Spain, Portugal & Morocco Encompassed — Self-Launched

Land at Barajas (Metro Line 8 to Nuevos Ministerios, ~£2, or the 203 bus to Atocha). Check into a central hostel in La Latina or Sol. Spend the evening wandering Plaza Mayor and eating tapas in La Latina — vermouth and a few raciones for £12-15. Skip the group welcome meeting; instead pin your train bookings for the next week.

🚌Airport Metro ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm, Sol/La Latina (~£22)

• →Plaza Mayor & Puerta del Sol wander
• →La Latina tapas evening

Long travel day, but you can split it nicely: take an early Renfe/Alsa bus or train to Salamanca (~2.5h, from £18), stash your bag and have lunch in the golden Plaza Mayor, then continue to Porto by Alsa/FlixBus (~4.5h, from £20) or train to Campanhã. Arrive early evening and check into a Ribeira-side hostel.

🚌Madrid–Salamanca bus/train ~£18 + Salamanca–Porto bus ~£20

🛏Hostel dorm, Ribeira/Baixa (~£20)

• →Salamanca Plaza Mayor lunch stop

Walk the Ribeira waterfront, cross the Dom Luís I Bridge upper deck for the best view, and browse São Bento station's azulejo panels (free). Book a 6-bridge Douro cruise at the kiosks on the quay (~£15-20). In the afternoon, do a port cellar tour and tasting at Sandeman, Graham's or Calém in Vila Nova de Gaia (~£15-18, book direct or on GetYourGuide).

🚌Walking + Metro ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, Ribeira/Baixa (~£20)

• →Douro 6-bridges cruise
• →Port wine cellar tour & tasting
• →São Bento & Dom Luís I Bridge

Take the Alfa Pendular or Intercidades train from Campanhã to Lisbon Oriente (~3h, £25-35 booked in advance on cp.pt, cheaper if you book weeks ahead). Check into a hostel in Alfama or Baixa and get lost in Alfama's lanes at golden hour, finishing at a miradouro with a cheap beer.

🚌CP train Porto–Lisbon ~£30

🛏Hostel dorm, Alfama/Baixa (~£22)

• →Alfama sunset miradouro

Train to Sintra from Rossio (~40 min, £2 each way) — pre-book Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira timed tickets online (combined ~£30) to avoid queues. Return to Lisbon for a pastel de nata at Manteigaria and a wander through Belém. In the evening, catch a Fado set in a small Alfama tasca (many have a €15-20 minimum spend including a drink) — cheaper and more authentic than a dinner show.

🚌Sintra return train ~£4 + trams ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, Alfama/Baixa (~£22)

• →Pena Palace & Quinta da Regaleira
• →Belém & pastéis de nata
• →Fado in an Alfama tasca

Rede Expressos or FlixBus from Sete Rios to Évora (~1h45, ~£12). Évora is compact and walkable: visit the Chapel of Bones at Igreja de São Francisco (€6, buy on arrival), the Roman Temple of Diana (free) and the cathedral roof. Stay in a small pensão inside the old walls and eat Alentejo food — pork and clams, migas — for around £14.

🚌Bus Lisbon–Évora ~£12

🛏Guesthouse/pensão double, historic centre (~£30)

• →Chapel of Bones (€6)
• →Roman Temple of Diana
• →Évora old town walk

Bus to Faro/Olhão (~3h, ~£14) and spend a couple of hours in Olhão's whitewashed lanes and its famous fish market (free, morning is best — go early if you can). Then take the DAMIA/Autna bus Olhão–Seville (~3h, ~£18). Arrive Seville in the evening and do your own orientation walk: Cathedral, Giralda, Barrio de Santa Cruz.

🚌Bus Évora–Olhão ~£14 + Olhão–Seville ~£18

🛏Hostel dorm, Santa Cruz/Triana (~£22)

• →Olhão fish market & waterfront

Pre-book the Real Alcázar online (~£14, sells out in high season) and climb the Giralda (~£9). Lunch on tapas in Triana. For flamenco, skip the tourist tablados and book a seat at Casa de la Memoria or La Carbonería (~£18-22) — raw, close-up, and far cheaper than a dinner show.

🚌Walking

🛏Hostel dorm, Santa Cruz/Triana (~£22)

• →Real Alcázar (~£14)
• →Giralda tower
• →Flamenco at Casa de la Memoria (~£20)

Bus Seville to Algeciras (~2h45, ~£15, Alsa/DAMIA). From Algeciras port take the FRS or Balearia ferry to Tangier Ville (~1.5h, ~£28-35 one way, book online — some sailings go to Tanger Med, which is 45 min out of town, so check carefully). On arrival, get cash from an ATM, buy a Moroccan SIM (Orange/Inwi, ~£8 for 20GB) and stay in a guesthouse in the medina or Ville Nouvelle. Evening wander through the Petit Socco and the Kasbah.

🚌Bus Seville–Algeciras ~£15 + ferry ~£32

🛏Guesthouse in the medina (~£25)

• →Petit Socco & Kasbah wander
• →Moroccan SIM card

Take a CTM or shared grand taxi to Tetouan (~1h, ~£4-8), then explore the UNESCO medina, El Feddan Square and the Mellah on foot (a local guide ~£15 if you want depth). Continue by CTM bus to Chefchaouen (~1.5h, ~£4). Climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset over the blue city — free and the best view in town.

🚌Shared taxi/bus Tangier–Tetouan ~£6 + bus Tetouan–Chefchaouen ~£4

🛏Riad/guesthouse dorm or small double, medina (~£20)

• →Tetouan medina walk
• →Spanish Mosque sunset viewpoint

Hike up to the Talassemtane National Park trails or the shorter Akchour falls route (no guide needed for the main paths, ~£2-4 in shared transport to the trailhead). Arrange a farm visit and cheese-making session with a local family through your riad or a GetYourGuide/Airbnb Experiences listing (~£20-25) — far cheaper than via an operator. Pass through Ouazzane's mint-green medina on the way to Fes if you're moving on, or stay a second night.

🚌Shared taxi to trailhead ~£4

🛏Riad/guesthouse, medina (~£20)

• →Rif Mountains hike
• →Goat cheese making with a local family
• →Ouazzane medina

CTM bus to Fes (~4h, ~£7). Check into a riad in the medina (dorms from ~£15, private ~£30). In the afternoon get orientated around Bab Boujloud and the main medina arteries — getting mildly lost is part of it. Evening: cheap and excellent street food around the medina gates, a bowl of harira and a msemen for under £5.

🚌CTM bus ~£7

🛏Riad in Fes medina (~£22)

• →Bab Boujloud & medina orientation
• →Street food crawl

Hire a licensed local guide through your riad or a GetYourGuide listing (~£25-35 for a half-day, split between 2-3 travellers) — the medina's 9,000 lanes make this genuinely worthwhile. Cover the Bou Inania madrasa, Al-Attarine, the Nejjarine fountain and the Chouara tannery from a terrace (expect a small 'mint sprig' tip ~£2). Lunch on a tagine in the medina (~£6). Book Volubilis for tomorrow if you're going independently.

🚌Walking

🛏Riad in Fes medina (~£22)

• →Guided Fes medina tour
• →Chouara tannery viewpoint
• →Bou Inania madrasa

Take a shared grand taxi or CTM/local bus to Meknès (~1h, ~£3), then a shared taxi to Volubilis (~30 min, ~£5 each way). Entry to the Roman ruins is ~£6; a local site guide at the gate costs ~£10 and is worth it for the mosaics and the house of Orpheus. Return via Meknès to see Bab Mansour and the medina, then bus back to Fes.

🚌Shared taxis & buses ~£15

🛏Riad in Fes medina (~£22)

• →Volubilis UNESCO ruins
• →Meknès Bab Mansour & medina

Train from Fes to Casablanca Voyageurs (~3h30, ~£12, ONCF 2nd class). Do a self-guided tour of the Hassan II Mosque — exterior free, guided interior visits run several times daily at ~£12 and are the highlight of the city. Walk the Habous quarter and the Corniche at sunset. Sleep in a Ville Nouvelle guesthouse.

🚌ONCF train ~£12

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse, Ville Nouvelle (~£25)

• →Hassan II Mosque
• →Habous quarter & Corniche

Train to Marrakech (~3h, ~£10). Check into a budget riad in the medina (dorms ~£15, private double ~£30). Join a free-ish guided medina walk (tip-based, ~£8) or just explore yourself, then take a mint tea on a rooftop over Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk and eat at the food stalls in the square (~£5-7) where locals queue.

🚌ONCF train ~£10

🛏Budget riad, Marrakech medina (~£25)

• →Jemaa el-Fnaa & rooftop mint tea
• →Food stall dinner

Pre-book Bahia Palace (~£7) and Le Jardin Secret (~£8) for the morning; add Ben Youssef Madrasa if you have time (~£5). Book a half-day Moroccan cooking class through GetYourGuide or with a local cooking school such as Amal or L'Atelier Madada (~£30-40 including market visit and lunch). Evening: tea on a terrace, then a cheap tanjia pot dinner in the medina (~£7).

🚌Walking

🛏Budget riad, Marrakech medina (~£25)

• →Bahia Palace
• →Le Jardin Secret
• →Moroccan cooking class

Book a seat on a shared grand taxi or CTM/Transit Tours bus to Ouarzazate (~4h, ~£10) — or better, a shared minivan tour over the Tizi n'Tichka pass stopping at Aït Ben Haddou (~£35-45 per person shared between 4-6 travellers, arranged at your riad or a local agency). Walk up to the ksar (free entry via the river path, small guide fee optional). Optional Atlas Film Studios visit in Ouarzazate (~£7).

🚌Shared minivan through the Atlas ~£20 (shared)

🛏Budget hotel, Ouarzazate (~£22)

• →Tizi n'Tichka pass
• →Aït Ben Haddou ksar
• →Atlas Film Studios (optional)

The classic route east via the Valley of Roses and Todra Gorge. Easiest self-launched option: book a 3-day/2-night desert tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga with a shared 4x4/minivan (many agencies on Avenue Mohammed V, ~£90-120 per person including a night in a desert camp and camel trek) — or take CTM buses via Tinghir and Errachidia (~£15, longer). Night in a Berber tent camp at Erg Chebbi: camel ride in, dinner and drumming around a bonfire.

🚌Shared desert tour minivan ~£40 (share of tour)

🛏Desert camp, Erg Chebbi (~£30)

• →Todra Gorge
• →Camel trek into Erg Chebbi
• →Berber desert camp & bonfire

Wake for sunrise on the dunes, then sandboard the slip-face for free with a board rented at the camp (~£3). Breakfast and shower at the camp, then head west. Overnight in Midelt or back in Ouarzazate depending on your transport — if you joined a tour, your operator will run the return leg.

🚌Shared minivan return leg ~£20

🛏Budget guesthouse, Midelt/Ouarzazate (~£20)

• →Sunrise on Erg Chebbi
• →Sandboarding

If time allows, break the drive with a stop at Ouzoud Falls — a shared taxi from Azilal or a day trip from Marrakech (~£20-25 shared). The falls are free to visit; a boat ride under the cascade is ~£3. Otherwise take the bus back to Marrakech (~£10) and have an easy evening with a hammam (local neighbourhood hammam ~£3-5, tourist hammam ~£20).

🚌Bus ~£10

🛏Budget riad, Marrakech medina (~£25)

• →Ouzoud Falls (optional)
• →Hammam

CTM bus to Essaouira (~2h45, ~£7). Climb the ramparts and the Skala du Port (free), walk the fishing port, and eat grilled sardines straight off the boats for ~£5. This is a gentler, breezier city than Marrakech — very good for a rest day and laundry.

🚌CTM bus ~£7

🛏Guesthouse/surf hostel, medina (~£20)

• →Essaouira ramparts & port
• →Sardine lunch

Take a shared taxi or local bus north along the coast to Tamri (~1h, ~£3) — sandboard rental on the big dune at Timlaline is ~£8-12 including a board. Alternatively base yourself in Taghazout for a beginner surf lesson (~£18-25 for 2h, book direct with a surf school such as Surf Maroc or one of the small local schools). Bread, olives and tagine with a local family can be arranged through guesthouses for ~£10.

🚌Shared taxi/bus ~£6

🛏Surf hostel, Taghazout or Essaouira (~£20)

• →Tamri dune sandboarding
• →Coastal walk
• →Optional surf lesson

Bus south to Agadir (~3h, ~£8) for the Souk El Had — huge, cheap, and great for spices, argan oil and lunch. Then head north to Oualidia's oyster lagoons (~4h via Safi, ~£10, or stay in Agadir if you prefer). If you reach Oualidia, oyster farm visits and a dozen freshly shucked oysters cost ~£6-10.

🚌Buses ~£18

🛏Budget guesthouse, Agadir or Oualidia (~£22)

• →Souk El Had, Agadir
• →Oualidia lagoon & oyster farm

If you're in Oualidia, stop at Safi's old town and pottery market on the way back (~£12 total in buses) — the hilltop kashbah and the ceramics souk are free to wander. Arrive back in Marrakech for a last night: farewell dinner of pastilla and harira, and one final rooftop mint tea.

🚌Bus to Marrakech ~£12

🛏Budget riad, Marrakech medina (~£25)

• →Safi old town & pottery market
• →Farewell dinner in Marrakech

Fly out from Marrakech Menara (RAK). Don't book a flight before early afternoon — buses in Morocco run late and the airport is about 20 minutes by taxi (~£8) from the medina. If you have a late flight, stash your bag and pick up argan oil and spices in the souk.

🚌Airport taxi ~£8

🛏—

• →Souk shopping