MOROCCAN CARAVAN, LLC. SPAIN & TOUR ITINERARY

DAY 1: ARRIVE TO SEVILLE Arrive to Seville, check in, meet tour leaders and introduction. In the early evening, join food tour to sample some excellent tapas and wine. This food exploration will give you some great ideas about tapas in Andalucia and how to select your choices later. (D)

DAY 2: EXPLORE SEVILLE Explore Seville, including La Triana, the center of Seville, the Cathedral and Giralda Bell Tower, Royal Alcázar (palace), the palace of Seville and its magnificent Andalucian gardens. We will also see the lovely Plaza d’España, the la Torre del Oro (The Golden Tower) on the Wad al-Kebir river or the Grand River. We will end our day with dinner and an exciting flamenco show. (B, D)

DAY 3: SEE MORE OF SEVILLE THEN CONTINUE TO CORDOBA Go see Park Maria Louisa, and within the park optional visit to the Museum of Art and the Museum of Archeology. We will have lunch then drive to Cordoba. (B, D)

DAY 4: CORDOBA Today, we will visit the city of Cordoba which once was the capital of Spain during the Roman and Moorish periods. We will visit the Mezquita of Cordoba dating from 784 AD, a mosque turned into a Catholic cathedral. We also explore Cordoba's Jewish Quarter, and afer seeing famous monuments and stunning architecture, we can venture into Cordoba’s quaint courtyards while learning about Cordoba's history. (B, L, D)

DAY 5: GRANADA We leave for Granada and plan to spend the afernoon exploring the winding streets of the ancient neighborhood of the Albeyzín of Granada. (B, L)

DAY 6: GRANADA Today, we will visit the famous Alhambra Castle and Palace in Granada. End the day with dinner and flamenco show at one of the caves in Sacromonte, a traditional neighborhood where Gypsies settled in Granada afer the Christian conquest of the city in 1492. (B, D) DAY 7: TANGIER / MOROCCO We take the southwest route to Tarifa to cross the Mediterranean to Tangier, Morocco. Upon arriving to Tangier, we check in and settle for the night. (B, D)

DAY 8: TANGIER TO CHEFCHAOUEN Today, we head to Chefchaouen, Morocco’s blue city. On the way we make a stop in Tetouan. We continue to the mountainous city of Chefchaouen, a gem tucked into the Rif mountains. Founded in 1471, this small, relaxed town will not fail to charm you. It is known for the many shades of blue that adorn the city’s walls. Dinner and overnight in Chefchaouen. (B, L, D)

DAY 9: CHEFCHAOUEN - - FES Afer breakfast in Chefchaouen, we head south to Fes. This ride provides us with a view of the rich, interior farmland and the breathtaking scenery of the Rif Mountains. On the way to Fes, we will make a special stop to visit Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in the 3rd century BC, Volubilis became an important outpost of the Roman empire. Impressive remains of ancient Roman buildings and their associated mosaic decorations can still be found in place. Afer a tour of Volubilis, we drive to the nearby spiritual center of Moulay Idris, built by Idris I who founded the city of Fes in the 8th century. We end the day in Fes, the center for many medieval ruling dynasties. Fes is still considered to be an important cultural and artistic center in Morocco. Dinner & overnight at the hotel in Fes. (B, L, D)

DAY 10: EXPLORE FES We start our day with a visit of Fes el Jadid or “new Fes,” which, despite its name, is not very new. In fact, “new Fes” dates to the 13th century and was constructed when the Merinid Dynasty decided the old city of Fes was too small for their new mosques, schools, markets and gardens. The Merinids also protected the city’s large Jewish population and built them their own district called the , which we will visit. (B,L,D)

We also see la ville nouvelle (the new city), which was built during the colonial period by the French and features wide café-lined boulevards that stand in stark contrast with the winding streets of the older parts of the city. We continue with a panoramic tour of the city’s ramparts. Roads outside the city take us to the ceramic and mosaic factories that make Fes famous. We spend the second half of the day in the old city, also called the medina or .

Fes is an exciting city and a wonderful place to see artists actively making such exquisite items as hand engraved brass plate and handmade silk weavings, using centuries-old traditional techniques. Also included in the visit is the city’s famous tanneries, 14th century Qur’anic schools, and the 10th century Karaouyine mosque and university, the oldest continually operating university in the world. The night concludes with a special dinner party in an authentic mansion located in Fes el Bali where we will enjoy a show of Morocco’s lively music and dancing. (B, L, D) DAY 11: FES (VISIT THE BATHA GARDEN AND MUSEUM) MIDELT Afer breakfast, we visit make a visit to , which features the Museum of Arts and Traditions of Fes and an Andalucian garden. We have a rare invitation to attend a Sufi ceremony at a family’s home that features soothing chants. Afer lunch in the Fes medina, we depart to Midelt making a stop in a Ifrane at the cedar forest. (B, L, D)

DAY 12: PALM GROVE IN THE SAHARA Descend from the mountains and drive south through the Ziz Valley to the Tafilalt Oasis. We stop in this unique palm grove in the city of Erfoud to see and learn about the fossils that were formed when this area was once a lake, more than 300 million years ago. We continue into the Tafilalt palm tree grove for overnight. (B, L, D) **Make sure you prepare an overnight bag for the 13th

DAY 13: VISIT A LOCAL VILLAGE, MARKET OF RISSANI THEN OVERNIGHT AT A CAMP IN THE SAHARA DESERT Today, we start with exploring a seventeenth century adobe village, and visit the town of Rissani, a former hub for trans-Saharan trade. We will have a presentation on Amazigh (Berber) textiles and jewelry by a local. Afer lunch, we get out into the desert until we reach the golden sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. In the afernoon, we go on a magical camel ride across the sand dunes for an overnight with dinner. Be prepared to join the drumming and dancing circle at our Saharan camp! (B, L, D)

DAY 14: SAHARA HASSI LBID, KHAMLIA. OVERNIGHT IN MEZGUIDA Afer returning from our camel excursion, we will be at an adobe guest house at the foot of the sand dunes to rest and enjoy some downtime. Today, we will learn how nomads traditionally bake their stuffed bread in the sand. Lunch will be served then go explore a Saharan oasis and gardens, witnessing how locals extract water from the dunes for drinking and irrigation of their gardens. We also have the chance to hear music played by the Gnawa of Khamlia, a local community with sub Saharan origins whose music is used for healing. Dinner & overnight with a local family in the village of Mezguida. (B, L, D)

DAY 15: BOUMALEN Today’s ride is full of unique scenes, such as the khuttaras, an ancient underground system for irrigation. We will stop for lunch and along the way, we will see Todra Gorge (canyon) afer passing through a lush valley surrounded by many adobe villages and filled with date palm trees. We make certain to make numerous stops in order to enjoy the views. We end our spectacular ride with an overnight at a guest house in the Amazigh town of Boumalen in the Dades Valley. (B, L, D)

DAY 16: KASBAH AIT BEN HADDOU – HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS - MARRAKECH We will drive through Ouarzazate, a town known for film production, and cross the amazing High Atlas Mountains. The scenery in the mountains is striking and unique, as dozens of Amazigh (Berber) villages accented with terrace gardens can be seen. One of the highlights for today is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. Also, we will visit a women’s cooperative that specializes in making argan oil, a special oil that rejuvenates one’s hair and skin. Overnight in Marrakech. (B, L, D) DAY 17: EXPLORE MARRAKECH Explore Marrakech and start with a 9:30 am visit to a lush hidden garden (“Jardins Secret”), which was created on the grounds of a historical palace. We will also see the 11th century Koutoubia Mosque and gardens. We do lunch then enter the souks (“markets”) to enjoy the colors, sounds and smells. (B, L, D)

DAY 18: FLY OUT TO MADRID Transfer to Marrakech airport to fly out. (B) Bon Voyage!!