Big Tour: Spain, Morocco and Portugal
Tour of 22 days visiting Barcelona, Peniscola, Valencia, Madrid, Granada, Asilah, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh, Ait Benhadou, Ourzazate, Boulmane Dades, Todgha, Khorbat, Erfoud, Fez, Tangier, Seville, Jerez de los Caballeros, Monsaraz, Evora, Lisbon, Fatima, Porto, Bom Jesus Sanctuary, Cambados, Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, O Cebreiro, Leon, Oviedo, Covadonga, Santillana, Santander, Bilbao, La Rioja, Zaragoza, Poblet, Montserrat, Barcelona.
DAY 01 THU. Barcelona.-
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.
DAY 02 FRI. Barcelona.-
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 the hotel.
DAY 03 SAT. Barcelona – Peniscola – Valencia – Madrid.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Peniscola, a beautiful walled town combined with a castle on the sea. Discover Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences. Evening transfer in Madrid. Travelling south, we follow the Mediterranean stopping in PENISCOLA, a small walled medieval town surrounded by the sea, time for a stroll. We continue to VALENCIA where we will have time for lunch in its istoric centre, followed by a coach tour of the avantgarde “City of Sciences” designed by the architect Calatrava. We continue to MADRID, arriving at the end of the day. We head to Plaza Mayor, where we can relax at some typical taverns. Note: If the number of travellers from Valencia to Madrid is low, the trip may be done by high-speed train.
DAY 04 SUN. Madrid.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Madrid city tour. Stroll through the Retiro Park. Visit to the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas bullring. Evening 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 the hotel together.
DAY 05 MON. Madrid – Granada.-
TODAY’S HIGLIGHTS: Lunch included. Entrance and local guide in the Alhambra (if you bought the trip with the entrance included). Evening transfer.
We leave Madrid in the early morning. We travel to the south across La Mancha, stopping in PUERTO LAPICE, a ‘manchego’ village evoking the figure of Don Quixote. We will enter Andalusia via Despeñaperros, arriving in GRANADA. Lunch included. In the afternoon, if you bought the trip with the entrance included, we will visit with a local guide the immense Alhambra Palace and its beautiful Generalife gardens, built in Arab times. In the evening we visit the Albaicín district of Granada, a World Heritage site along with the Alhambra, where you can enjoy dinner 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. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The number of people authorised to visit the Alhambra is limited by law. The number of places assigned to tour operators is small and we are only given the quota one month before arrival. Even if you buy the trip with the ticket included, we cannot guarantee a visit to the Alhambra (if these tickets cannot be offered, the Reales Alcázares in Seville, which is similar, would be visited and a sightseeing tour with a local guide of the city of Granada would also be offered). If the visit to the Alhambra is very important to you, we suggest you purchase the trip “without tickets” (the lowest price) and book your tickets on-line from the quota for individuals on the heritage website https://www.alhambra.org.
DAY 06 TUE. Granada – Asilah – Rabat.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Step aboard a boat to Africa. Stop off in the picturesque town of Asilah, located on the ocean front. Dinneris 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 07 WED. Rabat – Casablanca – Marrakesh.-
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 Marrakesh. 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 08 THU. Marrakesh.-
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 Marrakesh Souk (local market). In the evening, you can experience a Fantasia dinner and cultural show (optional).
DAY 09 FRI. Marrakesh – Ait Benhadou – Ourzazate – Boulmane Dades.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Scenic landscapes. Visit a village built from adobe. Dinner buffet included.
We journey across the Atlas Mountains, frequently snowcapped 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 socalled 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 SAT. Boulmane Dades – Todgha – Khorbat – Erfoud.-
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 SUN. Erfoud – Fez.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Breath-taking landscapes. Discover the medieval city of Fez. 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, Fez awaits us. Leisure time. Dinner included and hotel accommodation.
DAY 12 MON. Fez – Tangier.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Guided city tour of Fez. Admission prices included. Lunch and dinner included.
Discover Fez 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 TUE. Tangier – Seville.-
TODAY’SHIGHLIGHTS: 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.
DAY 14 WED. Seville.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Guided visit with local expert in Seville. Boat trip along the river Guadalquivir. Evening 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 restaurants for you to choose from, enjoy your dinner.
DAY 15 THU. Seville – Jerez de los Caballeros- Monsaraz – Evora – Lisbon.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS a scenic stage with walled border villages. Evora Chapel of Bones.
We leave Seville on a stage of scenic beauty; amidst hills and olive trees we enter Extremadura. JEREZ DE LOS CABALLEROS, a stop in this town that belonged to the Knights Templar and where Vasco Nuñez de Balboa was born. We enter Portugal. MONSARAZ, one of the most picturesque villages in Portugal, with its walls, castle, white streets full of flowers and great views. We continue to the city EVORA, declared a World Heritage Site, with its white streets, its Renaissance palaces and its cathedral. Time for lunch. We will visit the mpressive Chapel of Bones (admission included), built with 5000 skeletons! LISBON, arrival at the end of the day.
DAY 16 FRI. Lisbon.-
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 caFez. 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.
DAY 17 SAT. Lisbon- Fatima- Porto.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Fatima Shrine. Visit Porto and an oldcellar.
We travel to the north of Portugal and visit FATIMA, an important sanctuary. We will continue on our way through PORTO, Portugal’s second largest city. Time for lunch and sightseeing tour of this city on the bank of Duero river and its historic centre included. We also include a visit to the old cellars. Free time.
DAY 18 SUN. Porto- Bom Jesus Sanctuary- CambadosSantiago de Compostela.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Cable car to the Bom Jesus Sanctuary. Wine and Mussels tasting in boat trip. Visit Santiago de Compostela.
On this day we will travel through beautiful landscapes. In the city of BRAGA we will get on the world’s oldest cable car to go up to the Santuário do BOM JESÚS, where we will enjoy its gorgeous views. We recommend trekking back down in order to admire its beautiful stairway. We will resume our trip to Galicia. We will visit the historic town of CAMBADOS in Rías Baixas. We include a glass bottom boat trip where we will learn about the production of mussels and oysters. Wine and mussel tasting included. We will arrive in SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA at lunchtime. An afternoon tour of this town with a local guide is included. This town was a famous pilgrimage destination in the Middle Ages.
DAY 19 MON. Santiago de Compostela- Lugo- O CebreiroLeon- Oviedo.-
TODAY’SHIGHLIGHTS: Beautiful landscapes. Visit Oviedo.
We will travel along Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) to Castile. We will take some time in LUGO to visit its historic centre and Roman walls which were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will make a stop on route in O CEBREIRO, a small Galician stone village. Arrival in LEÓN at lunchtime. We will have time visit the Gothic cathedral with its stained glass windows and stroll through the historic center. We will later cross the mountains of the Cantabrian Range on our way to Asturias. Arrival in OVIEDO at mid-afternoon. We include (occasionally on Tuesday mornings) an hour-and-a-half visit of the city with a local guide. We will visit its 9th century cathedral, Calatrava Congressional Palace, Campoamor Theatre, Calle de la Rua.
DAY 20 TUE. Oviedo- Covadonga- Santillana- Santander.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Fantastic landscapes. Altamira National Museum. Panoramic city tour of Santander.
We will travel to Picos de Europa. We will visit Basílica de COVADONGA which is surrounded by beautiful scenery. We will resume our journey following the coastline to SANTILLANA, one of Spain’s most beautiful towns, and we will visit its well-preserved medieval quarter. We visit the National Museum and Research Centre of ALTAMIRA (ticket included) located in the vicinity of this town. We will later travel to SANTANDER, the region’s capital city, a coastal city with amazing views and beaches. We include panoramic city tour to discover this elegant city and its beautiful bay.
DAY 21 WED. Santander- Bilbao- La Rioja- Zaragoza.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Bilbao. Wine Museum in La Rioja. Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Dinner in Zaragoza.
We follow the motorway along the Cantabrian coast; some of the scenery between the mountains and the sea is very beautiful. BILBAO, arrival in the largest city in the Basque Country. On arrival, with a local guide, we make a short tour of the city: Guggenheim area, old quarter, Cathedral… then there will be free time for some “pintxos”.We will later travel to LA RIOJA region, an outstanding wine region. We will visit the Wine Museum in Briones, and we will learn about the importance of wine making from time immemorial. We will later stop in SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA, a historic town in Camino de Santiago, a rooster lives in its cathedral. ZARAGOZA, arrival late in the afternoon. Dinner included.
DAY 22 THU. Zaragoza- Poblet- Montserrat- Barcelona.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Sightseeing tour of Zaragoza. Rack railway to Montserrat Abbey.
We include a morning sightseeing tour of ZARAGOZA with a local guide. We will visit the Cathedal-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. We will learn about Goya, the famous painter, and see some of his works. We will also visit a Roman theatre, a Renaissance palace, and walk by the Aljafería Palace. After lunch, we will continue toPOBLET MONASTERY, a walled monastery surrounded by beautiful scenery. It is one of the best preserved medieval monasteries in the world (ticket included with guided tour). We will later travel to MONSERRAT ABBEY where we include a ride on the rack railway to enjoy fantastic landscapes. We will resume our journey to BARCELONA where we will arrive late in the afternoon. NOTE: In the winter months, from November to March (both included), as days are shorter, the Poblet Monastery will not be visited (in order to arrive in Montserrat during the daylight hours). End of our services. Check the time of your flight in case you need an additional night.
- Travel by bus with English speaking guide.
- Basic travel insurance.
- Hotels according to the itinerary.
- Breakfast buffet.
- Arrival transfer
- Boat: along Guadalquivir river in Seville, Wine and mussel tasting in a boat trip in Cambados.
- City tour in: Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fez, Seville, Lisbon, Oporto (porto), Santiago De Compostela, Oviedo, Santander, Bilbao, Zaragoza (saragossa), Poblet.
- Evening Transfer: Ramblas and Plaza de Catalunya in Barcelona, Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Plaza de Oriente in Madrid, Albaicin in Granada, Djema Square with horse carriage in Marrakech, Historic center of Seville, Restauradores Square in Lisbon.
- Ticket admission: Poble Espanyol in Barcelona, Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens in Grana- da if it is included in the tour you bought, Bahia Palace in Marrakesh, Chapel of Bones in Evora, Old cellars in Porto, National Museum of Altamira caves in Santillana, Wine museum in Briones, Poblet Monastery.
- Train: Wine museum in Briones, Montserrat.
- Ferry: Strait of Gibraltar Algeciras – Tangier, Strait of Gibraltar Tangier – Algeciras.
- Funicular: to Bom Jesus Sanctuary in Braga.
- 10 Lunch or Dinner Included in: Granada (01), Rabat (01), Marrakesh (02), Boulmane Dades (01), Erfoud (01), Fez (02), Tangier (01), Zaragoza (01).
2022
- May.22: 05, 19
- Jun.22: 02, 16, 30
- Jul.22: 14, 28
- Aug.22: 11, 25
- Sep.22: 08, 22
- Oct.22: 06, 20
- Nov.22: 03, 17
- Dec.22: 01, 15, 29
2023
- Jan.23: 12, 26
- Feb.23: 09, 23
- Mar.23: 09, 23
PRICES PER PERSON
SEASON DBL SINGL
High S. $3.178 $4.276
Mid S. $3.123 $4.221
Low S. $2.977 $4.075
- If the number of travellers from Valencia to Madrid is low, the trip may be done by high-speed train.
- The number of people authorised to visit the Alhambra is limited by law. The number of places assigned to tour operators is small and we are only given the quota one month before arrival. Even if you buy the trip with the ticket included, we cannot guarantee a visit to the Alhambra (if these tickets cannot be offered, the Reales Alcázares in Seville, which is similar, would be visited and a sightseeing tour with a local guide of the city of Granada would also be offered). If the visit to the Alhambra is very important to you, we suggest you purchase the trip “without tickets” (the lowest price) and book your tickets online from the quota for individuals on the heritage website https://www.alhambra.org.
- Depending on the number of passengers in Morocco, this tour may be conducted in bilingual (Spanish/English) groups
- It is a general policy in the hotels that may request a deposit of money on arrival at each of the hotels where you will be staying. This deposit is charged at the time of check in and is refunded upon departure if you did not make any expenses at the hotel.
- The space in the holds of the coaches and in the train wagons is limited and this determines the maximum amount of luggage authorized per passenger on our circuits: one suitcase per person and one handbag. Carrying more luggage than allowed can be checked in at destination.
