Discover Al-Andalus on a 12-day trip from Madrid

Once Upon a Time in Al-Andalus: 8 Centuries of History in One Journey

Discover the beauty of Andalusia and Morocco on a 12-day tour departing from Madrid.

Weekly departures every Tuesday of the year from Madrid.

Embark on a unique journey that will lead you to discover cultural gems and breathtaking landscapes.

The journey begins in charming Seville, where flamenco and historic architecture will captivate you. Admire the majesty of the Giralda of Seville, stroll through the Santa Cruz neighborhood, and discover the Alcázar of Seville; let yourself be enveloped by the Andalusian essence that permeates every corner of the city.

In Cordoba, the Mosque-Cathedral will surprise you with its impressive architecture reflecting the coexistence of cultures over the centuries. Enjoy a stroll through the narrow alleys of the Jewish Quarter and immerse yourself in the history of Al-Andalus.

Finally, we will cross the Strait of Gibraltar to explore Morocco in its entirety. From the bustling Marrakech to the historic Rabat and the captivating Chefchaouen, sleeping in the Sahara desert... each city will reveal the cultural richness and diversity of this fascinating country.

This train journey from Madrid is a unique opportunity to experience the fusion of cultures, natural beauty, and hospitality of two captivating destinations. Get ready to live an unforgettable adventure that will leave indelible marks on your memory!

Let yourself be captivated by this journey through Andalusia and Morocco.

 

DAY 1, TUESDAY: MADRID - PEDROSO (WHITE VILLAGE OF SEVILLE)

Departure from Madrid by high-speed train, arrival in Pedroso, and reception at the station by our assistant who will help you with your luggage and accompany you to the hotel, which is a one-minute walk away. Room assignment.

Welcome glass of Jerez wine while our guide provides you with information about schedules, upcoming excursions, and accompanies you on an orientation walk through the charming village.

21:00 h. Dinner at a local restaurant located a minute's walk from the hotel, where you can savor Spanish and mountain cuisine specialties.

DAY 2, WEDNESDAY: SEVILLE

Breakfast

Today we depart with the accompanying guide for this fascinating day trip to Seville. We will enter María Luisa Park to discover Seville's jewel of the 20th century, Plaza de España, the most emblematic work of the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929, designed by the Sevillian architect Aníbal González, one of the most spectacular spaces of regionalist architecture. From there, we will walk through Maria Luisa Park towards Plaza de América, a garden space within Maria Luisa Park. It is flanked by the Museum of Arts and Popular Customs to the north and the Archaeological Museum to the south.

We will head to the Exhibition Casino, built to house the Seville Pavilion that was part of the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929. We will continue through the Royal Tobacco Factory, the old headquarters of the tobacco company where the opera Carmen takes place, nowadays the University of Seville, a large building with Renaissance, medieval, and baroque styles. It was the headquarters of Europe's first tobacco factory and the most important industrial building in Spain at the time. Free time for lunch on San Fernando Street.

From there, we continue on foot to the Contracting Square, where the General Archive of the Indies of Seville is located, created in 1785 by the wish of King Carlos III, with the aim of centralizing in one place the documentation regarding the administration of the Spanish overseas territories. We will continue to the Plaza del Triunfo to visit the Royal Alcázar of Seville, a walled palace complex built in different historical stages, and the seat of the Spanish Royal Family since its construction. We will walk through the Santa Cruz neighborhood, crossing the Jewish quarter and beautiful squares such as Doña Elvira or the Venerables Sacerdotes, continuing towards the Cathedral, a Gothic Catholic temple. On the way, we will make the second stop for the tapas route.

We will head to the cathedral, one of the largest in the world in this style. Among its many treasures is the tomb of Christopher Columbus.

We will continue through Cabildo Square, which has frescoes, arcades, columns, and a stretch of Almohad wall from the 12th century, towards the Arenal neighborhood, the neighborhood of bullfighters, next to the Guadalquivir River, where the Bullring and the Torre del Oro are located, a defensive tower that protected the city from invasions by the Guadalquivir River.

We will continue on foot to visit the historic center of the city. Plaza Nueva, to visit the exteriors of the City Hall of Seville, one of the most notable examples of Plateresque architecture in Andalusia. Plaza del Salvador, an open space located in the Alfalfa neighborhood, where the old main mosque of Seville was located and where today the Church of El Salvador is located.

We continue to Santa Justa train station.

19:45 h. Departure to Pedroso by train. 21:00 h. Arrival in Pedroso. Dinner at a local restaurant. Accommodation in Pedroso.

DAY 3, THURSDAY: CÓRDOBA

Breakfast

Meeting with the assistant at the reception and departure for this fascinating day trip to Córdoba, capital of the Umayyad caliphate, by train.

Arrival in Córdoba.

We will start our walk towards the medina through the Almodóvar Gate, and stroll through the Jewish quarter where we can visit the synagogue, the only one preserved in Andalusia and dating from 1314, we will continue walking through the streets of the Jewish quarter to reach the Maimonides Statue, one of the most important historical figures in Córdoba, the multifaceted Maimonides, whose life and work are still followed and of great influence today.

We will continue towards the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs, one of the most representative monuments of Córdoba. A place with a lot of history, whose initial occupation of the space dates back to the Roman era. Over the centuries, this space had different functions, until the construction of the current building.

Triumph Square owes its name to the monument located at one of its ends, the famous Triumph of San Rafael, a vertical monument crowned by the guardian archangel, protector of the city.

We will continue walking through the monumental area of ​​the city, getting to know the Roman Bridge and later we will visit the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, one of the most impressive Islamic sites in all of Spain, with 1200 years of history, it is undoubtedly the most important monument in the entire city.

Later we will stroll through the winding and narrow streets of the old town making a special stop at Calleja de las Flores. Then we will descend to the medieval quarter, to discover spaces full of history: Plaza del Potro, la Corredera...

Free time for lunch and enjoy Cordovan cuisine, whose most famous dishes are the flamenquín and the salmorejo among other delicacies.

17:30 h. Return train to Pedroso.

21:00 h. Arrival in Pedroso and farewell to the accompanying guide who was with us on the excursions to Seville and Córdoba.

21:30 h. Dinner at a local restaurant.

Accommodation in Pedroso.

DAY 4, FRIDAY: EL PEDROSO - TANGIER (MOROCCO)

Breakfast and check out.

Departure by train to Seville.

Arrival at Seville Santa Justa station.

Regular bus line Seville - Tarifa.

Arrival in Tarifa and we recommend taking a taxi to the port, which takes no more than 3 minutes by car, 15 minutes on foot. Arrival at Tarifa port and collection of boarding passes.

Embarkation to Morocco.

Departure of the fast ferry to Tangier.

Upon arrival in Morocco, the guide and local coach will be waiting to begin the panoramic tour of its different neighborhoods. Subsequently, we will start the walking tour of the Kasbah (walled city), the medina (old city), and the souk (market), ending with lunch (included, without drinks) at a typical Moroccan restaurant (harira soup, couscous, kebabs, mint tea, and Moroccan pastries).

Transfer to the hotel in Tangier.

Dinner on your own.

Accommodation at the hotel in Tangier.

DAY 5, SATURDAY: TANGIER - RABAT - CASABLANCA

Breakfast at the hotel and check out

Approximately 10:00 a.m. Pick-up at the hotel and transfer to join the rest of the passengers, who arrive on the ferry.

We will continue our route to Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom, where we will have a panoramic tour of the city and a stop at the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, and the famous Tour Hassan.

Lunch on your own.

After lunch, we will continue our route to Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco and the economic capital of the kingdom.

Panoramic tour of Casablanca. Here we can admire the exteriors of the Hassan II Great Mosque (exterior visit, entrance not available during tour hours).

Arrival at the accommodation and room assignment.

Dinner at the hotel.

DAY 6, SUNDAY: CASABLANCA - MARRAKECH

Breakfast and check out.

Departure towards Marrakech, the red pearl of southern Morocco.

Upon arrival, we will have lunch at the hotel and rooms will be assigned. Some rooms may not be ready, but room numbers will be assigned, and luggage can be left at the hotel.

Subsequently, we will have a guided tour of Marrakech. We begin with an exterior visit to the Koutoubia Mosque, then the Bahia Palace, and we will end the day at Jmaa el Fna Square, which at this time of day becomes the greatest spectacle in the world.

For those who want, transportation will return to the hotel. Those who do not want to return to the hotel can stay in the square and return on their own.

Dinner on your own in Marrakech.

However, we recommend as an optional dinner at Dar Essalam restaurant, which is well worth it for its exquisite Moroccan cuisine, for admiring the ancient palace where it is housed, and for being where Alfred Hitchcock filmed the dinner scene of "The Man Who Knew Too Much" with James Stewart and Doris Day. During dinner, diners are entertained with different live performances. Price €35.

DAY 7, MONDAY: MARRAKECH - TIZNTICHKA - AIT BEN HADDOU - OUARZAZATE

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.

09:00 a.m. We resume our journey to reach the great south of Morocco, for this, we will cross the majestic Atlas Mountains and the Tzi n Tichka pass, the gateway to the desert at 2,260 meters above sea level, where we will make a stop to admire the spectacular views from there.

We will continue towards Ait Ben Haddou, one of the geological wonders of this planet, which has remained for millennia as a separate universe. We will visit a magnificent fortress that has served as a setting for movies as famous as "Lawrence of Arabia", "Gladiator", and "The Jewel of the Nile". It is formed by several buildings, the ochre of the adobe seems to blend with the dry terrain on which a large torrent once flowed and has now become cultivated land.

After visiting this iconic place, we will continue towards Ouarzazate, a former garrison of French troops, located in the southern part of the country, rich in agriculture and famous for the dates of its palm groves, the roses that grow on its banks, and the henna. It is also a favorite place for great film directors, which has economically boosted the area and led to the creation of numerous companies related to the audiovisual world, employing many of its inhabitants.

Arrival at the hotel, room distribution, and dinner at the hotel.

DAY 8, TUESDAY: BOULMANE DE DADES - TINGHIR - TODRA GORGES - SAHARA

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.

07:30 a.m. Departure from the hotel to continue our journey along the well-known kasbah route. Kasbahs are defensive fortresses built in the area to protect caravan routes crossing the desert.

We will pass through Boulmane de Dades and Kalaa Megouna, to continue towards Tinerghir, where we will detour towards the Todra Gorges. There we can admire the wonderful palm groves that help withstand the heat of these places.

Lunch on your own.

In the afternoon, we will continue our route towards Merzouga, where we will leave the vehicle to switch to camels.
We will cross the dune field riding camels to sleep in khaimas (tents) in the middle of the desert.

Dinner and accommodation in Khaimas.

After dinner, there will be a bonfire with Berber drum music.

NOTE: The journey from Merzouga to the khaimas camp will be by camel and will take approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. If the client is not in physical condition or does not wish to make this journey, they must pay a supplement of €25 for the one-way transfer to the camp by 4x4. The return in any case will be by 4x4 for all clients.

DAY 9, WEDNESDAY: SAHARA - IFRANE - FEZ

Sunrise in the Sahara. Its dunes stretch to the horizon, and some rise more than 150 m. The experience of seeing the first rays of sun rise in the Sahara is breathtaking.

Today it's mandatory to wake up early for an unforgettable appointment with the sunrise.

Return by 4x4 to the Kasbah, for this, we will skirt the dune field crossing the tracks previously used in the Dakar rally.

Breakfast at the Kasbah.

09:30 a.m. After breakfast, we will head towards Fez, the first of the Imperial Cities, its origin dates back to the 8th century. It is also one of the first holy cities of Muslim worship in Morocco and also takes pride in hosting one of the oldest universities in the world.

On the way, we will cross the Middle and High Atlas, with various stops along the route. With luck, we may see the Atlas monkeys in Azrou, they are not always there, but it is easy to see them, they live freely.

Dinner at the hotel.

DAY 10, THURSDAY: FEZ - CHEFCHAOUEN

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.

Strolling through the labyrinthine streets of Fez transports one to past worlds where potters, blacksmiths, and artisans coexist with the foreign visitor, who never ceases to be amazed observing its people and sniffing the myriad aromas and scents that fill the atmosphere of this city.

09:00 a.m. We depart for a guided tour of the city of Fez with a local guide. We will start with a panoramic view of the city, including the Merinides Tombs. Then we will visit Fez el Jedid, including the Alauitas Square, exteriors of the Royal Palace, and Dar el Makhzen.

We will continue to the walking tour of Fez el Bali. We will visit the spice market of Attarin and the Jenna market. We will reach Nejjarin Square where the founduk of the same name is located and pass by the Bounania madrasa. We will continue to Es Seffarin Square to end the morning in the tanner's quarter and see the tanneries.

In the afternoon, we embark on our journey to Chefchaouen, also known as the blue town of the Rif Mountains.

Arrival in the blue city, room assignment.

Dinner at the hotel.

DAY 11, FRIDAY: CHEFCHAOUEN - TANGIER

Breakfast at the hotel and check out at 12:00 p.m.

09:00 a.m. Guided tour of Chefchaouen.

Chaouen is a town perched on the mountain, white and blue, with wise, friendly, and respectful people, offering the visitor beautiful urban panoramas in decline, precious samples of local craftsmanship, and a peace and serenity that is difficult to find today. One leaves there with a strong desire to return and stay longer, talk to its people, and find peace.

After the visit, free time to enjoy Chefchaouen, an easily manageable town.

Lunch on your own, we recommend ordering a sandwich at any of the multiple places to eat in Chefchaouen.
2:30 p.m. Departure to Tangier.

Arrival in Tangier, transfer to the hotel.

Free afternoon in Tangier.

Accommodation in Tangier.

DAY 12, SATURDAY: TANGIER - MADRID

Breakfast at the hotel.

12:00 p.m. Hotel check-out.

Transfer to Tangier airport 3 hours before the departure of the flight to Madrid.

Departure of the return flight to Madrid.

End of our services.