travel diary
Busabout Tour – Iberian Adventure
Visiting Cordoba, Seville, Tarifa, Ronda, Granada; Spain. Lagos; Portugal. Tangier; Morocco.
We set off through Spain. Cordoba was a treat; a cute town home to the Mosque Cathedral. A walking tour introduced us to Seville; Alcazar palace, Santa Cruz (Jewish) quarter and plaza España in the Maria Luisa park. Up on the roof top pool and bar, sunset greeted us before heading for tapas, sangria and kalamontox!
Above: Roman Bridge – Cordoba, Spain
Portugal, what a gem! We stayed in a self contained apartment in Lagos; known for the best beaches in the Iberian peninsula. Greeted by dodgy men in the streets trying to sell drugs, we continued on to a restaurant for dinner before partying til dawn in the various pubs and clubs they had to offer – I love this town! We awoke the next morning to what I recommend to everyone that visits Lagos; sea kayaking through caves and grottos before reaching secluded beaches for a swim on the beautiful Algarve coast. Back on shore, we walked the picturesque streets and cute little shops before walking along the amazing coastline and beaches – is this place even real!? With one last night we were sad to say goodbye.
With a early start, we headed along the coast line to the southernmost port of Europe; Tarifa. A walking tour through the quaint town led us to the ferry port and I was so excited as we opted for a night tour to Morocco! Not only a new country, but a new continent that could be seen from Spain across the Straits of Gibraltar. After a short ferry ride, we arrived in Tangier that offered a different vibe and led a different life – we had arrived in Africa,
We were led through the old town, through endless markets where boys were holding out turtles and chameleons for us to see before reaching a traditional moorish chemist showcasing local made products such as beauty creams, green lipsticks that change colour once on your lips and even Viagra.
We head to a local restaurant for an included dinner of moorish cuisine and music. Even with the short amount of time, this additional tour provided such a great insight to Morocco that has such a completely different culture and vibe to what we have usually experienced. The feel in the air left you intrigued to explore and I can’t wait to return.
Back to Spain, we travelled through Rhonda, visiting a bullfighting ring before arriving in Granada where we were surprisingly greeted by snow capped mountains! The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in Andalucia and contains the highest point in Spain. The city has such a good vibe and after some more tapas for dinner, we head to the local bars.
We visited the Alhambra, the famous moorish relic and most visited site in Spain. I loved the experience; the intricate sculptures and relics carved into the walls, built towards the end of the Moorish rule, the detailing of the ceiling work was incredible. Our guided tour of Alhambra was a little slow and had a bit too much (boring) information. We personally felt this place would have been better exploring on our own with an audio guide but still glad we didn’t miss it!
This evening was a highlight as we head on a walking tour at dusk before arriving at the Sacromonte Caves to experience a live Flamenco show.
This tour was absolutely fantastic and I recommend it to everyone. It covered such vast regions from Spain to Portugal and even Morocco! I loved reliving my time while writing this and hopefully one day you can experience what this part of the world has to offer!
Tour: Busabout; Iberian adventure
Tour price: $845
Tour duration: 7 days
Inclusions: Twin room accommodation, breakfast, guide & driver, orientation walks.
ONLY HAPPY WHEN I TRAVEL 