Majestic Morocco to Lisbon Odyssey - 11 Days

Arrive in Marrakech – welcome to Morocco. We’ll meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel to settle in. In the afternoon, we’ll take a traditional horse–drawn carriage ride to Jemaa el–Fnaa, the city’s famous main square in the Medina. Dinner is included. Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.

Today we explore Marrakech – the city that gave Morocco its name – on a city tour that takes us along the city walls and through Jemaa el-Fnaa, the Medina, the Koutoubia Mosque and the Bahia Palace, with tickets included. Afterwards, you’ll have free time for your included lunch and to relax by the pool or in the hotel garden, or to shop in the souks. In the evening, you can choose to join the Fantasy Party – an optional excursion.

Leaving Marrakech, we cross the Atlas Mountains – high, often snow covered peaks give way to deep gorges and small Berber villages. We stop at the fortified village of Ait Benhaddou, well known from many films, then continue through arid scenery to Ouarzazate for a short pause – the city is known for its impressive kasbah. We travel on through the Valley of Roses and arrive in Boumalne Dades, where dinner is included. Please note that in winter some roads may close due to snow – if required, we will follow our alternative plan, and access to the Sahara Desert depends on road conditions.

From Boumalne Dades, we journey along the Valley of the Kasbahs – river valleys lined with palm groves, rocky plains that open into oases, adobe villages and fortresses that once protected key trade routes. We visit the Todgha Gorge, a spectacular canyon with cliffs rising more than 100 metres. En route, we stop at a small adobe town near Khorbat to learn about the local desert community – access may be restricted by river flooding. We then continue to Erfoud. If you wish, you can join an optional 4x4 excursion into the Sahara dunes to watch the sunset. Lunch is included.

We depart early from Erfoud, crossing the Atlas once more through dramatic gorges and striking mountain scenery. We traverse a high, cool plateau inhabited by nomadic shepherds and stop briefly in Midelt, a commercial town in the heart of the region known for its agriculture. We continue into the Middle Atlas for an included lunch by a lake in a peaceful natural setting. The landscape shifts as we enter forested country – snow is common here in winter. Near Azrou, we visit the House of Cedars in the national park, a small museum that explains the area, and we also have the chance to observe lively colonies of monkeys. We then continue to Bhalil, a quiet Middle Atlas town with Berber heritage, noted for its colourful old quarter where traditional cave dwellings are now integrated into the houses. We arrive in Fez and pause at the Marinid Tombs for views over the ancient city before heading to the hotel. Dinner is included.

This morning we tour Fez — entering through the Bronze Gates of the Royal Palace and exploring the Jewish Quarter, lively souks and the Tanners’ Quarter. Recognised as Morocco’s cultural capital, Fez is renowned for its vast Medina, which preserves a traditional Arab atmosphere like nowhere else — we conclude with an included lunch at a historic palace within the Medina. In the afternoon we travel north on a modern highway, reaching Tangier by evening — dinner included.

Enjoy free time in Tangier – you might like to pick up some last‑minute souvenirs. Later, we’ll take the ferry back to Spain. Our bus will not go on board – you’ll need to carry your luggage onto the ferry yourself. We’ll arrive in Algeciras or Tarifa and continue to Seville by road, reaching the city in the evening – dinner included.

In the morning, we explore Seville on a guided tour, taking in Seville Cathedral and its Giralda, the banks of the Guadalquivir and the popular neighbourhoods of Santa Cruz and Triana. After the tour, we enjoy an included boat ride on the Guadalquivir – a relaxed way to appreciate the city from the water. In the evening, you can choose to attend a flamenco tablao.

We depart Seville, travelling through rolling hills and open pastureland towards Extremadura. In Mérida we include entry to the Archaeological Ensemble – the Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre – renowned for its excellent preservation and UNESCO World Heritage status. After the visit, you’ll have time for lunch and a stroll through the pedestrian historic centre. We then continue into Portugal, stopping in Évora – also a World Heritage city – known for its whitewashed streets, Renaissance palaces and cathedral. We arrive in Lisbon in the evening.

This morning we set out on a guided sightseeing tour of Lisbon, the city of seven hills – a blend of narrow alleys, iconic tiles, Atlantic light and a touch of saudade. We also visit the Belém neighbourhood, from where Portuguese navigators departed across the oceans in the 15th century. The afternoon is free – you can wander on foot, head up to Bairro Alto and its viewpoint, or, if you prefer, join an optional excursion to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril. In the evening, we return to the hotel from lively Restauradores Square – a hub of cafés and bars.

Lisbon. After breakfast, our tour comes to an end – we hope you leave with lasting memories. The remainder of the day is free for your onward arrangements.