Couples Getaway to Spain & Morocco

Welcome to Barcelona, where the spires of La Sagrada Familia dominate the cityscape and a salty Mediterranean breeze drifts through the old quarter. You’ll stay in the honeymoon suite, complete with a rooftop terrace, at a boutique hotel in the pedestrianized heart of the city. After a private transfer from the airport, you’ll meet the guide for a welcome drink and discuss the next couple of days. Within short walking distance, you’ll find wine bars in converted Roman buildings, seafront cafes, superb restaurants, and delightful lanes for a hand in hand stroll.

Take a walk through Eixample this morning, the neighborhood where aristocrats commissioned Modernist architects. Wavy lines and vibrant mosaics cover the facade of the houses, which are impressive to the eye. Surreal chimneys poke out, extravagant use of color defines each of the houses, and you are filled with a sense of design possibility. You’ll be guided through the finest examples of the Art Nouveau style, including private residences and the superb Palacio de la Musica, which was designed by Gaudi’s teacher, Lluis Domenech I Montaner. Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia, is your next stop before this private tour finishes at Park Guell and its superb views over the city. A tour of the Modernista movement is also a tour of Barcelona, and by walking between the buildings you’ll get a good feel for the Catalonian style.

The next day will be free for you to experience Barcelona at your leisure. You could spend your morning at the beach or in galleries filled with famous Spanish artworks. Take your time exploring the neighborhood around the hotel, where the streets have an old-world grandeur that suits every mood. Day trip options include a World Heritage monastery, a delightful late 19th-century town on the coast, and the vineyards where sparkling Cava is produced. In the evening, you’ll embark on a guided tapas crawl through traditional local taverns. Each location specializes in something different as they create tasty little dishes of fresh produce that tantalize with every bite. The insider guide will know what to try at each tavern, along with which drink should accompany it.

While Barcelona’s streets are packed with energy, Madrid’s have a luxuriously laid-back feel. It’s a city of old-world romance, where you walk hand in hand across the cobbles and spend leisurely hours relaxing on cafe terraces. Today you’ll travel by high-speed train from Barcelona to Madrid. Your hotel will reflect the capital city’s origins, full of regal features, and the glory of the 16th century. The guide takes you on an orientation tour, which ends with chocolate and churros close to the grand Plaza Mayor. The rest of the day will be at your leisure and there is so much to admire in the heart of Madrid, from the statues and palaces to the cute lanes of townhouses that hold so much history.

Madrid’s old quarter is filled with influences. Explore the Moorish roots, found in artisanal relics that dot the streets. Marvel at iconic Renaissance buildings, where decadence can be found in their facades and interiors. Then compare these to the baroque charm that’s become synonymous with the city, particularly around the plazas commissioned by the Habsburgs. A walk through Madrid is also an insight into the history of Spain, as so many stories are connected with the architecture. A walk through the city center will be a feast for the senses. Food smells drift down the alleyways, church bells chime in unison, and locals gather at tiny butchers and bakers, while other locals chatter on 19th-century cafe terraces. You’ll have a traditional lunch in the city before spending the afternoon at Europe’s largest royal palace, exploring some of the 3000 rooms at Palacio Real.

A trio of art galleries makes Madrid one of the world’s great art capitals. The Prado is the legendary home of the old masters from Spain and beyond. The Renia Sophia is where Picasso’s most famous work hangs proudly, and the galleries are full of Dali and surrealism. Then one of the greatest private collections on the planet, Thyssen-Bornemisza is a gallery for the connoisseurs. Your guide will escort you through one of the galleries before the afternoon can be customized to your interests. Perhaps make a day trip to Toledo and follow the El Greco trail. It’s also a short train ride to Segovia, where the Roman aqueduct makes for one of Spain’s most seductive photos. Or escape for an afternoon in Avila, a romantic city cast behind thick stonewalls.

Like Spain’s other great cities, Seville quickly envelops you in its atmosphere. It will carry you off with its gregarious soul and sense of fun, as it encourages you to get involved in the vibrant streets. Fly here from Madrid and the afternoon will be at your leisure, enjoyed in a city that always feels like an adventure. Wander past the colorful townhouses and admire the modern graffiti. Sip coffee or cocktails as the cathedral’s bells echo into the distance. Feel the energy and dance to the songs that slip out of the taverns. Andalusia is a region that prefers not to take life too seriously. After the tranquility that Madrid can provide, you’re in a city that makes you want to celebrate.

Today, Seville’s beautiful streets will arouse all your senses. Gaze up at La Giralda and explore how an Islamic past blended into a Christian present. Inhale the fragrances of Santa Cruz where cooking and flowers and coffee mingle in the old neighborhood. Listen to the bells, every church a different tone in one of Europe’s largest old cities. You can taste as well, a traditional Andalusian lunch of gazpacho followed by rice with seafood (arroz con mariscos). Such a large old city enables the guide to tailor your route. Discover the most iconic sights on a half-day tour or spend the full day getting lost in the streets. Andalusia is the home of tapas and the evening’s tapas crawl continues to make impressions on all the senses, as the guide will lead you to the places that only the locals know about.

This morning, you will wake late and enjoy breakfast on your private terrace with a view of a quiet yet colorful street. On your honeymoon, there will be no need to rush, especially in a country as laid back as Spain. Continue your cultural and artistic exploration with a day trip to Granada or Cordoba. Alternatively, you can spend the day leisurely perusing your surroundings as you lounge around the decadent hotel, and twist your way through the alleyways of cafes, cocktails bars, and restaurants. To complete your Spanish experience, you will attend a unique fado performance and dinner in the evening. The music plays out in a candlelit tavern, as guitar and clapping reverberate off the walls. A dancer twirls and wine is served. A euphonic voice improvises a song and you feel what the words mean, even though it is in Spanish. It’s an experience that seems to pull your experiences in Spain together, as soulful and romantic as it is idiosyncratic.

This morning you will fly from Seville to Fes, which will take you from a city dominated by red to a country based on four colors. These four colors are the basics of an artisanal harmony so unique to Morocco and their simple quality enables ornate and elaborate details to shine. Fes has a series of outstanding buildings, and on the orientation walk, you will find that almost every building is defined by its artistic design. From the simplest cafes to the most elaborate palaces, Fes has a style that you will never forget. While the colors stay the same every building is absolutely unique. Your suite at a riad, a small guesthouse, is just one example. The accommodation will be packed with intricate details that open out onto a private rooftop terrace overlooking the city. Dinner is served on your terrace and the evenings are beautiful up here, with the call to prayer ringing out and the sun setting evocatively over the hill.

The next day, it will be easy to get lost on the streets of cobbled stone and intrigue. Most pathways are barely wide enough for the donkey carts that rumble through. Goods spill out of market stalls, and sections of the city have their own smell, from spices and incense to leather and camels. The whole city feels like a souk, a bazaar of choice, and old-world tradition. A guide will escort you through the city for the day and there’s so much to uncover when you know which direction to turn to see elaborate city gates, wooden mosques, and palace domes. You’ll explore both the medina (central city) and the kasbah (city surroundings), before ascending to a viewpoint that reveals the enormous size of the Fes maze.

Meknes is the smaller and even more artisanal sister to Fes. The cities are just an hour apart and Meknes is a superb place to meet the artisans that have influenced Morocco and the world. Once you make the day trip, you’ll start to understand the fundamentals of Moroccan design as local artists and craftsmen talk you through their processes. Local artisanal goods have never been taxed in Meknes, while imported goods are more than doubled in price. So the whole city feels like a gallery, a unique walk through layer upon layer of design and style. When you return to Fes you’ll have another private evening on your roof terrace to toast to the gems of Morocco.

Today, you’ll travel by plane above the Atlas Mountains then touch down at a city full of hidden treasures. Much like Fes, Marrakech is a labyrinth of souks and alleyways that are difficult to navigate without a guide. Also like its northern neighbor, there are extravagant gems where you least expect them such as glamorous patterns in Bahia Palace, intricate wooden carvings at a madrassa, and tombs that paint a glory of yesteryear. Smells mingle, sounds flutter, and there’s an atmosphere that makes Marrakech an idyllic city for a romantic break. After the orientation tour, enjoy the uninterrupted views of World Heritage Djemaa El-Fna from a café terrace, a famous square that reflects the exoticism of the cityscape.

The day will be free for you to explore at your own pace. You will be accompanied by a private guide and driver who will lead you to your destination of choice. Set off into the High Atlas Mountains, where snowy peaks shimmer above welcoming Berber villages. Escape to a spa in the hills, where couple’s treatments are followed by the tranquility of the landscape. It’s less than two hours to the coast, with the surreal old town of Essaouira perfect for a relaxed afternoon. You could also head out on an adventure, perhaps hiking to Berber villages or crossing the peaks to all the famous movie locations around Ouarzazate.

Another late morning, enjoying each other’s company as the sounds of Marrakech softly drift past. Drink sweet mint tea or coffee on the rooftop and watch the city slowly come alive. Spend the day creating your own tour of Marrakech, with the guide’s insider knowledge enabling you to follow niche interests. The best place to end the honeymoon will be on Djemaa El-Fna, where storytellers and musicians and snake charmers come to entertain the crowds. Yours will be a new story together, but those on the square paint a portrait of Marrakech in the past.

Enjoy full use of the riad’s facilities, including your own rooftop terrace, before a private transfer to the airport.