TRIP DETAILS

The Itinerary -a Kaleidoscope of Flavours, Colours, and History

This trip includes 15 days & 14 nights

DAY 1, MARCH 16TH: Madrid                                                                                                      
Arrive at any time. There are no activities planned until an evening welcome meeting. We recommend arriving a day earlier to explore all that this amazing city has to offer. Meet your CEO and fellow travelers later in the day and learn all about your upcoming days. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards.

Accommodation: Hotel Madfor (or similar)

 (NO MEALS)   

DAY 2, MARCH 17TH: Madrid/Porto                                       

Get ready for a full travel day. Journey to Porto by train and private vehicle, including a quick lunch stop in charming Salamanca. Arrive in Porto by the early evening.

Accommodation: Hotel da Bolsa (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

DAY 3, MARCH 18TH : Porto                                                                                   

Enjoy an orientation walk of Porto with the rest of the day free to explore. Opt take a cruise down the Douro River. In the evening, visit a port wine cellar and raise a glass to the day.

Head down Allies Avenue to see the French-inspired buildings. Bargain at the Bolhão Market. Wander the city's World Heritage-listed Ribeira district, visit São Francisco church, the palatial former 19th-century stock market Palácio de Bolsa or head to the Clerigos Tower for a panoramic view of the city.

Accommodation: Hotel da Bolsa (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED (B)  

DAY 4, MARCH 19TH: Porto/Lisbon     

Journey to Portugal's capital city, Lisbon, by train and take in your surroundings on an orientation walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.

Enjoy free time to explore on your own.

Accommodation: Residencial Florescente (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

DAY 5, MARCH 20TH: Lisbon              

Free day to explore Lisbon. Opt to take a day trip into the foothills of the surrounding mountains to Sintra. Get lost in the city's winding streets lined with pastel coloured houses, palaces, majestic gardens and lush forests. It doesn't get more postcard-worthy than this.

In the evening enjoy a Fado night and traditional Portuguese dinner in one of Lisbon's oldest neighbourhoods.

Opt to pre-book a spot on the Lisbon Food tour during your free time in Lisbon.

Your Foodie Moment: Fado Night with Traditional Portuguese Meal:

Sit down to a traditional meal and lend your ears to the sound of a performance by Portuguese folk music artists.

Accommodation: Residencial Florescente (or similar)
MEALS INCLUDED (B/D)

DAY 6, MARCH 21ST: Lisbon/Évora                                            

Travel to Evora in the heart of the Alentejo region by private vehicle. Visit the most famous sight in Évora, the Capela dos Ossos, or Chapel of Bones (included). Take care if squeamish – built in the 1500s by a Franciscan monk, the walls are covered with human skeletons as a reminder to fellow monks that life is fleeting.

Opt to visit Diana's Temple, one of the best preserved Roman temples in the Iberian Peninsula.

Accommodations: Hotel Ibis Evora (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

DAY 7, MARCH 22ND: Évora/Seville                                             

Journey to the Algarve coast to the small fishing village of Olhão by private vehicle. Take the morning to wander around this quaint town. Explore its bustling fish market, active waterfront and white washed laneways. Continue to Seville and enjoy an orientation walk on arrival.

Accommodations: Cool Sevilla Hotel (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

DAY 8, MARCH 23RD: Seville                                        

Spend a day enjoying this city and its Moorish influence. Opt to explore the district of Santa Cruz and the Alcazar Palace before joining the group in the evening for a dramatic flamenco performance.

Take the time to see all this great city has to offer. Opt to explore the interiors and gardens of the Alcázar, a magnificent palace dating from Moorish times, or the true heart of Seville, the Santa Cruz quarter— a charming area with winding alleys, picturesque lime-washed houses, flowery patios, and small squares.

Seville is home to the world’s largest gothic cathedral — climb the adjoining tower for great views of the city. Other attractions include the Museo Arqueológico, the Casa de Pilates and the Parque de María Luisa, which has a maze of paths, garden beds, pretty little patios, fountains, and shaded lawns.

Please note that if you wish to visit popular sites and want to avoid waiting in line, it is advisable to reserve tickets in advance. We recommend pre-arranging your visit to the Alcázar of Seville.

Accommodation: Cool Sevilla Hotel (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

DAY 9, MARCH 24TH: Seville/Chefchaouen   

Cross from Europe to Africa by ferry then enjoy a guided tour of Tangier. Explore the city and learn more about this melting pot. With culture, cuisine and language coming from North Africa, Spain, Portugal, and France, this bustling port city is unique and fascinating. Visit the Kasbah, grand souk, petit souk, and the old medina. Marvel at the panoramic views of Gibraltar, Tarifa, and the meeting point between Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

Continue on to the blue city of Chefchaouen for the evening. The djellaba, the traditional hooded garment worn by the men and women of North Africa, was created here. Chefchaouen is a great place to check out many of Morocco's ancient crafts, or wander around the medina's winding streets lined with blue-washed houses.

Accommodation: Hotel Madrid Chefchaouen (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

DAY 10, MARCH 25TH: Chefchaouen     

Enjoy a free day in Chefchaouen to explore. The city, whitewashed in different shades of blue, is spectacular on its own but with the surrounding mountains, it's a sight to behold. Spend some time meandering through the blue buildings that comprise Chefchaouen's medina. Browse the shops and sample local delicacies at the food stalls as you wander through this compact and scenic medina.

Take a trip to the Ras El Maa waterfall to admire the scenery and observe local life, or take in the view from the mountains by pre-booking the Rif Valley Mountains Hike. At sunset, opt to visit the Spanish Mosque for a stunning panoramic view of the city.

Accommodation: Hotel Madrid Chefchaouen (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

DAY 11, MARCH 26TH: Chefchaouen/Fès   

Enjoy a G Adventures-supported traditional lunch that benefits rural Moroccan women and children. This G Adventures lunch program provides access to education opportunities and healthcare services. The proceeds from this lunch program help support vocational training for rural women, allowing them to support their families and children. Enjoy a traditional home-cooked Moroccan meal and meet some of the women that are part of this program.

Take a guided tour of the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis where a certified local guide will explain life in the Roman Empire at this UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the impressive, well-preserved Roman ruins. Peer into old bathhouses, marvel at the still-present mosaic floors, and gaze up at towering marble pillars. Hear stories about life in this Roman city that will leave you in awe of just how far their empire stretched.

After, continue to the imperial city of Fès, the heart of arts and culture in Morocco.

Accommodation:  Hotel Mounia Fes (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED (B/L)

DAY 12, MARCH 27TH: Fès           

Enjoy a half-day medina walking tour, with free time in the afternoon to explore more of the city.

Explore the labyrinth of streets within the famous Fès medina with a local guide. Marvel at one of the ancient tanneries and take in the view from above. Follow a local guide through the Fès medina, one of the world’s largest medinas with more than 9000 winding streets lying within 365 hectares. See buildings in the medina that date back to the 9th century; there are 350 mosques in the medina that are still in use today.

Enter through one of the great gates into the chaos. Explore the artisans’ quarters as well as the many carpenters, bakers, butchers, and spice sellers. Visit the mausoleum and the Al Qarawiyin University.

A highlight of the tour is the view of the famous Fès tannery from the balcony of a leather shop, where you can observe the men hard at work treating and dyeing the different hides. Take some time to shop for leather goods before returning to your hotel.

In the afternoon, hit the newer part of Fès to see life in action. Find a sidewalk café to sip mint tea and watch everyday life go by, or spend some time in the medina checking out carpet shops, sampling local delicacies at the food stalls or shopping for leather goods. Prepare to bargain, just don't get lost wandering the passage ways!

Optional: Fes Hammam Visit 1h-1h30m 200-400MAD per person

Indulge in some traditional relaxation. Similar to a Turkish bath, visit the hammam to be washed, scrubbed and pampered. Part social gathering, part cultural ritual; don’t miss this cleansing experience.

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

Accommodations: Hotel Mounia Fes (or similar)

DAY 13, MARCH 28TH: Fès/Marrakech

Transfer to Marrakech via Casablanca by private vehicle, stopping for lunch and some time to explore this seaside city along the way.

Travel to Marrakech, stopping en route in seaside Casablanca known for its colonial and art-deco buildings. See Africa’s largest mosque and the world’s tallest minaret (210 m, 689ft) with a visit to Hassan II Mosque. Admire this massive work of art completed in 1993, and strikingly located on land jutting into the Atlantic. If you wish to experience the mosque from inside, it must be done via the guided tours that run several times a day.

Continue to Marrakech in time to start exploring the city.

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

Accommodations: Hotel Gomassine Marrakech (or similar)

DAY 14, MARCH 29TH: Marrakech

Enjoy a medina tour with a certified city guide. Head into the maze of tiny streets and alleyways of the ancient medina to really get a taste of everyday life in Marrakech. Shop to your heart’s content in the souk and search out spices, traditional jalabas and slippers, or the famous Moroccan lanterns. Visit the Saadian Tombs - a complex of sepulchers and mausoleums that house the remains of Saadian Sultan Ahmed Al Mansour Ed Dahb. The tombs were sealed off until their re-discovery in 1917. Tour the grounds of the Bahia Palace, marvelling at the intricate decoration, and experience the sights and sounds of the bustling Jemaa el-Fnaa square.

Opt to visit Djemaa el Fna Square in the evening to see the gathering of musicians and street performers. Get lost in the winding souks, explore the colourful market square, or sit back with an espresso and watch the local hustle and bustle.

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

Accommodations: Hotel Gomassine Marrakech (or similar)

DAY 15, MARCH 30TH: Marrakech

Depart at any time.

MEALS INCLUDED (B)

Not ready to leave yet? Consider joining us on our small group journey ‘Moroccan Sahara Discovery’ beginning March 30th.