| Day |
Schedules and Accommodations |
1-2
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Depart Home / Casablanca, Morocco
Morocco awaits! You’ll depart the U.S. in the evening of Day 1 on your included overnight flight to Casablanca … and your Vantage Deluxe World Travel President’s Tour!
Arrive in Casablanca in the morning of Day 2, and be transferred to your hotel for guaranteed morning check-in. You’ll have time to explore the neighborhood around the elegant Golden Tulip Farah Casablanca hotel this afternoon. Tonight, gather with your fellow Vantage travellers for a Welcome Cocktail Party and Dinner.
Golden Tulip Farah Casablanca Hotel  (D) |
3
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Casablanca / Rabat
After breakfast, enjoy a very special city tour of Casablanca, “Casa”
to the locals. Today’s Casa was fashioned after Marseilles by the
French in the early 20th century, and it retains a European feel.
Explore the captivating heart of the city’s culture at the indoor
Central Market, where dates, olives, rice, and countless other goods
overflow their stalls. Then stop at the city hall to admire its
intricate Moorish architecture. You’ll also visit the Hassan II Mosque,
completed in 1993. Its minaret makes it the tallest mosque in the
world, and its sheer breadth makes it the second largest mosque after
Mecca, able to accommodate 25,000 worshippers. With a seaside locale,
it truly is a breathtaking sight.
After an included lunch in Casablanca, transfer to Rabat. Tonight,
enjoy your first Dine-Around evening — joining a smaller group to dine
on Moroccan fare at a local restaurant.
Golden Tulip Farah Rabat Hotel (B,L,D) |
4
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Rabat
Morocco’s capital takes its name from the ribat, or fortified
monastery, built here in the tenth century. This morning, set off on a
Rabat city tour. After witnessing the daily bustle of Boulevard Mohamed
V, the city’s main avenue, you’ll see the parliament buildings and
Royal Palace. Continue to the Hassan Tower and its unfinished mosque
and the Mohammed V Mausoleum, where the king who led the country to
independence is interred and the ruins of Chellah. You’ll conclude your
tour at the lovely Gardens of Ovadada Museum, and have the afternoon at
leisure.
This evening, get ready for our Presidential Gala Welcome Dinner &
Dance at the elegant, Kabbaj Palace — a Moorish architectural gem that
was once home to the Kabbaj Family. Enjoy sumptuous Moroccan cuisine
accompanied by festive traditional music. Then enjoy dancing in this
magical setting. If you’ve been on President’s trips in the past, then
you know how spectacular this evening will be!
Golden Tulip Farah Rabat Hotel (B,D) |
5
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Rabat
Cultural Connection: After breakfast, learn a few key phrases in
Arabic to help you with day to day interactions. Then, learn about the
past and present roles of women in this traditionally patriarchal
culture, and hear how the country’s new king has loosened previous
customs. This lecture is sure to enlighten the rest of your journey.
The remainder of your day is at leisure. Perhaps you’ll stroll the
intriguing warrens of the medina, rubbing elbows with welcoming
merchants.
Tonight, join our special optional tour, Contrasting Cultures. You’ll
be the guests of a couple who come from two different religions: Muslim
and Christian. It’s sure to make for fascinating discussions. Then join
your hosts in one of Morocco’s finest restaurants, where strains of
traditional music will accompany your meal.
Golden Tulip Farah Rabat Hotel (B) |
6
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Rabat / Fez
After breakfast, journey inland to Fez. Arrive in Fez in time for lunch
on your own. Fez is a dazzling mix of ancient and modern. You’ll start
with a tour of the European-flavored city, developed under the French
protectorate. Cultural Connection: You’ll stop at a village of cave-dwelling Berbers to
observe their highly distinct culture. They are remarkably welcoming,
as you’ll discover when they welcome you into their homes as their
guest. Tonight, enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Jnan Palace Fes  (B,D) |
7
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Fez
Fez’s medina is the largest and most medieval of its kind in the Arab
world. You’ll visit here after breakfast and marvel at how little the
Western world has influenced daily life here. Cultural Connection:
Your morning features two opportunities to witness Moroccan
craftsmanship. At a ceramics shop, observe — and even try your hand at
— shaping clay into keepsakes. Then you’ll visit a carpet shop, where a
loom demonstration shows you the intricacy that this art entails.
Lunch today, and the afternoon, is on your own.
Cultural Connection: This evening, meet an official of Fez who will
fill you in on the internal workings of the city’s government, and talk
about his city’s future.
Tonight, enjoy your second Dine-Around evening in smaller groups in a unique Fez restaurant.
Jnan Palace Fes (B,D) |
8
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Fez
Journey to Meknes and Volubilis this morning. Meknes is the least
visited of Morocco’s Imperial cities. This lends it a remarkable
authenticity. Straddling the Boufekrane River, it is surrounded by 15
miles of fortified walls, and 20 sturdy gates.
After an included lunch here, continue to Volubilis, the farthest
continental outpost of ancient Rome. Its setting is magnificent:
perched on a craggy plateau that overlooks a river to the south, and
mountains of the Zerhoum range to the north. Explore its ancient
streets and buildings, most dating from the second and third centuries.
Jnan Palace Fes (B,L) |
9
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Fez / Marrakech
Today is a long transfer day to Marrakech, with a stop for an included
lunch. Along the way, we journey through the dramatic Middle Atlas
Mountains, passing Berber communities along the way.
Atlas Medina & Spa Marrakech (B,L) |
10
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Marrakech
You’ll fall under the spell of the imperial city of Marrakech, once the
capital of a vast empire that stretched as far as the frontiers of
Libya. On this morning’s city tour of Marrakech, you’ll see the
Koutobia Minaret, called by some the most perfect Islamic monument in
North Africa … Bahia Palace, whose translation (“brilliance”) may well
reflect its beauty … and the Saadian tombs, an ornately decorated
mausoleum containing 60 members of the 16th century Saadi Dynasty.
Then, enjoy lunch on your own.
Cultural Connection: This afternoon, you’ll meet some university
students for an open discussion about life in today’s Morocco. This is
a rare opportunity to hear firsthand how the country’s youth perceive
their, and
our, culture.
For dinner, sample another Moroccan restaurant with a small group during our third and final Dine Around meal.
Atlas Medina & Spa Marrakech (B,D) |
9-12
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Depart home / Arrive Casablanca
|
12
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Marrakech
Today is at leisure for you to return to some of your favorite spots on
your own. Perhaps you’ll peruse the souks where you can bargain for
treasures. You’ll find metal workers, tailors, jewelers, wool dyers,
spice merchants, carpet vendors, and much more. Or discover new spots
to visit, like the Agdal Gardens, a peaceful park adjacent to the Royal
Palace, with tranquil pools fed by the High Atlas Mountains.
Cultural Connection: Tonight, join us for a thrilling Presidential
Farewell Dinner, Arabian style! Enjoy a Moroccan feast and lively
entertainment by local Berbers and Tuaregs, featuring belly dancing,
flame-eating, and lots of surprises — a perfect way to celebrate your
Moroccan adventure!
Atlas Medina & Spa Marrakech (B,D) |
13
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Marrakech / Casablanca
After breakfast, return to Casablanca and spend the afternoon at
leisure. Your Vantage Program Manager can recommend the perfect spot
for lunch, and dinner is included at the hotel. Or, begin your optional
Essaouira extension this morning and return to Casablanca for your
final night at the end of your extension.
Golden Tulip Farah Casablanca Hotel (B,D) |
14
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Casablanca / Return Home
Bid farewell to your travel mates this morning. You’ll transfer to the airport for your flight home.
(B) |
Please note: passengers
taking the optional post extension will depart for Essaouira on Day 13
and will do the included night in Casablanca at the end of the
extension. |
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