Our base for the week is at Dar Seffarine (www.darseffarine.com) a magnificently restored 14th century palace in the heart of the medina. We'll be the only guests in the 6 room maison d'hote during our stay and hosts Kate and Alaa will make us feel completely at home in this wonderful place.

Dar Seffarine is a 5 minute walk to Bab Recife - just past the Qarawiyine Library and Seffarine Square.

Day 1 Sunday - D
The group will be met at the airport or the train station in Fes and transfer to Dar Seffarine. After check-in and a short rest the group will enjoy a welcome dinner and orientation.

Day 2 Monday - B/L/D
Following breakfast, chef Lahcen Beqqi will take us to the souk to shop for our first cooking class. We'll see how ouarka (the dough used in b'steeya) is made and perhaps have time to buy a few spices to take home. When we've finished cooking for the morning, we'll enjoy the fruits of our labour for lunch, then depart for a guided tour of Fes el Bali (Old Fes) where we'll learn a little of the history of Fes, tour the souks, see the mosques and medersas that are central to life in the city, and visit the famous leather tanneries. We'll return home for a short rest before leaving for dinner at Les Trois Sources.

Day 3 Tuesday - B/L/D
After breakfast, our second cooking class, followed by lunch. This afternoon, we'll take a guided historical tour of Fes el Djedid (New Fes) including the mellah (Jewish Quarter) On our way to Fes el Djedid we'll visit a leather auction, unchanged for hundreds of years, and watch the intricate trading of sheep, cow and camel skins. We'll continue through the Jardins del Boujeloud before reaching Fes del Djedid where we'll see the Royal Palace and the synagogue and the Jewish cemetery in the Jewish quarter. Dinner tonight will be at the Maison Bleue Restaurant where we'll enjoy fabulous food as well as a show of traditional Gnaoua music.

Day 4 Wednesday - B/L/D
After breakfast we'll depart for a full day tour of Volubilis and Meknes. These two places embody much of Morocco's early history. Volubilis was the Roman Empire's most remote base and here we'll find the most impressive Roman sites in Morocco. In Meknes we'll see some of the extraordinary monuments created during the time of Moulay Ismail who reigned from 1672-1727. In the 55 years of his reign, Meknes grew from a provincial centre to a spectacular capital with twenty gates, over fifty palaces and 45km of exterior walls. We'll visit many of historic landmarks as well as the medina and the mellah. We'll enjoy lunch in Meknes. Enroute to Volubilis we'll make a stop at a local olive press and have an opportunity to see olives being pressed as they have been for many hundreds of years. Tonight we'll have dinner at Dar Seffarine.

Day 5 Thursday - B/L
After breakfast this morning we'll return to the kitchen for our 3rd cooking class. Again, for lunch, we'll enjoy the dishes we've made that morning. Afternoon and evening at leisure. (this is an opportunity to return to the souk to shop or perhaps to visit the local hammam.)

Day 6 Friday - B/L/D
After breakfast this morning, our 4th cooking session followed by lunch. It is the tradition in Morocco to eat couscous on Friday and so today, we'll participate in this national tradition. This afternoon we'll take a guided tour of Borj Sud and a tile factory where we'll see some of Morocco's finest tiles and ceramics being produced - from their clay beginnings to the end product. We'll return home through the souks.. Tonight we'll enjoy a final dinner at Dar Seffarine

Day 7 Saturday - B
After breakfast at the hotel we'll transfer to the airport or rail station for your return home - or to continue your visit to Morocco.

Program Includes:

• Six nights accommodation based on twin occupancy with private facilities.
  
• 4 - 1/2 day cooking classes
  
• Airport transfers and ground transportation
  
• All meals as outlined on itinerary. Local wines served with dinner.
  
• All scheduled excursions with local English speaking guides
  
• All entrance fees on excursions
  
• All tips and gratuities
  
• Mediterranean Kitchens apron and recipe booklet

Not included:

• Items of a personal nature (e.g. laundry, telephone calls)
• Optional excursions
• Cancellation and Hospital / Medical Insurance

Cost per person:
Cooking participant $2525 US (not including airfare)
Non-cooking Participant - $2275 US
Single Supplement - $400 US
Group limited to 8 cooking participants and 4 non-cooking participants
Led by: Lindan Toole

For more information about Morocco go to: www.visitmorocco.com

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