BARCELONA, MADRID, PORTUGAL, ANDALUSIA & MOROCCO (ENGLISH ONLY – SMALL GROUP) 23 DAYS
Tour overview:
Discover the best of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. In Spain, explore the fascinating history, amazing architecture, World Heritage sites and culinary delights in Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, and Costa del Sol. In Portugal, taste the famous Port wine in Porto and take in the colorful ‘Ruas’ in its capital, Lisbon. Cross the Strait of Gibraltar and visit the Imperial cities of Morocco.
Day 1 - Barcelona
Arrival at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 2 - Barcelona
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning city tour of Barcelona. Drive along the main avenues with its impressive Gaudi modernist buildings such as La Pedrera and Casa Milá. The Montjuïc Park with spectacular views of the city and harbor, Olympic Ring, monument to Columbus and the Olympic Port. Visit the most important landmark in the city of Barcelona, Sagrada Familia. Admire Gaudi’s masterwork by the hand of your expert local guide. Afternoon at leisure. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 3 - Barcelona – Madrid
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the train station to take the high-speed train to Madrid. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Accommodation
Day 4 - Madrid
Breakfast at the hotel. Discover the beauties of the city with a guided city tour. Barrio de la Morería, the Hapsburgs District, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa; the Madrid of the Bourbons and the complex town planning schemes of Charles III, the Royal Palace, Cibeles and Neptuno Fountains and the Puerta de Alcalá. The contemporary Madrid with areas such as Gran Vía, Castellana, the district of Salamanca, as well as commercial and financial areas of Modern Madrid, and the Santiago Bernabéu Football Stadium. Afternoon at leisure to continue exploring the wonders that the city has to offer. Join your fellow travelers for an authentic Welcome Tapas Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 5 - Madrid– Salamanca – Porto
Breakfast at the hotel. Bound for Portugal, we will drive towards Salamanca. Enjoy some free time in this University City and World Heritage Site of great architectural and artistic wealth. Continue to the Portuguese border to reach Porto. Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European towns, and proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 6 - Porto
Breakfast at the hotel. Guided sightseeing tour of Porto. Admire the Cathedral, Stock Exchange building and Santa Clara church. Afterwards, enjoy a Douro River Cruise and discover famous Port Wine Cellars with a wine tasting experience included. Rest of day at leisure. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 7 - Porto – Coimbra – Fatima
After breakfast, we depart to Coimbra, one of the oldest universities in Europe and the birthplace of Fado. Free time. Continue to Fatima. Center of the Christian Faith and World Pilgrimage Sanctuary with its impressive Basilica and the Cova da Iria place where the Virgin Mary appeared, and the Chapel of the Apparitions, heart of the sanctuary, with the tombs of the three shepherds, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta. At night, possibility to attend the procession of the candles. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 8 - Fatima – Batalha – Nazare – Alcobaca – Lisbon
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to the Batalha Monastery, a masterpiece of Gothic and Manueline style considered a World Heritage place by UNESCO. Continue to the picturesque fishing town of Nazaré. Free time and continue to Alcobaça (World Heritage) with its Gothic church and Cistercian monastery, whose origins date back to the XII C. We continue to Lisbon. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 9 - Lisbon
After breakfast, join a morning city sightseeing of the ancient Olissipo. Drive through its main squares and avenues, Belem Tower, Jeronimos Monastery, Monument to the Discoverers, Marquis of Pombal Square & Liberty Avenue. Afternoon at leisure for you to catch the nostalgic corners of Alfama Quarter, the old city gathered next to its Castle, with old buildings nested in narrow twisting “Ruas” full of color housing the genuine “tabernas”. Join your fellow travelers and enjoy a typical Portuguese dinner visiting one of the oldest Fado venues in the city and located in one of the most interesting cultural neighborhoods in the area. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 10 - Lisbon – Canceres – Cordoba
Breakfast at the hotel. Bound for Andalusian soils, back in Spain, we drive to Caceres, considered World Heritage site because of the city’s blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance architecture. Walk through its Plaza Mayor and the Old Town with its famous Medieval Quarter. We continue towards Cordoba, once the capital of the Caliphate. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 11 - Cordoba– Seville
Breakfast at the hotel. Discover the impressive tour of Cordoba´s Mosque (entrance included) and other sites that will ease our mind and spirit strolling through its narrow winding streets of the Jewish Quarter. In the afternoon, continue your journey towards Seville. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 12 - Seville
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning city tour of the Andalusian Capital, Seville. Visit the Cathedral, the second largest in the Catholic world after St. Peters in Rome. Continue to Santa Cruz quarter, the natural scenario of Carmen as well as the myth of Don Juan; continue to Maria Luisa Park and Plaza de España. Afternoon is at leisure for you to enjoy the city of light. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 13 - Seville – Ronda – Costa Del Sol
After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive south passing through typical Andalusian villages to reach Ronda. Enjoy some free time to admire this town of Celtic origin and the marvelous view of the valley and mountain range. We continue our journey with an authentic Olive Oil Experience at a local Almazara, LA Organic. Walk through their olive tree fields and taste their organic olive oil production. Bound for beautiful Spanish Mediterranean coast, we will continue to Costa del Sol. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 14 - Costa Del Sol
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure for you to enjoy the wonderful beaches of the Costa del Sol and surrounding areas. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 15 - Costa Del Sol – Tarifa – Casablanca
After breakfast at the hotel drive along the picturesque tourist route of Costa del Sol, arrive to Tarifa where a ferry boat will be used for a short and interesting crossing of the strait of Gibraltar towards Africa. Arrival to Tangier, disembark, clear customs and drive southwards to Casablanca, current industrial and economic capital and the most populated city housing a 10% of the country population. Time at leisure. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.
Day 16 - Casablanca – Marrakech
Breakfast at the hotel. Panoramic tour of the most interesting places in the city, such as the United Nations Square, the Boulevard de la Corniche and the Hassan II Mosque. Departure to Marrakech and complete visit that begins in the magnificent Menara Gardens, which has a side pavilion and countless olive trees. Afterwards, visit the outside of the Koutoubia Tower, twin tower of the Giralda in Seville. Once inside the old part of the city, there is a visit to the Bahía Palace, owned by a nobleman from the city. Finally arrival at the Jmaa el Fnaa square, one of the most interesting places in Morocco from where you can access the souks and the medina. Guilds of wood, ceramic, furriers or spice artisans will be some of the places that will be visited. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel. Optionally dinner and show at “Fantasia Chez Ali”. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 17 - Marrakech – Rabat – Meknes – Fez
After breakfast northeast departure to Rabat, diplomatic and administrative capital, official residence of the King Mohamed VI. City tour visiting the important sights as the Royal Palace from outside, Mohamed V Mausoleum and the unfinished Hassan Tower which are important examples of the Almohade architecture. Afterwards departure. Continue to Meknes, old walled(40 Km.) imperial city located in the heart of the Mid Atlas. Guided tour; admire the great Bab Al Mansour Gate, Morocco’s most beautiful gate and the most well-known monument in town. Afterwards departure to Fez, the most monumental one of the Imperial Cities, its University of “Karaouyne” is the largest Islamic sanctuary in Morocco, ancient theological schools, etc.Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.
Day 18 - Fez
Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a morning city tour of the most ancient and monumental of the Imperial Cities visiting the most interesting points: the 7 gates of the Royal Palace, Jewish Quarters or Mellah, gate of Bab Bou Jelous and walking tour of the “Medina” (Old City), declared World Heritage Site. Afternoon free. Dinner and accommodation at hotel. Optional dinner with show
Day 19 - Fez – Tangier – Tarifa– Costa Del Sol
After breakfast at the hotel departure to Tangier. Transfer to the pier to board the ferry to return across the strait of Gibraltar back to Spain. Drive towards the Costa del Sol. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 20 - Costa Del Sol
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure for you to enjoy the wonderful beaches of the Costa del Sol and surrounding areas. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 21 - Costa Del Sol – Granada
Enjoy your daily breakfast at the hotel and depart to one of our favorite jewels in Spain, Granada. With its breathtaking monumental environment, we will visit the world famous Alhambra complex (entrance included) and Generalife Gardens. After some time at leisure, join your fellow travelers to experience the most authentic Gypsy Flamenco show including dinner. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 22 - Granda – Toledo – Madrid
Breakfast at the hotel. Bound for the impressive Imperial city of Toledo, World Heritage City, where the three cultures, Christians, Moorish and Jewish, have lived together for centuries. Enjoy a guided city tour of this historical old town through its narrow streets. Continue to Madrid. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 23 - Madrid
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport. END OF OUR SERVICES.