Voyages to Antiquity: Spain and Morocco, Ancient Neighbors

16 days
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Large Ship Cruise
The Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Spain and Morocco, is just nine miles across at its narrowest point. So it comes as no surprise that these two countries’ histories and cultures are closely tied together. Learn about these ancient neighbors as you explore Roman ruins, Moorish palaces and exotic medina quarters.
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Overview

Trip type
Large Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • Overnight shore excursions to Marrakesh and Fez give you more time to explore Morocco’s wonders.
    • Discover Madrid’s sprawling plazas and savor a performance of flamenco music and dance.
    • Examine the exquisite interiors and lush gardens of the Alhambra, a magnificent Moorish palace.

What's this trip about?

    The Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Spain and Morocco, is just nine miles across at its narrowest point. So it comes as no surprise that these two countries’ histories and cultures are closely tied together. Learn about these ancient neighbors as you explore Roman ruins, Moorish palaces and exotic medina quarters.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transport
Start CityMadrid
End CityMálaga

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • 50 Plus
  • Education / Learning
  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

Activities

  • Educational/ Learning
  • Historic Sightseeing
  • River Cruise
  • Wine Tasting

Trip includes

    • 14 nights of accommodations
    • 2 expert-led lectures
    • 14 expert-led field trips
    • 1 hands-on experience
    • 1 performance
    • An experienced Group Leader
    • Customary gratuities throughout the program
    • The Road Scholar Travel Protection Plan, 24-hour-a-day emergency assistance coverage
    • Taxes

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: In Transit to Program

In Flight

Day 2: Arrive Madrid

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Meliá Galgos

Activity note: Check-in available from 2:00 PM

Afternoon: Upon arrival at the hotel, check in and get your room assignment. The Group Leader will be on hand to provide assistance as needed. Then take some ...

Day 3: Madrid, Spain

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Meliá Galgos

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room. On this program, breakfasts will offer a typical European style breakfast buffet with breads, cheeses, cold-cuts, yogurt, fruit, cereals, juice, milk, coffee, te...

Day 4: Train to Seville, Spain

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Meliá Sevilla

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: This morning we transfer by coach to Madrid's Atocha station and board a high-speed train to Seville. This is one of the most picturesque high-s...

Day 5: Seville, Spain / Córdoba

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Meliá Sevilla

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Enjoy the rolling plains of the Andalucían countryside during this morning's transfer to Córdoba where you will be greeted by a local expert for ...

Day 6: Seville, Spain; embark the Aegean Odyssey

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Explore Seville's oldest neighborhood, the Barrio Santa Cruz during this morning's walking excursion. We will meander its labyrinth of narrow s...

Day 7: Seville, Spain; cruise the Guadalquivir River, Aegean Odyssey

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Activity note: Departure time is tentatively scheduled for the late evening; however final sailing time will depend on tides.

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: Free time. T...

Day 8: Cádiz, Spain

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: The ship sails in the morning, cruising the Guadalquivir River, the second longest river with its entire length in Spain.

Lunch: Aboard th...

Day 9: Casablanca, Morocco; Marrakesh, Morocco

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Atlas Medina & Spa

Activity note: The journey to Marrakesh is approx. 3 hours long.

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: The ship arrives in Casablanca in early morning and will transfer...

Day 10: Marrakesh and El Jadida, Morocco

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Upon check-out, coach to El Jadida, formerly known as Magazan, or Margazão by the Portuguese occupiers who controlled this territory fro...

Day 11: Casablanca, Morocco

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Activity note: The drive from Casablanca to Rabat is approx. 2 hours long. Women must cover their heads to enter the mosque.

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: Begin the day...

Day 12: Fez, Morocco

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Les Mérinides Hotel

Activity note: The journey to Fez is approx. 5 hours long and will include comfort stops.

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: Coach transfer to Fez for an overnight stay...

Day 13: Fez; Coach to Tangier to reembark Aegean Odyssey

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Founded in the 5th century BC, Tangier has been part of all major empires in the region throughout history. During this morning's field ...

Day 14: Málaga, Spain

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: Enjoy a coach ride through the Andalucían countryside from the port of Málaga to Granada. Here you will experience the majesty of the Alhambra, a...

Day 15: Disembark in Málaga, Spain

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Molina Lario

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: Following disembarkation, explore Málaga, a city whose history, spanning some 2,800 years, is one of the oldest in the world. Rich in archeological ...

Day 16: Program Concludes

Meals: Breakfast

In Flight

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Transfer to the Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport (AGP) for departures. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,495
Price per day$343
Last Updated: 8/2/2018

  • Select Custom Arrangements to get to and from Road Scholar-provided airfare for your program

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Road Scholar.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Meliá Galgos: 2 nights  28006 Madrid

Located in the chic Barrio Salamanca, close to the main Paseo de la Castellana, the Meliá Galgos is a recently renovated 4-star hotel. It is surrounded by a wide variety of restaurants, cafés and shops, and there are two metro stations nearby providing easy access to all areas of the city.

 

Meliá Sevilla: 2 nights  Seville 41004

Located in the heart of Seville opposite the Parque de Maria Luisa and Plaza España and very close to the University (Old Tobacco Factory), the Alcazar, the Barrio de Santa Cruz district, the Cathedral and the Archive of the Indies, the new Meliá Sevilla is the perfect choice for your business and leisure trips, thanks to its excellent location in the city centre, its fully equipped and comfortable facilities and the quality of its services.

 

Aegean Odyssey: 7 nights  Ft. Lauderdale

The Aegean Odyssey offers boutique-style cruising at its best. In contrast to the massive vessels cruising to and from major ports, it is a midsized ship adapted for island and coastal cruising. The Aegean Odyssey can visit smaller, less crowded harbors and sail closer to the coast enabling you to really appreciate the magical views.

 

Atlas Medina & Spa: 1 night  Marrakech

The Atlas Medina & Spa is a luxurious hotel set in the Hivernage Square, Marrakech, Morroco. Centrally situated, the hotel is in a perfect location for exploring this fascinating city. The Atlas Medina & Spa is set amidst lush, picturesque gardens and boasts the finest of modern amenities to ensure every comfort of its guests.

 

Les Mérinides Hotel: 1 night  Fez

Located on the heights of the oldest city in Morocco, Les Mérinides Hotel is a short walk from the Mérinides dynasty tombs. It is close to the Al Karaouiyine Mosque, Dar Batha Museum, the Andalusians mosque, and the thermal baths of Moulay Yacoub make Les Mérinides Hotel a perfect place for discovering the area and also relaxing.

 

Hotel Molina Lario: 1 night  Málaga

Hotel Molina Lario is a four-star superior hotel exceptionally positioned in the center of Málaga right opposite the Cathedral, and just a short distance from the port, the Picasso Museum and the city’s pedestrian district. The recently built hotel is formed by two refurbished 19th-century buildings retaining their original facade and a third completely new building, combining to create a unique hotel in the hub of the city.

Ship & cabin information
MV Aegean Odyssey
Classically elegant, but far from stuffy and formal, premium class MV Aegean Odyssey offers passengers every comfort at sea, with a relaxed, congenial atmosphere and the highest calibre of personal service. Carrying an average of 350 passengers, Aegean Odyssey’s ideal size is perfectly suited for coastal cruising to the small inlets of the Mediterranean that larger ships cannot reach. It also allows her to navigate rivers, such as Spain’s Guadalquivir River and Gironde River in Bordeaux for a unique combination of ocean and river cruising. Aegean Odyssey features generously-sized suites and staterooms, including a special level of accommodation entitled 'Balcony Class' in categories A through D, which offers spacious staterooms with charming balconies and additional amenities including priority sightseeing boarding. With tastefully understated interiors, Aegean Odyssey combines the best of traditional elegance with all the modern conveniences of a first-class ship.
Ship’s tonnage: 11,563 Length: 461 feet Beam: 67 feet Draft: 20,5 feet Cruising speed: 18 knots Passengers decks: 7 Stabilizers: 2 Passengers cabins: 216 Passengers - lower beds: 386 Ship’s registration: Panama
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

14 Breakfasts, 9 Lunches and 12 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
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Trip ID
roadscholar-21663RJ

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