MOROCCO JOURNEY:
A journey through culture, connection, and rhythm
DAY ONE| DATE:
WELCOME TO MOROCCO
Arrive at Mohammed V International Airport or Rabat Sale Airport and transfer to Hotel Villa Mandarine
In the Casablanca (CMN) and Rabat (RBA) airports, you will be greeted by a Project Por Amor Representative, identified by signage. Taxi services, including tips, are included. The drive from the airport in Casablanca is approximately 90 minutes, and from Rabat, is a 25 minute ride to the hotel.
Mohammad V International Airport in Casablanca
Arrive at Hotel Villa Mandarine and check in
Your two-night stay in the beautiful Hotel Villa Mandarine in Rabat, Morocco’s capital city awaits. Well-located in the upscale Agdal neighborhood, we’ll be just minutes from the city’s most treasured historic landmarks. Settle into a serene oasis: the property is surrounded by three acres of lush gardens, sculptures and more than 700 fragrant orange trees. Unwind after your journey with a refreshing swim in the pool, a quiet stroll through the grounds, or a cocktail in the lounge. The hotel also has an exercise room and hammam (spa). Guest rooms will be ready for check-in after 3:00 PM. If you arrive earlier, we will do our best to secure your rooms as soon as possible.
Hotel Villa Mandarine, Rabat
7:00 pm ~ Welcome cocktails & group orientation
Meet your Project Por Amor Staff and fellow travelers at the orientation meeting for an overview and welcome drink. The Tour Guide will provide an overview of the journey we are about to embark on together. Having a sense of curiosity, asking engaging questions and diving deeply into subject matter creates a magical and meaningful journey. Arabic, Darija (a Moroccan Arabic dialect), French, Spanish and English are spoken in Morocco.
8:00 pm ~ Welcome dinner
The group will share a meal at the Hotel Villa Mandarine, considered one of the best restaurants in the area. Orchestrated by the talented chef Sylvain Brucato, it serves carefully prepared, delicious, local flavors. Beverages include a glass of wine, or beer, or juice, plus mineral water, tea, or coffee. After dinner, enjoy the peaceful surroundings filled with flowers and the scent of fruit trees.
Welcome Dinner at Villa Mandarine
DAY 2: DATE | RABAT
Breakfast at our hotel
Wake up to a delightful hotel buffet breakfast from 7:00 AM with a variety of classic options such as seasonal fruit, fresh baked pastries, eggs served in a variety of styles, coffee, tea and juice.
Daily Moroccan breakfast
9:00 am ~ City tour of Rabat: bus and walking
Join a guided tour by bus and foot. We’ll visit iconic landmarks such as the Bab Rouah, the city's "Gate of the Winds," built in the 12th century, then to the Royal Palace, home of the current king of Morocco, Mohammad VI. Then we’ll view the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, that houses the tombs of King Mohammed V and his two sons, King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah. Finally, a walking tour of the Kasbah des Oudayas and the old Medina where you will see classic Moroccan architecture and tilework.
12:30 pm ~ Lunch at La Menora restaurant
Enjoy a delicious lunch at La Menora Restaurant, known for its Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine. Enjoy several choices from a pre-set menu. Finish with a lovely pastry dessert before we venture to our afternoon destination: Chellah.
La Menora Restaurant, Rabat
2:30 pm ~ Visit to Chellah
After lunch, the group will tour the archaeological UNESCO World Heritage Site site of Chellah. Perched on the edge of Rabat overlooking the Bou Regreg River, it was once a thriving Roman city called Sala Colonia before becoming a royal Merenid necropolis in the 13th century. Wandering its sunlit pathways, we will encounter ornate carved doorways, a tranquil sacred pool shimmering with eels, and the gentle sound of storks echoing through the ruin. Chellah embodies living testimony of Morocco's history and the evolution of its civilization. When we enter the site, you are walking through the same gateway that welcomed medieval pilgrims.
UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chellah
4:00 pm ~ Afternoon and dinner on your own
Explore more of Rabat on your own. We will make recommendations to other interesting sites, activities or restaurants. Dinner is on your own.
Scenes of Rabat
DAY 3: DATE I MEKNES
Breakfast at our hotel
Wake up to a delightful hotel buffet breakfast from 7:00 AM with a variety of classic options such as seasonal fruit, fresh baked pastries, eggs served in a variety of styles, coffee, tea and juice.
8:00 am ~ Travel to Fez with a stop in Meknes
After breakfast, we’ll check out of Hotel Villa Mandarine to enjoy a beautiful drive to Fez. Before arriving in Fez, we will stop in Meknes, about a two hour drive from Rabat.
10:30 am ~ Guided tour of Meknes
Meknes is the former capital of Morocco and considered one of the four Imperial Cities (Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat). We will tour the city of Meknes for approximately one hour, where the tour guide will provide historical content about the region. We will see Bab Mansour Gate and the Moulay Ishmael Mausoleum inside the mosque. The Bab Mansour Gate is located on the south side of Place el-Hedim Square in the old city. It was originally the main ceremonial entrance to the Kasbah of Sultan Moulay Ismail, built in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Today it is one of the most famous and admired landmarks. It is a beautifully patterned design using zellige mosaics. We will learn more about tile work on our journey. Then we will view the Royal Palace on the way to Volubilis.