Portugal & Morocco: Highlights of Two Continents - 14 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Porto (Portugal), Food Tour & Bolhão Market Visit

Welcome to Portugal! Touch down in Porto, where your driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Settle in and then head out to explore the country's second-largest city. Porto is beloved for its Ribeira (riverside), packed with port cellars and cafés, and the colossal Dom Luís I Bridge, which spans the Douro River. Don't miss the Livraria Lello, a bookshop with a distinctive spiral staircase said to be one of the real-life inspirations for Harry Potter's Hogwarts.

In the afternoon, you'll enjoy an authentic taste of Porto on a food tour. A guide will take you to five top food locations in the city that locals love, including the bustling Bolhão Market. Other stops include specialty food stores and family-run restaurants where you'll sample typical dishes while getting an insight into the culture of the city.

Day 2: Porto Guided Tour

Discover Porto today with a guide who'll teach you about the city's history, heroes, and battles as you walk through the winding streets. Highlights include Boavista Avenue and Foz, home to some of the city's most iconic museums.

You'll visit the UNESCO-listed city center to admire famous Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and neoclassical landmarks. Stop at the intricately-tiled São Bento railway station, climb the Clerigos Tower for views over Porto, and visit the sacred Church of St Francis. Next, continue down Santa Catarina Street, pausing at Majestic Café before touring Porto Cathedral with its silver altarpiece.

The trip ends on the banks of the Douro River for views of Praça Ribeira and the Dom Luís I Bridge. Spend the evening at your leisure, dining on the vibrant Ribeira as the sun sets over the water.

Day 3: Douro Valley Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Today your private driver will be waiting to whisk you into the mountains and valleys of the lush Douro Valley wine region, where you'll visit traditional wineries accompanied by your expert guide. After a wine tasting, you'll have lunch at one of the valley's stately quintas (estates).

After lunch, it's time to hop aboard a riverboat for an hour-long cruise down the tranquil Douro River. Relax and soak up the beautiful scenery of the valley and the steep, rolling hills along the riverbanks. You'll return to Porto afterward, where you can spend a leisurely evening in the city.

Day 4: Transfer to Coimbra via Aveiro, Guided Tour of Coimbra

Leave Porto this morning and drive an hour south to Aveiro, a peaceful fishing hub set on a coastal lagoon, the Ria de Aveiro. Aveiro is known for its network of canals traversed by wooden moliceiros, small boats traditionally used for harvesting seaweed.

Navigate the city's quaint streets and historic center, filled with Art Nouveau buildings. Gaze at the cathedral with its bell tower and visit the Museu de Aveiro, which has an impressive marble tomb in a former convent. Take a cruise along the canals and head to the nearby beach to watch fishermen hauling in their nets.

Move on to Coimbra, considered one of the most ancient university towns in the world. Coimbra was Portugal's capital between 1131 and 1255 and offers a mix of Roman and medieval architecture. Take a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed university, founded in 1290 by King Dinis and famed for its Baroque library with an incredible collection of over 60,000 books stored in gilded bookshelves.

Day 5: Transfer to Lisbon via Tomar

Journey two hours south today to Portugal's buzzing capital, Lisbon. On the way, your driver will stop in the small town of Tomar. Stretch your legs with a walk around the pretty town center and visit the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ), a UNESCO heritage site, founded in the 12th century by the powerful Knights Templar.

The sprawling monastery boasts views over the town and has a beautiful mix of Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance, and Manueline architecture, displayed in its many chapels and cloisters. Afterward, continue your journey to Lisbon, where you'll check into your hotel.

Day 6: Lisbon with a Local Tour & Evening of Fado

Get to know Lisbon with a local today on a tour that takes in the historical landmarks in the city center. Full of snaking cobbled streets traversed by yellow trams, Lisbon is awash with medieval towers, Baroque palaces, and dome-topped monasteries. That's not to mention world-class restaurants, thriving markets, and a lively bar scene.

During the excursion, you'll stop at the Elevador de Santa Justa, a thin iron elevator built in 1902, which you can ride to the top of a 150-foot-tall (45 m) tower showcasing city views and the sea beyond. Pass through the majestic archway, Arco Monumental da Rua Augusta, which leads into Commerical Square, and discover the colorful Chiado district and bohemian Bairro Alto for hilltop vistas.

Your guide will end with some restaurant recommendations, and then you can explore independently. Stop for a coffee and pastel de nata, Portugal's signature egg-tart treat, and perhaps venture out to the Belém neighborhood to visit UNESCO-listed Torre de Belém and Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, an imposing monastery built in 1501 in a blend of Gothic and Renaissance style. End the day with dinner and a fado music performance in the Bairro Alto. You'll dine on local dishes at one of Lisbon's top restaurants, accompanied by the sounds of fado, a Portuguese music form that dates back to the 1820s.

Day 7: Day Trip to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Escape the city today and travel half an hour west to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sintra and the nearby fishing town of Cascais. Set among cool, forested hills, the city acted as a summer retreat for Portuguese royalty and, as such, is dotted with turreted palaces, extravagant villas, and fairy-tale castles. These striking landscapes served as inspiration for Lord Byron's poems.

Accompanied by a guide, you'll visit the Palacio Nacional da Pena, a 19th-century romanticist castle that blends Moorish and Portuguese late-Gothic architectural styles. Next, explore Sintra Cascais Natural Park and Monserrate Palace, which provides panoramic views over Sintra. Other stops include the dramatic cliffs of Cabo de Roca, Guincho Beach, and the glamorous towns of Cascais and Estoril.

Day 8: Fly to Marrakesh (Morocco), Evening Street Food Tour

Say goodbye to Portugal today and take a four-hour flight to Morocco. Your driver will be waiting at the airport in Marrakesh, the "Red City," to take you to your hotel. Settle into this cultural hub, which is filled with Moorish riads and hectic bazaars crammed with spices, ceramics, and hand-woven rugs.

Experience it all in the Jemaa el-Fna, the central market square, with a local guide. You'll weave through the back alleys, stopping to taste street food favorites and visit spots beloved by locals. The Souk Mamma is a highlight, where you'll get a crash course in Moroccan cuisine and enjoy a traditional meal.

Day 9: Guided Tour of Marrakesh

Tour Marrakesh's most famous sights today, from the Koutoubia Mosque to the eerie Saadien Tombs, which date back to 1557. Continue to Bahia Palace, famed for its embellished woodwork and painted ceilings, and wander through the Jewish Quarter. Along the way, you'll learn about the city's past and wind through souks filled with artisans.

The rest of the day is yours to explore Marrakesh at your leisure. For a glimpse into Moroccan life, visit the tanneries just east of the medina (old town), or head to the south of the city to admire El Badi Palace. Built in the early 17th century, the palace has extensive courtyards and sunken gardens. For a slice of serenity, retire to Majorelle Gardens, an oasis of subtropical plants and palm trees. End the day with a walk through the market, where you can feast on Moroccan tajine.

Day 10: Foodie Experience in Essaouira

Take a day trip to the coastal city of Essaouira, which translates to "fortified palace" in Arabic. The port city is protected by the Skala de la Kasbah, 18th-century seafront ramparts that offer sweeping sea views and are lined with brass canons. Strong alizés (trade winds) draw kitesurfers and surfers to the city, who launch from the crescent-shaped beach.

Take a food-focused city tour, trying specialties like ma'akouda (Moroccan potato cakes), sfinge (donoughts), and nougat. Watch sky-blue boats bobbing in the port and head to a Saouri home for a mini-cooking class and meal. Finish with a food walk through the city and some free time to browse the UNESCO-listed medina before returning to Marrakesh.

Day 11: Transfer to Rabat, Guided Tour

Travel north this morning to Morocco's capital Rabat, recognized as a UNESCO site for its sugar-white architecture. Explore the city on a guided tour, starting with a visit to the Royal Palace of Rabat and the Chellah Necropolis, where you can wander Roman and Islamic ruins. Continue to the Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohamed V, an abandoned 12th-century project that features the minaret of an incomplete mosque and some 200 columns.

You'll have time to stroll through the medina and peruse the souks, where you'll find everything from rugs and spices to jewelry and leather goods. Your guide is on hand to help you barter for goods. Take a break from the crowds next at the Andalusian Gardens, where paths lead through exotic flower gardens and fruit tree groves reminiscent of the Alhambra's gardens in Spain.

The journey ends at the doorway to the Kasbah des Oudaïas, the heart of the original city center. The Kasbah des Oudaïas is home to the city's oldest mosque and Musée des Oudaïas handicrafts museum. Spend time admiring the architecture and learning about regional crafts, then return to your hotel for a restful evening.

Day 12: Day Trip to the "Blue City" of Chefchaouen

Embark upon a day trip to Chefchaouen, also known as the "Blue City" for its maze-like medina filled with azure-washed buildings. Perched beneath the raw peaks of the Rif mountains, the city's name translates to "two horns," a reference to the twin peaks that shadow the metropolis.

Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 by Idrisid Shorfa, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, as a stronghold in the fight against the Portuguese. Revered as a holy mecca, the city is home to eight mosques and several zaouias (an Islamic place of worship, school, monastery, or mausoleum), and marabouts (Muslim religious leaders). The Grand Mosque, built in 1560, makes a stunning photo stop.

Discover Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the main square named for the number of hammams (public baths) that used to encircle it. Find a restaurant or café for a bite to eat before browsing the many shops peddling traditional wares. In the late afternoon, return to Rabat.

Day 13: Transfer to Casablanca, Tour the Hassan II Mosque

Transfer an hour south today to the coastal city of Casablanca, where you'll check into your hotel before heading out to explore. Visit the country's largest mosque, Hassan II, which sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Inaugurated in 1993, the building's 650-foot (200 m) minaret is the highest structure in Morocco and the world's tallest minaret.

Hassan II is unique because it's one of the few mosques in the country where non-Muslims are permitted to enter. Tour the historic complex, which includes a museum, baths, Koranic school, a library, and a prayer room that can hold 25,000 people, supported by 78 granite and marble pillars. Marvel at the mosque's elaborate mosaics, decorative wood, and ornamental ceilings created by skilled artisans from across Morocco.

Day 14: Depart Casablanca