Spain, Portugal & Morocco: Madrid to the Sahara (Self-Launched)

Land at Barajas and take Metro Line 8 to Nuevos Ministerios (about €5) or the 203 bus to Atocha. Check into a hostel in La Latina or Malasaña. Spend the afternoon wandering Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace gardens, then eat a tapas dinner around Cava Baja. Book your Renfe train to Porto for tomorrow via the Renfe app.

🚌Metro Line 8 from airport, ~£4.50

🛏Hostel dorm, La Latina/Malasaña (£22-28)

• →Plaza Mayor & Puerta del Sol wander (free)
• →Cava Baja tapas crawl

Catch a morning Renfe/Alvia train to Salamanca (about 2h30, €25-35 if booked ahead). Drop bags at the station lockers, walk the golden Plaza Mayor and grab lunch. Then take the afternoon regional bus or train to Porto via Vigo or direct Renfe to Campanhã (about 4-5h, €25-30). Arrive Porto by early evening and check into a hostel in Ribeira or Trindade.

🚌Renfe Madrid–Salamanca ~£25 + Salamanca–Porto ~£25

🛏Hostel dorm, Ribeira/Trindade (£20-26)

• →Salamanca Plaza Mayor & old town walk (free)
• →Evening stroll along Ribeira quayside

Self-guided orientation walk: São Bento station's azulejo panels, Sé Cathedral viewpoint, Lello bookshop (€8), and the Dom Luís I bridge. Take the 6 Bridges Douro cruise from Ribeira (about €18-20, book on Klook). In the afternoon cross to Vila Nova de Gaia and join a port cellar tour and tasting at one of the lodges (€15-25 booked online).

🚌Walkable city, tram/Andante day pass ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm (£20-26)

• →São Bento & Ribeira walking route
• →Douro 6 Bridges river cruise (~£17)
• →Port wine cellar tour & tasting (~£17)

Take the Alfa Pendular or Intercidades train from Campanhã to Lisbon Oriente (approx 2h50-3h15, €25-35 if booked in advance). Check into a hostel in Alfama or Baixa-Chiado. Do your own orientation route: Praça do Comércio, Rua Augusta arch, Rossio Square, and sunset at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte.

🚌CP train Porto–Lisbon ~£26

🛏Hostel dorm, Alfama/Baixa (£22-30)

• →Alfama & Baixa orientation walk
• →Sunset viewpoint at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte

Full day free. Options: day trip by CP train to Sintra (€2.30 each way with a Viva Viagem card) to see Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira (pre-book tickets on GetYourGuide), Belém Tower and the Pastéis de Belém, or a food tour (GetYourGuide, ~£45). In the evening book a Fado dinner in Alfama or Mouraria directly with a small tasca — expect €35-50 including a set dinner, or find a bar with €15 cover for a drink and music.

🚌Sintra return train ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm (£22-30)

• →Sintra day trip (~£22 incl. entry) OR Lisbon food tour (~£45)
• →Fado performance with Portuguese dinner (~£40)

Take the Rede Expressos or Flixbus coach from Lisbon Sete Rios to Évora (about 1h45, €10-14). Check into a small guesthouse inside the walls. Visit the Chapel of Bones at Igreja de São Francisco (€6) and pass by Diana's Temple. Wander the walled old town, Cathedral and Praça do Giraldo; try Alentejo wine and migas for dinner.

🚌Rede Expressos coach Lisbon–Évora ~£10

🛏Guesthouse or hostel private/dorm (£22-30)

• →Chapel of Bones entry (~£5)
• →Diana's Roman Temple & walled old town walk
• →Évora Cathedral

Catch a coach to Olhão in the Algarve (about 3h, €15), explore the fish market, harbour and whitewashed lanes for a couple of hours, then continue by bus to Seville (about 3h, €18-25) — either booked separately or via an Olhão–Seville Flixbus if a timed connection suits. Arrive Seville, check into a hostel in Santa Cruz, and do an evening orientation walk past the Cathedral and Giralda.

🚌Évora–Olhão ~£13 + Olhão–Seville ~£18

🛏Hostel dorm, Santa Cruz/Triana (£22-30)

• →Olhão fish market & waterfront (free)
• →Seville evening orientation walk

Pre-book the Real Alcázar and Giralda online (Alcázar €14.50, skip-the-line, sells out fast). Explore the Santa Cruz quarter at lunch, then take a late afternoon rest. Tonight see a flamenco performance at Casa de la Memoria or La Casa del Flamenco (€22-25, book direct or on GetYourGuide) — smaller venues beat the big tablaos for intimacy.

🚌Walkable, occasional bus €1.40

🛏Hostel dorm (£22-30)

• →Real Alcázar visit (~£13, pre-book)
• →La Giralda tower entry (~£9)
• →Flamenco show (~£20)

Take the Damas or Flixbus coach from Seville Plaza de Armas to Algeciras (about 2h45, €18-22), walk or shuttle to the port, then buy a FRS or Balearia ferry ticket to Tangier Ville (about 1h-1h30, €35-45). Pass immigration on arrival, change some euros to dirhams, and check into a guesthouse in the medina or ville nouvelle. Evening self-guided wander of the Petit Socco and an optional dinner of Moroccan tagine (around 80-120 MAD).

🚌Bus Seville–Algeciras ~£19 + ferry ~£38

🛏Riad-style guesthouse or hostel, medina (£20-30)

• →Self-guided Tangier medina walk
• →Café Hafa sunset viewpoint

Take a shared grand taxi or CTM coach to Tétouan (about 1h, 60-100 MAD). Explore El Feddan Square, Mellah Avenue and the UNESCO-listed medina on foot (free). Continue to Chefchaouen by shared grand taxi from the Tétouan bus station (about 1h15, 60-80 MAD per seat) or CTM coach. Check in and take a self-guided walk of the blue streets, ending at the Spanish Mosque for sunset over the city.

🚌Grand taxi/coach Tangier–Tétouan ~£8 + Tétouan–Chefchaouen ~£6

🛏Guesthouse in the medina (£18-28)

• →Tétouan medina walk (free)
• →Chefchaouen blue streets self-guided walk
• →Spanish Mosque sunset viewpoint

Book a half-day Rif hiking guide in Chefchaouen the night before (ask at your guesthouse or the tourist office; expect 250-400 MAD for a guided walk). Many local families near Akchour or Talassemtane offer cheese-making visits — arrange through your riad. Afterwards take a coach north to Ouazzane to see its mint-green medina, then continue to Fès by CTM/Supratours coach or shared taxi (2h, ~£8). Check into a guesthouse in the ville nouvelle or a medina riad.

🚌Coach/shared taxi Ouazzane–Fès ~£8

🛏Medina riad/guesthouse (£18-28)

• →Guided Rif Mountains hike (~£25)
• →Goat cheese making with local family (~£12)
• →Ouazzane medina visit (free)

Hire a licensed medina guide directly through your riad or the tourist office (around 400-500 MAD for a half day; avoid unsolicited 'guides'). Tour the tanneries from a leather shop balcony, the Bou Inania madrasa, Al-Attarine souk and the Nejjarine fountain. Eat lunch in the medina — a plate of pastilla or harira for under 60 MAD. Evening free; book your Volubilis–Meknès day trip for tomorrow through a local operator.

🚌Walkable medina, petit taxi ~£2

🛏Medina riad/guesthouse (£18-28)

• →Fez medina guided tour (~£30)
• →Chouara tannery visit
• →Bou Inania madrasa (~£2)
• →Pastilla dinner

Take a morning grand taxi or coach to Moulay Idriss/Volubilis (about 1h, 30-50 MAD shared). Entry to the Roman ruins is 70 MAD; hire a site guide at the gate (200-300 MAD) or use the on-site signage and an audio app. Stop in Meknès to see Bab Mansour and the medina, then take an evening ONCF train from Meknès to Casablanca (about 3h30, 100-140 MAD) and check into a hostel near the centre.

🚌Grand taxi to Volubilis ~£4 + ONCF Meknès–Casablanca ~£11

🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Casablanca centre (£20-28)

• →Volubilis UNESCO Roman ruins (~£6 entry)
• →Site guiding (~£22 shared with other travellers)
• →Meknès Bab Mansour & medina (free)

Morning visit to the Hassan II Mosque (exterior free; guided interior tours run a few times daily for 140 MAD — book at the ticket office). Then take the ONCF Al Boraq high-speed train from Casa Voyageurs to Marrakech (about 2h20, 150-200 MAD) or the cheaper CTM coach. Check into a riad or hostel in the medina and head to Jemaa el-Fnaa for the evening food stalls — a full plate for 40-60 MAD.

🚌Al Boraq train Casablanca–Marrakech ~£14

🛏Medina riad or hostel (£18-28)

• →Hassan II Mosque guided interior (~£11)
• →Jemaa el-Fnaa evening food stalls

Self-guided day: Ben Youssef Madrasa (50 MAD), Bahia Palace (70 MAD), the Saadian Tombs (70 MAD) and Jardin Majorelle (150 MAD, pre-book the timed slot online). Learn to haggle in the souks and take a cheap cooking class if you fancy (GetYourGuide, from £25). Evening: rooftop mint tea and a hammam scrub (from 150 MAD at a local neighbourhood hammam).

🚌Walkable medina

🛏Medina riad or hostel (£18-28)

• →Ben Youssef Madrasa (~£4)
• →Bahia Palace & Saadian Tombs (~£11 combined)
• →Jardin Majorelle (~£12, pre-book)
• →Hammam (~£12)

Take a CTM or Supratours coach from Marrakech to Ouarzazate (about 4h, 100-140 MAD) over the Tizi n'Tichka pass. From Ouarzazate, a shared grand taxi drops you at Aït Benhaddou (30-45 min, ~30 MAD). Cross the river to the ksar at sunset (entry 20 MAD). If you want the film studio visit, the Atlas Studios tour in Ouarzazate is 80 MAD and easterly booked on arrival.

🚌CTM coach Marrakech–Ouarzazate ~£10 + shared taxi ~£2.50

🛏Guesthouse near Aït Benhaddou or Ouarzazate (£16-25)

• →Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass
• →Aït Benhaddou ksar visit (~£2)
• →Atlas Studios tour, Ouarzazate (~£6, optional)

Take the morning coach or shared grand taxi from Ouarzazate down the Draa Valley to Zagora (about 3h, 80-100 MAD) past palm oases and kasbahs. In Zagora arrange a camel trek and desert camp with a local operator (book ahead via GetYourGuide or direct with a Zagora agency — expect £45-70 including camel ride, dinner, bonfire and a night in a Berber tent). Ride or walk out to the dunes for sunset and sleep under the stars.

🚌Coach/shared taxi Ouarzazate–Zagora ~£8

🛏Desert camp tent, shared (£30-40 incl. dinner)

• →Draa Valley drive
• →Camel trek to Erg Lihoudi (~£20 part of package)
• →Berber desert camp with dinner & bonfire (~£40)
• →Optional 4x4 dune excursion

Sunrise over the dunes, breakfast at camp, then return to Zagora for the coach back to Marrakech (about 6-7h, 120-150 MAD, or overnight in Ouarzazate and take a morning bus). Arrive Marrakech in the evening, check into a riad, and have a final dinner in Gueliz or the medina. Buy a few last souvenirs in the souks.

🚌Coach Zagora–Marrakech ~£11

🛏Medina riad or hostel (£18-28)

• →Sunrise in the dunes
• →Final souk shopping
• →Farewell Moroccan dinner

Breakfast at the riad, a final wander of the medina or the Majorelle area, then take bus 19 or a petit taxi to Menara Airport (bus 30 MAD, taxi ~100 MAD). Fly out after 16:00 to match the original tour's departure restriction. If your flight is early, add a night here at your own cost.

🚌Bus 19 or petit taxi to airport ~£2-9

🛏—

• →Medina morning stroll
• →Airport transfer