Paris to Marrakech Adventure (Self-Launched)

Land in Paris and settle into a hostel in the central/east arrondissements (Le Marais or Canal Saint-Martin are good value and well-connected). Take the RER B from CDG (~€11.80). Evening: walk the banks of the Seine and catch the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour after dark — free. Grab a cheap crêpe or falafel dinner.

🚌RER B from CDG airport to central Paris, ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm, Paris (e.g. Les Piaules / St Christopher's Canal) — £22–32/night

• →Arrive and check in
• →Evening stroll along the Seine
• →Eiffel Tower sparkle (free, on the hour after dark)

Take the Metro to Montmartre in the morning and wander the streets around Sacré-Cœur where the artists work. Skip the group orientation — download a free self-guided walking map instead. Afternoon: choose your own adventure — Louvre (pre-book a €22 timed ticket), a Seine river cruise (~€15 with GetYourGuide), or free cathedral entry at Notre-Dame with a timed slot. Cheapest way up the Eiffel Tower: stairs to the 2nd floor (~€14).

🚌Paris Metro day pass ~£7

🛏Hostel dorm, Paris — £22–32/night

• →Montmartre & Sacré-Cœur walk
• →Louvre Museum (pre-booked)
• →Optional Seine river cruise
• →Optional Eiffel Tower stairs climb

Leisurely morning before a TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon Part-Dieu (~2 hrs). Book on SNCF Connect 3–4 weeks ahead for the cheapest fares — Ouigo budget trains can be as low as €19 if flexible on time. Check into a hostel on the Presqu'île. Evening: explore Vieux Lyon's traboules (hidden passageways — free), wander the Croix-Rousse slopes and have dinner in a bouchon for classic Lyonnaise food.

🚌TGV Paris–Lyon, ~£25–45 if booked early (Ouigo can be ~£17)

🛏Hostel dorm, Lyon — £20–30/night

• →TGV to Lyon
• →Vieux Lyon traboules walk (free)
• →Croix-Rousse evening stroll
• →Optional bouchon dinner

Long travel day: take a direct TGV/AVE from Lyon to Barcelona (~5 hrs, book early for ~€45–70) or a cheaper FlixBus overnight (~€30, 9-10 hrs). Settle into a hostel in the Eixample or Gràcia. Evening: tapas crawl through the Gothic Quarter and a wander down La Rambla to the waterfront.

🚌TGV/AVE Lyon–Barcelona, ~£40–60 (book early); or FlixBus ~£28

🛏Hostel dorm, Barcelona — £25–38/night

• →Train/bus to Barcelona
• →Gothic Quarter tapas crawl
• →La Rambla & Port Vell
• →Barceloneta beach sunset

Self-book a Sagrada Família timed entry via GetYourGuide (~€26) and pair it with Park Güell (~€10). Both get booked out days in advance, so reserve early. Between them explore Casa Batlló's exterior and Casa Milà (La Pedrera) from outside, or pay in if you want. Afternoon: Barceloneta beach, then a picnic in Parc de la Ciutadella. Evening in Gràcia for cheap pintxos and vermut.

🚌Metro day pass ~£9

🛏Hostel dorm, Barcelona — £25–38/night

• →Sagrada Família (self-booked timed entry)
• →Park Güell (self-booked)
• →Casa Batlló & La Pedrera exteriors
• →Barceloneta beach
• →Gràcia pintxos evening

Use this as a flexible day. Options: hop on a Montjuïc cable car, visit the Picasso Museum (free Sun after 3pm), hike up to Bunkers del Carmel for panoramic views (free), or day-trip by regional train to Montserrat (~€12 return + cogwheel). Keep the tabs low with a market lunch at La Boqueria.

🚌Local metro/regional trains ~£8–12

🛏Hostel dorm, Barcelona — £25–38/night

• →Bunkers del Carmel viewpoint (free)
• →Optional Montserrat day trip
• →Picasso Museum (free Sunday afternoons)
• →La Boqueria market lunch

Take the AVE high-speed train Barcelona–Madrid (~2.5 hrs, book early ~€35–60). Check into a hostel near Sol or Lavapiés. Afternoon: the Reina Sofía (self-book ~€12), home to Picasso's Guernica, then a walk around the Retiro Park and through the Prado's outdoor surroundings. Evening: tapas on Cava Baja in La Latina.

🚌AVE Barcelona–Madrid, ~£30–55 (book early)

🛏Hostel dorm, Madrid — £22–35/night

• →AVE to Madrid
• →Reina Sofía Museum (Guernica)
• →Retiro Park stroll
• →Tapas on Cava Baja

Overnight hop to Lisbon. Cheapest is a FlixBus Madrid–Lisbon (~8-9 hrs, €25–40) or Ryanair/Iberia regional flight from ~€40 if booked early. Arrive into Lisbon, check into a hostel in Alfama or Bairro Alto. Evening: eat grilled sardines in a tasca and sip ginjinha from a hole-in-the-wall bar.

🚌FlixBus Madrid–Lisbon ~£25–40; or budget flight ~£35–60

🛏Hostel dorm, Lisbon — £18–28/night

• →Travel to Lisbon (bus or flight)
• →Alfama evening walk
• →Ginjinha tasting
• →Optional fado bar

Take tram 28 through Alfama and Graça for city views (beware pickpockets), then head west to Belém: Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Belém Tower and, best of all, Pastéis de Belém for the original custard tart (~€1.40). Afternoon on the waterfront at Praça do Comércio. Evening: Time Out Market for a pick-and-mix dinner.

🚌Lisbon transport day pass ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm, Lisbon — £18–28/night

• →Tram 28 through Alfama
• →Belém Tower & Jerónimos Monastery
• →Pastéis de Belém tasting
• →Time Out Market dinner

Regional bus or train from Lisbon to Évora (~1.5-2 hrs, ~€12 with Rede Expressos). After checking into a guesthouse within the walled old town, visit the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones, entry ~€6) — the eerie bone-lined chapel at the Igreja de São Francisco. Wander the Roman Temple of Évora and the cathedral tower for golden-hour views over the Alentejo plains.

🚌Rede Expressos bus Lisbon–Évora ~£10

🛏Guesthouse, Évora — £22–35/night

• →Bus/train to Évora
• →Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos) visit
• →Roman Temple of Évora
• →Évora Cathedral tower viewpoint

Slow day wandering Évora's whitewashed lanes and the walled city. Rent a bike or take a local taxi to the Almendres Cromlech (prehistoric stone circle, free) if you want an out-of-town outing. Sample Alentejo wines at a local wine bar and eat migas with pork for lunch. Good spot to rest before the long run south.

🚌Local bike rental or taxi ~£10

🛏Guesthouse, Évora — £22–35/night

• →Évora old town wandering
• →Optional Almendres Cromlech stone circle
• →Alentejo wine tasting
• →Local market visit

Head south. Choose: (a) bus to Faro in the Algarve (~3 hrs, ~€15) for beach time and to stage for the onward Morocco ferry route, or (b) direct bus/train to Seville (~3-4 hrs, ~€20-30) to see the Alcázar and Plaza de España on the way to Tarifa. Either way, check into a hostel and keep dinner simple.

🚌Bus/train Évora onward ~£15–28

🛏Hostel dorm, Faro or Seville — £20–32/night

• →Bus toward Algarve or Seville
• →Optional Plaza de España & Alcázar, Seville
• →Optional Faro beach evening
• →Hostel-arrival walkabout

Make your way to Tarifa, the southernmost point of mainland Europe and the departure port for Tangier. From Seville, take a direct bus to Tarifa (~2.5 hrs, ~€20 with Comes). Tarifa is a wind- and kite-surf town with lovely beaches; check into a hostel and have an early night before the crossing. Optional: day-trip to Gibraltar from nearby Algeciras if you're a day ahead.

🚌Comes bus Seville–Tarifa ~£17

🛏Hostel dorm, Tarifa — £22–35/night

• →Bus to Tarifa
• →Beach walk on Playa de Los Lances
• →Optional kitesurf-watching at the strait
• →Early dinner in the old town

Catch the fast ferry from Tarifa to Tangier Ville (~1 hr, from €35-45 with FRS or Intershipping — book online). Sort your Moroccan SIM at the port or in town (Maroc Telecom, ~£10 for data), and get cash from an ATM in Tangier — Moroccan dirhams aren't exchangeable outside the country. Explore the medina and the Kasbah, watch the sunset from Café Baba, and get your first taste of mint tea and tagine.

🚌Fast ferry Tarifa–Tangier ~£35–40

🛏Riad/guesthouse, Tangier — £20–35/night

• →Ferry Tarifa–Tangier Ville
• →Tangier medina & Kasbah walk
• →Café Baba sunset mint tea
• →Optional Grand Socco market

Take a CTM or local bus from Tangier to Chefchaouen (~3 hrs, ~£8-12). The blue city in the Rif mountains is a photographer's dream — get lost in the indigo alleyways, hike up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset, and shop for woven blankets. Check into a riad or guesthouse in the medina. This is a natural staging point for the Rif Valley walks.

🚌CTM/local bus Tangier–Chefchaouen ~£9

🛏Riad/guesthouse, Chefchaouen — £15–28/night

• →Bus to Chefchaouen
• →Medina blue-alley wandering
• →Sunset hike to Spanish Mosque
• →Craft shopping (blankets, ceramics)

Guided half-day hike in the Rif foothills — arrange locally the evening before at your guesthouse for ~£15-25, or join a small group via GetYourGuide. Views over the blue medina and the valley are superb. Afternoon: relax in a hammam (~£10), sample goat cheese and olive oil at the Thursday/Sunday market, then a rooftop dinner.

🚌Walking; taxi for trailhead ~£5

🛏Riad/guesthouse, Chefchaouen — £15–28/night

• →Rif Valley guided hike
• →Hammam (Turkish-style bath house)
• →Local market visit
• →Rooftop dinner in the medina

Bus to Fez (~4 hrs, ~£10-14 with CTM). Check into a riad/guesthouse in or near the medina. Spend the afternoon/evening orientating yourself around Bab Boujloud (the Blue Gate) and the tanneries district viewpoint. Eat in the medina — try pastilla or a harira soup to start.

🚌CTM bus Chefchaouen–Fez ~£11

🛏Riad/guesthouse, Fez — £20–35/night

• →Bus to Fez
• →Bab Boujloud & Fez medina orientation
• →Medina dinner
• →Optional fountain-side mint tea stop

Hire a local licensed guide (arrange via your riad or GetYourGuide, ~£25-40 for half a day) to navigate Fez el-Bali — one of the world's largest car-free medinas with 9,000+ streets. Highlights: the Chaouwara tanneries viewed from a leather-shop balcony, the Bou Inania Madrasa, the Nejjarine fountain and the souks. Keep a firm grip on a guide quote — always agree the price and duration before starting.

🚌Walking; small taxi if needed ~£3

🛏Riad/guesthouse, Fez — £20–35/night

• →Guided medina tour (self-booked)
• →Chaouwara tanneries from a leather shop
• →Bou Inania Madrasa & Nejjarine fountain
• →Souk browsing

Take a shared or private taxi from Fez to Volubilis and Moulay Idriss (~1.5 hrs, ~£15-25 shared). Book a local guide at the Volubilis entrance for the Roman ruins (UNESCO, entry ~€7 + guide ~£15), then head up to hilltop Moulay Idriss Zerhoun for lunch and views. Continue to Meknès (~£5) for the night if you want more Roman-era sights, or return to Fez.

🚌Shared/private taxi Fez–Volubilis–Moulay Idriss ~£20

🛏Guesthouse/riad, Moulay Idriss or Meknès — £18–30/night

• →Volubilis Roman ruins (self-booked local guide)
• →Moulay Idriss hilltop town
• →Optional Meknès medina and Bab Mansour

The long run south: take the train (ONCF, Fez–Marrakech ~7 hrs, ~£18 first class) or a CTM bus (~8 hrs, ~£15). Arrive into Marrakech, check into a riad or hostel near Jemaa el-Fnaa. Tonight the main square comes alive — snake charmers, storytellers, food stalls. Wander into the souks for lanterns and leather goods.

🚌ONCF train Fez–Marrakech ~£15–20

🛏Riad/hostel, Marrakech — £20–40/night

• →Train/bus to Marrakech
• →Jemaa el-Fnaa square at dusk
• →Souk browsing
• →Mint tea at a rooftop café

Self-guided day: the Bahia Palace (~£6), Saadian Tombs (~£6), Ben Youssef Madrasa (~£5) and the Jardin Majorelle + YSL Museum (~£12). Or day-trip into the High Atlas to the Ourika Valley or Imlil for a light hike with a local guide (~£30-40 return transfer + guide) — the scenery is spectacular. End the day with a rooftop dinner near the square.

🚌Local walking + taxis ~£8; Atlas day trip ~£35

🛏Riad/hostel, Marrakech — £20–40/night

• →Bahia Palace & Saadian Tombs
• →Jardin Majorelle & YSL Museum
• →Optional High Atlas/Ourika Valley hike
• →Rooftop dinner

Slow final full day. Treat yourself to a proper hammam + scrub (from ~£15-25), visit the souks for last souvenirs (bargain hard), and eat your fill of Moroccan food — tanjia, pastilla, msemen and mint tea. Optional: cooking class (~£25 via Klook) to learn tagine-making before you fly home.

🚌Walking + taxis ~£5

🛏Riad/hostel, Marrakech — £20–40/night

• →Hammam & body scrub
• →Souk shopping and bargaining
• →Optional Moroccan cooking class
• →Farewell mint tea in the medina

Depart at any time, but note flights should not depart before 14:00 if you want a relaxed exit. Taxi to Marrakech Menara Airport (~100-150 MAD / ~£10-14). Buy a box of Moroccan pastries and a jar of argan oil at the airport shop on your way through.

🚌Petit taxi to Marrakech Menara Airport ~£11

🛏None (departure day)

• →Airport transfer
• →Last-minute souvenir shopping
• →Flight home