Booking choice: The 3-day small-group tour, from $309 per person. Check dates Tour details
The imperial cities are Fes, Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat: the four cities that served as Morocco's capital under different dynasties. Each has a UNESCO-listed historic centre.
Tour titles use the phrase loosely. Here is what each city is, which ones the trip to Chefchaouen actually stops in, and how to add the one it skips.
The quick answer
The four imperial cities are Fes, Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat. The 3-day tour starts and ends in Marrakech, stops about an hour in Rabat and spends a night and a guided morning in Fes. Meknes is not a scheduled stop. Casablanca, where the tour also stops, is not an imperial city.
What are the imperial cities of Morocco?
Fes, Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat, the four historical capitals of Morocco.
Each was the seat of power under one or more dynasties (overview), and each old centre is on the UNESCO World Heritage list today.
| City | Capital under | UNESCO | On the 3-day tour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fes | Founded 789 to 808 by Idris I and Idris II; capital again under the Marinids | Medina of Fez, 1981 | A night and a guided morning |
| Marrakech | Founded 1070/71; capital of the Almoravids and Almohads | Medina of Marrakesh, 1985 | Start and end |
| Meknes | Capital from 1673 under Moulay Ismail | Historic City of Meknes, 1996 | Not a stop |
| Rabat | Founded in the 12th century under the Almohads; capital since 1912 | Rabat, 2012 | About 1 hour |
Three imperial cities and Chefchaouen in three days: check dates for the small-group loop.
Check dates for the 3-day small-group tourWhich imperial cities does the 3-day tour visit?
Three of the four: Marrakech at the start and end, Rabat for about an hour, and Fes for a night and a guided morning.
Fes gets by far the most time, which is fair: it is the one made for exploring on foot. Rabat is a short stop on the long first day. See the day-by-day itinerary for how the hours split.
Why is Casablanca on the tour if it is not an imperial city?
Because of the Hassan II Mosque: Casablanca was never a royal capital, but its seafront mosque is one of Morocco's landmarks.
The mosque was completed in 1993, has a 210-metre minaret and holds 25,000 worshippers inside. Non-Muslims can go in on the mosque's own guided tours, which are not in the tour price. Details in visiting the Hassan II Mosque.
What makes Fes special?
Its medina has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981, and it is the one imperial city the tour lets you explore on foot with a guide.
The University of al-Qarawiyyin was founded there in 857 to 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, and the Chouara tannery still works in the centre. On the tour, a local guide takes you through the souks, past the tanneries and to the medersas. See the Fes medina on the tour.
What can you see in Rabat in an hour?
One or two sights, such as the Hassan Tower esplanade, the unfinished 12th-century minaret in the photo above.
Rabat has been the capital since 1912 and is a modern city as well as an imperial one, with wide roads and a riverfront. An hour is a taster, not a visit; if Rabat matters to you, the private 4-day tour stops there for about two hours on the way back.
Can you add Meknes and Volubilis?
Not on the 3-day group tour: neither is a scheduled stop. On a private tour, ask the operator before you book whether they can be added.
Meknes, Moulay Ismail's capital, lies near Fes, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis (UNESCO 1997, entry about 70 dirhams) are close by. On the private 4-day tour, one guest wrote that Volubilis was a really nice surprise even in the pouring rain. It is not on that tour's published itinerary, so ask the operator before you book.
Want to ask for Meknes or Volubilis? The private 4-day tour gives Fes two nights and only your group travels.
Explore the 4-day private tour Tour detailsWhat about Marrakech itself?
Marrakech is the start and end point, so see it before or after the trip rather than on it.
The medina has been a UNESCO site since 1985. The tour leaves early on day one and returns on day three, so plan your Marrakech days around it.
Is "imperial cities tour" an honest name?
Partly: you see three of the four imperial cities, plus Casablanca and Chefchaouen, which are not imperial cities.
That is not a reason to skip it: the Hassan II Mosque and Chefchaouen are what many travellers come for. Just know that Meknes is missing and that Rabat is brief.
Happy with three of four? Check dates for the tour with two riad nights and a Fes guide.
Check dates for the 3-day small-group tourFrequently asked questions
How many imperial cities does Morocco have?
Four: Fes, Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat, the historical capitals.
Is Casablanca an imperial city?
No. Casablanca was never a royal capital. Tours stop there for the Hassan II Mosque.
What is the capital of Morocco today?
Rabat, which has been the capital since 1912.
Can you see all four imperial cities in 3 days?
Not on the 3-day Chefchaouen tour, which skips Meknes. A private tour may add it if you ask in advance.
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
3-Day Imperial Cities to Chefchaouen
- 2 nights in a riad or hotel, in Fes and in Chefchaouen
- Local guide for the Fes medina tour
- Air-conditioned transport from Marrakech and back
4-Day Private Imperial Cities & Chefchaouen
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with wifi on board
- Local guides in Fes and in Chefchaouen
- 2 nights in Fes and 1 night in Chefchaouen
Marrakech to Casablanca Day Trip
The Hassan II Mosque and the Atlantic in one long day
