Morocco's four imperial cities in ten days — a sequenced route by train and bus that covers the country's grandest monuments without rushing any of them.
Four Capitals, One Country
Morocco has had four imperial capitals over the past thousand years, and each one still carries the physical weight of that history. Casablanca is the commercial present, Rabat the administrative capital since the French protectorate, Fes the spiritual and intellectual core that has changed least in seven centuries, and Marrakech the southern gateway that became Morocco's international face. Linking them in ten days is entirely achievable by ONCF train and overnight CTM bus, and it gives a more complete picture of the country than any single destination can.
Day-by-Day Route
- Days 1-2 — Casablanca: the Hassan II Mosque guided tour runs at 9am, 10am, 11am, and 2pm (non-Muslim entry 120 MAD). Walk the Corniche seafront in the afternoon. Day 2: the Art Deco architecture of the Ville Nouvelle — the Central Market on Rue de Foucauld is worth an hour.
- Day 3 — Rabat: ONCF train from Casa Voyageurs, 45 minutes (45 MAD second class). Kasbah des Oudayas overlooks the Bou Regreg estuary; Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V are a 10-minute walk. Chellah necropolis is 2km south and best in late afternoon light. Return to Casablanca or sleep in Rabat (riads from 500 MAD).
- Days 4-6 — Fes: ONCF train from Rabat, 3hrs 30min (105 MAD second class). Day 4: upper medina — Bou Inania Medersa (entrance 20 MAD), the Chouara tanneries viewed from a leather shop terrace (free with purchase). Day 5: lower medina — Foundouk Nejjarine (woodwork museum, 20 MAD), Andalusian quarter across the river. Day 6: hire a local guide (250-300 MAD half day) for Volubilis, 60km northwest — the best-preserved Roman site in North Africa.
- Day 7 — Meknes: 1 hour from Fes by train (35 MAD). Bab Mansour gate, the Heri es-Souani royal granaries and stables (10 MAD entry), the medina souks. Day trip from Fes is easy; overnight in Meknes saves backtracking.
- Days 8-9 — Marrakech: CTM overnight bus from Fes or Meknes (160-190 MAD, departs around 11pm, arrives 6am) or fly (Transavia and RAM both serve the route from 350 MAD). Two days covers Djemaa el-Fna, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, Majorelle Garden (book online, 80 MAD), and the main souks.
- Day 10 — Depart: Marrakech Menara airport is 6km from the medina (petit taxi 70-100 MAD). ONCF also connects Marrakech to Casablanca for onward flights (3hrs, 100 MAD).
Imperial Cities by the Numbers
9th century
Year Fes was founded (859 AD)
105 MAD
ONCF second-class Rabat to Fes
500-800 MAD
Riad per night, mid-range
2,000+
Streets in the Fes el-Bali medina
160-190 MAD
CTM overnight bus Fes to Marrakech
I hired a local guide for the Fes medina on day two and it completely changed what I was seeing. Without him I had just been walking in circles past the same spice stall. With him I understood which quarter I was in and why the buildings looked different.
Staying in Riads vs. Hotels
The imperial cities are where a riad makes the most sense. In Fes el-Bali, your riad is often the only quiet space in a medina of 150,000 residents. A mid-range riad in the Fes medina costs 500-700 MAD per night for a double room, including breakfast. In Marrakech the range is wider: budget riads near Bab Doukkala start at 400 MAD, while the luxury end around Mouassine runs 2,500-4,000 MAD. Both cities have comfortable international hotels outside the medina walls for travellers who prefer that, but you lose the morning call to prayer echoing off the courtyard tiles.
Book Hassan II Mosque in Advance
The Hassan II Mosque tour in Casablanca sells out in peak season (July-August, Easter). Book tickets online at billetterie.fondationhassan2.com at least 48 hours ahead. Non-Muslim visitors are not permitted inside without a guided tour ticket.
