shapes every route.
Volubilis and Chefchaouen
Volubilis is not an imperial city, but it belongs on every imperial route. It was a Roman provincial town, UNESCO-listed in 1997, and its mosaic floors remain where they were found, under open sky. It lies about 40 minutes from Meknes beside the hilltop holy town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, so the two make an easy morning between Meknes and Fes. Our guide to Volubilis and Meknes has the history.
Chefchaouen, the blue town in the Rif, is not imperial either, but it is the add-on most people ask for. It is about 3.5–4 hours from Fes, so it deserves a night of its own rather than a detour.
Classic loops
| Start | Route | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Casablanca | Casablanca – Rabat – Meknes and Volubilis – Fes, ending in Fes | 5 |
| Casablanca | Casablanca – Rabat – Chefchaouen – Volubilis, Meknes and Fes – Merzouga – the Dades and Todra gorges – Marrakech | 9–11 |
| Marrakech | Marrakech – Casablanca – Rabat – Chefchaouen – Fes – Merzouga – back over the High Atlas to Marrakech | 8–12 |
| Tangier | Tangier – Chefchaouen – the imperial cities – the Sahara – Marrakech | 12 |
The Marrakech loop runs equally well anticlockwise, and a loop from Casablanca can end in Marrakech for an open-jaw flight home. Start wherever your flights favour; our pages on Morocco tours from Casablanca and Morocco tours from Fes cover those departure points.
How many days do you need?
- 4–5 days: the imperial cities only, with no desert. A 4-day tour from Marrakech via Chefchaouen is the fastest version; five days from Casablanca to Fes is more relaxed.
- 7–8 days: the cities plus Chefchaouen and one night in the Sahara at Merzouga.
- 10–13 days: the grand tour, with all four imperial cities, Volubilis, Chefchaouen, the desert, the gorges and the High Atlas, plus two nights each in Fes and Marrakech.
A grand tour or a road trip?
"Grand tour" usually means the full circuit of Morocco: the imperial cities in the north, the Sahara in the east, and the High Atlas and Marrakech in the south. As a road trip it works best with your own driver. The motorways linking Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Marrakech are easy, but the medinas are closed to cars, parking near them is scarce, and the mountain roads over the Tizi n'Tichka and through the Middle Atlas reward someone who drives them every week. Our comparison of trains, buses, grand taxis and private drivers in Morocco sets out the alternatives honestly.
9-Day Private Morocco Tour from Casablanca: Authentic Culture, Desert & Imperial Cities
Casablanca
From € 870.00 based on 7 person This price is based on 7 travelers. Price varies for different group sizes.
12-Day Authentic Private Morocco Tour: Tangier to Marrakech via Sahara & Imperial Cities
Tangier
From € 1175.00 based on 7 person This price is based on 7 travelers. Price varies for different group sizes.
10-Day Classic Private Morocco Tour: Imperial Cities, Sahara Desert & Authentic Berber Culture From Casablanca
Casablanca
From € 960.00 based on 7 person This price is based on 7 travelers. Price varies for different group sizes.
13-Day Morocco Deluxe Imperial Cities & Desert Private Tour From Casablanca
Casablanca
From € 1260.00 based on 7 person This price is based on 7 travelers. Price varies for different group sizes.
4-Day Private Cultural Tour from Tangier: Imperial Cities, Atlantic Coast & Chefchaouen
Tangier
From € 379.00 based on 7 person This price is based on 7 travelers. Price varies for different group sizes.
5-Day Northern Morocco Gems: Casablanca to Fes Private Tour
Casablanca
From € 450.00 based on 7 person This price is based on 7 travelers. Price varies for different group sizes.
From Marrakech: 4-Day Private Tour to Imperial Cities via Chefchaouen
Marrakech
From € 340.00 based on 7 person This price is based on 7 travelers. Price varies for different group sizes.
11-Day Private Morocco Tour to Imperial Cities and Merzouga Desert
Marrakech
From € 1045.00 based on 7 person This price is based on 7 travelers. Price varies for different group sizes.
Getting more from the cities
- Two nights in Fes, at least. Fes el-Bali needs a full day on foot with an official guide; our Morocco guided tours page explains how driver-guides and local city guides work together.
- Meknes and Volubilis in one day, with Moulay Idriss Zerhoun between them, on the way from Rabat or Chefchaouen to Fes.
- Rabat in half a day. The Kasbah of the Udayas and the Hassan Tower are close together, and Rabat is the calmest of the four cities.
- Marrakech first or last, never in the middle: it is the furthest south and the natural gateway to the Atlas and the desert. Torn between the two great medinas? Read Marrakech vs Fes: which to visit first.
- Mind Friday midday. Many medina workshops close around Friday prayers, so plan the tanneries and souks for another time.
- Mosques from the outside. Most Moroccan mosques are closed to non-Muslims. The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is the notable exception, and worth an hour at the start of a loop from Casablanca.
Adding the Sahara
From Fes, Merzouga is about seven to eight hours through the Middle Atlas and the Ziz Valley, so the desert slots in naturally between the northern cities and Marrakech. That one-way crossing, from Fes to Erg Chebbi, the gorges, Ait Ben Haddou and Marrakech, is what turns an imperial cities tour into a grand tour. Our Sahara desert tours cover the shorter versions, and our 14-day Morocco grand tour itinerary walks through the full circuit day by day.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four imperial cities of Morocco?
Marrakech, Fes, Meknes and Rabat. Each served as the royal capital under one or more dynasties, from the Idrisids in Fes to Sultan Moulay Ismail in Meknes, and Rabat has been the capital since 1912. All four have historic centres on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
How many days does an imperial cities tour take?
Four to five days covers the cities themselves with Volubilis. Seven or eight days adds Chefchaouen and a night in the Sahara. For the full grand tour with the desert, the gorges and the High Atlas at a comfortable pace, allow ten to thirteen days.
Is it better to start from Casablanca or Marrakech?
Casablanca if your flight lands there: Rabat is about an hour away and the northern cities follow naturally. Marrakech if you want to begin with the south or end somewhere lively. The best plan is usually open-jaw, flying into one city and out of the other.
Can I do a Morocco road trip without a driver?
Yes. The motorways are good and hire cars are easy to find. The drawbacks are the medinas, which are closed to cars, scarce parking near the old cities, and long mountain roads after dark. A private driver removes those problems and lets everyone in the car watch the scenery.
More ways to travel
- Morocco Travel Guide: What to Know Before You Visit
- Morocco Family Tours: Private Trips Paced for Children
- Morocco Itinerary: Private Routes for 3 to 14 Days
- Morocco Guided Tours with Driver-Guides and Local City Guides
- Morocco Destinations: Where to Go, from Marrakech to the Sahara
- Morocco Holidays Built as Private Tours