Madrid, Marrakech & Fes - 16 days

Welcome to Madrid, the Spanish capital! You will be collected at the airport and transferred to our hotel, where the evening is at leisure.

Today we take an all-encompassing coach tour of Madrid. Highlights of the excursion include the historic Barrio de la Morería region, Habsburgs District, Puerta del Sol central square, Plaza Mayor and the Neptuno Fountains. These are dedicated to Neptune, a Roman water god. In the more modern part of the city we see the Salamanca district, Plaza Castilla and Parque del Oeste. We also see the Santiago Bernabeu, the football stadium of Real Madrid, the most successful European club.





The rest of today is free for you to relax in the hotel or head out and explore further at your own pace. Tonight we enjoy a group Welcome Dinner at a local Tapas restaurant. Get to know your fellow travellers and enjoy some authentic Spanish cuisine.

Madrid - Caceres - Cordoba. After breakfast we say farewell to Madrid and head south, bound for the region of Andalusia. Before we reach mainland Spain's southernmost region, we stop in Caceres. The Old Town here is UNESCO-listed, known for its blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance architecture. There's time for a walk through the Plaza Mayor Square and the Old Town. We then climb back on board our coach and complete the journey to Cordoba, where the evening is at leisure.

Cordoba - Seville. This morning we tour Cordoba, an important Roman city that was also an Islamic centre during the Middle Ages. The most important landmark here is the sprawling La Mezquita mosque-cathedral, which dates back to 988 AD. Entrance to the mosque is included on our tour and we also take a stroll through the Jewish Quarter before departing the city and travelling south-west to Seville, capital of Andalusia.

Today we explore Seville on a guided tour. Entrance to the city's cathedral, the second largest in the Catholic world, is included. We also visit the Santa Cruz Quarter, where the famous opera 'Carmen' is largely set. Wander through Maria Luisa Park and the picturesque Plaza Espana. After our tour, the afternoon is free for you to further explore Seville at your own pace.

Seville - Ronda - Costa del Sol. Leaving Seville after breakfast, we pass through quaint Andalusian villages and make a stop in the picturesque mountain-top town of Ronda, where there is free time to explore and admire the view of the surrounding valleys and mountains.





Continuing our journey, we stop at a local Almazara, olive oil mill. Here we can walk through the olive groves and taste some of the delicious organic olive oil produced here. We then reach the stunning Mediterranean coast of the Costa del Sol, where we will usually stay in Malaga or Torremolinos. The evening is at leisure.

Today is completely free for you to enjoy the sunshine and beaches of the Costa del Sol. Grab a sunbed and a book, head for a walk along the seafront or taste some fresh seafood in one of the area's fabulous restaurants.

Costa del Sol - Tarifa - Tangier (Morocco) - Casablanca. Today we say goodbye to Spain, as we drive along the coast to the port town of Tarifa, and board a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier. After clearing customs, we head south to Casablanca, a city made famous by the classic 1942 film of the same name. Your first evening in Morocco is at leisure, and dinner is included.

Casablanca - Marrakech. Today is a big day of sightseeing for us in Morocco! We start with a guided tour of Casablanca, taking in highlights such as Anfa Boulevard, Nations Square and the grand Hassan II Mosque, which can hold up to 25,000 worshippers at any time.





After our tour we leave the city and travel south, to Marrakech. This is perhaps Morocco's most popular destination. The capital of the south, it is located in an oasis near the Atlas Mountains. On our included sightseeing tour we will see the Koutoubia Mosque, Bay Palace, Saadian Tombs necropolis and the atmospheric Djemaa el Fna main square - where fortune tellers, snake charmers, market sellers and acrobats entertain and enthral the crowds. It's the heart of the city and a fascinating place to explore.

Marrakech - Rabat - Meknes - Fes. Leaving Marrakech after breakfast, our first stop today is Morocco's capital city - Rabat. On our sightseeing tour we will take in the ornate Royal Palace from the outside, the Mausoleum of Mohamed V and Hassan Tower. Hassan Tower is the minaret of an incomplete mosque which was intended to be the largest mosque in the world, but failed quite comprehensively! Commissioned by Caliph Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur in the 12th Century, construction was abandoned after his death in 1199.





We make a stop in the imperial city of Meknes to see the Walls of Bab el Mansour and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, Sultan of Morocco from 1672 until 1727. We then arrive in the ancient city of Fes.

This morning we enjoy a tour of ancient, UNESCO-listed Fes, most important of the imperial cities in Morocco and the oldest and largest medieval city in the world. On our tour we will wander down some of the old walled city's 9,400 alleyways and take in the heart of the medina. We also see the seven gates of the Royal Palace, explore the Jewish Quarter and admire the ornate gate of Bab Bou Jeloud, built by the colonial French administration in 1913. Tonight there is an optional show with dinner included - book and pay locally.

Fes - Tangier - Tarifa (Spain) - Costa del Sol. After breakfast on day 12 we depart Fes and make our way back to the port city of Tangier. Here we board the ferry and retrace our steps back across the Strait of Gibraltar to Tarifa in Spain. From here we return to the Costa del Sol, and enjoy our first evening back in Spain.





Day 13 is free for you to enjoy some more leisure time on the beaches of the Costa del Sol - time to top up that tan!

Costa del Sol - Granada. Today we travel to Granada and enjoy an included visit to the Alhambra complex. This famous 13th century palace and fortress is one of the best-preserved examples of early Islamic architecture anywhere in the world, as well as being home to important Spanish Renaissance architecture. We'll tour Alhambra and the adjacent Generalife Palace and Gardens. The gardens have historically inspired many authors, including Washington Irving. This American author wrote his Tales of the Alhambra in 1832 whilst visiting the area.





Back in the city, there is some free time before we enjoy an included group dinner and Flamenco show.

Granada - Toledo - Madrid. We return to the Spanish capital of Madrid today, stopping in the imperial hilltop city of Toledo en route. This picturesque location is surrounded by the Tagus River and is protected by UNESCO. It's also something of a confluence of culture, with Christians, Jews and Muslims having lived side by side for centuries. We enjoy a short tour of the historic Old Town before completing our journey back to the Spanish capital, where the evening is at leisure.

Enjoy a final breakfast in the hotel before our tour comes to an end. There is an included transfer to the airport.

Enjoy a final breakfast in the hotel before our tour comes to an end. There is an included transfer to the airport.