You can add Fez & Essouria into the same category. I know Marrakech well, I try to avoid it, if not I keep to the ville nouvelle which is a lot more laid back ...

There are some lovely towns in Morocco, time in old Marrakech should be kept to a minimum!

Kira

.... at the time of year you are planning for the weather should be good everywhere, however, south of the High Atlas it will be warmest.

Have you an option to arrive or leave Agadir rather than Fez.? i.e. Marrakech and Agadir.

The farther south you go the cheaper Morocco gets, Marrakech is booming with record numbers of tourist currently with prices to match.! Agadir is in the main cheaper, particularly hotels etc.

https://www.bladi.net/marrakech-populaire-afrique,53723.html

The beach…

I will be taking the train from Marrakesh to Fez and from Fez to Casablanca. Do I need to purchase tickets in advance, or can I expect to buy them at the time of travel?

Also, I would appreciate information about getting to the Casablanca airport from the train from Fez. I assume I get off at Casa Voyageurs and get the airport train there. Do the airport trains run frequently? How long do they take? Is there a good reason to take a taxi instead?

Thank you.

Howell

..... a few thoughts, December in Morocco is midwinter.... short on daylight, maybe 9 hours or so and the possibility or rain.
With a young child in tow, children can make the best of wherever they find themselves, mostly they just want to be with you.

You don't like long trips, Marrakech has more than enough then to keep you and your child entertained for a week, search for a City Guide to Marrakech and concentrate on the Red City, where if it rains there lots to do and sees…

One last question, would a shared taxi be a viable option for part of the route and likewise for the train from Fes to Casablanca as the normally infallible seat61 doesn't seem to have the routes I've seen on train maps elsewhere.

what you mean with this?
You can take a train from Fes to Casablanca without problem, better than shared taxi.
From Tangier to Chefchaouen and then to Fes you can take a bus, it is OK also.

P.S.in my previous post I forgot to mentioned that taxi from El Jadida or…

.... Amizmiz a mountain village can be reached using the City-bus nos. 41 and 45, ask locally which is quickest or most frequent.

Or number 33 to the Agafay Desert (a Hamada desert)

https://www.alsa.ma/marrakech/lignes

https://www.alsa.ma/marrakech/alsa-marrakech

I'm going to be spending 12 days in Morocco. I'll be trekking the Atlas mountains for four days as well as spending some time in Marrakesh. I've got four days to spare before my return flight.

I'm looking for somewhere to base myself for these days that is near(ish - maximum 5-6 hours travel away) to Marrakesh. I'd quite like to be somewhere natural like an oasis town rather than a big city. I'd like the place to be somewhere with beautiful natural scenery that would allow me to wander about/do…

Fez to M'Hamid and time for 2 overnight stops on the way - no chance, sorry, it will be long way, you need 3 overnight.
It would be better to skip it and go to Erg Chebbi then. I suppose you want then to go to Marrakech, or?

We will be visiting both Fez and Marrakech in March. We are interested in purchasing some Moroccan lamps and wonder whihich city would provide the best selection and also the easiest shipping to Canada. Tips and reccomendations would be appreciated.