Southern Spain & Morocco

(13 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Granada, Fez, Marrakesh

This private tour offers a taste of the best of southern Spain and Morocco, both known for great weather, beautiful landscapes, wonderful food, impressive UNESCO World Heritage sites, rich cultural traditions and wonderful luxury hotels decorated in the most evocative local style. This tour is also an ideal introduction for more extensive travel to other destinations throughout Spain and Morocco.

Begin in Madrid, the Spanish capital known for its elegant squares, stately Habsburg architecture, leafy boulevards and superb museums. With your expert private guide, explore the highlights of the city according to your interests. Perhaps tour world-renowned museums such as the Prado Museum, Reina Sofia, CaixaForum, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. Or, stroll through the exclusive shopping and residential districts. Also visit historic squares and lively markets, including the gourmet San Miguel Market.

Travel by high-speed train to Cordoba, a capital under the Romans and the Moors. Explore the highlights of the UNESCO-listed city center, such as the incredible Cathedral-Mosque, the ancient Roman bridge, and the narrow backstreets lined with whitewashed buildings and historic buildings in the old Jewish Quarter.

Continue to Seville, the capital of Andalusia and a city flavored as much by the sounds of flamenco and the smell of orange blossoms as by its 500-year domination by the Moors. Take an insider’s tour of this beautiful city. Explore the charming Santa Cruz neighborhood, tour the gardens and mosaic tile-covered rooms of the Reales Alcazares—a spectacular Moorish palace, see the world's largest Gothic cathedral (which contains the tomb of Christopher Columbus), browse specialty boutiques and markets, and other cultural highlights. One evening, enjoy a private “tapas tasting” tour of some of some of Seville’s most beloved tapas bars.

Next, visit Granada, one of the richest and most populated cities in Europe during Moorish rule and still one of Spain's most breathtaking cities. With your expert private guide, tour the extraordinary Alhambra—one of the highlights of Spain—a stunning Moorish castle, palace and garden complex on a hillside overlooking the town. Visit the Generalife, the summer palace and gardens of Moorish royalty. Also tour the labyrinthine streets of the Albaicin—the old Arab Quarter—and discover a world full of winding, hilly streets, Moorish fountains, and teterías (Arabic tearooms).

Continue to Morocco via high-speed ferry. Arrive in Tangiers, a melting pot of Islamic and French architecture, Spanish cafes, labyrinthine streets and colorful bougainvillea. Enjoy introductory city touring before driving to Fez, the intellectual and religious heart of the nation. Stay at a former Moorish palace overlooking the medieval medina (old town). Tour Fez el-Bali ("Fez the Old") and its medieval medina (old town), a UNESCO world heritage site crammed with narrow, winding streets, tiny squares and artisan workshops. Visit centuries-old mosques and universities, see the multi-colored vats of the open-air tanneries, and shop for traditional wares made from copper, ceramics and leather. Also visit Fez el-Djedid ("Fez the New"), built in the 13th century. Visit the Royal Palace and the mellah (Jewish Quarter), the largest in Morocco.

Finally, transfer to Marrakesh, an ancient city of orange groves and weathered pink buildings at the base of the Atlas Mountains. During private touring, visit fascinating local souks (markets) selling carpets, ceramics, metalware, textiles and other traditional products. Visit the Djemaa el-Fna, a carnivalesque public square where water sellers, snake charmers, magicians and storytellers compete for an audience. See the most interesting palaces, gardens and museums, such as the Jardin Majorelle, stunning gardens created by French painter Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s; the Palais de la Bahia; the Dar Si Said Museum of Moroccan Arts; the Palmerie; and the Jardin Menara, a beautiful garden with reflecting pools surrounded by groves of olive trees. Also, browse the city's stylish new shops and galleries, and dine in gourmet restaurants that are putting Marrakesh on the culinary map.