Desert and city tours from Tangier
Desert and city tours from Tangier
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Our travel agency offers high-quality desert and city tours from Tangier with the best itineraries. Moreover, you have the choice to book your own itinerary depending on your needs.
Best Morocco landcapes
With our Tangier city and desert tours, you will be able to see the beauty and discover the rich history of our country. Besides, with our local guides, you will have the chance to enjoy landscapes and Moroccan attractions.
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When you book one of our city or desert tours from Tangier, you can cancel your booking request 15 days before the arrival time.
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Our local guides and drivers are from the best in the domain of tourism. With high professionalism and quality, they will make sure to satisfy your needs and offer you the best desert and city tours from Tangier.
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Our team offers you the best desert and city tours itineraries from Tangier. The following is a list of our tours from different cities. if you wish to change the itinerary, feel free to contact us to adapt the changes.
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Related Morocco tours
Top destinations you will visit with city and desert tours from Tangier:
With our city and desert tours from Tangier, you leave home with a general idea about Morocco, its attractions, and beautiful landscapes. Always before starting a trip, you need to have a brief idea about the places you will visit. Below is a list of the most visited places on a tour from Tangier. Feel free to contact us for more details.
Tangier:
History of Tangier:
The port of Tangier was mentioned by Carthaginian travelers in 500 BC. Phoenician sailors have probably been here before. Moreover, after the fall of Carthage, Tangier became part of the Berber kingdom of Mauritania. Later, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, Tanger was a colony of the Great Roman Empire, the capital of Moorish Tingitania, and part of the Byzantine Empire.
By the 14th century, Tangier turned into one of the main Mediterranean ports, where sailboats from Europe often came. Loaded with fabrics and metal, which were changed for leather, carpets, sugar, and spices at local markets.
For almost 300 years, the city, which occupied a unique geographical position at the junction of Africa and Europe, passed from the hands of the Spaniards to the Portuguese and the British. As a result, Tangier became a contention zone in the late XIX century. France, Spain, Great Britain, and Germany fought for it. However, In 1906, a special conference was convened, at which Morocco was divided into zones of influence: Spanish and French. Tangier, which could not be divided, was given the status of a special zone under the management of an international commission.
The city was able to enter the Kingdom of Morocco only after 1956 when the independence of the whole country was declared. Not to mention, Tangier Casbah, or fortress, was built by the Portuguese in 1771. They did not have to go far for the material as they get them from the remnants of the Roman Empire buildings. From the observation deck in the casbah, you can see the Strait of Gibraltar and the mountains on its Spanish side.
The modern Tangier :
In the modern part of Tangier, there is the “Place de France” and the famous Tangier Cafe “Paris”, as well as the prestigious quartier of “La Montagne” with chic houses. Also, we find the Grand Socco, located in the center of Tangier. From the Spanish word “socco” which means “store”, but this place is no longer a shopping district anymore.
There are many cafes and restaurants, as well as souvenir stores on Socco. Furthermore, a pedestrian street starts from the place, which crosses the main attractions of the city and ends at the Kasbah of Tangier. The Kasbah was built on the highest point of the Medina and has been fairly well preserved to this day. In addition to that, It is interesting to see the Palace of the Sultans, which was built during the reign of Sultan Mula Ismail in the 17th century. The Palace houses the Museum of Ancient History with the famous Roman mosaic “Le Voyage de Venus” and the Museum of Moroccan Art. Also, not far from the Palace of the Sultans, there is the Great Mosque and the Mendoubia Gardens, where trees over 800 years old grow.
The famous “Pillars of Hercules”, which are actually caves, are located 18 kilometers from the city. These caves appeared due to seawater for several hundred years, and later by people who extracted stone here for millstones. Also, according to Greek mythology, Hercules lived in these caves after discovering Tangier and creating the Strait of Gibraltar. At high tide, the water fills the caves and at low tide, it regresses.
To sum up, with our desert and city tours from Tangier, you will be able to see the beauty of this city and enjoy its wonderful attractions.
Rabat:
Introduction :
Rabat is one of the four “imperial” cities of Morocco, along with Marrakech, Fes, and Meknes. It has a strategic location in one of the five valleys of Morocco. The city reached its apogee during the “holy war” of Moroccan Muslims with Spain. The Moroccan Sultan Abd al-Mumen and his warrior grandson Yakub al-Mansur transformed Rabat into an impregnable fort. Moreover, The name of the city’s main fortress is Kasbah of the Udayas. It comes from the name of the Berber tribe Udayas, who was its first garrison.
In terms of form, Rabat has the outline of an irregular quadrilateral, surrounded on the south and west by a wall with a gate (Bab). Also, the historical core of Rabat is the Kasbah of the Udayas, a fortress of the 12th-17th centuries. It is located on a rocky cliff at the confluence of the Bou Regreg river in the ocean. Besides, the fortress was a formidable stronghold of the corsair republic, protection against pirates and raids by rebel tribes. In addition, Its former military importance appears in a huge niche of brownish-red brick and in some places preserved loopholes and bastions. The Andalusian emigrants who became corsairs built the Tower of the Pirates that dominates the Kasbah. The tower looks like a mountain fortress, raised on the very edge of a cliff that rises above the city.
The city of Rabat amazes by its particular architecture, which is a mixture of European and Oriental. Here, you can see mosques, ruins of ancient fortresses, markets, minarets, fishing villages, Christian monuments, temples, and European-style cafes. Not to mention, Rabat is located on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Bou Regreg river.
Foundation of the city :
The foundation of Rabat was in the 12th century. In 1150, during the reign of the Almohad dynasty in the Maghreb, near the ruins of the former colony of Sala, the fortified settlement of Rabat al-Fath (in Arabic – “victory camp”) was built. It served as a base for Muslim military expeditions to Andalusia, and later to repel foreign oppressors. The development of the city began at the end of the 17th century.
Rabat served as a refuge for Muslims expelled from Spain in the early 17th century, and only became the capital after the French occupation. The population of Rabat contains Muslims and Europeans in almost equal proportions.
In the 19th century. Rabat became an important political and economic center of Morocco. In 1912-1956, it becomes the administrative center of the French protectorate zone of Morocco. In the years 1930-1950, it was one of the centers of the national liberation struggle of Moroccans against the colonialists. After the independence of Morocco (1956), Rabat became the capital of the state.
Casablanca:
Hassan II mosque :
Casablanca was only a Berber colony. The name of the city comes from the Spanish translation of the name “White House”, given to the city by local residents. The most impressive building in the city is the huge Hassan II Mosque. Built on the edge of the ocean, it looks like a majestic ship. In the entire Islamic world, the Hassan II Mosque has no equal in terms of height and splendor of interior decoration. It features the works of Morocco’s most skilled craftsmen: frescoes, mosaics, wood carving and painting, and Arabic writing.
The prayer room has a beautiful decoration with 78 columns of pink granite. Also, golden marble tiles and green onyx cover the floors. Moreover, the room is lit by 50-ton Venetian glass chandeliers. Additionally, the room can accommodate 20,000 worshippers and another 80,000 on the esplanade. The minaret rises 200 meters above sea level. A laser beam, beating from the top of the minaret for 30 km, indicates the direction of Mecca. Furthermore, the mosque is an Islamic cultural center with its own madrasah, library, and museum. The French architect Michel Pinseau designed the mosque and opened it in 1993. It is one of the few mosques where non-Muslims have the possibility to enter at certain hours. It only costs about $10.
After seeing the main attraction of the city, don’t forget to visit the church of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Museum of Islamic Art, Mahama do Pasha.
Casablanca today is the economic, financial, and industrial capital of the Kingdom of Morocco. Located on the Atlantic coast, in the south of Rabat. It is a city with skyscrapers and the Hassan II Mosque, which can accommodate 25,000 people for prayer at the same time, plus another 80,000 on the square near the mosque.
Mohammed V airport :
The ultra-modern Mohammed V airport is like a mirror of the city: modern technology and traditional style coexist here. At the beginning of the 20th century, a development plan for the city was adopted, limiting its expansion in width. As a result, large buildings began to appear. Now the center of Casablanca is a set of streets scattered along the sides, built with modern buildings. Nevertheless, stand out for their originality and national flavor. The population of the city is more than 3.5 million people.
Casablanca’s port and attractions :
As Casablanca did not have a natural port, a 3-kilometer marina was built here. Casablanca has the largest port in the Atlantic and represents the intersection of the most important roads in Europe, Africa, and America. The local port is the fourth largest in Africa. Not to mention, you can swim on the beach of the city of Casablanca, but Agadir is more suited for a beach vacation. The beaches are artificial, but the quality is not inferior to natural beaches.
The Corniche neighborhood is the center of Casablanca’s nightlife. Here, you can walk slowly along the sea, sit in open restaurants, visit bars, discos, and nightclubs.
The city has not lost its national identity, remaining a monument to its country’s eventful history.
The old medina of Casablanca is a labyrinth of narrow streets, an endless market where you can buy absolutely everything.
To sum up, this city is ideal for organizing various conferences, seminars and business meetings. Many hotels have conference rooms, equipped meeting rooms, the hotels have a rich experience in organizing such events.
Fes:
Introduction :
The foundation of Fes was from 1200 years ago by the Moroccan saint Moulay-Idris I. Over time, Fes became the capital of an entire empire, whose borders extend from Spain to Senegal. The tomb of the city’s founder, Moulay-Idris, represents one of the holiest places in Muslim Morocco. Pilgrims from all over the country strive to get here. Also, the narrow and winding streets of the medina, the noise, and bustle of the eastern bazaar combine in Fes el-Bali in an unusual image for a European. You can lose your way here in a few minutes. Here, more than nine thousand streets and alleys are nameless. In addition, the oldest medina in Morocco represents plenty of neighborhoods where you can find weavers, cobblers, potters, and carpet makers. These streets are perhaps the narrowest in the world. Walking along some of them, you touch the walls with both shoulders.
History of Fes :
Originally, the main population of the city was 8,000 families expelled by Christians from Andalusia, Cordoba, Seville, and Granada. After 100 years, another 2,000 families joined them from the town of Kairouan in Tunisia. In Fes, they say: “All roads lead to Kairouan”.
Fes is one of the 4 imperial cities of the country with the largest and most impressive medina. Here, it is very easy to lose your direction. Moreover, the old city of Fes el-Bali has about 9400 streets and alleys. Moreover, After Morocco’s independence in 1956, the city became one of the main economic and cultural centers of the country. In 1980, the Medina of Fes el-Bali was declared as a world cultural heritage.
Since the 14th century, leather and wool have been treated and dyed in local dyes and tanneries. In the past, people used only natural dyes here. Times have changed, but the old workshops have remained the same.
Fes is the third-largest city in Morocco, after Casablanca and Rabat, with a population of 940,000. Also, Fes is one of the four “imperial cities” (Marrakech, Meknes, and Rabat). It is still considered the spiritual center of the Kingdom of Morocco. It is located 60 km from Casablanca.
Festival of Sacred Music :
Every year, at the beginning of June, the International Festival of Sacred Music takes place in Fes. The best-known musicians from religious communities in the Middle East, Asia, and the West meet in Fes. And that is in order to have a week of concerts, conferences, exhibitions, seminars, and exchanges of experiences. Here, you can see Sufi dervishes from Turkey dancing, listen to Berber music that induces trance, Arab-Andalusian music, sacred hymns from Hindustan, sacred music of the Celts, and the singing of psalms.
Moulay Idris Mosque :
Fes is a unique city. The Moulay-Idris Mosque (9th century), is one of the most protected sanctuaries in the Islam world. For that, animals are forbidden even to approach it. Furthermore, we find in this city the Tomb of Idris covered with golden silk brocade. As a result, pilgrims come here in the hope of finding good luck. Wooden planks at a height of 1.6 m above the ground remind you that you are entering a sacred place where believers must bow in front of a large shrine. In the Zawiya district, there is the mausoleum of the founder of the city. The wall of the mausoleum has a commemorative plaque with a hole in it, in which devout Muslims put their hand. This ceremony symbolizes their communion with the soul of the saint.
Marrakech:
Foundation of Marrakech :
The foundation of Marrakech was in the 1070s by Yusuf ibn Tashfin, founder of the Almoravid dynasty. The main reason for that is to control the movement of caravans through the Atlas Mountains. In a very short time, Marrakech became an important center of a part of North Africa, up to the border with Libya.
Marrakech is one of the ancient and mysterious capitals of Morocco. It has a beautiful location at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in the center of the country. Besides, the city is equidistant from Casablanca and Agadir. Despite the fact that Marrakech is not located on the coast, tourists from all over the world come here for leisure purposes.
Jemaa el-Fna square :
A wall with several kilometers long surrounds the Medina. Its heart is the Jemaa el-Fna square, which is on the list of UNESCO’s cultural heritage. It is a real hotbed of Moroccan exoticism where snake charmers play pipes, street musicians play unknown musical instruments, tattoo artists decorate tourists with henna, old storytellers tell their stories to everyone, fire-eaters marvel with their shows, and drums ring in the background. Moreover, in an open-air restaurant: aniseed snails are boiled, music plays, huge sweet dates are served everywhere…
Marrakech attractions :
Among the architectural monuments stand out: the Koutoubia mosque, the mausoleum of Yusuf ibn Tashfin, the Golden apple mosque, and the Bahia Palace. As well as the tomb of the Saadi dynasty, the royal palace Dar el-Makhzen…
In the city itself, it is worth seeing the Bahia Palace. This magnificent building was built in 1880 by the order of Ba Ahmed, the chief vizier of the sultans Moulay Hassan and Moulay Abd El Aziz. This property is surrounded by an eight-hectare garden and the building itself is a series of lush apartments overlooking the patio. It is said that a thousand craftsmen from the city of Fes worked on the palace for seven years. Not to forget, 160 rooms of the palace are inaccessible to visitors. Currently, part of the Bahia Palace premises is occupied by the royal army. That is why there is a guard at the entrance of the palace.
The construction of the Koutoubia Mosque began during the reign of the first ruler of the Almohad dynasty; Abdelmumen. After that, his grandson, Yakub El Mansour, decorated the mosque with a beautiful minaret, which has survived to this day.
Agadir:
History of Agadir :
In 1505, on the territory of present-day Agadir, a Portuguese maritime merchant decided to build the fort of Santa Cruz de Cap de Gue. Eight years later, the fort was sold to the Portuguese government as the Portuguese King Manuel I bought it. The reason behind that was to place a garrison there. By this time, Agadir had become a port of call for ships to Sudan or Guinea or from there to Europe. As well as an active commercial center visited by Portuguese, Genoese, and French sailors.
After, Moroccans conquered the city in 1541 by the Saadian Sultan Mohammed el-Sheikh. However, the city has long served as the main export port for products. We talk mainly about sugar cane. From the Sousse valley; Moroccans built a kasbah on the site of the Portuguese port. Later, in the 17th century, the Berbers occupied the plain of Sousse, and Moulay Ismail gradually conquered the coast.
However, in 1760, Sidi Mohammed changed the position of the city by closing the port and opening a new port in Essaouira. In 1911, the French and the Germans quarreled over Agadir as both greatly appreciated the city’s strategic position. And it was only after the First and Second World Wars that Agadir began to develop rapidly. Later, Agadir’s golden age arrived and ships loaded with sugar cane, wax, leather, oils, spices, and gold arrived in the city every day. This continued until 1960.
After, Agadir was reborn as an entertainment center. people used earthquake-resistant technology to build its new buildings.
Agadir today :
Agadir is today a seaside resort in southwest Morocco and the administrative center of the Moroccan province of the same name. It is the largest tourist center with modern hotels, discos, nightclubs, restaurants. As well as a large port city, and a fishing center. Al Massira Airport is located 28 km south of the city.
Agadir is located on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, about equidistant from the northern and southern borders of the country. In the ocean in front of Agadir, but slightly to the south, are the Canary Islands. Agadir is located at the foot of the Anti-Atlas mountains to the South. Whatever your path from Agadir, the breathtaking beauty and of nature opens up everywhere. If you move east, inland, you can go to the famous valley of Sousse; the center of citrus fruit cultivation surrounded by majestic mountains. At the mouth of the river of Sousse, you can often see a large number of wild birds, such as flamingos and ducks. Then comes the city of Taroudant, also called Marrakech in miniature.
With our desert and city tours from Tangier, you will have the chance to see Agadir’s interesting modern buildings: the post office, the town hall, and the justice – white houses alternating with gardens.