Not my best trip ever

Spain and Portugal were excellent Morocco,on the other hand, is not a trip I would advise anyone to take-except under these criteria- 1-One must be very interested in seeing multiple Mosques-both finished and in ruins 2-One must be very interested in Islamic history 3-One must not have reservations about visiting a 3rd world country

Unexpected gem

It was fascinating to see how this whole region is tied together in history with the Moors, the Reconquista and the Jews. These themes could be developed more by Go Ahead as the dynasties in Morocco carried over to Spain. Seville was a particular gem. Our tour director was outstanding. I thought Morocco got a bit long and the drive from Marrakech to Fes was particularly long. It is tough being a vegetarian on this tour although our tour director tried mightily to find suitable options. Ironically, Moroccans eat lots of vegetables but tend to give their guests lots of meat. Not sure how you get around that problem.

Moroccan Experience

I was fascinated with the whole experience in Morocco! The mosques and other sites we visited had so many intricate designs in both wood and stone and colorful mosaic work. The medinas were right out of the MIddle Ages or earlier. I really couldn't believe the tannery in Marrakesh! It was a feast for all the senses. I learned that the Moroccans have a rich history but one that we hear nothing about. It was especially interesting to visit the Al Hambra in Granada which was my favorite site in Spain, and then travel to Morocco to learn more about the Moors.

Wonderful sights, long days

This is a tour that includes a wide range of spectacular scenery and architecture and offers a window on a broad spectrum of history. You will see wonderful art and architecture, some of the most beautiful sights I have seen anywhere. The food is mostly very good and the hotels as well. However as other reviewers have said, this is a very strenuous tour which requires a lot of walking and long bus rides. Sometimes the bus rides were longer than necessary and it would improve the tour if they could be shortened by shortening or eliminating some of the stops. I would also suggest eliminating the Gibraltar stop and replacing it with a town such as Ronda. The theme of the tour is Moorish/Spanish art and architecture and the history of the three major religions in Spain and Morocco. Gibraltar has nothing to do with that theme. Another contradiction within the tour is being taken to places where there are vendors who want to sell goods. At times I enjoyed seeing what was for sale and the environment in which items were made but at times this process interferes with enjoying the tour. We sometimes had to wait while others in the group shopped and sometimes had to cut short other aspects of the tour in favor of shopping. I felt this was more of an issue on this tour than others I have taken.

Morocco should be first.

The tour was very exhilarating, but was not in the right order. We should have landed first in Morocco when we were full of anticipation and excitement. It was also a good historical beginning for then going to Portugal and Spain. The local tour director in Morocco needed the support of our tour director or many incidents could have occurred. Thank you for sending him there with us. Would recommend this trip for those who love to travel and not as a quick vacation.

Get all your sleep before you go on this tour

Our tour director, Sam Frew, was wonderful and we really enjoyed the trip but it's not for everyone. Be prepared for long bus rides and for getting up early each morning and for dinners that are often scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. At least one of the optional tours (Toledo) although it was worth it, didn't return to the hotel until 11:00 p.m. and offered little opportunity for dinner. Take a snack along with you if you go. You will be surprised to learn that when you get to Morocco, in addition to getting a new bus driver, you will get an additional tour guide that will be with you throughout the time there. Apparently this is the law in Morocco. In addition to the bus driver, the bus driver also has a helper, so keep this is mind when planning your budget for tips. I suspect the Moroccan guide makes a pretty good living on the commission he gets for taking you to shop at the carpet store and other forced shopping events so save your tip money for the driver and the driver's helper (especially the helper). I would refuse the optional tour to Evora and use the time in Sevilla instead. Evora is nice but Sevilla is amazing and you have little time there as it is. The stop in Gibraltar was another waste of time for me but the folks that went to the top of the rock to see the monkeys really enjoyed it. We found a nice Indian restaurant and enjoyed lunch there but would have rather skipped Gibraltar completely. I am not sure why GA stops there. In general this tour suffers from going to too many places. Madrid, Seville, Granada, Marakesh, and Fez are all wonderful but you really don't get enought time to enjoy any of them. The tour would benefit from dropping some destinations and spending more time at some of the amazing places along the way. If you depend on access to the Internet, you won't be happy in Morocco. Expect to pay 15 Euros for access in some hotels or to sit in the lobby in other hotels to get online. Most hotels don't provide bottled water except for $4.50 in the mini-bar so stock on at a grocery store when you have time. Any time you are presented with a restaurant bill in Morocco, look at it carefully to make sure you are charged the right amount. Then look carefully to make sure you get the proper change. Keep your Euros separate from your Moroccan money. It's easy to mix them up and get taken advantage of. Vegetarians won't starve but for the most part you won't be too excited by the offerings. If you don't like what they suggest as a meat alternative, push back and ask them what else you can have or just ask for what you want, use the menu as a guide even though the group is not eating off the menu per se.

Fabulous Spain Portugal and Morocco

Terrific trip - yes fast-paced but we covered a lot in 16 days. Lisbon - a beautiful city that we chose to arrive 2 days ahead of the tour. Well worth it. then on to Seville, beautiful, Gibralter...a quick tour to the top of the rock and a visit with the barbery apes. :) then on to Granada, Cordoba and Madrid..... Madrid a beautiful city with the wonderful Plaza Major. Fond memories there. Then on to Morocco, Casblanca (oh yes and Rick's Cafe) and Marrakech. On our own we chose a fabulous restaurant Al Baraka just off Jamaa El Fna Square. A fabulous evening and delicious Moroccan food. Also a nice visit to a Berber community; then onto a long drive to Fes. Fes and its Medina and Mosques and tanneries, etc. Quite the experience. Then last but not least on to Rabat. It was great to use our French in Morocco. Then back to Madrid and bullet train to Barcelona. Ahhh Barcelona. What a fantastic and fabulous city. Loved it. with all the Gaudi creations, especially the "La Familiale" still a work in progress, and museums. And also a trip to Monserrat - beautiful mountain terrain and monastery. Weather was exceptional the whole time. One cloud in the sky over Gibralter that quickly dissipated by noon. And not to go unmentioned, one of Go Ahead's best tour directors - Fernando. He became a dear friend to us all.

Morocco was an extraordinary learning experience-

Morocco will stay on my mind for a long time. It is so interesting and so contrasting: Modern and rich looking in the north with a bright new bullet train while donkeys and even camels seem to be the main source of transportation further south. ...Bought a lovely rug in Morocco which everybody admires.. So happy I went there!.

spain

tour was excellent, the only problem was 44 people on this tour. Needs to be small group to really enjoy the sites.

Beautiful and enlightening!

I truly enjoyed seeing the historical sites in Spain. The Alcazar in Seville, the Mesquita in Cordoba, and the Alhambra in Granada are incredible!