MOROCCAN ART OF LIVING
FULLY ESCOURTED SMALL GROUP TOUR
4TH OCTOBER TO 20TH OCTOBER 2024
Experience an insider’s guide to Morocco with our fully escorted 17-day immersive tour with Marieke’s Art of Living
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR ITINERARY
Typical of the style of Art of Living Tours, this captivating itinerary offers sublime and intimate riad and heritage accommodation, deep interaction with the local culture, authentic cuisine and a sense of adventure in an exotic destination that through the centuries has embraced Arabic, Persian, Andalusian and French influences – a tour for the mind and all the senses.
We invite you on a luxurious magic carpet ride of Morocco – a country that is an eye-opening example of modern and extremely sophisticated Islamic culture – tolerant of all belief systems; with well ordered cities and infra structure; beautifully preserved monuments; stunning craftsmanship, with dazzling aesthetics, spell-binding scenery, wonderful food and inordinately generous people.
Rabat
Day 1
You will be met on arrival in Casablanca (or Rabat) and transferred to the elegant palm-lined boulevards of Rabat, an historic city now the administrative and political capital of Morocco since independence in 1956 from 44 years of French rule. Two nights are spent in the city's newest luxury riad with a rooftop pool and wonderful objets d’arts.
Day 2
Enjoy a tour of this ‘royal’ city known nowadays as the 'Washington' of North Africa, because of its parks, boulevards, monuments, embassies and government buildings, and as the seat of the Royal Family, with a great many bewitching palaces, mosques and parks-all in the sensual North African style.
Visit the picturesque Kasbah des Oudayas with its winding alleys and sea glimpses, the Royal Palace, the Hassan II Minaret and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Lunch will be in a seafood restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, followed by a walk in the Medina.
Tangier via Asilah
Day 3
On today’s drive, stop at the very charming, artistic town of Asilah before a seafood lunch overlooking the sea. Later arrive into the cosmopolitan bustling city of Tangier bounded by the Rif Mountains, the calm waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
Tangier still retains the allure that captured the imagination of so many celebrities from Barbara Hutton, Noel Coward, Paul Bowles to Kerouac and Yves St Laurent.
Day 4
Today’s excursions include St Andrews Church, the souk and Medina and a very special private visit to the American Legation where you will see the fine collection of paintings, prints, and books with a room especially devoted to Paul Bowles. Lunch today will be at the private home of a local Tangier expat in a charming garden.
Fes
Day 5
Fes is a great jewel of Spanish Arabic civilization.
On arrival, check into your sumptuously restored riad, located within the medina, with its tiled courtyard gardens filled with fragrance, panoramic roof terrace and hammam.
Day 6
Today is devoted to exploring the fascinating UNESCO world-heritage Medina. You will walk through the gardens of Jnan Sbil by the Medersa and Karaouiyine Mosque, the shrine of Zaouia Maoulay Idriss II and see craftsmen working in the narrow lanes much as they’ve done for centuries. Dinner in the gardens of a private riad including local wines.
Meknes
DAY 7
This morning depart for the Imperial City of Meknes. Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, Meknes became a capital under Sultan Moulay Ismaïl who turned it into an impressive city in Spanish-Moorish style.
Lunch will be a special stop at Moulay Idriss Zerhoun (Morocco’s holiest town), Dar Akrab, with its fabulous, soulful home cooking and incredible mountain views overlooking the vast plains of Volubilis.
After lunch visit the UNESCO Archaeological Site of Volubilis- the Mauritanian capital, founded in the 3rd century B.C. that became an important outpost of the Roman Empire and was graced with many fine buildings.
Agafay Desert
DAY 8
Drive to the Agafay desert.
Today experience the more rural aspects of Morocco during the journey to reach Roches Noirs, a rough, dry, red moon-like desert 40 minutes south-west of Marrakech with a surrounding landscape, all rolling, pastel pink mountains, palms and olive trees and magnificent sunrises and sunsets
Take time to relax around this amazing eco-friendly oasis. Ride a camel at sunset. Dinner is served under the stars and you spend the night in a comfortable cabana.
Atlas Mountains
DAY 9
The next two nights are at a peaceful Franco-Moroccan retreat offering spectacular views towards Mount Toubkal, the highest peak of the Atlas Range. The luxurious, dreamy property mixes North African traditional style with modern Marocaine: think earthy tones, large tiled bathrooms, and comfy beds.
Lunch today is a typical Berber feast served in a traditional village home that can be reached via a gentle scenic trek, mules, or jeep.
DAY 10
Spend the day in the Atlas Mountains to enjoy your retreat to swim, relax or take massages and hammams before dinner. Highlights today include two spectacular gardens - Austrian artist André Heller’s opulent, 3-hectare botanical wonder garden, and Swiss born Christine's inspirational Paradis du Safran.
Essaouira
DAY 11
Drive three hours to reach the gorgeous walled town that hugs the Atlantic where you will stay three nights.
En route stop for lunch at Val d’Argan vineyard for a sumptuous, authentic lunch served al fresco in the first and only Moroccan vineyard exclusively dedicated to thirteen grape varieties from the Rhône Valley.
You’ll also visit a biodynamic argan oil farm operated by a Swiss Moroccan company that produces the region’s most prized oil for culinary and cosmetic purposes.
Built into the medina walls, Heure Bleue hotel is an oasis of luxe.
DAY 12
This morning enjoy a guided walk of the town seeing the souk, the ramparts, and the harbor. The afternoon is free to ‘flaneur’. The fortified medina’s spice-scented lanes and palm-lined avenues have many galleries and boutiques
Dinner at La Table where style meets substance at Essaouira's best restaurant.
DAY 13
Essaouira is a delightful town flanking the Atlantic with its ancient ramparts and busy fishing harbour designed by the Frenchman who designed Brittany’s most famous port town, Saint-Malo. Once you enter the walls, it is infinitely Moroccan, an easy going town, with lovely sea breezes where you are free to roam, explore the very friendly easily navigated medina, enjoy walks along the broad beach and generally soak up its atmosphere.
Marrakech
DAY 14
Your retreat the last three nights was the first boutique riad-hotel in Marrakech restored in 1990s by Italian aristocrat, Count Fabrizio Ruspoli.
This afternoon take a guided foodie and historical tour of the ochre pink city, and wander the souks to explore everything from exquisitely embroidered shoes and belts to heady sacks of spice, woodwork, brass and copper-work, kaftans ranging from simple cotton to elaborately embroidered – ending at the Djemma El Fna Square, one of the busiest markets in Africa largely unchanged in 1000 years in time for sunset.
Dinner at +61 conceived by Australians.
DAY 15
This morning depart for the famous Les Jardin Majorelle gifted to the city by its inspired creator Yves Saint Laurent. Within the gardens is the splendid Berber Museum with displays of exceptional jewellery and ethnic costumes. Next door is the stunning new Museum dedicated to Yves St Laurent, designed by the French architectural firm, Studio KO. Within and around the gardens are some of the best contemporary boutiques in the country.
Dinner at Jnane Tamsna that takes a minimalist approach to Oriental splendour.
DAY 16
Today's activities will be curated according to guests' interests.
This might be a game of golf, a cooking class, some high end retail therapy, a day at a prestigious country club or visiting any of of the outstanding museums.
A Farewell dinner this evening at a glorious riad.
Luxury accommodation for 16 nights
Most meals throughout the itinerary
Wine with dinners
Transportation throughout in luxury air-conditioned vehicles with dedicated and experienced English-speaking drivers
Bottled mineral water in the vehicle daily
English-speaking licensed local guides in Marrakech, Rabat, Fes, Meknes, Volubilis, Essaouira, Tangier, with all entrance fees included
Hosting by Marieke and your local escort
Entrances to Jardin Majorelle, the Yves Saint Laurent and the Berber Museum in Marrakech
Atlas Mountains excursion
Cooking class
Local Tourist Taxes
Porterage at all hotels
Restaurant tips with all meals
Guides and drivers’ gratuities
Bank transfer and currency fluctuation fees
YOUR HOST
Marieke Brugman
Moroccan Art of Living
Marieke Brugman has over thirty years’ experience in the hospitality and travel industries. She specialises in luxury, cultural and culinary vacations and yoga retreats around the globe, hallmarked by meticulous planning and maximum enjoyment for her guests.
Her wonderful destinations in the last three decades have included Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, France, Turkey, China and Bali. More recently Marieke has found a love of India, in it’s many guises, conducting several tours there as well as Kashmir, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
This is Marieke’s 4th tour to Morocco in collaboration with Prior Arrangement, and we are looking forward to another successful immersion in the art, culture and history of this fascinating country.
