09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.
Description :
The kingdom of Morocco has a prosperous and treasured Jewish history dating back to ancient times. You will get the opportunity to learn all about it by touring the important sights and cities which are standing still and playing the role of a live witness for the Jewish culture and history. The Jewish sites in Morocco are under renovation and preservation with the goal to ensure the sites remain in fully tact as an integral part of Morocco’s living cultural heritage.
Highlights :
- Explore the Mellah of Marrakech, home to an exceptional spice bazaar and gold trade.
- Experience the largest remaining Jewish community of Morocco in the thriving city of Casablanca.
- Visit the often overlooked city of Salé to see the birthplace of Rabbi Hayyim Ben Moses.
- Explore the Blue Pearl of Morocco Chefchaouen and its Jewish Heritage.
- Discover the oldest existing synagogue, the Ibn Danan Synagogue, in the medieval city of Fes.
- Explore the Little Jerusalem named Sefrou and visit the cemetery where Rabbi Lahou Harroch and Rabbi Raphael Moshe Elbaz in Bhalil village.
- Explore the history and ritual of Moroccan Jews and the Sephardic Hillula traditions Heritage in Morocco.
Introduction :
Our rich and diverse country is known for its many influences. We are proud to share the Jewish heritage of Morocco on this one week tour starting from the pink city Marrakech. We have created this unique experience for our customers who wish to understand the history of the Jewish community and its influence in Morocco. This customized tour is an opportunity to discover with us the Jewish heritage and discover more fascinating about it.
Program details :
Day 1: Arrival to Marrakech
- 09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.
Welcome to the red city Marrakech which has always been a major travel destination in Morocco. You will be greeted by your private driver and transferred to your Hotel, where you will check in and relax. As soon as you feel refreshed, your driver will take you to wander through, the lively Jemaa El Fna Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its snake charmers, acrobats, storytellers and musicians. Spend the overnight with dinner at the hotel or Riad.
Meals: Dinner included
Day 2: Marrakech Sightseeing Tour
- 09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.
Today after breakfast you will discover the Magical city of Marrakech. First you will visit the old city of the Medina, consisting of intertwining narrow passageways and charming little shops where you can buy meaningful trinkets and souvenirs. Here, you will also find the former Jewish Quarter of the Mellah which really captures the original and historic vibrancy of community in Marrakesh. Visit the Lazama Synagogue which used to be the main synagogue in Marrakesh and one of the only ones open to the public today. Explore the remnants of Jewish communal buildings and soak in the history of the Jewish culture of Marrakech. We will then visit and Take photographs of the magnificent Bahia Palace, one of the major masterpieces of Moroccan architecture. We will conclude our full day in Djemaa El Fna: the main square of Marrakech, where you will be amazed by the food market, colours and street shows with the famous snake charmers and typical dancing and more. You will have some time at leisure before heading back to the hotel for the overnight with breakfast.
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 3: Marrakech – Casablanca - Rabat
- 09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.
Today we leave the administrative capital to the economic Casablanca, a home to the largest remaining Jewish community in Morocco. Begin your Jewish tour of Casablanca with a visit to the magnificent Hassan II Mosque, an architectural masterpiece, and a symbol of an Islam open to the world sitting pretty on an outcrop overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. During your guided tour inside the mosque, you will admire the intricate marble work, gilded cedar ceilings, stone and wood carving. We drive to visit the Temple Beth-El, the main Jewish Synagogue, famous for its uniquely beautiful stained-glass windows attracting tourists from around the world. Not just this, but experience the Jewish culture by paying a visit to witness the ethnography in its finest form at the Museum of Moroccan Judaism. It is truly a historic marvel! Move down now to the Habous Quarter in the New Medina, a mix of European art deco and Moorish style, pre-dating the French protectorate. After all these appealing sites, you can enjoy an optional visit to Temple Em Habanim and the Neve Chalom. We drive to the main capital Rabat to visit Mohamed V Mausoleum, the neighboring unfinished minaret of the Great Mosque, known also as the Hassan Tower and the delightful 12th century Kasbah of the Oudayas and the King’s Palace to savor and photograph the impressive arches, redolent of the finest Islamic architecture of the. Next you arrive at the Chellah necropolis, where Jews have lived during the time of the Phoenicians. Check in at the hotel for the overnight with dinner.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Day 4: Rabat - Tetouan - Chefchaouen
- 09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.
After breakfast, we leave Rabat towards the town of Tetouan deemed as a center for Jewish community originating from the time of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, was for many centuries the intellectual and religious center of the North of Morocco. The city has a well kept Mellah built in the traditional Andalusian style in 1808. The Mellah quarter enjoys the distinction of being the only one that still houses a majority of the resident community, who faithfully maintain their Judeo-Spanish language, traditions and customs. The city’s large and preserved cemetery comprises another historical landmark of great interest, most particularly the Castilian section, the burial ground for the earliest settlers from Spain. In the Mellah are three active Synagogues. Among these, the Synagogue Rabbi Isaac Ben Oualid, on the ground floor of the Rabbi’s home, is the most historic, and its interior the most picturesque, and many legends surround this building. Tetouan is the site of the first Alliance Israelite Universal School, established in 1862 after Morocco regained control of the city from the Spanish. We continue the Jewish heritage tour towards the blue washed town of Chefchaouen for the overnight with dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Day 5: Chefchaouen – Ouazzane – Meknes – Fez
- 09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.
Today you will explore Chefchaouen, Morocco's enchanting city beneath the striking peaks of the Rif Mountains. Whitewashed homes with red tile roofs line narrow, winding laneways, their walls painted in brilliant shades of blue. Then continue onto the holy city of Ouazzane to visit the sanctuary of a Jewish Saint venerated by both Muslims and Jews Rabbi Amram Ben Diwan. The Hiloulah takes place in Ouezzane and is considered the largest pilgrimage gathering for Moroccan Jews. The Jewish heritage tour continues to Meknes “the Moroccan Versailles” where the Jewish presence is evidenced by Hebraic epitaphs dating from the Christian era as well as Greek inscriptions that still appear in local Synagogues and a place of pilgrimage where the tomb of Rabbi’ David Benmidan, “The Patron of Meknes” is located. After lunch, you will tour Meknes starting from the ornamented gate of Bab Al Mansour to the old and new Mellah to see the past and new life conveyed through the historic Jewish names retained by many of the streets. We leave Meknes towards Fez with a stop at Volubilis, a well-preserved Roman city, where archaeologists found the first traces of Jewish settlement in Morocco. We send the overnight with dinner at the hotel or Riad in Fez.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Day 6: Fez Sightseeing Tour
- 09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.
Today is devoted to a guided tour of the ancient Fez Medina, fascinating old religious Morocco’s capital surrounded by nine miles of ramparts, strategically positioned on the old caravan trading crossroads which once connected the Saharan empires with Europe. Start your guided tour from the impressive Royal Palace with its magnificent seven glorious bronze gates. From here you walk to the Mellah with its intense atmosphere and fine Mauro-Hispanic architecture, continue to the nearby Jewish cemetery and the Ibn Danan well-kept synagogue, which testifies the importance of the Jewish community Fez. You will head south to enjoy the panoramic view of the old Medina. The next visit is the ceramics quarter where you learn about the unique local pottery handicraft and see the old kilns. The amazing part is to start your walking tour of the bustling labyrinth of the ancient Fez Medina, visit the colorful tanneries and explore the narrow streets lined with fresh fruit, mounds of spices, intricately woven Berber carpets, beautiful brassware, and Jewish-originated silverware, traditional and modern Jewelry. Visit El-Attarine, El Bou Inania Medersas, and the marvelous Karaouine university-mosque. Stop for lunch at a traditional restaurant in the heart of the medina, nearby the delightful Nejjarine Square famous with its fountain and caravanserai. We end up the sightseeing tour in the blue gate “Bab Boujloud”. You will be back to your hotel for the overnight with breakfast.
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 7: Fez – Bhalil – Sefrou – Beni Mellal – Bin Ouidane
- 09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.
Today you will have a day time out not far from the medieval city Fez so the force won't be too long and that would supply you more time to experience our destination which is Sefrou, the capital of cherries. This city was recognized as the Little Jerusalem due to its high percentage of Jews and its well developed non secular life. En route to Sefrou, we will make a short stop in Bhalil to visit the cemetery where Rabbi Lahou Harroch and Rabbi Raphael Moshe Elbaz are buried. This village is exclusive for its specific cave homes located in the ancient phase of the town, and for its blend of colored homes, linked collectively by way of a network of bridges. Some of the cave homes in Bhalil are routinely open to travelers to visit; however, these homes are swiftly disappearing as the village modernizes. We arrive to Sefrou which was as a main core of Morocco's Jews and its walled white pedestrian medina is still characterized by using their homes with balconies. We continue to Ifrane city (known as “Moroccan Switzerland”) where you will go for a short walk around the garden. Developed by the French during the protectorate era for their administration due to its Alpine climate, this Moroccan town has a remarkable European style, as if it were an Alpine village. Because of its elevation, the town experiences snow during the winter months and a cool climate during the summer. We drive through the Berber town of Azrou (Great Rock), which takes its name from the outcropping marking the town’s boundary. We stop for lunch in Beni Mellal before we reach the beautiful lake of Bin Ouidane. It’s hard to imagine getting closer to nature than sleeping on a lake. You will enjoy a night with dinner staying in a quiet luxury hotel with incredible views when you can’t tell where the lake ends and the sky begins.
Meals: Dinner & Breakfast included
Day 8: Bin Ouidane – Ouzoud Waterfalls - Marrakech
- 09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.
Today you get outdoors in the fresh air for your breakfast is the escape you will need to rejuvenate and start your day with full energy and positive vibes to embark in the next chapter of your tour in Morocco. You will have some time at leisure to enjoy the lake and an optional boat tour in the lake. The impressive 133-meter-long, 285-meter-long ridge allows for a nostalgic view of the surroundings of the dam. From there you will be on your way to the Ouzoud Waterfalls they are natural wonders that must be earned. Ouzoud Waterfalls are one of the most beautiful waterfalls in North Africa; about 110 meters high, its waters bounce on several levels and project fine droplets into the air. The cascades are almost always highlighted by a beautiful rainbow and monkeys; it is like a little piece of paradise. You will have lunch in a local restaurant looking at the pretty waters of the falls, before heading to Marrakech where you will spend the night with breakfast at the hotel or Riad.
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 9: Marrakech - Back to the airport
- 09 days Morocco Jewish heritage tour from Marrakech to discover the Jewish highlights in Morocco.Transfer to the Airport of Marrakech or Casablanca to take your flight home with a good an amazing experience and best memories about Jewish Heritage Tour in Morocco.
Inclusions :
- Private air conditioned vehicle at disposal.
- Private English Speaking driver throughout your Journey.
- 08 nights' accommodation in the category of hotel chosen.
- Daily breakfast.
- Dinner as mentioned in the itinerary.
- Sightseeing by English Speaking local guides as per itinerary in Marrakech, Fez & Casablanca.
- Hotel Taxes.
Exclusions :
- Air fare tickets.
- Travel Insurance.
- Lunches.
- Dinner as mentioned in the itinerary.
- Entrance fees to the monuments & Museums.
- Drinks.
- Tips.
What you expect :
Explore the Jewish quarter Mellah of Marrakech, home to an exceptional spice bazaar and gold trade.
Feel the unique pulse of Africa in the mythical Djemaa el Fna square of Marrakesh where snake charmers, acrobats and story tellers breathe in the sweet aromas of spices wafting through the air.
Walk through cosmopolitan Casablanca, marveling at the stunning art deco buildings before heading to see the glory of the King Hassan II Mosque.
Experience the largest remaining Jewish community of Morocco in the thriving city of Casablanca.
Explore hundreds of years of history as you tour the important imperial cities of Rabat, Fes, Marrakesh and Meknes.
Visit the often overlooked city of Salé to see the birthplace of Rabbi Hayyim Ben Moses.
Explore the blue-washed streets of Chefchaouen which is irresistibly photogenic. Discover the medina cast in shades of azure and aquamarine.
Discover the oldest existing synagogue, the Ibn Danan Synagogue, in the medieval city of Fes.
Have a unique sensory experience in Fes, watching the dyeing skills of tanners on display as they use age old techniques to soak and dye skins.
Explore the village of Sefrou recognized as the Little Jerusalem.
Visit the cemetery where Rabbi Lahou Harroch and Rabbi Raphael Moshe Elba in Bhalil.
Additional Info :
You will receive the final confirmation at time of booking.Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults.
Adult pricing applies to all travelers over 12 years.
Vegetarian food option is available during the tour.
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required.
Good to know :
Arrival : MarrakechDeparture : Marrakech or Casablanca
Group Size : 02 people and more
Duration : 09 days/ 08 nights
Transportation : 4x4 Jeep - Minivan - Minibus - Coach
Guide : English/French/Spanish/Italian/German/Portuguese
Accommodation : Riads/Standard Hotels/Boutique Hotels/ Guest Houses/ Kasbah Hotels/Villas
Clothing : Depends on the season of your travel to Morocco.
Note :
The price for the tours will be dependent on numbers, the higher the number of people in your party the lower the cost per person.All accommodation will be private, you will only share vehicles, if applicable.
We are not liable for personal injury or loss of your own property. You should take reasonable care with your belongings at all times.
Map :
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