Portugal, Andalusia, and Morocco 18-Day Trip

18-Day Tour Details

Day 1: Madrid - Ávila – Salamanca - Porto

Leaving from the center of Madrid at 8:30 am, we'll head west towards Castilla-Leon, stopping in Ávila, a city known for its famous medieval wall. Then we'll continue the tour towards Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you'll have free time to explore the city, before we cross the border into Portugal and make our way to Porto, spending the night in the city.

Day 2: Porto

Breakfast in the hotel and a guided tour of Porto, a city famous for its bridges over the Douro River. You'll have free time here, and will again spend the night in the city.

Day 3: Porto – Coimbra – Fátima

After breakfast in Porto, we'll leave for Coimbra, known for its Portuguese fado. Having enjoyed your free time there, the tour will make its way to Fátima, one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in Europe, before heading to our accommodation for the night.

Day 4: Fátima – Batalha – Nazaré – Alcobaça – Lisbon

Having left the hotel in Fátima, we'll make our way to the Batalha Monastery - a masterpiece of Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic. Then we'll head to Nazaré, one of Portugal's most beautiful fishing villages with some of the world's largest swells, making it the location for any number of big wave surf competitions. Then having visited the historic Alcobaça villa, we'll spend the night in Lisbon.

Day 5: Lisbon

The day will be spent getting to know the charming Portuguese capital – and again we'll spend the night in a hotel in the city.

Day 6: Lisbon – Cáceres – Córdoba

We leave Portugal behind and make our way to Cáceres, where you'll be able to appreciate its stunning mix of arab, medieval, and Renaissance cultures and architecture. And we'll hit the road again, heading southwards to Córdoba, the ancient capital of the Caliphate.

Day 7: Cordoba – Seville

Explore the old town of Cordoba and tour the Mosque-Cathedral, considered by many as one of the most impressive monuments of Arab architecture. Afterward, head to the old medieval Jewish Quarter and you'll be able to admire the Arab influence still visible in the typical whitewashed houses with their romantic patios. In the afternoon, you’ll head to Seville, where you'll spend the night.

Day 8: Seville

We'll explore Seville, one of the most-visited cities in Spain. We'll tour the exterior of the majestic Cathedral and at world-famous Giralda, originally built as a minaret during the Arab period. Next, you'll visit the authentic Sevillian neighborhood of Santa Cruz. Then, your guide will lead you to Maria Luisa Park, along the Guadalquivir River, and to the beautifully decorated Plaza de España. You'll have some free time to continue exploring the city at your own pace.

Day 9: Seville – Ronda – Costa del Sol

On the eighth day, you’ll travel through the White Towns (Pueblos Blancos) of Andalusia and marvel at the picturesque whitewashed walls of the little village houses. Upon arrival in Ronda, one of the oldest cities in Spain, you'll have free time to explore the dramatic landscape of this mountaintop town which sits above a deep gorge. In the afternoon, you'll head to one of the most popular summer destinations in Spain, the Costa del Sol. You’ll spend the night in Torremolinos, an appealing town with long clean sandy beaches.

Day 10: Costa del Sol

You’ll have the whole day to enjoy the marvelous beaches of Torremolinos, some of the best in Spain.

Day 11: Costa del Sol – Tarifa or Algeciras – Tangier – Fez

We'll travel from Costa del Sol to Tarifa or Algeciras.  We'll board a ferry at one of these towns in Cádiz to sail through the Strait of Gibraltar toward Tangier. After processing through customs, you'll take a bus to Meknes, one of the pretties cities in Morocco.

After a brief stop in Meknes, we'll continue our journey toward the famous city of Fez, where you'll have the rest of the afternoon free before dinner and spending the night in the city.

Day 12: Fez

After breakfast at the hotel, we'll go on a guided tour of Fez, where you'll discover the medina of the most monumental of the Imperial Cities. We'll admire the seven doors of the Royal Palace, explore the Jewish Quarter (Mellah), and admire the monumental gate of Bab Bou Jeloud.

Day 13: Fez - Rabat - Casablanca - Marrakech

After breakfast in the hotel in Fez, we'll set off to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. We'll visit the exterior of the Royal Palace, the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, and the Hassan Tower. Afterward, we'll head to Casablanca to visit the most interesting sites, such as the United Nations Square, the Boulevard d’Anfa, and the exterior of the Hassan II Mosque. Once our visit is over, you'll have lunch as we head toward Marrakech. As an option, you can enjoy a traditional dinner at Fantasía Chez Ali.

Day 14: Marrakech - Casablanca

In the morning, we'll visit Marrakech, the "Pearl of the Southern," where you'll see the Menara Gardens. Afterward, we'll visit the exterior of the Koutoubia Mosque, the twin tower of Seville's Giralda. Once we're inside the old town, we'll visit the Bahia Palace, owned by a noble from the city. Finally, we'll go to Jemaa el-Fna, one of the most interesting squares in Morocco. 

After having lunch at the hotel, we'll set off toward Casablanca.

Day 15: Casablanca - Tangier - Tarida or Algeciras - Costa del Sol

we'll leave Casablanca to head to Tangier, where we'll board a ferry that will take us back to Spain on the Strait of Gibraltar. Once we're in Tarifa or Algeciras, we'll continue our journey by bus until we reach the Costa del Sol.

Day 16: Costa del Sol

You'll have the whole day to rest and enjoy sunbathing and swimming at the spectacular beaches of the Costa del Sol.

Day 17: Costa del Sol – Granada

We'll then head to Granada, the last bastion of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. Here, you'll visit an icon in Spain, the famous and breathtaking Alhambra and the Generalife Gardens. You'll then have time to discover the city at your own pace. 

Day 18: Granada – Toledo – Madrid

On the last day, you'll head back north to the Castilla-La Mancha region and stop at the "Imperial City" of Toledo, the cradle of civilizations where the Muslims, Hebrews, and Christians left their remains still visible to this day. Before leaving the city, you'll have the chance to learn the famous technique of Damascening, a beautiful metal incrustation in iron.

We'll start our journey back to Madrid and return to the starting point around 7:30 pm.

Tour Accommodation

The tour includes 17 nights of accommodation in the following 4-star and 4+ star hotels, depending on the type of accommodation you choose upon booking:

Standard 4-Star:

• Porto: Hotel Tryp Porto Expo
• Lisbon: Hotel Lutécia or Hotel Roma
• Fátima: Hotel Estrela de Fátima or Aurea Fátima
• Cordoba: Tryp Córdoba Hotel
• Seville: Hotel Catalonia Santa Justa or Catalonia Giralda
• Costa del Sol: Hotel Sol Príncipe or Sol Don Pablo
• Casablanca: Prince de Paris Hotel or Mogador Marina
• Marrakech: Hotel Kenzi Basma or Mogador Kasbah
• Fez: Hotel Menzeh Zalagh
• Granada: Alixares Hotel
   

Superior 4+ Star:

• Porto: Hotel Tryp Porto Expo or Bessahotel Boavista
• Lisbon: Lutécia Hotel
• Fatima: Hotel Estrela de Fátima or Vila Gale Opera
• Cordoba: Hesperia Cordoba Hotel
• Seville: Silken Al-Andalus Palace or Hesperia Sevilla
• Costa del Sol: Sol Don Marco/Sol Don Pablo Hotel
• Casablanca: Hotel Farah Casablanca orGrand Mogador City Center
• Marrakech: Asni Hotel or Palm Plaza
• Fez: Hotel Zalagh Parc Palace
• Granada: Gran Hotel Luna or Catalonia Granada
   

Hotel Pricing

The prices are per person staying in a double room. You'll be charged a supplement if you're traveling by yourself and want a single room.

Children's fares: A maximum of one child under 4 years old per reservation can travel free, and a maximum of one child 4-7 years old per reservation can travel at a reduced price. In both cases, they will share a room with two accompanying adults.

Entry to the Alhambra in Granada

In the event that the Alhambra and Generalife Trust does not provide tickets for participants on certain dates, compensation for the loss of these services will be offered at the discretion of the local provider.

Guide Change

During the journey, it's possible that your guide will change.