8-Day Atlantic Coast Tour: Tangier to Marrakech
Tangier → Rabat → Casablanca → Essaouira → Marrakech
A coast-first route for travellers who'd rather see the Atlantic side than the desert: the capital, the Hassan II Mosque, and a closing stretch by the sea in Essaouira before flying out of Marrakech.
Ask about this route
Highlights
- Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas
- The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
- Essaouira's windswept ramparts and fishing port
- Ends in Marrakech, so no backtracking north
Day by day
A working draft: the order and pace are ours to adjust once we know what matters most to you.
Tangier to Rabat
South along the coast, with an afternoon at the whitewashed Kasbah of the Udayas, founded as an Almohad military base in 1146, above the river mouth.
About 3.5 hours on the road, roughly 250 km
Hotel, Rabat
Rabat to Casablanca
A short drive to Casablanca, with a guided visit to the Hassan II Mosque. Its 210-metre minaret is the world's second-tallest, opened in 1993.
About 1 hour on the road, roughly 90 km
Hotel, Casablanca
Casablanca to Essaouira
A longer drive south through fishing towns and argan scrubland to Essaouira, founded by Sultan Mohammed III in 1765, arriving by evening.
About 4.5 hours on the road, roughly 350 km
Riad, Essaouira
Essaouira
A free day to walk the 18th-century ramparts, the fishing port, and the medina's thuya-wood marquetry workshops.
No driving today
Riad, Essaouira
Essaouira, second day
Optional surf lesson or a horseback ride on the beach: the afternoon Alizé trade wind here rarely disappoints, or simply more time in town.
No driving today
Riad, Essaouira
Essaouira to Marrakech
A relaxed drive inland through argan groves to Marrakech.
About 2.5-3 hours on the road, roughly 180 km
Riad, Marrakech
Marrakech
A full day with a local guide through the medina and the souks, taking in the Bahia Palace along the way: built in 1866–67 for Grand Vizier Si Moussa and expanded into its present zellige-tiled form by his son Ba Ahmed between 1894 and 1900.
No driving today
Riad, Marrakech
Departure
A final walk through the Jemaa el-Fna before the transfer to Marrakech airport for your flight home.
Just the transfer to the airport today
Included
- ✓Private car and driver for the full route
- ✓7 nights' accommodation, breakfast included
- ✓Local guides in Casablanca and Marrakech
Not included
- —International flights
- —Most lunches and dinners
- —Optional activities in Essaouira (surfing, horseback riding)
- —Tips for driver and guides
Questions about this route
Ask about this route
Send us your rough dates and what you'd want to change, and we'll come back with a real draft, not a form letter.
Tour at a glance
- Duration
- 8 days · 7 nights
- Transport
- Private car/4x4
- Languages
- English, French
- Availability
- Year-round
From the blog
A first-timer's route through the Marrakech medina
Where to start when every street looks the same as the last.
By Anouar
Read article
How many days do you actually need in Marrakech?
Enough to slow down, not so many that you run out of medina.
By Anouar
Read article
Essaouira or Agadir: which coastal stop fits your trip?
Both are on the Atlantic. That's roughly where the similarity ends.
By Omar Hafidi
Read articleOther routes
4-Day Chefchaouen and Akchour Tour from Tangier
Tangier is the closest departure point to the Rif, which makes this the most efficient way to see the blue town and its waterfall valley without a long drive on either end.
6-Day Middle Atlas Tour from Tangier
A cooler, slower route for travellers who'd rather trade a second desert crossing for cedar forests and mountain air: Ifrane is a realistic add-on from Tangier by way of Fez.
6-Day Family Morocco Tour from Tangier
A shorter, easier-paced northern loop for families: no desert crossing, fewer long driving days, and stops kids tend to actually enjoy, like the Akchour walk and Rabat's tram-friendly old town.