I’m always happiest when I’m either traveling or planning for my next trip. So even though I just got back from my last adventure, not to mention the one before that, I’m getting ready for another one, which starts in just a few weeks. And this will be my longest trip yet: three months in Morocco, Spain, and Portugal (and a bit of France).
I’m taking three OAT tours, more or less back to back, with independent travel before, between, and after. I have a bit of trepidation about it. Three months away is a long time, about twice as long as the longest trip I’ve taken. But of course I’m mostly excited about it.
Here’s an overview of my itinerary. The OAT tours are still subject to some minor changes, but for the most part, this is how it will go.
The numbers on the map represent places I’ll be visiting, in order. Also, I’ve included those numbers in the itinerary below. You can click on the numbers in the map to learn more about each destination. You can also use your mouse or fingers to scroll and zoom.
On My Own (Part One)
Even though the third OAT tour I’m taking has a stop in Córdoba, I wanted more time there. So I’m starting with two nights there before heading to Seville. I haven’t yet booked anything in Seville, but I intend to hit the main sights: Alcázar, Cathedral, and Giralda. And there are these five streets and ten churches.
| Date | Location/Activity | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 10 | Aeromexico AM36, depart GDL 11:05 | In the air, I hope |
| Feb 11 | Arrive MAD 05:00; train to Córdoba (1) | Hotel Hacienda Posada De Vallina |
| Feb 12 | Córdoba Visit to the Mezquita-Catedral | |
| Feb 13 | Train to Seville (2) | Airbnb |
| Feb 14 | Seville | |
| Feb 15 | Seville | |
| Feb 16 | Seville | |
| Feb 17 | Seville |
OAT Tour #1: Morocco Sahara Odyssey
The first part of this trip (Chefchaouen and Tangier) are a pre-trip extension. The main trip starts in Rabat. I just received the list of travelers from OAT. There are 16 on the main trip and 8 on the pre-trip.
| Date | Location/Activity | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 18 | TAP Air Portugal TP1103, depart SVQ 10:05; arrive LIS 10:15 TAP Air Portugal TP1438, depart LIS 13:25, arrive CMN 16:00 Casablanca (3) | Radisson Blu Casablanca |
| Feb 19 | Drive to Chefchaouen (4) | Casa Hassan Guesthouse |
| Feb 20 | Chefchaouen Home-hosted lunch | |
| Feb 21 | Chefchaouen Day trip to Tetouan | |
| Feb 22 | Drive to Tangier (5) | Palais Zahia Hotel & Spa |
| Feb 23 | Morning in Tangier, then train to Rabat (6) | Riad Kalaa |
| Feb 24 | Rabat city tour | |
| Feb 25 | Drive to Fez (7) | Riad Palais Marjana |
| Feb 26 | Fez Home-hosted dinner | |
| Feb 27 | Fez; day trip to Volubilis and Meknes | |
| Feb 28 | Drive across the Middle Atlas Mountains to Erfoud (8) | Chergui Kasbah |
| Mar 1 | Sahara Desert | OAT tented camp, Merzouga |
| Mar 2 | Sahara Desert | |
| Mar 3 | Drive to Ouarzazate (9) | Le Berbere Palace |
| Mar 4 | Ouarzazate; day trip to Asfalou village | |
| Mar 5 | Drive back across the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakesh (10) | Riad Palais des Princesses |
| Mar 6 | Marrakesh | |
| Mar 7 | Marrakesh | |
| Mar 8 | Drive to Casablanca | Radisson Blu |
On My Own (Part Two)
After the Morocco tour, it’s back to Spain, where I have twelve days on my own before the next tour.
| Date | Location/Activity | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 9 | Royal Air Maroc AT963, depart CMN 14:55, arrive VLC 17:30 | L’Esplai |
| Mar 10 | Valencia (11) | |
| Mar 11 | Valencia | |
| Mar 12 | Valencia | |
| Mar 13 | Bus to Barcelona (12) | Airbnb |
| Mar 14 | Barcelona Midday: Tastes & Traditions of Barcelona Food Tour | |
| Mar 15 | Barcelona | |
| Mar 16 | Barcelona | |
| Mar 17 | Barcelona Morning: Gaudi Tour with Sagrada Familia, House Visit & Park Guell Evening: Tapas, Taverns & History Tour | |
| Mar 18 | Barcelona | |
| Mar 19 | Train to Girona (13) | Flateli Apartment |
| Mar 20 | Girona | |
| Mar 21 | Girona |
OAT Tour #2: Northern Spain and Portugal: Pilgrimage into the Past
Although this tour is about northern Spain and Portugal, the pre-trip extension starts in France. The main tour begins on March 27 in Bilbao. There’s also a post-trip extension to Lisbon, but that’s covered in the third tour, so I won’t be doing it.
| Date | Location/Activity | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 22 | Train to Carcassonne (14) | Hôtel Le Donjon |
| Mar 23 | Carcassonne walking tour Musée de l’école | |
| Mar 24 | Carcassonne; day trip to Albi and Castres Toulouse-Lautrec Museum | |
| Mar 25 | Auch and Bayonne (15) | Hôtel Mercure Bayonne Centre Le Grand Hotel |
| Mar 26 | Bayonne walking tour Espellette | |
| Mar 27 | Biarritz, Saint-John-de-Luz, Bilbao (16) | Barceló Bilbao Nervión |
| Mar 28 | Bilbao | |
| Mar 29 | Bilbao | |
| Mar 30 | San Sebastián (17), Pamplona (18) | Hotel Tres Reyes |
| Mar 31 | Pamplona, Camino de Santiago | |
| Apr 1 | Ubide, León (19) | Barceló Leon Conde Luna |
| Apr 2 | León | |
| Apr 3 | Santa Colomba de Somoza, Santiago de Compostela (20) | Hotel Compostela |
| Apr 4 | Santiago de Compostela | |
| Apr 5 | Santiago de Compostela; day trip to Pontevedra and Combarro | |
| Apr 6 | Guimaraes, Lamego (21) | Vila Galé Collection Douro |
| Apr 7 | Lamego, Douro River cruise | |
| Apr 8 | Porto (22) | chic&basic Gravity |
| Apr 9 | Porto; day trip to Arouca | |
| Apr 10 | Porto | |
| Apr 11 | Porto |
On My Own (Part Three)
The tour ends in Porto, which happens to be where my sister lives. So I’ll stay on there with her for a few days before heading to Lisbon to start the third tour.
| Date | Location/Activity | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 12 | Porto | With my sister |
| Apr 13 | Porto | |
| Apr 14 | Porto | |
| Apr 15 | Bus or train to Coimbra and Tomar (23) | Thomar Story Guest House |
OAT Tour #3: Back Roads of Iberia: Spanish Paradores & Portuguese Pousadas
This tour has a pre-trip extension in Porto, which I obviously won’t be doing. It also has a post-trip extension in Basque country, which I’ll see on the Northern Spain tour. And there are day trips to Córdoba and Seville. I don’t believe day trips will be adequate, though. That’s why I am starting with time in those two cities.
| Date | Location/Activity | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 16 | Train to Lisbon (24) | Hotel Turim Marques |
| Apr 17 | Lisbon | |
| Apr 18 | Lisbon Day trip to Sintra Belém Home-hosted dinner | |
| Apr 19 | Arraiolos (25) | Pousada Convento Arraiolos |
| Apr 20 | Arraiolos Day trip to Évora | |
| Apr 21 | Mérida Carmona (26) | Parador de Carmona |
| Apr 22 | Carmona (optional Seville tour I will skip) | |
| Apr 23 | Ronda (photo at top of the page) (27) | Parador de Ronda |
| Apr 24 | Ronda walking tour Setenil de las Bodegas tour & paella demonstration | |
| Apr 25 | Córdoba Úbeda (28) | Parador de Úbeda |
| Apr 26 | Úbeda A Day in the Life of a family-run olive oil mill | |
| Apr 27 | Toledo (29) | Secrotel Alfonso VI |
| Apr 28 | Toledo Madrid day trip (which I may skip) | |
| Apr 29 | Toledo Flamenco demonstration |
On My Own (Part Four)
Since Madrid is only a day trip from Toledo on the tour, I’m extending my trip so I can do justice to that city. But first I’m heading to Granada.
| Date | Location/Activity | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 30 | Bus to Madrid Airport Iberia IB1021, depart MAD 12:00, arrive GRX 13:10 | Hotel Casa del Capitel Nazarí |
| May 1 | Granada (30); visit Alhambra | |
| May 2 | Granada | |
| May 3 | Granada | |
| May 4 | Iberia IB1020, depart GRX 09:15, arrive MAD 10:25 | Airbnb |
| May 5 | Madrid (31) Morning: Alone in the Prado: Exclusive Early Access Evening: Tapas, Taverns & History Tour | |
| May 6 | Madrid | |
| May 7 | Madrid Midday: Paella and Tapas: Madrid Cooking Class with Market Visit | |
| May 8 | Madrid Day trip to Segovia | |
| May 9 | Aeromexico AM39, depart MAD 14:35, arrive GDL 18:50 | At home |
Timothy Welch
Fabulous! Wishing you the best. I used to take three month and one four month trip. I’m now down to less than two months in order to fest and regroup. Wishing you the best.