Marrakech, Fes, Meknès, Rabat — cosa è stata ciascuna, cosa è oggi, e perché un viaggio che le tocca tutte ha tutto un altro sapore.
Morocco's "imperial cities" are the four cities that have served as capital of Morocco at different points in history. Each was the seat of a dynasty, each carries the architecture of that moment.
Marrakech. Capital under the Almoravid dynasty (founded 1062), then again under the Almohads, the Saadians, and intermittently under the Alaouites. The city carries the colour of the south — pinkish red from the local clay — and the trade culture of a former caravan terminus where Saharan merchants met Atlantic ones. The Koutoubia mosque (12th century), the Saadian tombs, the Bahia Palace (19th century), the Ben Youssef Madrasa. Plan two full days minimum.
Fes. The oldest of the four, founded in 789 AD. Capital under the Idrissid, Marinid, and Wattasid dynasties. The cultural heart of Morocco — the Karaouine university (859 AD), the medina (the largest car-free urban area on Earth, with 9,000+ alleys), the active leather tanneries, and a craftsmanship culture deeper than anywhere else in the country. Plan two full days minimum.
Meknes. Capital under Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672-1727), who tried to make it Morocco's Versailles. The royal stables (capable of housing 12,000 horses), the Bab el-Mansour gate (one of the most beautiful in North Africa), the granaries of Heri es-Souani. Plan one full day, with a side trip to the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the holy town of Moulay Idriss.
Rabat. Current capital. The Hassan Tower (intended in 1195 to be the world's largest minaret), the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the Kasbah of the Udayas. Plan one day.
The case for doing all four. A one-week imperial cities tour usually covers Casablanca + Rabat + Meknes + Fes (with Volubilis) + Marrakech. Each city contributes something the others can't: Fes for depth, Marrakech for energy, Meknes for grandeur, Rabat for context.