Spanning three storied cultures, this 15-day journey takes you from Texas to Marrakech, Paris, and Rome—three cities that shaped art, cuisine, and everyday life across centuries. You’ll wander Marrakech’s medina, admire Paris’s grand boulevards, and trace Rome’s ancient stones, all with time to sip coffee, enjoy market lunches, and watch sunsets in historic squares.

Expect contrasts at every turn: Berber rugs and Moorish palaces in Morocco, Impressionist masterpieces and bakeries in France, classical ruins and trattorias in Italy. We’ve broken the trip into 5-day blocks per city with practical transport notes, neighborhood stays, and restaurant picks locals love.

Practical notes: US travelers typically don’t need visas for short stays in Morocco, France, or Italy; check your passport (6 months’ validity recommended). Currency is MAD in Morocco and EUR in France/Italy; cards are widely accepted in Paris and Rome, less so in Marrakech’s souks. Watch for pickpockets in tourist zones and dress modestly in religious sites. Bon voyage!

Optional pre-trip fun in Austin (day-before departure)

If you have a spare afternoon before your flight, here are a few easy, memorable Austin experiences:

• Double Decker Austin Single Loop Sightseeing Tour — a breezy city overview with top-deck views.

  

• Austin South Congress Food Tour with 6 Tastings, Tacos & Sweets — tacos, sweets, and local lore along SoCo.

  

• Downtown Austin Sunset Kayak Tour with 1.5 Million Bats — golden-hour skyline paddling and bat viewing (in season).

  

Marrakech

Days 1–5: Medina magic, gardens, hammams, and an Atlas day trip

Fly Austin to Marrakech (RAK) with 1–2 stops; typical travel time ~16–20 hours, economy fares ~$650–$1,100 roundtrip-equivalent depending on season. Compare on Trip.com (flights) or Kiwi.com. On arrival, prebook a riad transfer or use the official taxi stand; agree on the fare before departure.

Stay inside or just outside the Medina for atmosphere with easier access to sights. For a riad or apartment, browse VRBO Marrakech; for riads and hotels across budgets, see Hotels.com Marrakech. Consider the Medina (near Jemaa el-Fnaa) for souks, Kasbah for palaces, or Gueliz for modern cafés.

• Orientation and the square: Start at Jemaa el-Fnaa as drums, storytellers, and food stalls come alive at dusk. Grab fresh-squeezed orange juice and climb to Café des Épices or Nomad for panoramic rooftop views of the Atlas Mountains.
• Palaces and monuments: Tour the Bahia Palace’s zellij tilework, the Saadian Tombs’ carved cedar ceilings, and El Badi’s sunlit ruins. Admire Koutoubia Mosque’s minaret (non-Muslims can’t enter, but the gardens offer fine photos).
• Gardens and museums: Garden-hop to Jardin Majorelle—electric-blue walls and rare cacti—and the adjacent Yves Saint Laurent Museum. Time your visit to Dar el Bacha – Musée des Confluences, then settle into Bacha Coffee for single-origin brews served the old-world way.
• Hammam reset: Book a scrub and argan-oil massage at a reputable spa such as Les Bains de Marrakech. Go mid-afternoon to avoid evening crowds.
• Atlas Mountains or Agafay Desert (Day 4): Take a guided day trip to Imlil for a gentle hike and Berber lunch with valley views, or opt for an Agafay Desert afternoon ending with a camel ride and sunset dinner under the stars.
• Souk discoveries: Head to Souk Semmarine (textiles), Souk Haddadine (metalwork), and the dyers’ quarter for vivid yarns. Practice friendly bargaining and carry small bills in MAD.

Where to eat and drink

• Breakfast/coffee: Bacha Coffee (Dar el Bacha) for aromatic single-origin pours; Pâtisserie des Princes near the square for msemen and honey-drenched chebakia; Café Clock (Kasbah) for Moroccan-leaning brunch and cultural talks.
• Lunch: Le Jardin for courtyard salads and tanjia; La Famille for vegetarian flatbreads, preserved lemon, and herb-laden salads (reserve); Atay Café for easy rooftop tagines and mint tea.
• Dinner: Al Fassia (Gueliz), run by a women-led team, is beloved for slow-cooked lamb shoulder; Dar Yacout for a multi-course feast in lantern-lit salons; Comptoir Darna for dinner-with-dance late-night energy.
• Street food: At night, sample harira soup, grilled brochettes, and snail broth at the Jemaa el-Fnaa stalls. Pick a busy, tidy stand and confirm prices up front.

Paris

Days 6–10: Louvre to Left Bank, Montmartre, and a royal day trip

Travel morning (Day 6): Fly Marrakech to Paris (ORY or CDG). Nonstop flights are ~3h20; fares ~$50–$150 on low-cost carriers. Compare on Omio (flights). RER B, Le Bus Direct alternatives, and taxis connect to central Paris; allow ~45–60 minutes to the center.

Base yourself in the 1st/2nd (walkable to the Louvre), 9th (trendy South Pigalle), 10th (Canal Saint-Martin), or 5th/6th (Left Bank classic). Search stays via VRBO Paris and Hotels.com Paris.

• Iconic first evening: Stroll the Seine from Pont Neuf toward the Eiffel Tower for golden-hour photos. Picnic with a baguette and cheeses at the Trocadéro gardens, then watch the tower sparkle on the hour after dusk.
• Louvre and the Marais: Enter the Louvre early for Winged Victory and Mona Lisa before crowds, then pause in Palais Royal’s arcades. Cross to the Marais for Le Marché des Enfants Rouges—try Chez Alain Miam Miam’s loaded sandwiches—and explore boutiques on Rue des Francs-Bourgeois.
• Île de la Cité: Step into the resplendent stained glass of Sainte-Chapelle, then visit Notre-Dame (reopened in 2024) to admire its restored interior and new interpretive displays.
• Montmartre to Orsay: Climb to Sacré-Cœur and weave through artists’ lanes around Place du Tertre. Descend for the Musée d’Orsay’s Impressionist galleries in a Beaux-Arts train station—Monet and Degas glow in afternoon light.
• Left Bank classics: Browse the Latin Quarter’s bookshops and the Luxembourg Gardens’ statues and sailboats. Pause at Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots for a café crème and literary nostalgia.
• Day 10 – Versailles: Ride RER C (~35–45 minutes) to the Sun King’s palace. Time-slot your entry, tour the Hall of Mirrors, and wander the geometric gardens; rent a bike or golf cart if you’d like to reach the Trianon estates.

Where to eat and drink

• Breakfast/coffee: Du Pain et des Idées for the “escargot” pistachio pastry; KB Coffee Roasters (South Pigalle) for third-wave espresso; Holybelly 5 for pancakes and hearty brunch plates.
• Lunch: Breizh Café (Marais or Odéon) for buckwheat galettes and cider; L’As du Fallafel for a quick, iconic pita on Rue des Rosiers; Chez Janou near Place des Vosges for Provençal plates and a mountain of chocolate mousse.
• Dinner: Bouillon Pigalle or Bouillon République for classic French dishes at friendly prices; Le Servan (11th) for refined, Asian-accented French cooking; Bistrot Paul Bert for steak-frites and old-school charm.
• Wine and sweets: Le Barav (3rd) lets you pick a bottle from its shop to drink next door; finish with Berthillon ice cream on Île Saint-Louis.

Rome

Days 11–15: Ancient stones, Vatican art, Trastevere nights

Travel morning (Day 11): Paris to Rome by air is ~2 hours (fares ~$40–$120; see Omio flights). Trains are scenic but long (~10–11 hours via Milan); compare Omio trains. From FCO, the Leonardo Express reaches Termini in ~32 minutes; taxis have a flat city-center rate.

Choose Centro Storico for walkability, Trastevere for village vibes, or Monti for indie boutiques. Browse VRBO Rome and Hotels.com Rome for stays near major sights.

• First evening: Do the classic passeggiata: Piazza Navona’s fountains, the Pantheon’s perfect dome, then Trevi Fountain after the day-trippers depart. Apertivo at Salotto 42 by the Temple of Hadrian sets the tone.
• Ancient Rome (Day 12): Explore the Colosseum (timed entry), the Roman Forum’s basilicas and arches, and Palatine Hill’s imperial palaces. Monti’s lanes nearby are ideal for a late lunch and boutique browsing.
• Vatican day (Day 13): The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel reward early access; St. Peter’s Basilica stuns with Michelangelo’s Pietà—climb the cupola for city views. Walk the bridge to Castel Sant’Angelo and along the Tiber at sunset.
• Appian Way and Testaccio (Day 14): Rent bikes on the Via Appia Antica and roll past tombs, cypress, and ancient paving stones; consider the Catacombs of San Sebastiano. In the evening, eat in Testaccio, Rome’s old working-class food quarter.
• Last day (Day 15): Browse Campo de’ Fiori’s market, step through the Jewish Ghetto’s Portico d’Ottavia, and savor a final espresso by Piazza della Rotonda. Depart or overnight for a morning flight home.

Where to eat and drink

• Coffee/pastry: Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè for Roman espresso; Roscioli Caffè for maritozzi (whipped-cream buns) and crispy cornetti; Tazza d’Oro near the Pantheon for granita di caffè.
• Lunch: Trapizzino (Trastevere or Piazza Trilussa) for pocket sandwiches filled with cacio e pepe or chicken cacciatore; Taverna Romana (Monti) for tonnarelli cacio e pepe; Pizzarium Bonci near the Vatican for gourmet pizza al taglio.
• Dinner: Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina for carbonara and a deep wine list (book ahead); Da Enzo al 29 in Trastevere for Roman classics; Felice a Testaccio for tonnarelli cacio e pepe tossed tableside.
• Gelato and drinks: Gelateria del Teatro for seasonal sorbets; Giolitti for historic scoops; aperitivo at Ai Tre Scalini (Monti) or Jerry Thomas Speakeasy for cocktails (reserve).

Getting home

Rome (FCO) to Austin usually involves one stop and takes ~13–15 hours; typical fares ~$700–$1,200 depending on season. Compare with Omio (flights) as you plan your return.

City-to-city travel at a glance

• Austin → Marrakech (RAK): 16–20 hours with 1–2 stops; search Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com.
• Marrakech → Paris: ~3h20 nonstop; ~$50–$150; compare Omio flights.
• Paris → Rome: ~2h flight ($40–$120) via Omio flights, or ~10–11h by train via Milan on Omio trains.
• Rome → Austin: ~13–15 hours with 1 stop; check Omio flights.

Packing and practicalities

• Money: Use ATMs for cash; carry small MAD notes in Marrakech’s souks; cards widely accepted in Paris/Rome.
• Dress: Modest attire for religious sites; a light scarf is handy. Comfortable shoes for cobblestones and medina alleys.
• Timing: Many Paris museums close one day per week (often Monday or Tuesday). In Rome, book major sites and the Vatican ahead.
• Transport: In Paris/Rome, metro and buses are efficient; buy day passes as needed. For European intercity routes, compare Omio trains and Omio flights.

Suggested 15-day flow

• Days 1–5: Marrakech — Medina, palaces, hammam, Jardin Majorelle, Atlas or Agafay day trip.
• Days 6–10: Paris — Louvre, Marais, Montmartre, Left Bank, Versailles day trip.
• Days 11–15: Rome — Colosseum/Forum, Vatican, Appian Way, Trastevere and Testaccio evenings.

This route blends North African spice with European elegance—market mornings in Marrakech, museum afternoons in Paris, and twilight strolls in Rome. With smart city bases, prebooked entries, and a few well-chosen meals, you’ll have the best of three cultures in a single, unforgettable itinerary.