24 Days | 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 mountain regions. 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.
Please note: This trip is currently being rerouted to avoid the Atlas Mountains. The effected areas will be replaced with equivalent experiences or destinations. For more information, visit intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts
Trip overview

- Start
- Madrid, Spain
- Finish
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- Spain, Morocco, Portugal
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 16
- Trip code
- ZMSQC
- 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.
- 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.
- Walk through the mountainous 'blue city' of Chefchaouen in Morocco and discover the picture-perfect streets (don't forget your camera).
- When travelling in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, summer temperatures can get extremely hot. Have a think about what time of year suits you best to travel.
- Both Coimbra and Lisbon are hilly cities with a lot of steps to conquer and sometimes rather steep steps if you want to make the most out of your time and experience here.
- In Morocco, you will be expected to dress conservatively in public places, especially when visiting religious sites.
- The important month of Ramadan will be in progress 10 March to 08 April 2024, and the Eid ul-Fitr festival will be held directly at its conclusion for 3-4 days. Travelling during this holy month can be a rewarding cultural experience, however some regular services may not be available during the daytime, such as restaurants or coffee bars, and occasionally travel can be disrupted by events. Your leader will adjust the itinerary accordingly, but please consider your travel arrangements carefully before booking travel for this period.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Inclusions
19 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners
Train, Ferry, Metro, Private vehicle, Public bus, Taxi
Camp site (1 night), Gite (1 night), Hotel (18 nights), Riad (3 nights)
- 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
- Madrid - Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza - EUR12
- Madrid - Museo del Prado - EUR15
- Madrid - Real Jardín Botánico - EUR6
- Madrid - Museo Reina Sofia - EUR10
- Madrid - Royal Palace - EUR14
- Madrid - Tapas Urban Adventure - EUR82
- Salamanca - Art Nouveau & Art Deco Museum - EUR4
- Salamanca - Unamuno House Museum - EUR4
- Salamanca - New Cathedral - EUR5
- Salamanca - Old Cathedral - EUR5
- Salamanca - University of Salamanca - EUR10
- Salamanca - Casa de Las Conchas - Free
- Coimbra - Mondego River Boat Trip - EUR7
- Coimbra - Cathedrals - EUR3
- Coimbra - Conimbriga Ruins - EUR5
- Coimbra - Portugal Dos Pequenitos - EUR11
- Coimbra - University of Coimbra - EUR12
- Sintra - Palacio Nacional - EUR10
- Sintra - Palacio da Pena - EUR14
- Sintra - Day Trip - EUR10
- Sintra - Castelo dos Mouros - EUR8
- Lisbon - Experience Lisbon Walk Urban Adventure - EUR45
- Lisbon - Naval Museum - EUR5
- Lisbon - Oceanarium - EUR17
- Lisbon - Fado Show with Dinner - EUR50
- Lisbon - Gulbenkian Museum - EUR10
- Lisbon - Folk Art Museum - EUR3
- Lisbon - National Art Museum - EUR6
- Lisbon - Puppet Museum - EUR5
- Algarve - Birdwatching Tour - EUR35
- Algarve - Marine Wildlife Watching Tour - EUR45
- Algarve - Boat Trip Rio Formosa - EUR30
- Algarve - Fishing Trip - EUR40
- Seville - Real Alcazar - EUR14
- Tarifa - Castle - EUR4
- Chefchaouen - Hammam (public baths) - MAD150
- Chefchaouen - Henna Tattoo - MAD50
- Marrakech - Saadian Tombs - MAD70
- Marrakech - Palais Badi - MAD70
- Marrakech - Palais Bahia - MAD70
- Marrakech - Hamam (public baths) - MAD250
- Marrakech - A Taste Of Marrakech: Inside the Medina Urban Adventure - MAD605
- Marrakech - Tajine Cookery Class Urban Adventure. - MAD640
- Marrakech - Cascades d'Ouzoud Day Tour - MAD2207
- Marrakech - Luxury Spa Hammam & Massage - MAD750
- Marrakech - Ourika Valley Day Tour - MAD1817
- Marrakech - Oukaimeden Day Tour - MAD1882
- Marrakech - Asni & Ouirgane day trip with lunch - MAD1806
- Marrakech - Heart of the Atlas Mountains cycling day trip with lunch - MAD2000
- Marrakech - Medina, Palaces & Tombs Urban Adventure - MAD630
- Marrakech - Palmery Cycling Tour - MAD350
- Marrakech - Magical Marrakech City Cycling Tour - MAD350
- Marrakech - Imlil & Aroumd day trip - MAD1817
- Aroumd - Mule Ride from Imlil to Aroumd - MAD80
- Ait Benhaddou - Cooking Demonstration & Dinner - MAD100
- Ait Benhaddou - Henna Tattoo - MAD50
- Ouarazate - Atlas Movie Studios - MAD80
- Ouarzazate - Kasbah Taourirt - MAD20
- Essaouira - Hamam (public baths) - MAD200
- Essaouira - Berber Massage - MAD350
- Essaouira - Horse Riding - MAD250
- Essaouira - Seafood Market Lunch - MAD80
- Marrakech - Hot Air Balloon Ride - MAD2050
Dates and availability
Important notes
2023 ITINERARY CHANGES
There are itinerary changes for this trip effective until further notice to avoid earthquake-affected areas. We have replaced the nights in Aroumd & Taroudant with a stay in Agadir and an additional night in Essaouira:
Day 16 - Ait Benhaddou
Day 17 - Zagora
Day 18 - Sahara Desert
Day 19 - Agadir
Days 20-21 Essaouira
1. A Single Supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. The price of the single supplement does not include Day 9, 16 & 19, where a single room does not form part of the package. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent.
3. In order for our local operator to be able to buy ferry tickets we need your passport details. Please advise these at least 45 days prior to the trip's departure.
4.On this trip there is limited time in Madrid at the start of the trip. If you would like to explore this amazing city in depth we recommend you book additional nights before the trip. Your booking agent will be happy to book additional services for you (subject to availability).
5.The receipt of commissions or kickbacks in exchange for recommending particular shops, services or activities is ingrained in the culture of the Moroccan tourism industry. In an effort to best control and monitor shopping and activities with an aim for the best experience possible, Intrepid has established a system of carefully selected shopping experiences and activities based on positive feedback from our previous travellers. On occasion these will be as part of included walking tours or outside of included activities in free time. Please note that if you feel that you do not wish to join in on these shopping experiences we assure you there is no obligation and if you indicate your desire to not partake your group leader will help to facilitate a suitable alternative during this time. Intrepid have set up a centralised system of receiving payments from these recommended suppliers, which are then distributed towards local Responsible Travel projects (such as 'say no to plastic' cotton bags for our travellers and drinking water refilling stations), traveller information packs, and leader bonuses. Further details of these arrangements can be provided by your group leader on request. While Intrepid endeavors to ensure that these suppliers and services maintain reasonable levels of quality, please note recommended suppliers are chosen based on past travellers feedback and experiences and Intrepid cannot explicitly guarantee the quality of the product. A priority in establishing this fund is that the experience of you our traveller is not compromised in any way. Please let us know via the feedback after your trip if we are successfully meeting this objective.
6.Please note that the European part of the trip will be led by a European leader, while the Moroccan part will be led by one of our experienced local Moroccan leaders. The changeover will take place upon arrival at the port of Tangier in Morocco from where the European leader will return to Spain. Additionally, as this is a combination of two trips, your leader and the composition of your group may change in Marrakech.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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