May 21 - June 5, 2002
Tuesday Day 1 Depart for Casablanca
Wednesday Day 2 Casablanca (D)
(For guests arriving on Royal Air Maroc, it’s a 7 AM arrival; other European flights arrive late evening.) Arrival in Casablanca and welcome by your English speaking guide. She will accompany you to your lovely seaside hotel (Le Littoral), in your air conditioned mini van for some time to rest after the flight. In the afternoon, meet your tour leader, Joan Peterson, and visit the food markets in the medina, including the olives souks and the market of Bab Marrakech. We will also visit a bookstore selling Moroccan cookbooks in English. 17:30 - Cooking demonstration at nearby Restaurant Basmane to learn how to make harira, the traditional, rich Moroccan soup that breaks the fast during Ramadan. Welcome dinner at Restaurant Basmane, including your own harira. Overnight at Hotel Le Littoral.
Thursday Day 3 Rabat (BLD)
08:30 - Departure after breakfast for Rabat, the modern capital of Morocco. Visit the food market of Rabat and then check in at Hotel Meridien Tour Hassan. Lunch at restaurant featuring regional cuisine. Borj Eddar restaurant by the seaside: kebabs of marinated fish with sweet lemon, seafood bestila, and fruit salad with orange-flower water. Talk on family of pastry-like dishes including rghaif and beghrir. Afternoon visit of Mohammed V. Mausoleum and Hassan Tower. 17:00 Meeting with the master chef of the Moroccan restaurant in Hotel Meridien Tour Hassan. Watch the preparation of tagine of chicken with olives and preserved lemons, followed by dinner at the restaurant including your own tagine of chicken with olives and preserved lemons. Overnight at Hotel Meridien Tour Hassan.
Friday Day 4 Fes (BLD)
After breakfast, morning excursion to the local market of Khemisset. Visit a rug-weaving family for tea and cookies, and a demonstration of Morocco’s tea ceremony. Lunch in the area. Afternoon drive to Fe`s, the oldest of Morocco’s imperial cities. Its medina is among the largest living medieval cities in the world. Sneak preview of medina before dinner. Special dinner and overnight at Dar Ghalia, a charming 4-star Moroccan Guest House, located in the medina, catering to individual travelers and small groups. Talk on Moroccan herbs and spices.
Saturday Day 5 Fes (BLD)
09:00 - After breakfast meeting at the Ecole Hoteliere of Fes to see a demonstration on delicious sweet Moroccan pastries. We will practice making them as well. 11:30 - Dar Ghalia Guest House for a demonstration of making trid, a dish made with a primitive type of stretched pastry dough baked over a hot surface and then layered with a filling, often containing chicken. Lunch at the Guest House will include our own trid with chicken. Visit the new Medina of Fes afterwards. 17:00 Meeting at Restaurant Palais de la medina at R’cif for a demonstration of lamb tagine with vegetables in season. Dinner at Restaurant Palais de la Medina at R'cif for your own lamb tagine with vegetables in season. Overnight at Dar Ghalia Guest house.
Sunday Day 6 Meknes (BLD)
08:30 - Departure after breakfast for a morning discovery of Fe`s: Starting from the Andalous quarter, cross the bridge over to the Kairouani District: see the Dyers, the Coppersmiths, the Karaouyine Mosque, the Achabin Square for spices, the Chouara Tannery; Chemaine Square for dried fruits, the Joutya for salt, eggs and fish, the Kissaria, the Moulay Idriss Mausoleum, the Nejjarine Square and the Nejjarine Fondouq which is now the Wood Museum, then the Henna souk, the Attarine souk (spices) and the nearby Maristan, and the Attarine Medersa (Koranic school dating back to the XV century). 12:00 - Departure to Me`knes, one of Morocco's imperial cities, at the center of a rich, agricultural area. Lunch at Palais Terrab in Me`knes. Demonstration and lunch of tagine with meatballs and eggs. Afternoon visit of Me`knes and the village of Moulay Idriss, a national pilgrimage site housing the tomb of Moulay Idriss, the founder of Morocco's first indigenous Islamic kingdom. Special dinner and overnight at Dar Ghalia Guest House.
Monday Day 7 Marrakech (BLD)
Drive to fabled Marrakech, Morocco's most popular city, across the varied landscapes of Morocco: the Middle Atlas Mountains and the rich agricultural plains of Beni Mellal. Lunch enroute. Late afternoon visit to the famous Jemaa el Fna Square to see the square transform from a lively area of acrobats and other entertainers into a vast eatery of food stalls. Capture the excitement of the evening from the Cafe Argana. Special dinner at the Ksar Saoussan. Overnight in Marrakech at Riad Catalina, a charming 4-star Moroccan Guest House in the medina, which caters to individual travelers and small groups.
Tuesday Day 8 Marrakech (BLD)
08:30 After breakfast, morning visit of Marrakech and its historical sights.11:30 - Meeting at Marrakech Ecole Hoteliere for a demonstration on breads. Lunch afterwards at the school. 16:00 - Restaurant Yacout for a demonstration of making bestila, Morocco's lavish signature dish of squab or chicken in a lemony egg, almond and spiced onion sauce within layered sheets of warka (flaky, paper-thin dough), topped with cinnamon and sugar. Dinner of your own bestila at Yacout. Overnight at Riad Catalina.
Wednesday Day 9 Marrakech (BD)
After breakfast visit of the 13th and 15th century Mellah Markets and the Dar Si Said Museum. Lunch on your own. 15:00 - Demonstration of couscous by master chef at Restaurant Dar Marjana. Dinner at restaurant including your own couscous. Overnight at Riad Catalina
Thursday Day 10 Ouarzazate (BLD)
After breakfast departure to Ouarzazate across the Atlas Mountain range with superb panoramic views. Arrival for special lunch at Hotel Kenzi Belere. Afternoon panoramic tour of the city and visit of Taourirt Kasbah. Then meet the master chef at Restaurant Fint for demonstration of shacriya medfoun, chicken in a nest of steamed vermicelli. Dinner at the restaurant of your own shacriya medfoun. Over night at Hotel Kenzi Belere.
Friday Day 11 Taroudant (BLD)
Early morning, after breakfast, leave for Taroudant, an attractive walled town. Stop in Taliouine to visit the saffron cooperative. Along the way, see goats in the argan trees nibbling fruits (note: great photo op!). Nutty-flavored argan oil is more popular than olive oil in this region. Lunch enroute. Afternoon at leisure at Hotel Palais Salam, enjoying the pool and other amenities. Late afternoon demonstration of making tagine makfoul, lamb with onions and tomatoes, flavored with cinnamon. Dinner at hotel to include your own tagine makfoul. Overnight at Hotel Palais Salam.
Saturday Day 12 Taroudant (BD)
Morning visit of Taroudant and its food souks, and the surrounding countryside. Lunch on your own at the hotel. Afternoon demonstration of the art of making warka, the delicate, paper-thin sheets of dough made on a hot, flat baking pan, and of the Berber dish, byesar, a hearty thick soup of pure´ed fava beans laced with olive oil and sprinkled with ground cumin and paprika. Dinner at hotel including byesar and a special dessert, keneefa, made with our own warka. Overnight at hotel Palais Salam.
Sunday Day 13 Agadir/Essaouira (BD)
After breakfast, morning departure to Agadir to visit the large, bustling food market. Lunch in the area on your own. Then drive to Essaouira, an enchanting city on the Atlantic coast. Visit the shops in the medina, including the woodcarvers’ souk. At Hotel Riad Mogador, late afternoon demonstration of salads and briwat, triangles made with warka sheets filled with sweet or savory fillings. Dinner at Hotel Riad Mogador including your own briwat and salads. Overnight at Hotel Riad Mogador.
Monday Day 14 Casablanca (BD)
Drive back to Casablanca via Safi and El Jadida. Lunch on your own in Safi at Restaurant du Potier in the Pottery Quarter in the medina, with time to shop for Safi's traditional pottery, including tagines. Stop in El Jadida to visit the old Portuguese Quarter and see the impressive underground cistern. Dinner and overnight at Idou Anfa hotel.
Tuesday Day 15 Departure (B)
After breakfast, transfer to Casablanca airport. Bon Voyage.
