Antonia has been leading discerning travellers throughout Europe and beyond for more than 20 years.  A History of Art and Architecture graduate, her knowledge of art and architectural design informs every itinerary she creates. Fluent in German, Spanish and French, Antonia has an exceptional talent for bringing places to life and a loyal following of travellers who return to explore new destinations with her time and again. 

Day One: TANGIER           

Arrive in Tangier, the gateway to Africa. Guarding the Strait of Gibraltar, it is located on a bay 17 miles from the southern tip of Spain.
Transfer to Hotel Grand Villa de France where Matisse painted the view from the medina to St Andrew’s Church in his piece entitled Window at Tangier.

Independent lunch.

15:00 - Check into your room (Please note, early check-in can be requested but is not guaranteed).

19:00 - Welcome drink and dinner in the hotel.

Day Two               

Breakfast at the hotel.

09.30 - Depart the hotel on foot for a guided walk through the ancient town of Tangier. We will visit the atmospheric kasbah, the Kasbah Museum (museum of Moroccan art) in the old medina and St Andrew’s Church, which was completed in 1870 on land granted by Sultan Hassan.

12.30 - Continue by coach to the gardens of Donabo. This public garden was created by Princess Malika Alawi and Paul Belvoir to educate local people, especially children. The sea views are magnificent. Princess Malika Alawi and Paul Belvoir will host us for lunch. 

Afternoon - Return to the hotel.

Evening - Independent dinner.

Day Three                  

Breakfast at the hotel.

09.30 - Depart the hotel by coach to visit Tabarek Allah, a magical private garden created over the years by Italian writer and plantsman, Umberto Pasti. We will then go on visit the Gazebo, an immaculate house and garden overlooking the Strait, home of the renowned interior designer, Veere Grenney.

12.30 - Lunch at L’Ocean, a delicious beach restaurant. The journey to the restaurant takes us past Cap Spartel, the dramatic meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. 

Afternoon - Return to Tangier to visit the American Legation. Housed in an elegant five-storey mansion, this museum was the first piece of American real estate to be built outside the US because Morocco was the first country to recognise the fledgling United States in 1777. There are some unusual displays and an impressive array of paintings that show Tangier's past through the eyes of artists, most notably the Scotsman James McBey. The collection also includes some of the writings of American author, Paul Bowles.

Evening - Independent dinner.

Day Four: TANGIER to FES

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.               

9.30 - Depart hotel by private coach for Fes. We will stop at Assilah to visit a garden at Rohuna designed by Umberto Pasti, with the co-operation of the local village. This exotic enclave of gardens is perched on the hillside and we will walk there from the village. Lunch will be served in the shade and the food comes with magnificent views of the Atlantic and surrounding countryside.

Afternoon - Continue by coach to Fes, and check into Hotel Riad Maison Bleue.

Evening - Dinner in the hotel.

Day Five: FES

Breakfast at the hotel.               

09.30 - Depart hotel on foot to visit the medina of Fes, one of the oldest and most fascinating of Morocco’s imperial cities. We will be led through the narrow, winding medieval streets of the medina with its metal workers, spice markets, tanners’ quarters and carpet bazaars, catching a glimpse of the El Kairouine Mosque. Founded in 859, this is the largest mosque in Morocco and is the seat of the Kairouine University of Fes. Some 300 students from all over the Islamic world study theology and Islamic law here.

Lunch at Restaurant Nejjerine.

Afternoon - Visit the local potteries.

Return to the hotel.

Evening - Independent dinner.

Day Six: FES to RABAT

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.     

08:00 - Depart by coach for Rabat. Our first stop will be the ancient Roman site of Volubilis. When the Romans annexed the Mauritanian Kingdom in AD44, Volubilis became the seat of the procurators governing the province of Mauritania Tingitana. This attractive site still has ruins of the magnificent colonnaded shopping street, as well as baths, houses with mosaics, the Capitol, the Forum and an impressive Triumphal Arch.

We will then continue on to Meknes, one of Morocco’s four great imperial cities. Here we will see the impressive gateway, Bab Mansour which was the ceremonial entrance to the imperial city of Moulay Ismail (1672-1727) and visit the mosque with the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. We will also visit Dar Jamai Museum, housed in a magnificent late 19th palace decorated with sculpted and painted wood, stucco and colourful mosaic tilework. The collection consists of a variety of decorative art and musical instruments from the surrounding area.

Lunch in a local Meknes restaurant.

Afternoon - Continue on to Rabat, the capital city of Morocco and check in to Hotel La Tour Hassan.

Evening - Dinner in the hotel.

Day Seven: RABAT to MARRAKECH

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.        

09:00 - Depart hotel by coach for Marrakech. Our first stop will be the Andalusian Gardens. Located inside the Oudayas Kasbah, the gardens feature patios, water and scented plants in Andalusian-style We will then travel on to the Hassan Tower, soaring high above the river. Built between 1195-1199, this minaret is contemporary with the Giralda in Sevilla and the Koutoubia in Marrakech. The Mausoleum of Mohamed V is also nearby. This splendid memorial built by King Hassan II to his father is a fine example of modern Alouite style.

12.30 - Lunch in a restaurant in the 11th century port of Salé, once the principal port of Morocco.

Afternoon - We will continue our journey to Marrakech and check into Riad Kniza. Built by a well-known antique dealer in Moorish style, this riad is conveniently located to explore the famous Jemaa el Fna square, wonderful souks and cultural treasures of this imperial city.

Morocco's capital was founded in 1062 by the Almoravids. It became known as the 'Red City' due to its terracotta-coloured, 12th century ramparts which stretch nine miles and surround the old city. It lies at 1,500 feet with views of the High Atlas mountains.

Evening - Dinner in the hotel.

Day Eight: MARRAKECH

Breakfast at the hotel         .         

08.45 - Depart hotel by coach for the Bahia Palace. Built in the 19th century for the wife of the Vizier, the beautiful series of halls have ceilings painted in floral designs enclosing little ‘riads’ or gardens.

We will then continue to El Badi Palace. Built in 1578-94 by al Mansour, it was dismantled in 1696 by Moulay Ismail who used the marble to embellish his new capital in Meknes. It was a wonder in its day and the ruins are very evocative of its former splendour.

12.30 - Lunch at Riad El Fenn, a boutique riad founded by Vanessa Branson. After lunch, we will walk through the winding streets of the souk to visit Le Jardin Secret. Set on the site of a 19th century palace which fell into disrepair, it was designed by English garden designer, Tom Stuart-Smith (whose Tate Britain Garden was awarded Gold at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show) and opened as a contemporary and traditional Islamic garden in 2020.

Return to the hotel for time at leisure.

Evening - Independent dinner.

Day Nine                 

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 - Depart hotel by coach to visit Anima, a seven-acre, multi-media garden outside Marrakech with views of the High Atlas Mountains. Designed by Austrian artist, Andre Heller, it contains surprising sculptures hidden in the wonderful vegetation combined with cacti, water features, palm trees and tall grasses.

11.30 - Return to Marrakech for lunch in the gardens of the Mamounia Hotel, famous for hosting Winston Churchill as a guest. The wonderful gardens cover 20 acres featuring olive trees, orange groves and roses.

Afternoon at leisure.

Evening - Independent dinner.

Day Ten                    

Breakfast at the hotel.

08.45 - Depart by coach to visit the Majorelle Garden and YSL Museum. The Majorelle Gardens were designed and planted in the 1920’s by Jacques Majorelle and opened to the public in 1947. When the late Yves St Laurent and Pierre Berge realised these wonderful gardens were at risk of closure in the 1960’s, they bought and restored them in their own distinctive style.

The YSL Museum, which opened in 2017 was designed by Studio KO and shows changing displays of the designer's wonderful clothes, jewellery, accessories and drawings. 

13:00 - Lunch at a restaurant.

Afternoon - Return to the hotel and time at leisure.

19.45 - Final Dinner at restaurant Dar Yacout with drinks on the roof.

Day 11

Breakfast at the hotel, check-out and depart by coach for the airport.

Tour ends
 

We are offering option to include outbound flights with Iberian Airlines departing from London Heathrow LHR  to Tangier TNG via Madrid

Outbound flight with Iberia Airlines 

Tuesday 6th April – Flight IB3641 from LHR at 0615 to MAD, landing at 0940.

Continued  – Flight IB1361 from MAD at 1125 to TNG, landing at 1155.

Please enquire regarding adding return flights at the end of the tour departing from Marrakech to regional UK airports.