SPAIN, PORTUGAL and MOROCCO (68302011)

Transportation
Scheduled transatlantic flights and airport transfers in Madrid if Cosmos issues the air tickets. Touring by private first-class air-conditioned motorcoach. Ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar

Guides
Local Guides for city sightseeing in Madrid, Lisbon, Fez, Marrakesh, Rabat, Granada-Alhambra. Services of a professional Tour Director while touring.

Hotels


Madrid
Praga (F),

Coimbra
Dom Luis (ST),

Lisbon
Roma (ST),

Seville
Don Paco (ST),

Fez
Menzeh Zalagh (ST),

Marrakesh
El Andalous (F) or Zalagh Kasbah & Spa (F),

Rabat
Rihab (F),

Granada
Don Juan (ST)

Meals
Buffet breakfasts (B); 7 dinners (D)

Day 1:
Sat. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.

Day 2:
Sun. ARRIVE IN MADRID, SPAIN. Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free to start exploring lively Madrid. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers. (D)

Day 3:
Mon. MADRID. Of the Spanish capital, situated 2,180 feet above sea level, the Spaniards say it’s the nearest thing to heaven. You’ve only a day here and it’s certainly worth making the most of it by joining the included guided sightseeing tour: a full panoramic drive by way of the Avenida Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Parliament Square, and a picture stop outside the Royal Palace. The optional trip to Toledo is most rewarding, too. The splendid setting of this old walled city above the Tagus was made famous in El Greco’s painting, and even now it’s like a great open-air museum of Spanish history and art. (B)

Day 4:
Tue. MADRID–AVILA–SALAMANCA–COIMBRA, PORTUGAL. West for a visit to fortified Avila with its many towers. Next is Salamanca, just six miles from the spot where Wellington routed Napoleon’s army in 1812. Make sure you spend some time wandering around Plaza Mayor, the grandest square in Spain. Across the frontier to Guarda, the highest town in Portugal. From here, descend to the valleys of the Serra da Estrela to Coimbra for an overnight. (B,D)

Day 5:
Wed. COIMBRA–BATALHA–FATIMA–LISBON. This morning, enjoy your orientation tour of Coimbra, celebrated for its beauty and ancient university. Later, travel southwards to Batalha with a visit to its beautifully sited monastery. Today’s penultimate highlight is a visit to the Sanctuary of Fatima. A sterner and more desolate landscape accompanies you to Lisbon for your overnight in Portugal’s capital. A stop en route includes a wine bodega and some wine tasting. (B)

Day 6:
Thu. LISBON. Henry the Navigator made Lisbon the 15th-century mistress of the seas. On the included tour, see his monument, the Belem Tower, the Moorish Citadel, and the impressive Black Horse Square. Spend the afternoon in the Alfama’s tile-decorated streets, or take an optional excursion to coastal Estoril and Cascais. (B)

Day 7:
Fri. LISBON–SEVILLE, SPAIN. From the rolling plains of the Alentejo with its woodlands of cork and eucalyptus trees, southwards all the way to the brilliant light of Andalucia. Admire its neat white-painted villages and sun-drenched plantations of olives, figs, and almonds, while traveling by way of Beja into magnificent Seville. (B,D)

Note:
Dinner on Nov. & Dec. departures will be in Seville one day later.

Day 8:
Sat. SEVILLE. At leisure in one of Spain’s most colorful cities. Perhaps you’d like to spend this morning enjoying an optional sightseeing tour including the main highlights of this vibrant city. (B)

Note:
Dinner on Nov. & Dec. departures will be today in Seville.

Day 9:
Sun. SEVILLE–FERRY TO MOROCCO–FEZ. An interesting drive today starts with views of the sherry wine region before reaching the coast for embarkation on the ferry to Morocco. Next, motor south along what was once northern Africa’s infamous Barbary Coast. Join the new motorway for the drive southwards, then west, bypassing Meknes for two overnights in Fez. (B,D)

Day 10:
Mon. FEZ. At leisure in ancient Fez, which occupies a position of outstanding scenic beauty. This morning, visit the Medina on the included sightseeing and enjoy the maze of narrow streets through the colourful bazaars and the exotic atmosphere. (B)

Day 11:
Tue. FEZ–MIDDLE ATLAS–MARRAKESH. While motoring through the Middle Atlas on your way to Marrakesh, enjoy glimpses of North African village life reminiscent of Beau Geste. (B,D)

Day 12:
Wed. MARRAKESH. The highlight of this morning is the included city sightseeing. You’ll really feel as if you’ve stopped the march of time. Marrakesh has always been a meeting place—first just a group of nomad tents, now a bustling city. An optional evening excursion will be a fitting choice to end the day. (B)

Day 13:
Thu. MARRAKESH–CASABLANCA–RABAT. This morning, drive northwest from the heartland of Morocco by way of Settat to reach the most western of all Moroccan cities—Casablanca. Stop here awhile. Later in the afternoon, continue by way of the motorway northwards to Rabat, Morocco’s capital for city sightseeing and an overnight. (B,D)

Day 14:
Fri. RABAT–FERRY CROSSING TO SPAIN–GRANADA. Today an early departure retraces your steps northwards for the ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar to mainland Spain, and drive directly to the heart of Andalucia to reach Granada for an overnight. (B,D)

Day 15:
Sat. GRANADA–MADRID. Take advantage of the included visit with a Local Guide of the Alhambra, a summer complex built by the Moorish kings. This afternoon, drive into the very heart of La Mancha, famed for its castle and windmills. Overnight in Madrid. (B)

Day 16:
Sun. YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (B)

YOU CAN BOOK THIS TOUR ONLINE. Click here to check rates and availability online, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Or, to speak to one of our live, experienced travel consultants, Call us now at 1-800-942-3301.
Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
1/8/2011 - 1/23/2011	$1,575
1/22/2011 - 2/6/2011	$1,575
2/5/2011 - 2/20/2011	$1,575
2/26/2011 - 3/13/2011	$1,657
3/5/2011 - 3/20/2011	$1,657
3/12/2011 - 3/27/2011	$1,657
3/19/2011 - 4/3/2011	$1,657
3/26/2011 - 4/10/2011	$1,818
4/2/2011 - 4/17/2011	$1,765
4/9/2011 - 4/24/2011	$1,765
4/16/2011 - 5/1/2011	$1,765
4/23/2011 - 5/8/2011	$1,765
4/30/2011 - 5/15/2011	$1,785
5/7/2011 - 5/22/2011	$1,785
5/14/2011 - 5/29/2011	$1,749
5/21/2011 - 6/5/2011	$1,749
5/28/2011 - 6/12/2011	$1,749
6/4/2011 - 6/19/2011	$1,749
6/11/2011 - 6/26/2011	$1,749
6/18/2011 - 7/3/2011	$1,685
6/25/2011 - 7/10/2011	$1,685
7/2/2011 - 7/17/2011	$1,685
7/9/2011 - 7/24/2011	$1,685
7/16/2011 - 7/31/2011	$1,685
7/23/2011 - 8/7/2011	$1,685
7/30/2011 - 8/14/2011	$1,685
8/6/2011 - 8/21/2011	$1,685
8/13/2011 - 8/28/2011	$1,685
8/20/2011 - 9/4/2011	$1,785
8/27/2011 - 9/11/2011	$1,785
9/3/2011 - 9/18/2011	$1,785
9/10/2011 - 9/25/2011	$1,785
9/17/2011 - 10/2/2011	$1,785
9/24/2011 - 10/9/2011	$1,785
10/1/2011 - 10/16/2011	$1,719
10/8/2011 - 10/23/2011	$1,719
10/15/2011 - 10/30/2011	$1,639
10/22/2011 - 11/6/2011	$1,639
10/29/2011 - 11/13/2011	$1,565
11/5/2011 - 11/20/2011	$1,565
11/12/2011 - 11/27/2011	$1,565
11/19/2011 - 12/4/2011	$1,565
11/26/2011 - 12/11/2011	$1,515
12/3/2011 - 12/18/2011	$1,515
12/10/2011 - 12/25/2011	$1,515
12/20/2011 - 1/4/2012	$1,699
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

City Highlights
Visits to Avila, Salamanca, Coimbra, Batalha, Fatima, Portuguese wine bodega, Seville, Casablanca

Scenic Highlights
Serra da Estrela, Andalusia, Guadalquivir Valley, Costa del Sol, La Mancha, Middle Atlas

Price Details US
Single room supplement: $700No triple room reduction.

Related Tours
6850|Grand Tour of Spain

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