Please note: this tour is not suitable for guests with walking difficulties or using a wheelchair as long periods of walking are involved. This tour is not available for guests onboard MSC Orchestra

Please note: this tour is not suitable for guests with walking difficulties or using a wheelchair as long periods of walking are involved. This tour is not available for guests onboard MSC Orchestra.

Among the must-sees during your stay in North Africa is the historical coastal city of Rabat, which is not only the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, but also the country’s third-largest metropolis with a population of around 650,000 inhabitants. After boarding a modern coach at the port in Casablanca, a 1.5-hour drive will first take you north to reach your destination, the seat of the Moroccan government and the King’s residence: the city of Rabat. Your guided tour of the capital’s main highlights begins at Grand Mechouar Official Square and then moves on to Hassan Tower, the minaret of what was once intended to become the world’s largest mosque when building began in 1195. Only four years later, construction work stopped when the sultan died and all that remains now of the ambitious building project are the beginnings of several walls and around 300 unfinished columns. A visit to the elegantly white Mausoleum of Mohammed V, which contains the tombs of the late Moroccan king along with his two sons, as well as the manicured gardens belonging to the Kasbah of the Udayas round out your guided tour before you head back to Casablanca and your ship.

Also known as the “Athens of Africa” for the beauty of its old quarter, the city of Fez makes a spectacular destination for a day of sightseeing off the ship. After boarding your coach in Casablanca, a 3.5-hour coach ride will first take you inland through the Moroccan countryside – a highlight in itself. On arrival, the guided city tour will take you to see all the key attractions, including the ancient walled medina, the so-called Fes El Bali. This typical market area is divided into a number of different souks, each of which is dedicated to a specific type of artisan product, from woodwork to leather. Also on the itinerary are a look around the city’s walled Jewish quarter, called a mellah, as well as an outside viewing of Kairaouine Mosque, which dates back to the year 859 and is also a seat of higher Islamic learning, a so-called madrasa. A further stop will be made at the grand 14^th-century Medersa el-Attarine building, which was designed to function as an annexe to Kairaouine Mosque. To keep your strength up, lunch is also included in the tour, which comes to a close with your return journey to the port and your ship.