Tour Highlights:
Days 4–5: Porto & Douro Valley
Day 6: Flight Lisbon to Marrakech
Days 9–10: Atlas Mountains & Aït Benhaddou
Day 1 – Arrival in Lisbon
You land in Lisbon, where your driver meets you at the airport and brings you to your hotel. After settling in, you stretch your legs with a walk through Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest neighborhood. Narrow alleys wind past tiled façades, tiny chapels, and miradouros (lookouts) with sweeping views over the red rooftops and the Tagus River. As the sun sets, the sound of Fado music drifts from taverns, giving you a first taste of Portugal’s soulful atmosphere.
Day 2 – Lisbon’s Heritage and Neighborhoods
Your 2nd morning is spent in Belém, home to Portugal’s most iconic monuments. You step into the Jerónimos Monastery, where stone columns are carved with ropes, coral, and sea creatures — symbols of Portugal’s Age of Discovery. Nearby, the Tower of Belém stands proudly over the river, once guarding the entrance to the city. Finish by visiting the iconic Pastéis de Belém bakery for a local specialty – pastel de nata.
Climb aboard the famous yellow Tram 28, hopping on and off to wander through busy squares and neighborhood markets. In the afternoon, you explore Chiado, a district full of old cafés and small shops, before making your way back to Alfama.
Day 3 – Sintra & Cascais
On your 3rd day, you’ll travel into the hills outside Lisbon to Sintra. Start at Pena Palace, where you’ll explore rooms decorated with royal furniture, then step out onto terraces painted in bright reds and yellows. From here, the views stretch across forested hills all the way to the Atlantic. Next is Quinta da Regaleira, where you descend the spiraling stone staircase of the Initiation Well, wander through underground tunnels, and explore gardens filled with fountains and grottoes.
After lunch, your guide takes you to the seaside town of Cascais. Stroll through its marina and sandy beaches, and end with a visit to the Boca do Inferno (“Mouth of Hell”), a dramatic cliff formation where waves crash into the rocks. By evening, you return to Lisbon.
Day 4 – Lisbon to Porto via Coimbra
You leave Lisbon and drive north to Coimbra, a riverside city steeped in student traditions. At the University of Coimbra, one of Europe’s oldest, you step inside the Joanina Library, a Baroque masterpiece lined with gilded woodwork and towering bookshelves. After lunch in the historic center, you continue to Porto, arriving by late afternoon. Your hotel overlooks the Douro River, and after checking in, you wander the Ribeira district — a maze of colorful houses, archways, and riverside cafés.
Day 5 – Porto & the Douro Valley
The day begins with a walk through Ribeira, before crossing the Dom Luís I Bridge for panoramic views of Porto’s skyline. You stop at Livraria Lello, a bookshop so ornate it looks like a movie set, with its carved staircase and stained-glass ceiling. In the afternoon, you cross into Vila Nova de Gaia for a guided port tasting in the cool stone cellars where the wine matures.
Later, you head into the Douro Valley, where terraced vineyards climb steep hillsides. At a family-run estate, you enjoy a rustic lunch paired with their wines, learning how grapes are harvested and pressed. The day ends with a short river cruise in a traditional wooden boat, where you sit back and watch the valley unfold around you.
Day 6 – Flight to Morocco
This morning you fly from Lisbon to Marrakech. On arrival, you’re greeted by your Moroccan driver-guide and taken to your riad in the medina. As evening falls, you walk into Jemaa el-Fnaa, the city’s main square, alive with food stalls, musicians, acrobats, and storytellers. The sights, sounds, and smells create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else.
Day 7 – Palaces and Souks of Marrakech
Your first full day in Morocco begins at the Bahia Palace, where painted ceilings and mosaic courtyards reveal the opulence of a 19th-century noble residence. You continue into the souks, where alleys are filled with stalls selling spices, leatherwork, brass lanterns, and colorful textiles. With your guide, you navigate the maze with ease, stopping to watch artisans at work.
In the afternoon, you visit the Majorelle Garden, a tranquil retreat with exotic plants and vibrant cobalt-blue walls. Once owned by Yves Saint Laurent, the garden feels worlds apart from the bustle of the medina. You return to your riad in the evening for a quiet dinner.
Day 8 – Hidden Marrakech
You spend the morning at the Saadian Tombs, where intricately carved marble mausoleums reveal the grandeur of a dynasty long gone. Next, wander through the gardens around the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech’s most famous landmark, with its 77-meter minaret visible from across the city.
After lunch, you explore smaller artisan workshops tucked behind the souks, where woodcarvers, weavers, and metalworkers still practice their crafts. The afternoon is left open for you to relax on a riad terrace, sip mint tea, or return to the medina for shopping.
Day 9 – Into the Atlas Mountains
Today, you leave the city and drive into the High Atlas Mountains. The road winds through valleys and past terraced fields, with snow-capped peaks visible in the distance. You stop in a Berber village, where you share mint tea with locals and learn about mountain life.
By afternoon, you reach Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO-listed fortified village built of mudbrick. You climb its winding paths to the top for views over the desert plains. That night, you stay in a kasbah-style lodge, where dinner is served under the stars.
Day 10 – Aït Benhaddou & Ouarzazate
In the morning, you explore more of Aït Benhaddou, visiting towers and narrow lanes that have been used in Gladiator and Game of Thrones. Your private guide will take you to nearby Ouarzazate, known as the “Gateway to the Desert.” Explore the old Taourirt Kasbah, with its maze-like rooms and mudbrick walls, before returning to your lodge in the evening.
Day 11 – Essaouira on the Atlantic
Leaving the mountains, you head west to the coast, reaching Essaouira by the afternoon. The medina here feels more relaxed than Marrakech, with whitewashed houses, blue-painted doors, and ramparts overlooking the sea. You walk along the city walls and watch the fishing boats come in at the harbor before enjoying fresh seafood in the port.
Day 12 – Essaouira and Departure
On your last morning, you take a final stroll through Essaouira’s artisan quarter, before your driver transfers you back to Marrakech for your onward flight.
