Highlights
- Explore Porto's highlights on a private tour
- Enjoy dinner and a fado show in Lisbon
- Savor the flavors of Marrakesh on a street food tour
- Wander through 2000-year-old Roman ruins at Volubilis
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Porto, Foodie Experience in Porto | Porto |
| Day 2 | Private Guided Visit to Porto | Porto |
| Day 3 | Transfer to Lisbon via Coimbra | Lisbon |
| Day 4 | Full-Day Private Guided Tour of Lisbon, Evening of Fado | Lisbon |
| Day 5 | Private Day Trip to Sintra & Pena Palace | Lisbon |
| Day 6 | Fly to Marrakesh, Evening Street Food Tour | Marrakesh |
| Day 7 | Marrakesh Medina & City Tour | Marrakesh |
| Day 8 | Transfer to Rabat, Private Guided Tour | Rabat |
| Day 9 | Transfer to Casablanca via Meknes & Volubilis | Casablanca |
| Day 10 | Depart Casablanca |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Porto, Foodie Experience in Porto
Welcome to Portugal! Upon arrival at Porto's airport, you'll be met by your driver and transferred to you to your hotel in the city center. Take some time to rest before you start exploring. In the early afternoon, learn more about Porto and its cuisine with a 3.5-hour walking tour of the historic downtown. Guided by a local expert guide, this small-group excursion offers a first-hand look at the culinary renaissance that the city is experiencing, including the rebirth of specialty food shops and new restaurants that are adopting old methods.
Visit several distinct tasting locations that harken back to an era of simple, quality products and recipes. Learn about these family-owned businesses and why they are an integral part of Porto's gastronomy, and witness the revival of Portuguese cuisine as you explore local restaurants, cafés, and stores. The evening, of course, would not be complete without an introduction to Porto's most famous drink: port wine. Taste three different versions, including one vintage, as you learn about the history of this timeless drink.
Day 2: Private Guided Visit of Porto
Explore Porto on a guided tour today. Learn all about the city's history, heroes, and battles as you make your way through its trendy areas and cultural districts. Wander down Boavista Avenue, one of the city's most important streets, and visit Foz, home to some of the most revered museums and modern local treasures.
Next, head to Porto's historic center—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—to admire its renowned Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and neoclassical monuments and sites. These include the São Bento railway station, the Clerigos Tower, the Church of St. Francis, Lello Bookshop, Santa Catarina Street, Majestic Café, and Bolhão Market, to name a few. After visiting the imposing Porto Cathedral with its imposing silver altarpiece, finish the tour along the banks of the broad Douro River with views of Ribeira Plaza and the Dom Luís I Bridge.
Day 3: Transfer to Lisbon via Coimbra
Join your driver for the three-hour transfer south to Lisbon today. About halfway through the trip, make a stop in Coimbra, where there will be free time to walk around and have lunch. This was the medieval capital of Portugal and the site of the country's oldest and most influential university: the University of Coimbra, established in 1290. Coimbra is known for its weighty importance in Portuguese history and its multicolored collage of buildings that span nearly a millennium. The city's historic core cascades down a hillside, creating a lovely setting along the east bank of the Mondego River.
After your exploration in Coimbra, continue on to Lisbon. Check into your hotel, and take the rest of the day to relax and explore the Portuguese capital on your own.
Day 4: Full-Day Private Guided Tour of Lisbon, Evening of Fado
Get your bearings around Lisbon today on a guided tour of its most happening neighborhoods. Board one of the city's iconic trams and head into the Bairro Alto. Continue on to Chiado, where famous 20th-century writers and philosophers used to gather. Next up is the picture-perfect neighborhood of Alfama. Here, walk along narrow cobblestoned streets, and see the stunning 12th-century Lisbon Cathedral. After lunch, head over to Belém, one of Lisbon's most historical and monumental areas. Visit the medieval Torre de Belém, and tour the National Ajuda Palace, once home to the Portuguese royal family.
Don't leave without stopping by Pastéis de Belém. This bakery claims to be the original home of pastéis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts) and still follows the original recipe used by local monks in the 18th century. In the evening, return to the Bairro Alto and spend an evening at one of the city's best fado restaurants. Enjoy the excellent food, atmospheric setting, and melancholic tones of fado music as you savor a truly authentic night out in Lisbon.
Day 5: Private Day Trip to Sintra & Pena Palace
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Head out for a full-day tour of Sintra and its surroundings today, accompanied by a private local expert guide. Located just half an hour east of Lisbon, this resort town in the Sintra Mountains is known for its forested hills, upscale villas, and Moorish palaces. Accompanied by your guide, visit the Palacio Nacional da Pena. This 19th-century romanticist castle mixes Moorish and Portuguese late-Gothic architectural styles. You'll also visit the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, where you can enjoy dramatic views of the surrounding area.
Some can't-miss locales here include the dramatic coastal cliffs of the Cabo de Roca, the wide and inviting Guincho Beach (a popular surf spot), and the glamorous town of Cascais.
Day 6: Fly to Marrakesh, Evening Street Food Tour
It's time to say your goodbyes to Portugal! A driver will pick you up at your hotel today and transfer you to Lisbon Airport, from where you'll fly to Marrakesh in Morocco. Once there, catch a private transfer to your accommodation. Check in, and then prepare for an evening food tour.
On this tour, you'll explore the city well beyond the city's central Jemaa el-Fna Square. An official, licensed Moroccan guide will take you on a deep dive into Marrakesh's street food culture. Stop to taste dishes that are only made here and pop into spots that locals have been visiting for decades. You'll also visit the Souk Mama, where you'll get a crash course in a Moroccan staple—the tajine. By the end of the experience, you'll have enjoyed a full meal. Be sure to come with an empty stomach and an open mind for this immersive gastronomic experience!
Day 7: Marrakesh Medina & City Tour
Meet up with a local private guide today for an extensive tour through the old city of Marrakesh. As you explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you'll come across lively souks (markets) and maze-like alleys. You're sure to be dazzled by displays of djellabas (traditional robes), brightly colored babouches (slippers), intricately-pierced lanterns, conical mounds of exotic spices, and the intense hubbub of life in the medina (old town). Along the way, your expert guide will regale you with the history and stories of the city's neighborhoods.
Your tour continues in the afternoon, exploring places like the Bahia and El Badii Palaces and the Saadian Tombs. You'll also see the Majorelle Gardens, an iconic garden retreat built over forty years by French painter Jacques Majorelle and later inhabited by famed designer Yves Saint Laurent. Stroll through 2.5 acres (1 ha) of peaceful water gardens, visit Morocco's only museum dedicated entirely to Berber art and culture, and explore Yves Saint Laurent's gallery, all within the walls of this urban oasis.
Day 8: Transfer to Rabat, Private Guided Tour
Enjoy a comfortable private transfer from Marrakesh to your accommodation in Rabat, a journey of about 3.5 hours. Once you arrive, prepare to explore Morocco's bustling capital with a private local guide on a half-day tour. Your guide will lead you through the Royal Palace and the medieval fortification of the Chellah Necropolis, where you can wander the Roman and Islamic ruins. Stroll through the medina to find the Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohamed V. This abandoned 12th-century project features the minaret of an incomplete mosque and some 200 columns.
Spend time exploring the historic medina and roaming through its charming streets. Stop at the souks to peruse local crafts and goods. Next, visit the 20th-century Andalusian Gardens, and enjoy the serene space away from the crowds. End your tour at the grand door of the Kasbah des Oudaïas, the gate out of Rabat's old city center. The Kasbah des Oudaïas is home to the city's oldest mosque, as well as the Musée des Oudaïas handicrafts museum. Stop here to admire the white and blue architecture and learn about traditional regional crafts.
Day 9: Transfer to Casablanca via Meknes & Volubilis
Your first stop today will be the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Along with your guide, explore the remains of this 2,000-year-old complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander through the massive collection of large merchant homes with visible heating systems, temples, and many colorful mosaics. This town was one of the remotest parts of the Roman Empire, with the Romans ruling for about 200 years and leaving in 285 CE.
Next, transfer to Meknes, founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement. Explore the medina and visit some of the monumental city gates and ornamental decorations highlighting Spanish-Moorish architecture. Tour the city walls, and stop at the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, founder of the Alaouite Dynasty and sultan when Meknes was its capital city. To end your visit, peruse the Museum of Moroccan Art and view various regional handicrafts. In the afternoon, you'll continue three hours west to the coastal city of Casablanca.
Day 10: Depart Casablanca
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