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10 Days – Once a Year (usually in June)
Internationally renowned artists from around the world flock to Morocco's spiritual capital for the annual Fez Festival of World Sacred Music and perform a variety of styles, from Moroccan Sufi chants, Pakistani qawwali incantations, and Egyptian madhi odes, to flamenco-style Christian saeta, ancient Indian gwalior chants, and Turkish whirling dervishes. Over the course of the event, musicians from France to Rajasthan find common ground, with collaborative performances culminating the program. Your tour is interspersed with excursions to surrounding areas to bring you a unique cultural experience. Each day, explore highlights of Morocco, while taking in the delights of the festival by night.
Your cultural journey begins with welcome by your private driver upon your arrival at Casablanca. First visit highlights of Casablanca, including one of the world's most splendid monuments, the Hassan II Mosque, a stunning state-of-the-art gem of religious architecture. Continue on to Rabat, Morocco’s present-day capital and principal royal residence. Then on to Fez, the intellectual and religious heart of the nation, and fitting home of the annual Festival. Tour Fez el-Bali ("Fez the Old") and its medieval medina (old town), a UNESCO world heritage site crammed with narrow, winding streets, tiny squares, and artisan workshops. Visit centuries-old mosques and universities, see the multi-colored vats of the open-air tanneries, and shop for traditional wares made from copper, ceramics, and leather. Also visit Fez el-Djedid ("Fez the New"), built in the 13th century. Admire Fez’s Royal Palace and mellah (Jewish Quarter), the largest in Morocco.
From your base in Fez, enjoy a number of private excursions. First, explore Meknes, a former capital whose medina walls are adorned with exquisite gates considered among the best preserved in the Islamic world. The surrounding countryside reveals the near-perfectly preserved ruins of Volubilis, a thriving Roman settlement until the 4th century. Just beyond Volubilis lies the holy city of Moulay Idriss, a scenic whitewashed town where the first Arab dynasty was founded in 787 AD. The therapeutic hot springs of the village of Moulay Yacob draw Moroccans and foreigners alike. Nestled in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco, the delightfully picturesque town of Chefchaouen features a charming medina and inviting restaurants inviting restaurants serving delicious cuisine fusing Moroccan and Spanish flavors. You’ll wander entranced within the soft blue labyrinth created by the tinted whitewash of the town’s homes and streets. Sefrou is a picturesque Berber town that once boasted one of Morocco’s largest Jewish communities. Complete your spiritual journey through antiquity in Bhalil, an ancient Christian village.
Accommodations on this tour:
Fez: Sofitel Palais Jamai or Riad Fes
The hotels and riads listed are an example; you will stay there or somewhere of similar quality.
Cost:
$4180 per person based on 2 people on your party.
- We can craft the trip based on your budget and pace. If you can imagine it, we can make it happen!
- The trip can be altered to lower budge.
Features of this trip:
- Private guided travel with English-speaking driver (not a group tour)
- Itinerary can be customized based on your interest and budget. Also, you can lengthen or shorten the trip.
- Once a year (usually in June )
- Designed for luxury Class (5* accommodation and services).
- Group discounts available
- 10-day trip begins in Casablanca and ends in Casablanca
- 9 nights luxury-class and best-available hotels or riads
- Activities: cultural connections, UNESCO World Heritage sites, exploration, stunning Berber villages, Atlas mountains, meet Berbers, souks and shopping, handicraft production, formal gardens, holy sites, Roman ruins, historical sites, sightseeing, hiking, walking, authentic local culture
- Activity level: Easy to Challenging depending on your preference.
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