TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Arrival. Transfer to the hotel.Reception. Transfer to hotel and free time. You will receive information about the start of the circuit during the afternoon, or you can check the informative panels in the hotel reception area.
Day 2
BARCELONA 32ºC
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Barcelona city tour. “Spanish Village” visit and evening transfer to Las Ramblas district. Today we will get to know Barcelona, an impressive city right on the Mediterranean Sea. Our visit includes 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. It will be possible to see and photograph La Sagrada Familia basilica; the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudí. Subsequently, we include the entry ticket to “Poble Espanyol” (meaning “Spanish Village”). This open air architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Be delighted by the best Spanish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different communities in Spain. Free time to explore the city on your own. In the evening we provide transfer to Las Ramblas and Plaza Catalunya area, where you can select from a great variety of restaurants (including Indian, Chinese, Halal, International and regional Spanish cuisine). Return to hotel.
Day 3
BARCELONA 32ºC - PENISCOLA 26ºC - VALENCIA 27ºC
TODAYS HIGHLIGHTS: Visit Peñiscola, a beautiful walled town combined with a castle on the sea. Discover Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences. Evening transfers. We travel south along the Mediterranean. A special stop is made at Peñiscola, a small walled town on the shores of the sea. After a short introduction given by our guide, you can make your way through the town, discovering the fishing port, the castle and the beach. Time for a walk and lunch. Afterwards we travel to Valencia, the third largest Spanish city, where we will see the City of Arts and Sciences, the most important modern tourist site in the city of Valencia. Next, we walk through the historic centre of the city, and our guide will accompany us to the Cathedral. Evening transfer to the Plaza de Toros. In this area you will have time to dine in line with your preferences (Spanish, Indian, international, etc.). Return to hotel.
Day 4
VALENCIA 27ºC - ALICANTE 26ºC - CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ 28ºC - GRANADA 25ºC
TODAYS HIGHLIGHTS: Tourist train in Caravaca. We continue through the community of Valencia. ALICANTE. Time to stroll in this active and very pleasant city by the sea. After lunch we go on 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 5 holy cities, its church holds a relic of Christ’s Cross. We include a ride up to the historic area on the tourist train. After this we will carry on along an attractive scenic road to ANDALUSIA. Arrival at the end of the day in GRANADA.
Day 5
GRANADA 25ºC
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS : Visit to the Alhambra. Night transfer. A full day in GRANADA and tour (including entrance and local guide) of the immense Alhambra Palace and its beautiful Generalife gardens built in Arab times. Time for lunch. Free afternoon to see the Cathedral with the sepulchre of the Catholic Kings. Later, enjoy an evening transfer to the Albaicín of Granada, a World Heritage site along with the Alhambra, where you can enjoy dinner in a restaurant 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 neighborhood of Sacramonte.Note: in the Alhambra complex, the Nazari palaces 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).
Day 6
GRANADA 25ºC - RABAT 22ºC
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.
Day 7
RABAT 22ºC - CASABLANCA 23ºC - MARRAKECH 20ºC
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.
Day 8
MARRAKECH 20ºC
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. 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). Lunch included.
Day 9
MARRAKECH 20ºC - AIT BENHADOU - OUARZAZATE - BOULMANE
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)
Day 10
BOULMANE - TODRA - ERFOUD 37ºC
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).
Day 11
ERFOUD 37ºC - FEZ 25ºC
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.
Day 12
FEZ 25ºC - TANGIERS
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Guided city tour of Fes. Admission prices included. Dinner is 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.
Day 13
TANGIERS - SEVILLE 23ºC
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Travel via ferry from Africa to Europe. Dinner is included. 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 accommodation.
Day 14
SEVILLE 23ºC
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Guided visit with local expert in Seville. 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, 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). Enjoy leisure time straight afterwards. At the end of the afternoon, we will go to the historic city centre area (Calle Alfonso XII) where many different restaurants can be found. You can choose your favorite cuisine: Indian, Halal, Chinese, Spanish, International, and so on.
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 in the province of Huelva, we travel to PALOS DE LA FRONTERA. We include entrance to the Carabelas Museum; this is where Columbus set sail on 3 August 1492 for America. We will see the Rabida Monastery, declared a World Heritage site, a Franciscan monastery strongly linked to the history of the discovery (entrance included). After this we will travel to Portugal. MERTOLA, a stop in this ancient Muslim city, its present church was a mosque, and time for lunch. After this, through white villages we come to EVORA city declared a World Heritage site with its wide streets, its Renaissance policies and its cathedral, we will include the entrance to the impressive Chapel of Bones, built with 5000 skeletons! LISBON, arrival at the end of the day.
Day 16
LISBON 22ºC
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Visit Lisbon. We taste the “pastel de Belem” (Belem cake). 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 neighborhoods, which take in the Belem district, which is the birthplace of the great Portuguese navigators who sailed the oceans in the Fifteenth Century. We shall look round the Monument to the Discoveries, Belem Tower, and enter to the beautiful Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the Belem neighbourhood, we invite all our travellers to try a “Belem cake”, an exquisite local delicacy. The afternoon is free so that you can explore this great city independently.
We include night transportation to Restauradores Square , full of atmosphere with its bars and cafes from where we suggest you to take the "Elevador da Gloria" that brings you to the Upper district and its viewpoint.
Day 16
LISBON 22ºC
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Visit Lisbon. We taste the “pastel de Belem” (Belem cake). 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 neighborhoods, which take in the Belem district, which is the birthplace of the great Portuguese navigators who sailed the oceans in the Fifteenth Century. We shall look round the Monument to the Discoveries, Belem Tower, and enter to the beautiful Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the Belem neighbourhood, we invite all our travellers to try a “Belem cake”, an exquisite local delicacy. The afternoon is free so that you can explore this great city independently.We include night transportation to Restauradores Square , full of atmosphere with its bars and cafes from where we suggest you to take the "Elevador da Gloria" that brings you to the Upper district and its viewpoint.
Day 17
LISBON 22ºC - FATIMA 20ºC - MADRID 30ºC
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Fatima Shrine. We travel to the north of Portugal and visit FATIMA, an important sanctuary. 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 . Continuation to MADRID. Arrival at the end of the day.
Day 18
MADRID 30ºC
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Madrid city tour. Stroll through the Retiro Park. Visit to the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas bullring. Night transfer The day starts about 08.30 hrs with a comprehensive tour through the centre of Madrid including Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Gran Via, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. Visit to Retiro Park, an oasis in the city centre, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. Admission to Las Ventas Bullring included. 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 sunset we provide a transfer to Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, an elegant and bustling area with many restaurants serving different exquisite cuisines (Indian, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Spanish, International) in which to enjoy a pleasant dinner. Return to hotel.