Magnificent Morocco and Moorish Spain

Our holiday starts at London St Pancras where we meet our Tour Manager and group, ready to board the Eurostar to Paris. We travel in spacious Standard Premier Class with a light meal served at our seats. In the French capital we continue by First Class rail to Barcelona where we arrive this evening, around the time locals head out to dinner. Enroute, you may like to enjoy a meal from the catering facilities of our train, or you are free to dine out independently on arrival. With two nights to explore, we check into our stylish 4-star hotel in the Modernist district, close to the city's most fashionable shopping street, the central Plaza Cataluña and a stone's throw from the atmospheric Gothic Quarter.

• Eurostar Meal

Today we join our group at our hotel before setting out by coach on a panoramic sightseeing and walking tour of the buzzing city of Barcelona. The city has a fascinating mix of architecture and a laid-back coastal ambience, and we soak up its unique culture with commentary from our local guide. Our first stop is the extraordinary Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece - inspired by his deep faith and intricate natural forms - a fantastic creation of intricate towers carved from Montjuïc stone, similar to sandstone. From the church we stroll down Las Ramblas, known for its colourful street performers, musicians, pavement cafés and market stalls.

Your afternoon is free to continue exploring and you may like to visit the excellent Picasso Museum in the Gothic Quarter. Or maybe enjoy a plate or two of Catalan tapas at one of the many al fresco eateries or at a beach café on the seafront. It's impossible to visit Barcelona and not fall under the spell of Gaudí - and not far from our hotel are two of his distinctive buildings, Casa Milà and Casa Batlló. You could also visit Park Güell, another wonderful Gaudí creation, with colourful mosaic sculptures - set high above the city, this park has open spaces and fabulous views. Another expansive park on a hill above the city is Montjüic, where you'll find the Montjüic Castle with a fabulous look out point at the Parc del Mirador, and a botanical garden.

This evening we dine together in an interesting historic restaurant, actually set within another wonderful Gaudí building, close to our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we travel in Comfort Class (the local equivalent of First Class) on the high-speed rail service from Barcelona to the flamboyant city of Seville. Arriving this afternoon, we are transferred by coach to our hotel in the Old Town where we check in for two nights.

You are free to explore Seville at your own pace this afternoon, and our central location means that many of the city's landmarks are within easy walking distance. To find out where our tour will take us tomorrow, please read ahead to Day 4. You could wander into the lively Santa Cruz district for a late lunch, this historic quarter has an enticing array of tapas restaurants.

One of the city's landmarks is the Torre del Oro, a striking golden tower, next to the Guadalquivir River, where you might enjoy an afternoon walk. Or maybe visit Seville's Fine Art Museum, known as El Museo de Bellas Artes, one of Spain's top art museums. Housed in a palace which was also a convent, its walls feature significant Spanish artists from Spain's 'Golden Age' in the 17th Century.

There's time to relax at the swimming pool and rooftop terrace of our hotel before we dine locally this evening. Our restaurant tonight is Spain's most ancient and characterful tapas bar. Open since 1760, this establishment knows all there is to know about tapas, and is highly-rated.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we're taken on a guided walking tour of Seville. Walking through the historic Santa Cruz district, we see the magnificent Gothic cathedral, where the remains of Christopher Columbus are interred. The cathedral's Renaissance-style bell tower, La Giralda, was repurposed from the original minaret of the mosque that once stood here, and offers panoramic views across the city.

Our tour continues to the delightful Real Alcázar, or Royal Palace, whose interiors are a combination of Moorish, Mudéjar and Christian architecture with elaborate patios, decorative windows and geometric tiles. The palace gardens are a delightful place to relax, with ancient water features and shady seating next to cooling fountains, where peacocks wander among the trailing greenery and fragrant orange trees.

After our tour we visit two local restaurants to enjoy an 'introduction to tapas' experience with a local guide which includes a tapa and drink at each place. The rest of your afternoon is free to continue exploring at your own pace. One option is to return to the cathedral to climb up the walkway of La Giralda, to experience the views - the tower is believed to have been designed to allow the Sultan to be taken to the very top on horseback, so there are no stairs.

Another emblematic site of Seville is the wrought iron Triana Bridge, also known as Isabel II Bridge, which crosses the river to the district of Triana, a neighbourhood known for its gypsy community and flamenco tradition. You could watch a flamenco performance here in a local peña (a meeting place for flamenco singers, musicians and dancers) or see one of several shows put on for tourists in the Old Town. In summer the Royal Palace hosts outdoor musical events in the gardens each evening. Tonight is another chance to dine independently and there is an excellent choice of restaurants in the area around our hotel.

• Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast this morning we are taken by coach to the port of Algeciras where we travel by ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar to the city of Tangiers, in Morocco.

Please note, our luggage travels with us on the coach and is transferred for us onto the ferry, however - due to customs procedures - there may be a need for us to take charge of our bags during the ferry journey.

On arrival in Tangiers, we are transferred to the railway station to continue on the sleek Al Boraq - Africa's first high-speed train - to Casablanca for the night. This impressive rail line opened in 2018 and follows the Atlantic coast from Tangiers down to Casablanca. On arrival in Morocco's most modern city we check into our elegant 5-star hotel for the night, situated close to the Old Medina, then enjoy a three course dinner at our hotel. The hotel has a rooftop terrace with great views of the city skyline.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we take a coach tour of Casablanca with a local guide who reveals to us the modern face of Morocco, a glittering mass of pale towers which stretch out across the 'White City'. We also explore the city's ancient past, admiring the Hassan II Mosque and the Palace Mohammed V before enjoying a traditional lunch at a nearby restaurant.

After lunch we continue by coach to Rabat for a guided tour, where we wander the impressive boulevards and dazzling, palm-tree lined seafront before seeing the Old Medina and Kasbah, full of atmospheric sights, sounds and aromas, then on to the monumental Oudaya Gate and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. We continue our journey in First Class seats on the regular rail service to Fez, our next fascinating Moroccan destination. On arrival this evening we have a short coach transfer to our stunning 5-star hotel, where we have dinner and spend the next three nights.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we set out by coach with a local guide to explore the fascinating city of Fez. Known for its thriving Medina and ancient city walls, this promises to be a vibrant and enchanting day. One of Morocco's oldest cities, founded in the 10th Century BC by Berber fishermen, Fez is a historic treasure trove. We discover architectural and cultural landmarks, including the Great Gateway of the Royal Palace, the 17th century fortifications at Kasbah Cherarda, the Karaouyine Mosque and University, the beautiful tiled Nejjarine Fountain, and the ancient gateway of Bab Boujloud.

We stop for lunch at a local restaurant. Our tour continues to the aromatic spice market, and buzzing souks of the Medina where we encounter a delightful jumble of gift stalls and mint tea cafés, with a dazzling selection of wares including intricate jewellery, colourful silk djellabas and earthy clay tagines.

We return to our hotel this evening, then are taken by coach the short distance into the Medina, where we are served dinner at Le Palais Medina while watching a traditional folk dance performance.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Setting out by coach from our hotel in Fez with our local guide, today we travel to the nearby city of Meknes. The high city walls hide an intricate tapestry of striking architecture, inspired by both Islamic traditions and European styles, and our tour reveals many fine examples of both, such as the Palace of Moulay Ismael and the Bab El Mansour gateway. We also see the nostalgic ruins of Agoudal Busin, including the Royal Gardens, and the Royal Stables.

After lunch at a restaurant in the French Quarter of Meknes, our tour continues to one of Morocco's most important and best-preserved archaeological sites - the remains of the ancient city of Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. Set in a fertile plain, Volubilis was originally a Berber city, before being taken over by Roman invaders. The city grew under their rule to become one of Morocco's proto-capitals before being abandoned for the new centre of Fez. As we walk through the impressive site we see Roman ruins featuring beautiful mosaics, an olive press, basilica, baths, temples and arches. The spectacle of ancient Roman arches, ionic columns and swirling mosaics are a haunting sight, set against the gentle plains.

We return to our hotel in Fez where the rest of your day and evening is free. You may like to spend time at the hotel's beautiful outdoor pool, before enjoying an evening in Fez, independently.

• Breakfast, Lunch

This morning we are transferred to the train station in Fez to join the local rail service to Marrakech, travelling in First Class. After journeying through the foothills of the Atlas mountains by rail, we arrive in the vibrant city this afternoon, within easy walking distance to our delightful 4-star hotel surrounded by an oasis of parkland. We check in for the next four nights, with time to settle in and maybe take a first look around this exciting city, before a 3-course dinner at our hotel.

Known as the Red City, due to its reddish-pink hued buildings and ten miles of red sandstone walls which surround Marrakech, the city's bustling streets are drenched in colour - from the pale peach, soft orange and ochres of townhouses to the dazzling reds, golds, blues and greens of the souks. With the magical backdrop of the Atlas mountains ever present, the enchanting sounds of city life hover above the rooftops, rising from the central market square of Djemaa El F'na, which at night is like an evocative film set - lit up and casting a glow on the street performers, snake charmers, and persuasive stallholders who earn their living here.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast we're joined by a local guide for a sightseeing tour of this entrancing city, by coach and on foot. We drive past the red sandstone ramparts of the city, on wide roads which are used by a variety of vehicles: luxury limousines to mopeds, bicycles to donkey carts. We visit one of the city's most famous landmarks, the towering 12th century Koutoubia Mosque with its prominent minaret that can be seen from every corner of Marrakech - you may be lucky to hear the muezzin's 'call to prayer', a hypnotic sound that floats over the entire Medina. Koutoubia is the Arabic word for booksellers and it's curious to imagine a thriving book trade, right outside the mosque, as far back as the 12th century. Interestingly, La Giralda minaret in Seville was modelled on this one, around the same time in history.

We see the secret tombs of the Saadian Dynasty's ornate and extravagant mausoleum, then visit the ornamental Menara Gardens, the 19th Century Bahia Palace, and the Ben Youssef Madrasa - an Islamic college. Finally we are lured into the sensational souks of Djemaa El F'na Square where our tour ends and we are free for the rest of the afternoon. The square is the heartbeat of the city, and our senses are flooded by frenzied bartering (regarded as a sport by some!), high-pitched whistles and rhythmical drums, smoke drifting from open fires and the enticing smells of street food. Besides the allure of snake charmers and nomadic musicians, we may find ourselves drawn in to a crowd surrounding a storyteller. The charming tradition of oral storytelling has survived centuries in Marrakech and is still thriving today.

This evening we enjoy an experience that is always popular with our customers - a traditional Moroccan dinner at a local restaurant, accompanied by a folklore show.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We head into the foothills of the entrancing Atlas Mountains on a scenic drive to discover Berber country, an ancient semi-desert landscape, still occupied by the same tribes who have lived here for thousands of years. Making occasional photo stops, we see the old stone and mud houses which still populate the valleys, and, above us, the snow-dusted caps of the Atlas Mountains. We pass the Gorge of Oued Ourika which follows the path of the Atlas' rivers, where we visit a traditional Berber House for a refreshing glass of Moroccan mint tea and traditional flat bread, known as tannour.

Our excursion continues to a Riad, where we enjoy an authentic cooking class amid stunning scenery. Guided by an experienced chef, we create one of Morocco's best-loved dishes, a sweet and spicy tagine, then we enjoy a delicious al fresco lunch of traditional foods. After lunch we return to our luxurious hotel and the rest of the afternoon and evening is yours to spend as you wish. After a busy day, you may enjoy some time relaxing in the peaceful gardens, at the sumptuous hotel spa or swimming pool. Dining options include our hotel's restaurant, or plenty of others to choose from in the Medina.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Today is our last day in Marrakech, but we have a day ahead of us to make the most of this enchanting city. There are several more interesting sights you may like to experience. The first is the stunning Majorelle Gardens, a fantasy world of cobalt blue and terracotta buildings, palm trees and water features, once the home of the designer Yves St Laurent.

In the Medina, Musee Tiskiwin is a small, private museum, housed in a traditional riad, which tells the stories of the culture and life of indigenous Berber people. The museum also covers the history of Marrakech itself. Another fascinating museum to visit, in the Saadian Quarter, is the Musee de la Musique, featuring instruments and displays about the history of music in Marrakech. The reception of the museum is a lovely example of Arab-Andalucian architecture.

This evening we enjoy a final dinner at our beautiful 5-star hotel, your chance to enjoy fine cuisine and perhaps to share a drink before or after with new friends.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a leisurely morning, either to do any last-minute exploring or to relax at our wonderful hotel in Marrakech, we are transferred to the airport by coach, for our direct flight to London Gatwick. Your holiday may be over but the memories of your experiences in Spain and Morocco will remain.

• Breakfast