TRAVELIN' TIM
Seeing the world, one week at a time.
MY MOROCCO & PORTUGAL ITINERARY
Here's how I did a Morocco tour and some solo time in Portugal over 17 days.
Friday, October 5 - Arrive into Casablanca. Do a little solo walking around, meet my fellow tour participants, then go with a few of them for drinks and dinner for the film-inspired Rick's American Cafe.
Saturday, October 6 - And we're off! We start with a guided tour of the Hassan II mosque, before heading to Rabat and Meknes for some more exploring.
Sunday, October 7 - A little exploration of the monuments and markets of Meknes before hitting the ancient Roman settlement of Volubilis and then to the infamous 'blue city' of Chefchaouen.
Monday, October 8 - Spend the morning exploring Chefchaouen, then off to Fes. Group dinner in a local restaurant known for its pastille, a salty and sweet signature dish of Morocco.
Tuesday, October 9 - Exploring Fes, including the maze-like ancient Medina.
Wednesday, October 10 - Departed Fes for the market town of Midelt and a fun hike in the High Atlas Mountains..
Thursday, October 11 - Onto the Sahara Desert for a camel ride and a night of camping near Merzouga. Ate a traditional dinner, then was entertained by our Berber hosts with traditional music that evolved into a pop culture singalong.
Friday, October 12 - A sunrise camel ride out of the desert followed by a long drive to the M'goun Valley and a stay in a traditional Berber gite.
Saturday, October 13 - A long hike in the M'Goun Valley, and another night in the gite..
Sunday, October 14 - A drive along the 'Road of 1,000 Kasbahs' to the next destination, Ait Benhaddou, one of Morocco's most iconic sites (and seen in film and TV from 'Lawrence of Arabia' to 'Game of Thrones'. A nice hike to the top of the hill, and then back to the hotel.
Monday, October 15 - A sunrise hike back to the top of Ait Benhaddou, and then onto the final destination of the tour, Marrakech. A fun evening in the great square of Jemaa el Fna tasting Moroccan delicacies and enjoying various forms of street entertainment.
Tuesday, October 16 - A full day exploring Marrakech, then one final evening of drinking and relaxing with fellow tour participants on the rooftop lounge of our riad.
Wednesday, October 17 - The tour ends. Flight from Marrakech to Lisbon, then a train ride to Porto.
Thursday, October 18 - Exploring the beautiful city of Porto with a walking tour of the city and a tasting tour of Port wineries.
Friday, October 19 - Day trip to 'the Venice of Portugal', Aveiro.
Saturday, October 20 - Train ride back to Lisbon. A last, amazing seafood dinner at Crisfama, a tiny restaurant in the Fama District.
Sunday, October 21 - Flights from Lisbon to Philly to Raleigh. An end to a wonderful trip!
Walkabout VIII: Rock the Casbah
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