Spain, Morocco and Portugal

009582 - W20

Discover the wonders of the grand cities of Spain, from its capital Madrid to the south coast cities of Toledo, Seville and Grenada. Soak in the colours of communities in Portugal from Liston to Sintra and Porto. Breathe in the exotic sights and scents of  Morocco, from sand dunes to the Imperial City of Marrakech. This customized program combines locally guided, private touring with independent, pre-booked transportation taking in the top sights of these three singular countries.

Highlights
Details
Itinerary
Included
Not Included
Tour Notes
Map
Highlights
  • Seville - Visit the Old Tobacco Factory, Plaza de España, the Santa Cruz Quarter and the Cathedral of Seville while touring the city on foot and from a river cruise
  • Granada - Alhambra and Generalife Gardens
  • Cordoba - Alcázar, the Mosque - the Cathedral of Córdoba, a treasure from the Omeyas
  • Visit the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah
  • Travel through the gorge of Tizi-n-Tinifift, crossing the Valley of Draa and Ksour, with thousands of coconut trees
  • Marvel at Tinghir, a huge oasis with amazing natural gorges of Todra
  • Explore the streets of the Medina, the authentic heart of the city, formed by a labyrinth of narrow streets
  • Lisbon - Rossio Square, Restauradores Square, Liberdade Avenue, Eden Theatre, Foz Palace, the elegant Chiado district and Alfama, the cradle of fado music
  • Sintra - National Palace of La Peña, National Palace of Sintra and Cabo de la Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe
  • Explore Cascais with its narrow alleys with traditional white houses and quaint shops and Obidos, a fortified village with a distinctly medieval feel
  • Famous Monastery of Santa Maria d'Alcobaca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Our Lady of Fatima sanctuary
  • Oporto's historically significant city center, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site
Details

Minimum: 2 people

 

Tour Code:
009582 - W20

Itinerary
Open All
Day 1: Madrid

Arrive at any time today and meet your drive who will transfer you to your hotel. Take in the sites of Madrid if you have free time. Visit the Prado Museum, the main Spanish national art museum or take a walk to the Buen Retiro Park, one of the largest parks in the city. There are plenty of sites to see, just ask your driver or the hotel staff for suggestions.

 

Day 2: Toldedo

After breakfast in the hotel, you will be transferred to Toledo, which will take about an hour. You will visit the Toledo Cathedral, which began construction in 1227 and is the seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toledo; the Church of Santo Tomé which is located in the historical centre of the city; and the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, built by the Catholic Monarchs to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Toro. It will be a full day of learning about the history of Toledo before returning to Madrid. The evening will be yours to explore.

Day 3: Seville

Another full day of touring lies ahead after breakfast. You will be transferred to the train station where you will take the AVE (high speed train) to Seville. Once you arrive, you will be transferred to your hotel after which you will have free time to explore your new surroundings. This city is famous for flamenco dancing, particularly in its Triana neighbourhood. Ask you driver what sites are the top “must-sees”.

Day 4: Seville

After breakfast at the hotel, you will have a city tour where you will visit the sites that most represent Seville. You will discover the University of Seville, founded in 1505; the Old Tobacco Factory, an 18th-century stone building once housing the only tobacco factory in Europe; and the Plaza de España, built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. After lunch, you will make your way through the labyrinth or narrow streets in the Old Jewish Quarter and visit the biggest Gothic Cathedral in the world, the Cathedral of Seville. In the afternoon, you will embark on a river cruise on the Guadalquivir River, the fifth longest river in the Iberian Peninsula, to admire some of the monuments from a different point of view.

Day 5: Granada

You will have breakfast at your hotel before you depart for a full-day tour of Granada. It is here that you will visit the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, one of the most visited monuments in Spain. Lunch will be on your own today. Ask your guide what local food they would recommended you try. After lunch, you will return to Seville where you can relax for the remainder of the day or head out to do some more exploring.

Day 6: Seville - Marrakech, Morocco

Breakfast at your hotel before checking out and transferring to the Seville Airport for your flight to Marrakech, Morocco. On arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day is free to explore, relax and rest for the busy days ahead.

Day 7: Marrakech - Ait Ben Haddou - Ouarzazate

Breakfast at the hotel before departing to Ouarzazate, crossing the Tizi’n Tichka mountain pass, 2,260 metres altitude. Visit the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah. Then continue on to Taourit Kasbah, former residence of the Pasha of Marrakech and the movie studio where films like “The Mummy” and “Gladiator” were filmed. You drive on to Ouarzazate for check-in at your accommodation.

Day 8: Agdz - Nkob - Alnif - Rissani - Merzouga

Depart after breakfast at your hotel to Agdez through the gorge of Tizi-n-Tinifift, crossing the Valley of Draa and Ksour, with its impressive procession of coconut trees. You’ll pass through Erfoud and Risani before arriving to Merzouga. Accommodation will be in Haima, where you’ll have the opportunity to add in optional activities like a dromedary ride to enjoy the sunset.

Day 9: Merzouga - Rissani - Erfoud - Tinejdad - Tinghir - Dades Gorge

Early this morning you might want to add in an excursion to watch the sunrise from the golden sand dunes. After breakfast at your hotel you’ll depart for Tinghir, a huge oasis with amazing natural gorges of Todra. You will pass by Rissani, the former capital of Tafilalet, and one of the main commercial areas of the region. Continue on to Erfoud, a new city founded in 1913 by the French, then on to Dades Gorge.

Day 10: Dades - Kalaatmegouna - Skoura - Ouarzazate - Ait Ben Haddou - Marrakech

Following breakfast and check-out you depart for Ouarzazate, passing by Boumaine, known as the Roses Valley. This valley is located at the bottom of the Alto Atlas in Skoura, boasts over 30,000 coconut trees and is one of the forests in the country that is still inhabited. Continue on and visit the Amridil Kasbah, and travel to Marrakech via Ouarzazate. There is the possibility of visiting the movie studios and the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah.

Day 11: Marrakech

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before departing on a city tour of the beautiful, imperial city of Morocco. Discover and explore the streets of the Medina, the authentic heart of the city, formed by a labyrinth of narrow streets. Soak in the mix of colours and sensations, including its red walls at the shadow of the centuries-old coconut grove. The city’s fascinating past is documented by several notable monuments such as Menara Gardens, Koutubia Minaret and the Saadians Tombs.

Day 12: Marrakech - Lisbon

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out, followed by a transfer to the airport for your flight back to Lisbon. You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day is free to do as you choose.

Day 13: Lisbon

After breakfast at the hotel, you will start your guided walking tour of the city. Included are visits to Rossio Square, the heart of both old and modern Lisbon and Restauradores Square, where an obelisk commemorates the independence of Portugal from Spain in 1640. From here you can admire the Liberdade Avenue, the Eden Theatre (one of the best examples of Portuguese Art Deco) ad the eighteenth century Foz Palace. Wander through the elegant Chiado district, with its old cafes, boutiques, theaters and bookstores. This aristocratic neighbourhood is one of the most interesting pedestrian areas of Lisbon. Continue to the oldest district of Lisbon, Alfama, the cradle of fado, the musical genre characteristic of Portugal. Learn about the history of fado at the Fado Museum and at some of the hidden fado restaurants in the area. You’ll enjoy a delicious dinner accompanied by a Fado show before returning to your hotel on your own.

Day 14: Obidos - Alcobaça - Fatima

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before heading out on a full-day excursion north of Lisbon. In this area you’ll travel to a bygone era, where small towns offer relaxing walks and historical religious monuments dot the landscape. The first stop is Obidos, a fortified village with whitewashed houses, narrow streets and an unmistakable medieval atmosphere. You’ll have free time here to wander through cobbled alleys, lined with colourful houses and Gothic arches overhead. Relax in a cafe over a glass of the traditional liqueur, Ginja, or visit one of the many wine shops.

Continue on to Alcobaça to visit the famous Monastery of Santa Maria d’Alcobaça, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the largest Gothic church in Portugal.

The last visit of the day will be to Fatima, in its day a quiet, rural village that became an important pilgrimage destination in 1917 after three shepherd boys reported that they’d seen an apparition of the Virgin Mary, also known as Our Lady of Fatima (Nossa Senhora de Fatima). Here you’ll have free time should you wish to visit the Sanctuary of Fatima, a basilica that honours the apparition and attracts millions of Catholic pilgrims every year , who travel to pay their respects to the sanctuary. Or, simply stroll around the town, do some shopping or people watch as you relax at a cafe and watch the world go by

Day 15: Lisbon - Oporto

After breakfast at your hotel and check-out transfer to the train station to catch your train to Oporto. You’ll be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel. The rest of today is free time for you to explore or just relax and rest up.

Day 16: Oporto

Breakfast at your hotel before setting out on a half-day tour of the city of Oporto, the capital of Northern Portugal. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Oporto has one of the most notable, historic centers in Europe. During your cultural tour you will have the opportunity to visit interesting places such as Bohao Market, Santa Catarina Street, Majestic Cafe, Aliados Avenue, the Cathedral, Plaza Batalha, Plaza Infante D. Henrique and many more. The afternoon is free time for you to continue the exploration on your own, revisiting some of the sites visited earlier or setting out to discover new wonders.

Day 17: Oporto - Madrid - depart

After breakfast you’ll check out of your final hotel for this trip and be transferred to the airport to take a flight to Madrid. The tour services end upon your delivery to the Oporto airport, unless you have booked onward travel.

Time to say goodbye to Portugal, Spain and Morocco for now!

Included
  • Sixteen nights of 4 or 5-star accommodation
  • Breakfast daily at hotels, except on Day 1
  • Private airport transfers in each city
  • Train travel from Madrid to Seville and Lisbon to Oporto
  • Flights from Seville to Marrakech and Marrakech to Lisbon
  • Full day tours in Seville, Granada and Obidos/Fatima
  • Half day tours in Lisbon with fado show and dinner and in Oporto
  • River cruise in Seville
  • Seven days of guided touring in Morocco, as outlined
Not Included
  • International flights to/from Madrid
  • Tours not mentioned in itinerary
  • Meals not listed as included in itinerary
  • Driver gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Items of a personal nature
Tour Notes

Pre-tour add-on option: Spend a night or two in Madrid at the beginning of this tour program to allow yourself time to recover from your international flight and to explore Madrid.  Madrid, Spain’s central capital, is a city of elegant boulevards and expansive, manicured parks such as the Buen Retiro. It’s renowned for its rich repositories of European art, including the Prado Museum’s works by Goya, Velázquez and other Spanish masters. The heart of old Hapsburg Madrid is the portico-lined Plaza Mayor, and nearby is the baroque Royal Palace and Armory, displaying historic weaponry. We can arrange for guided, private tours of the city for you to round out this amazing discovery tour of Spain, Morocco and Portugal.

Disclaimer: We do our utmost to ensure that information posted on our website is correct at the time of publication, however trip details are subject to change without notice by the suppliers and operators involved. We update the information as soon as possible when changes are advised to us, however, we cannot assume responsibility for such changes made by the suppliers and operators.

Map