Day 2

Rabat is an elegant city, as it has been the capital of Morocco and the official residence of the king since the beginning of the 20th century. However, this capital maintains a traditional Moroccan character like all the historical cities of the country. Our morning tour begins with the fortified Kasbah Oudaya, which includes the 17th-century royal residence and its Andalusian-style garden. Mausoleum of Mohamed V, a masterpiece of Moroccan art and crafts, next to which stands the medieval Hassan tower built at the end of the 12th century. We leave Rabat and head inland to the city of Meknes, which served as the capital of Morocco in the 17th century for Sultan Moulay Ismail. This king had the reputation of being a ruthless warrior, but he was also a builder, for during his 55-year reign, he turned Meknes from a small town into a majestic capital with giant walls, monumental gates, palaces, and more than 15 miles of exterior walls. . Our tour leader will take us on a comprehensive tour of the city's highlights, such as the impressive granaries and stables built by the Sultan for his cavalry, the King's Mausoleum housed within a beautifully constructed mosque, the monumental gate of Bab El Mansour dominating El Hedim square and the colorful food market. In the afternoon we will take a walk through a beautiful landscape to the archaeological site of Volubilis, the largest of the Roman colonies established in Morocco between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD We will be guided through this World Heritage Site whose excavated ruins stand out especially for its amazing colorful mosaics and remains of Roman monuments such as the Basilica, the Temple and the Arc de Triomphe. At the end of the afternoon we will go to the city of Fez to check in at our hotel.