Morocco: 8 Days in December

There's not much need to stay in Casablanca. You could just see the big mosque and then head north to the capital of Rabat or south for a day at El Jadida (with Portuguese fort and a small old town) or Oualidia (small beach town). From Marrakesh, I haven't done all the day trip options but enjoyed visiting the Ourika Valley for traditional villages in a mountain setting.

I liked Fes a lot. In addition to being picturesque, it seemed to have the strongest, most varied craft tradition.

We took a public bus over the Tizi-n-Test pass between Marrakesh and Taroudant, which was quite an interesting ride. Perhaps a bit too "authentic" for some. This was about 30 years ago, and a lot of the buses were not new or in good condition. For all I know they're all Mercedes buses now.

I agree that you should get out of Casablanca soonest. It's a perfectly nice modern city, but not at all what you are probably traveling to Morocco to see. Honestly, I'd cancel that hotel in Casablanca right now. If necessary, I'd even eat the cost and pay for a second hotel in Fes or Meknes or (fill in the blank, depending on other suggestions you may receive). How likely is it that you'll get back to Morocco again to see more of the country?

I also preferred Fes, partly because I spent more time there and partly because it felt more real (with the biggest old medina and no snake handlers in evidence).

Yes, it was my favorite, too. But I'm not trying to discourage Marrakesh, which I also liked a lot; I'm trying to discourage Casablanca. Too bad the movie wasn't called something else! Everyone thinks they want to go to Casablanca.

So Casablanca is the cheapest entry point for me both cost and duration from O'hare. If I need to move immediately to Fez, then I will on the following day via train. Would you stay 3 days in Fez and then 2 in Rabit (including travel) and 3 in Marrakesh? I can do day trips out of any of these cities. What would you recommend?