Country hopping in Europe’s west on a coastal and cultural adventure

Colour and charisma in some of Europe’s hotspots – all packed into one unforgettable adventure. Spend 24 days covering Spain, Portugal and Morocco, revelling in chaotic markets, relaxing in coastal retreats and sharing conversation and cuisine with the locals. Marvel at artistic masterpieces and architectural wonders in Madrid, taste the rich history of Portugal in its delightful towns, historic performance art and complex cuisine, and be enchanted by the magic and majesty of Morocco’s metropolises and far-flung mountains. With a knowledgeable leader to recommend the best places and take you behind the tourist trail, dig a little deeper in these three countries to discover a local way of life.

Why you’ll love this trip

• Experience a memorable Fado performance in Coimbra – an emotional form of Portuguese music expressing the hard realities of the daily life and balancing both resignation and hopefulness.
• Soak up the sun on the Portuguese coast’s gorgeous beaches along the Algarve, walking across rocky cliff tops, exploring remote coves and taking in a sunset over the Atlantic Ocean with your small group.
• Relive a glorious medieval past in in the labyrinthine streets of Fes city, and discover the cultural capital, Marrakech, through its people – drummers, dancers, fortune tellers, jugglers and medicine men.
• Scale the High Atlas Mountains and trek through scenic Berber villages, spending a night in a traditional Berber homestay to get a true sense of rural Moroccan life.
• Travel through the Sahara in a camel convoy, sleeping under a blanket the North African stars and enjoy an evening beside the campfire listening to traditional Bedouin tales.

Itinerary 

Meals

19 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners

Transport

Train, Ferry, Metro, Private vehicle, Public bus, Taxi

Accommodation

Camp site (1 night), Gite (1 night), Hotel (18 nights), Riad (3 nights)

Included activities

• Coimbra – Evening Fado Performance
• Lisbon – Citadel
• Algarve – Culatra Island Day Trip by Boat
• Chefchaouen – Walking Tour with Local Guide
• Fes – Medina walking tour
• Aroumd – High Atlas Mountains guided hike
• Ait Benhaddou – Leader-led ksar walk
• Ait Benhaddou – Tawesna Tea Break
• Tamegroute – Ancient Library
• Sahara Desert – Camel Ride
• Sahara Desert – 4WD to Erg Chigaga dunes
• Tamegroute – Underground kasbah guided tour
• Essaouira – Guided walking tour

 

Images courtesy of Intrepid Group 

INT-ZMSQC