Lisbon to Marrakech

April 19 Lisbon to Marrakech. 

This morning we depart on a half day tour of Lisbon. Lisbon is an enticing tangle of past and present -- funky and old-fashioned, unpretentious and quirky, restored and revitalized, booming with new confidence. With cultural diversity combined with a laid-back ambiance and an architectural time-warp, this is one of Europe's most enjoyable cities. We are picked up for a driving tour of the city sites as our plane is to leave early afternoon.

Old town Lisbon

Our tour takes us along the banks of the River Tagus and the Belem Tower guarding the mouth of the river. We see Jeronimo's Monastery which contains the tomb of Vasco da Gama. We continue on to see Alcantara, Praca do Comercio, and the House of Pointed Stones. We also drive along the Avenida da Liberdade, a fashionable tree-lined street through the center of town. We drive through the oldest quarter Alfama, Baixa, Rossio, and Restauradores. After our tour we drive to the airport for our flight to Marrakech in Morocco which unfortunately is late and further delayed by a thunderstorm.

Riad Daria

On arrival in Marrakech, we are get taken to accommodation the Riad Daria, which is restored according to the ancestral traditions of Marrakech. It presents an architecture and a decoration of old Marrakech. A riad is traditional house in Morocco characterized by an inner courtyard or a garden as the central element of the building. The name comes from the Arab word ryad garden. Given we get here late, we can have our dinner in the riad. A wonderful but simple salad, chicken and vegetables, and a flan type desert. We settle into a peaceful night.

Courtyard