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Northern Morocco itinerary: 3, 5 and 7 days from Tangier
Mountains, two seas, Andalusian medinas and Roman ruins, all within a few hours of Tangier. Three tested routes, with real driving times between each stop.
In this guide
At a glance
- 3 days: Tangier, Chefchaouen and Tetouan, the essential North.
- 5 days: add Fes, Meknes, Volubilis and Rabat, then ride the high-speed train back.
- 7 days: slow down with Asilah, Akchour waterfalls and a second day in Fes.
- Best seasons: March–May and September–November.
Most visitors to Morocco head straight for Marrakech and the Sahara and skip the North. That's a mistake. The north holds some of the country's most beautiful towns (blue Chefchaouen, Andalusian Tetouan, whitewashed Asilah) plus Fes, the spiritual capital, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Distances are short, so you spend more time exploring and less time on the road.
These routes all start in Tangier, the natural gateway if you're arriving by ferry from Spain, by air or on the high-speed train.
Driving times in Northern Morocco
Times are approximate for a private car in normal traffic. Mountain roads in the Rif are slower than the map suggests.
| Route | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tangier → Asilah | ≈ 45 km | ≈ 45 min |
| Tangier → Tetouan | ≈ 60 km | ≈ 1 h |
| Tetouan → Chefchaouen | ≈ 60 km | ≈ 1 h 15 |
| Chefchaouen → Akchour | ≈ 30 km | ≈ 45 min |
| Chefchaouen → Fes | ≈ 200 km | ≈ 3 h 30–4 h |
| Fes → Meknes | ≈ 60 km | ≈ 1 h |
| Meknes → Volubilis | ≈ 30 km | ≈ 40 min |
| Meknes → Rabat | ≈ 140 km | ≈ 2 h |
| Rabat → Tangier (Al Boraq train) | n/a | ≈ 1 h 20 |
3 days: Tangier, Chefchaouen and Tetouan
The essential North in a long weekend. Ideal if you're combining Morocco with southern Spain.
Day 1: Tangier
Morning in the Kasbah and the medina, lunch near the Grand Socco, then the coast at Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules. End with mint tea at Café Hafa at sunset. See our full list of the best things to do in Tangier.
Day 2: Tangier → Tetouan → Chefchaouen
Drive an hour to Tetouan, whose medina was rebuilt by Andalusian refugees in the late 15th century and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Walk its white lanes, the artisans' quarters and the Spanish-era new town, which was the capital of the Spanish protectorate from 1913 to 1956. Continue into the Rif to Chefchaouen and sleep in a guesthouse in the medina so you can see the blue lanes at dusk.
Day 3: Chefchaouen → Tangier
An early walk before the day visitors arrive, then the Kasbah, Ras El Maa spring and the Spanish Mosque viewpoint. Drive back to Tangier in the afternoon, about 2 h 30.
The same route as a private tour with a licensed guide, a car and hand-picked guesthouses.
5 days: the North and the imperial cities
Our most popular route: blue mountains, the spiritual heart of Morocco, Roman ruins and the capital, all in five days and ending with a fast train back to Tangier.
Day 1: Tangier
As above: the Kasbah, the medina, Cap Spartel and Café Hafa.
Day 2: Tangier → Chefchaouen
Via Tetouan's medina, arriving in Chefchaouen in the afternoon. Climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset.
Day 3: Chefchaouen → Fes
A morning in Chefchaouen, then 3 h 30–4 h south through the Rif foothills and the olive country of the pre-Rif to Fes. Check into a riad in the medina.
Day 4: Fes
A full day in Fes el-Bali, one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world and a UNESCO site since 1981. See the Bou Inania madrasa, the outside of al-Qarawiyyin (founded in 859), the Chouara tannery from a leather shop's terrace, and the craft quarters of coppersmiths, weavers and dyers. A guide is especially valuable here, because the medina is a true labyrinth.
Day 5: Fes → Meknes → Volubilis → Rabat → Tangier
Morning in Meknes, the imperial city of Sultan Moulay Ismail, with the monumental Bab Mansour gate. Then Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman site in Morocco (UNESCO, 1997), where mosaics still lie where they were laid. Continue to Rabat, the capital (UNESCO, 2012), for the Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of the Udayas, then take the Al Boraq high-speed train back to Tangier in about 1 h 20.
7 days: the North at a slower pace
Seven days lets you add the coast and nature, and gives Fes the time it deserves.
- Day 1: Tangier.
- Day 2: Asilah: the Portuguese ramparts, murals from the arts festival held since 1978, and fresh fish by the Atlantic. Back to Tangier, or on to Tetouan.
- Day 3: Tetouan, then on to Chefchaouen.
- Day 4: Akchour waterfalls and God's Bridge in Talassemtane National Park, with a second night in Chefchaouen.
- Day 5: Chefchaouen → Fes.
- Day 6: Fes, with time for a cooking class or a hammam.
- Day 7: Meknes and Volubilis → Rabat → train to Tangier.
Can you add the Sahara?
Yes, but not in a week from Tangier without spending most of it in the car. The dunes of Merzouga are about 8 hours' drive from Fes. If the desert is a must, plan 10 days or more and go Fes → Merzouga → the Dades and Draa valleys → Marrakech, as in our 10-day Sahara & Imperial Cities tour.
Planning tips
- Private car or public transport? Trains link Tangier, Rabat, Meknes and Fes well, but don't reach Chefchaouen or Tetouan. A private driver connects everything and lets you stop on the way.
- Where to sleep: choose riads and guesthouses inside the medinas of Chefchaouen and Fes. Arriving and leaving early and late is the best part.
- Friday and Ramadan: some shops close at Friday midday prayer. During Ramadan, daytime hours change and evenings are lively.
- Pace yourself: one long drive day should be followed by a day on foot.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Northern Morocco?
Three days cover Tangier, Tetouan and Chefchaouen. Five days add Fes, Meknes, Volubilis and Rabat. Seven days allow Asilah, the Akchour waterfalls and a slower pace.
What is the best route from Tangier to Fes?
Via Tetouan and Chefchaouen, sleeping a night in Chefchaouen. Chefchaouen to Fes is about 200 km, roughly 3 h 30 to 4 h by car.
Can you travel Northern Morocco by train?
Partly. Trains connect Tangier, Rabat, Meknes and Fes, and the Al Boraq high-speed line links Tangier and Rabat in about 1 h 20. Chefchaouen and Tetouan have no railway, so you need a bus, a taxi or a private car.
Is Northern Morocco worth visiting?
Yes. It combines blue Chefchaouen, Andalusian Tetouan, Atlantic Asilah, Fes and Roman Volubilis, with short distances between them and fewer crowds than the south.
When is the best time to visit Northern Morocco?
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). Summer is fine on the coast but hot inland around Fes. Winter brings rain to the Rif mountains.
Send us your dates and we’ll adapt the route, the pace and the hotels to you, with a private car and a licensed guide.
Written by the licensed guides of Tangier Daily Tours (Official Guide No. 3871), who have led tours in Tangier and Northern Morocco since 2007. Ferry timetables, opening hours and entry rules change, so confirm them with the official source before you travel.
