Spain and Morocco Tour: 13 Days from Madrid to Marrakech

Overview

Highlights

• Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor and Retiro Park in Madrid
• Seville Cathedral, Real Alcázar and Plaza de España
• Ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar from Europe to Africa
• Blue medina of Chefchaouen and Roman ruins of Volubilis
• Two nights in the Sahara, with Gnawa music in Khamlia village
• Aït Ben Haddou and the High Atlas road to Marrakech

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1

   Day 1: Arrival in Madrid

   Welcome to Spain. A private driver meets you at Madrid airport and takes you to your hotel in the city centre. The rest of the day is free, so you can rest after your long flight. In the evening you can walk to a nearby square and try Spanish food. Dinner in Madrid is usually late, often after 20:30, but many places also serve small dishes called tapas earlier. We send you a list of simple ideas for your first evening.

   Overnight: Madrid

2. 2

   Day 2

   Day 2: Madrid city visit

   Today you explore Madrid. You see the outside of the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral, then walk to Plaza Mayor, a large square with red buildings. In the afternoon you can visit the Prado Museum, one of the most important art museums in Europe (tickets not included and best booked early). Later, relax in Retiro Park, where local families walk, row boats on the lake and sit under the trees. The evening is free.

   Overnight: Madrid

3. 3

   Day 3

   Day 3: High-speed train from Madrid to Seville

   In the morning you take the high-speed train to Seville. The trip takes about 2 hours 30 minutes and is very comfortable. A transfer takes you to your hotel. In the afternoon you walk in the Santa Cruz quarter, the old Jewish area of Seville, with narrow white lanes, orange trees and small squares. In the evening you may want to see a flamenco show (optional). Seville is a warm city, so summer evenings are the best time for walks.

   Overnight: Seville

4. 4

   Day 4

   Day 4: Seville: Cathedral, Alcázar and Plaza de España

   Today you visit the main monuments of Seville. The Cathedral is one of the largest in the world, and you can climb the Giralda tower by a ramp, not stairs. Next door is the Real Alcázar, a royal palace with Islamic-style courtyards and large gardens. In the afternoon you see Plaza de España, a huge half-circle building with colourful tiles for every region of Spain. You will notice many links with Moroccan art, which prepares you for the next part of the trip.

   Overnight: Seville

5. 5

   Day 5

   Day 5: Seville – Tarifa – ferry to Tangier

   You drive about 2 hours 30 minutes to Tarifa, the most southern town of Europe. Here you take the ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar, which takes about one hour. On a clear day you can see Africa and Europe at the same time. In Tangier port, your Moroccan driver from Morocco Trip Joy welcomes you. You visit Cap Spartel, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea, and the Hercules Caves. Night in Tangier.

   Overnight: Tangier

6. 6

   Day 6

   Day 6: Tangier – Chefchaouen

   After breakfast you drive about 2 hours into the Rif mountains to Chefchaouen, the famous blue city. You check in to a riad and spend the afternoon walking in the medina. Every street is painted in different shades of blue. You can visit the old kasbah in Outa el Hammam square and buy wool blankets or local goat cheese. Before sunset, you can walk up to the Spanish Mosque for a view over the whole town.

   Overnight: Chefchaouen

7. 7

   Day 7

   Day 7: Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Fez

   Today you drive south through olive and wheat fields. You stop at Volubilis, the best-kept Roman city in Morocco, protected by UNESCO. You walk between columns, arches and beautiful floor mosaics of animals and gods. Then you continue to Fez, the oldest of the imperial cities. You arrive in the afternoon and check in to a riad with a central courtyard. The evening is free for rest.

   Overnight: Fez

8. 8

   Day 8

   Day 8: Fez guided medina visit

   A licensed local guide takes you through the medina of Fez, a UNESCO site with thousands of small lanes. You see the Bab Boujloud gate, the Bou Inania madrasa with fine wood carving, and the outside of Al Quaraouiyine, one of the oldest universities in the world. From a terrace you look over the Chouara tannery, where leather is coloured in stone pots. You also visit artisans who make brass, pottery and silk. The afternoon is free.

   Overnight: Fez

9. 9

   Day 9

   Day 9: Fez – Ifrane – Midelt – Merzouga

   Today you leave the cities and drive to the desert. You stop in Ifrane, a clean mountain town, and in the cedar forest where you can see Barbary macaques. After lunch in Midelt, the road goes down to the Ziz valley with its long palm groves. In the late afternoon you reach Merzouga, ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset and spend the night in a desert camp with dinner.

   Overnight: Merzouga (Erg Chebbi)

10. 10

    Day 10

    Day 10: Merzouga: Khamlia, Rissani and nomad families

    Watch the sunrise from the top of a dune, then have breakfast at camp. Today you discover the life around the desert. In Khamlia, our home village, local musicians play Gnawa music with drums and iron castanets. In Rissani you walk through the busy local market, where people sell dates, spices and animals. You may also visit a nomad family and drink tea in their tent. Your second night is in the camp or a hotel at the edge of the dunes.

    Overnight: Merzouga (Erg Chebbi)

11. 11

    Day 11

    Day 11: Merzouga – Todra Gorges – Dades Valley

    You drive west along the old caravan road. In Tinghir you stop to look at the large palm grove and the earth villages. Then you walk inside the Todra Gorges, where the canyon walls rise very high above a small river. In the afternoon you continue to the Dades Valley, with its red rocks and winding road. Dinner and night in a kasbah-style hotel with views of the valley.

    Overnight: Dades Valley

12. 12

    Day 12

    Day 12: Dades – Ouarzazate – Aït Ben Haddou – Marrakech

    You drive through the Rose Valley and Ouarzazate, a town known for its film studios. Then you visit Aït Ben Haddou, an old fortified village built from earth and protected by UNESCO. You climb to the top for a great view of the desert plain. After lunch you cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass and arrive in Marrakech in the evening. Night in a riad.

    Overnight: Marrakech

13. 13

    Day 13

    Day 13: Marrakech guided visit and departure

    Your last morning is in Marrakech with a licensed local guide. You visit the Koutoubia Mosque area, the beautiful Bahia Palace and the colourful souks. You finish in Jemaa el-Fna square, where you can drink fresh orange juice. Then your driver takes you to Marrakech airport for your flight home. If your flight is late, you may have time for the Majorelle Garden. We can also add extra nights in Marrakech.

Route map

Madrid → Seville → Tarifa → Tangier → Chefchaouen → Fez → Midelt → Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) → Todra Gorges (Tinghir) → Dades Valley → Aït Ben Haddou → Marrakech

Accommodation by category

Choose your hotel category. The final hotel names are confirmed when you book, depending on availability.

Photo gallery

Frequently asked questions