Spain, Morocco and Portugal

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Arrival. Transfer to the hotel.Welcome to Europe!!!. On arrival at the airport we shall be waiting to transfer you to the hotel. You can enjoy free time until your tour starts, information about the meeting place and start time can be found on the information boards in the hotel reception area.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Barcelona city tour. “Spanish Village” visit and evening transfers to Las Ramblas district. Today we will explore Barcelona, an impressive city right on the Medi­terranean Sea. Starting with an informative city tour with a local expert (note: If the group has fewer than fifteen people, explanations can be given by our guide.) We also visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neigh­bourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. We will get the chance to see La Sagrada Fa­milia Basilica; the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudí. Following this, we include the entry ticket to visit ‘Poble Espanyol’ (meaning ‘Spanish Village’). This open-air architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Enjoy Spanish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different communities in Spain. Take some free time to explore the city on your own. In the evening we provide transfers to Las Ramblas and Plaza Cata­lunya area for dinner, where you can select from a great variety of restaurants. Return to hotel.

TODAYS HIGHLIGHTS: Visit Peniscola, a beautiful walled town combined with a castle on the sea. Sightseeing of Valencia. Evening transfer. We journey south along the Mediterranean. We will make a special stop at PENISCOLA, a small walled town on the shores of the sea. After a short introduction by our guide, you can make your way through the town, discovering the fishing port, the castle and the beach. Afterwards we travel to VALENCIA, and time to enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, with a local guide, we will include a visit to the third largest Spanish city that mixes the modern with the historical. We will learn about its historic centre, the fish market, the cathedral and the avant-garde City of Arts and Sciences. In the evening we transfer you to the Plaza de Toros (bullring area). In this area you will have time to take dinner. Return to hotel.

TODAYS HIGHLIGHTS: Tourist train in Caravaca. Today we continue to ALICANTE. We will take a walk in this charming city by the sea. After lunch make our way to the Murcia region, where we will see CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ, a town considered by the Catholic Church as one of the five holy cities. Its church holds a relic of Christ’s Cross. We will also take a train ride up to explore its historic area. After this we will carry on along scenic roads to Andalusia. We finish the day in GRANADA.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Visit to the Alhambra. Night transfer. We will have a full day in GRANADA, with a local guide, we take a tour of Alhambra Palace and its beautiful Generalife Gardens, built in Arab times. Time to take lunch. The afternoon will be at leisure to see the Cathedral with the Sepulcher of the Catholic Kings. In the evening, transfer to the Albaicín of Granada, a World Heritage site along with Alhambra; here you can enjoy dinner at one of the restaurants in the narrow winding streets of this captivating Medieval Moorish quarter. Tonight you have the option to attend a flamenco dance show and the traditional neighbourhood of Sac­romonte. Note: In the Alhambra complex, the Nazari Palace only allow a limited number of people in at a time. Sometimes your visit may be in the afternoon, depending on the timetables in which we are allowed in. In the highly improbable case of not being able to visit this area of the Alhambra, a visit to the Alcázares will be included in Seville (which have similar architecture and features).

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Step aboard a boat to Africa. Stop off in the pictur­esque town of Asilah, located on the ocean front. Dinner is included. Note: De­pending on the number of passengers in Morocco, this tour may be conducted in bilingual (Spanish/English) groups. Departure from Granada. We cross the Costa del Sol. In Algeciras or Tarifa we board a modern ferry to cross the Straits of Gibraltar. The coach does not normally make the crossing, so passengers must carry their lug­gage. Arrival in Morocco. Beautiful landscapes. ASILAH – this picturesque small walled city on the shores of the Atlantic was an ancient port that was a base for pirates. Today the settlement is full of life. Time for lunch. Later we continue to Rabat. Arrival in Rabat. Dinner buffet and accommodation.

TODAY’S HIGHLIHTS: Guided visit in Rabat (admission costs included). Dis­cover Casablanca. Kalesa (horse or donkey carriage) ride and dinner are included. Scenic tour of Rabat, calling at the immense Royal Palace, the Mohamed V Mausoleum and the mighty Kasbah of the Udayas. At midday, we depart for Casablanca, where we shall have a short informative tour of the city. The tour includes the outside of the great Hassan II mosque, which is one of the most important in the Arab world. Then we continue towards Marrakech. After arriving at the hotel, you will be able to experience a traditional Kalesa ride up to the famous Jamaa el Fna square. Dinner buffet included. Hotel accommodation.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Guided tour of the city. Admission prices and lunch are both included. Start your day with a guided tour of the city that gave the country its name. We will know the great walls of the city, the Jemaa square with its activity, we will walk through the colorful Medina, we will see the Kutubia tower, we will include entrance and visit to the Bahia Palace. Lunch included. Free time to relax at the pool or to discover a famous Mar­rakech Souk (local market). In the evening, you can experience a Fantasia dinner and cultural show (optional).

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Scenic landscapes. Visit a village built from adobe. Dinner buffet included. We journey across the Atlas Mountains, frequently snow-capped high peaks greet us as we say goodbye to Marrakesh. Small Berber villages perch on the side of chasms. We interrupt the journey to stop at the fortified village of Ait Ben­haddou, a place where several films have been filmed. At this point of our trip, our route passes through the so-called biblical landscapes. Time in Ouarzazate city with its impressive Kasbah. We continue toward the valley of Roses. Boulmane Dades. Dinner and accommodation. NOTE: On very rare occasions (during winter), the roads may be closed due to snowdrifts. If necessary, days 5 to 7 will be resched­uled according to our alternative itinerary. (Whether we can visit the Sahara or not will depend on road access)

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Beautiful scenery. Canyon in the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains. Visit a village built from adobe. Lunch buf­fet included. Feel the adrenaline on an off-road excursion on the de­sert sand dunes. A journey full of excitement in the Sahara Desert: the Valley of the Kas­bahs; river valleys containing thousands of palm trees; plains of stones fol­lowed by oasis and adobe villages, powerful fortresses defending the thoroughfares. We visit the stunningly magnificent Todgha Gorge. On the way, we shall call at a small town built from adobe next to KHORBAT, visitors will be able to learn about this desert community, which is supported by the Europamundo Foundation. (Note: Sometimes access is not possible due to weather condi­tions, which may involve flooding of the river). We continue toward Erfoud. Lunch included. Anyone who wishes, can go on a field trip to visit the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert (experience dusk among the dunes).

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Breath-taking landscapes. Discover the medi­eval city of Fes. Dinner included. Early morning, our trip leaves the Sahara through the mountains and crosses no­madic areas situated in high and cold landscapes. In the afternoon, Fes awaits us. Leisure time. Dinner included and hotel accommodation.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Guided city tour of Fes. Admission prices included. Lunch and dinner included. Discover Fes with an informative scenic tour. We conclude the visit by including lunch in an ancient palace in the Medina district. At the beginning of the afternoon, we depart towards the north of Morocco. Arrival in Tangier in the middle of the afternoon. Dinner included and hotel accommodation.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Travel via ferry from Africa to Europe. Spare time in Tangier. Chance for some last minute shopping? We return to Spain by ferry. The coach will not travel on board, and each passenger will be required to carry their own piece of luggage. We arrive in Algeciras or Tarifa and continue to SEVILLE. Evening arrival and hotel.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Guided visit with local expert in Seville. Boat trip along the river Guadalquivir. Night transfer to the historic city centre. After breakfast, a local expert guides you through a scenic visit of Seville featuring the Cathedral and its famous Giralda (bell tower), the banks of the Guadalquivir River, popu­lar neighborhoods of Santa Cruz and Triana and the beautiful Plaza de España. (note: If the group is fewer than fifteen travellers, it can be arranged in both Spanish and English). After the tour, we will include a boat trip along the river Guadalquivir, enjoying the panoramic views from the boat. Enjoy leisure time straight afterwards. At the end of the afternoon, we will go to the historic city centre area (Calle Alfonso XII). Here there are many different types of restaurantes for you to choose from, enjoy your dinner.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Entrance in the Carabelas Museum were Christopher Columbus started his voyage to America. Chapel of the bones in Evora. We leave Seville and travel through the province of Huelva, traveling to PALOS DE LA FRONTERA. We will visit the Carabelas Museum (entrance included); this is where Columbus set sail for America on 3 August 1492. We will also see the Rábida Monastery (entrance included), declared a World Heritage site, a Franciscan monastery strongly linked to the Discovery of America. After this we will travel to Portugal, stopping in MERTOLA, an ancient Muslim city. Time to take some lunch. After lunch, we travel through white villages, and come to EVORA city. Also declared a World Heritage site, with its wide streets, its Renaissance policies and cathedral. We will visit the impressive Chapel of Bones (entrance included), built with 5000 skeletons!. Continuing to LISBON, arriving at the end of the day.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Visit Lisbon. Evening transfer. In the morning we have a sightseeing tour with a local guide (note: ex­planations may be given by our guide if the group has fewer than twelve people) . We visit tra­ditional neighbourhoods, which take in the Belem district, the birthplace of the great Portuguese navigators who sailed the oceans in the Fifteenth Century. We will look around the Monument to the Discoveries, Belem Tower, and the beautiful Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore the city independently. In the late afternoon, we transfer to the Restauradores Square, a public square with restaurants and cafes. We suggest you ride the Elevador Da Gloria funicular that takes you to the viewpoint of San Pedro with beautiful views over Lisbon and the Bairro Alto. Return to the hotel.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Fatima Shrine. Lunch included. Night transfer in Madrid.Today we travel to the north of Portugal and visit FATIMA, an important sanctuary (a pilgrimage site). We will continue on our way through the green lands of the centre, passing into Spain, and over grasslands we cross the North of Extremadura. Lunch included en route in a regional food restaurant . Continuing to MADRID, arriving at the end of the day. Then we include transportation to Plaza Mayor where you can enjoy at some typical taverns.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Madrid city tour. Stroll through the Retiro Park. Visit to the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas bullring. Night transfer.The morning starts with a comprehensive tour through the centre of Madrid including Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. We then visit to Retiro Park, an oasis in the city centre, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. A visit to Las Ventas Bullring (admission included) is next, this is one of the most famous bullrings in the world where we will learn about the tradition of “corridas” in the Bullfighting Museum. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure. At sunset we provide a transfer to Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, an elegant and bustling area with many restaurants serving different cuisines such as local Spanish food, international, and Chinese. Enjoy a pleasant dinner of your choice, then return to hotel together.

After breakfast, end of our services.