Lisbon to Casablanca and Andalusia

Join alumni and friends on a 10-day, transcontinental voyage featuring breathtaking Portugal, Spain’s captivating Andalusia region, the fabled British territory of Gibraltar and legendary Morocco, Retrace ancient trade routes at the crossroads of Africa and Europe. Travel from October 14 to 23, including a 7-night cruise on the deluxe World Navigator and one night in UNESCO‑designated Rabat, Morocco.

Call at seven spectacular ports — Lisbon, Portimão, Cádiz, Málaga, Gibraltar, Tangier and Casablanca — with excursions at every port. Stand on the legendary Rock of Gibraltar, referred to by ancient Greeks and Romans as the Pillars of Hercules. Visit some of the world’s most iconic mosques and palaces, a reflection of the region’s rich cultural mosaic. Immerse yourself in local culinary traditions and savor a tasting of authentic Andalusian sherry.

Enhance your adventure with the Lisbon pre-tour extension and/or post-tour extension in Marrakech.  Please contact the Georgetown Travel Society at 866-525-8664 or GeorgetownTravelSociety@Georgetown.edu for more details or to request a reservation.

 

Dates and Rates:

Trip Dates: October 14 – 23, 2025
Rates: $4,790 – $23,090 per person based on double occupancy

Traveling solo? Stateroom Categories 6, 7, and  8 may be reserved by single travelers at 160% of the per person double price (per person rate x 1.6),  or please contact us to inquire about any possible roommate options

Waitlisted – Please contact the Georgetown Travel Society at GeorgetownTravelSociety@Georgetown.edu or 866-525-8664.

Itinerary:

Day 1, October 14 | Depart Home City
Depart your home city on independently scheduled flights for Lisbon, Portugal.

Day 2, October 15 | Lisbon, Portugal/Embark Ship | D
Arrive at Lisbon Airport. Proceed through the immigration checkpoint to the baggage claim area and retrieve your luggage. After completing a customs screening, meet a Gohagan & Company representative. Those arriving early will transfer to a group hospitality room at the Corinthia Lisbon hotel. From there, embark the deluxe World Navigator, which departs Lisbon later this afternoon. Settle into your suite or stateroom and enjoy dinner on board the ship this evening.

Day 3, October 16 | Lisbon | B, L, R, D
After breakfast, disembark for an excursion to visit Portugal’s capital city. Lisbon. Originally settled in the seventh century B.C., Lisbon is a multicultural metropolis with a rich history. During the age of maritime exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, it was the largest port in the European Atlantic. Its UNESCO-designated city center reflects influences from the Roman, Islamic and European cultures that passed through and conducted trade during those times. Return to the ship for lunch on board, followed by an afternoon at leisure. You may stay on board to enjoy the ship’s many luxury amenities or return to Lisbon for a few hours to continue exploring at your own pace.

Welcome Reception: Join your fellow passengers for the Captain’s Welcome Reception this evening, followed by dinner on board the ship as we cruise the coast of Portugal.

Day 4, October 17 | Portimão, Portugal for Lagos | B, L, D
Enjoy breakfast on board as the ship arrives in Portimão, where you will disembark for a guided tour. Once the center of trade between Moorish Portugal and Africa, the ancient maritime port of Lagos was founded more than 2,000 years ago. Your excursion includes a visit to the statue of Infante Dom Henrique — a monument to Prince Henry the Navigator — and the intricately carved Church of San Antonio. Built in 1707 and re-built after an earthquake in 1755, the church is a fine example of Baroque architecture. You will also learn more about the disturbing history of slavery in Lagos during the 15th century with a visit the Mercado de Escravos, site of the first slave market in Europe. This sobering landmark, now a museum, tells the story of the African men and women who were brought to Portugal against their will. Return to the ship for lunch on board this evening as the ship departs Portimão. Enjoy views over dinner
on board this evening as we sail to Spain.

Day 5, October 18 | Cadiz, Spain | B, L, D
Enjoy breakfast on board as the ship arrives in the Spanish port city of Cádiz, where you will disembark for a walking tour. Known today as the home of flamenco, the ancient metropolis of Cádiz dates to paleolithic times. A stroll will take you through the old cobblestoned plazas dotted with palm trees and fountains. Visit the Cathedral, which combines Italian Baroque and traditional Spanish architectural styles. Explore the Populus Quarter, the Roman Theatre and St. John of God Square. Drive to Jerez de la Frontera, a city known for flamenco music and sherry production. Stop at a restaurant for an authentic Andalusian lunch and wine tasting of local sherry. Later you will visit the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art Foundation to see one of its famous shows. This unique, private exhibit of equestrian ballet features lively costumes and Spanish music. Return to the ship for dinner on board this evening.

Day 6, October 19 | Málaga, Spain, for Granada | B, L, D
Enjoy breakfast on board as the ship arrives in Málaga, considered one of the oldest cities in the world. Disembark for a scenic drive to Granada to visit the Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Alhambra. Originally designed as a military area, the sprawling Alhambra palace became the residence of Moorish monarchs and of the court of Granada in the middle of the 13th century, and later a citadel with high ramparts and defensive towers. It remains the only preserved palatine city of the Islamic period and its Generalife garden vegetable farms are noted for their medieval irrigation innovations. Arrive at Alhambra and enjoy lunch at the Parador de Granada restaurant, located inside the palace.

Explore the spectacular, sprawling medieval fortress of the Nasrid dynasty on an excursion that includes a visit to the palace’s magnificent Generalife gardens. Admire the exquisite detail that made this citadel an artistic treasure as well as a hilltop stronghold. Inside many of the buildings you may look up to see the
honeycomb pattern of the muqarnas, or decorative vaulting. Travel back to Málaga to embark the ship and enjoy dinner on board this evening.

Day 7, October 20 | Gibraltar, United Kingdom | B, L, D
Today the ship arrives in Gibraltar where, after breakfast, you will disembark for a morning excursion to the legendary Rock of Gibraltar. Located at the near southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula, the Rock of Gibraltar was considered by the ancient Greeks and Romans to be one of the two Pillars of Hercules that marked the boundary of the known world. A scenic drive takes you past these legendary pillars and the lighthouse. From there, you’ll explore the impressive stalagmites and stalactites in St. Michael’s Cave and see the amusing antics of Barbary macaques, the only colony of wild monkeys in Europe. The tour concludes with a visit to the Great Siege Tunnels, excavated by British Army engineers in the late 18th century to provide defense for the colony.

Return to the ship for lunch on board as the ship sails through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Enjoy time at leisure on the ship this afternoon, followed by dinner on board.

Day 8, October 21 | Tangier, Morocco | B, L, R, D
Enjoy breakfast on board this morning as the ship arrives in the ancient port city of Tangier, where you will disembark for a day of discovery. Tangier. After its origins as a Phoenician trading post and five centuries under Roman rule, Tangier fell to the Vandals and ultimately became part of the Byzantine empire — origins that created a vibrant ancient metropolis at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. The north African city was then conquered and claimed multiple times in the centuries that followed by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. By the early 20th century, Tangier caught the attention of such renowned artists as Matisse and Eugène Delacroix, establishing a new age of cosmopolitan creativity. Delve into the myth of Hercules at the Caves of Hercules, where the son of Zeus rested as he traveled to perform the 11th of the 12 tasks assigned to him by Eurystheus, king of the great ancient Greek city of Tiryns on the Argolid Plain of the Peloponnese. Travel west of Tangier to this cave complex. After visiting the caves, continue to Cap Spartel to see its 19th-century lighthouse and savor the spectacular view.

A panoramic drive to Tangier’s lively medina takes you past the Marshan quarter, where you may see one of the king’s palaces. Visit the Kasbah, an 18th-century fortress, on a guided walking tour that includes a stroll through the old acropolis. Enjoy lunch with the group at a local restaurant, followed by a walking tour of Tangier’s legendary souks. Explore the souks of Tangier’s labyrinthine medina in depth and immerse yourself in the history of the ancient walled city. Peruse local wares, interact with vendors and hear captivating stories with some time to shop. See weavers and artisans creating their crafts by hand in the souks and learn more about the flavors of Moroccan cuisine. Continue through the narrow alleys of Petit Socco, where produce vendors, butchers and flower sellers set up stalls, and then on to Grand Socco Square.

Captain’s Farewell Reception: Join your fellow passengers for a Captain’s Farewell Reception, followed by dinner on board the ship.

Day 9, October 22 | Casablanca/Disembark Ship/Rabat
After breakfast on board, disembark the ship in Casablanca and enjoy a scenic journey to Rabat. Your luggage will be transferred to the Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses hotel, where you will check in later this afternoon. On your way to Rabat, you will visit Casablanca’s Hassan II Mosque, dramatically situated on a promontory overlooking the ocean. Admire its intricate marble flooring and Moroccan details, including gilded cedar ceilings. One of the largest mosques in Africa, it is one of only two that is open to non- Muslim visitors. Conservative attire will be required, and you will be asked to remove your shoes upon entrance. Rabat. More reserved than bustling Marrakech and Casablanca, the ancient city of Rabat has been the capital since 1956 and is the official royal residence of King Mohammed VI. Located where the Bou Regreg River flows into the Atlantic, Rabat features a historic section and more modern area that have been designated together as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Arrive in Rabat and enjoy lunch at an authentic local restaurant.

This afternoon, a driving tour takes you past the Royal Palace of Rabat, which is fronted by expansive grounds and the Parliament of Morocco. See the contrast of ancient and modern as you pass by the Chellah, a former Roman settlement and the royal necropolis of the 14th-century Merinid dynasty. Admire the undulating lines of the newly built opera house, Grand Theater, designed by the late architect Dame Zaha Hadid. Continue your tour on foot for a visit to the stately Mohammed  V Mausoleum, which contains the tombs of King Mohammed V and his sons, King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah. Completed in 1971, the white marble pavilion is a masterpiece of traditional Moroccan architecture, regally adorned with a portico of horseshoe arches, a gilded and carved cedarwood-domed ceiling and walls of superb zellij mosaics. From there you will walk to see the Hassan Tower, an impressive vestige of an unfinished 12th-century mosque envisioned by an early Almohad monarch. In addition to the partially completed minaret, the site includes hundreds of columns erected for the mosque before construction ceased in 1199 when the ruler died.

Check into the hotel with dinner on your own this evening. Consult the hospitality desk for recommendations in the area.

Day 10, October 23 | Rabat/Casablanca/Return to Home City | B
Check out of the hotel after breakfast and transfer to either Rabat–Salé Airport or Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport for your return flight home. Arrive back in your home city later today.

 

Land & Cruise Program: 9 days/8 nights
Breakfasts: 8
Lunches: 7
Dinners: 7
Receptions: 2
B | L | R | D denotes included breakfasts, lunches, dinners and receptions.

Activity Level: Moderate. Certain excursions, including the Rock at Gibraltar, St. Michaels Cave and the Siege Tunnels are more active.

• Walking tours may exceed three hours and cover distances of at least 1 mile. Excursions require walking and standing on cobblestones, uneven paths and pavement, and hills. Some excursions may require climbing stairs, which may not have railings, as well as crossing rail
  tracks and walking up narrow, sloped paths.
• Disembarking the ship requires walking on sometimes steep gangplanks.
• Getting on and off coaches requires climbing or descending 3-6 steep steps.
• Depending on the excursion, more leisurely alternatives to active excursions may be available.

Not included:
 Airfare; Taxes; passport fees; visas and fees for obtaining visas; personal expenses such as laundry and telephone calls; accident/sickness, trip cancellation, and baggage insurance; gratuities to ship and hotel personnel; optional sightseeing excursions; excess baggage charges on aircraft; local departure air taxes; airfare and associated local taxes*, airport facility taxes and federal inspection fees not listed int he “included features” section of the program brochure; transfers and baggage handling to/from airport/hotel on day(s) of arrival and/or departure if you are arriving earlier or later and/or departing earlier or later that scheduled group transfer(s); meals and and alcoholic beverages not listed as Included ; and all other services not specifically mentioned in the complete program terms and condition at https://www.gohagantravel.com/terms