Kirsty Fergusson will take you into the homes and gardens of some very distinguished ex-pat residents, as well as taking in some of the remarkable highlights of Morocco’s cultural heritage. Beginning in Tangier, where Africa meets Europe, our garden visits take us to both Mediterranean and Atlantic coastal vantage points. The city had a somewhat raffish reputation during the 20th century as a popular haunt for spies, pop stars and writers of the Beat Generation. This has been largely eclipsed by its growing sophistication, led by an international cast of interior designers and artists of every stripe. Fez, the capital of Morocco before 1912 when the French Protectorate was established, has a tangible sense of nobility and tradition. Riad gardens designed on the traditional Islamic model are to be found hidden behind ancient walls. Travelling outside the city, we also discover the vineyards of Meknes and dramatic Roman remains at Volubilis.
The itinerary
Tuesday 14th April – Arrive in Tangier Depart London Stansted 10.55; arrive 14.00 at Tangier, on Morocco’s north coast, a strategic port for many centuries, with whitewashed villas and a mediaeval medina. We will check in to the historic El Minzah Hotel, formerly home of the 4th Marquis of Bute. This evening we enjoy welcome drinks and dinner in a local restaurant.
Wednesday 15th April – Walking tour of Tangier & Villa Josephine Today is spent in Tangier, starting with a walking tour which will take us to St Andrew’s Church, the Gran Socco and the Kasbah, offering views of the Strait of Gibraltar. In the afternoon we visit the Vieille Montagne: a residential quarter of the city, where gardens are blessed with fine views over the sea to the Andalusian mountains. We will have lunch at the elegant Villa Josephine, built in the early 1920s by English journalist Walter Harris, and visit a botanist’s secret garden. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.
Thursday 16th April – Donabo and the Caves of Hercules This morning we head towards Cape Spartel, to explore Donabo, a new botanic garden, the result of a collaboration between English artist Paul Belvoir and Princess Lalla Malika Alaoui. The gardens have been imaginatively planted and designed in part to encourage local appreciation of the region’s horticultural heritage. Following a delicious lunch, we continue to the coast to explore the Caves of Hercules, before dining at a local seafood restaurant.
Friday 17th April – Chefchaouen and Fez We check out of our hotel and travel to Chefchaouen, the Blue City, famous for its streets and houses painted in bright blue wash. After lunch we continue to Fez, arriving at our hotel, Le Jardin des Biehn, where we dine together.
Saturday 18th April – Fez A leisurely start is followed by a guided tour of the Jnan Sbil gardens. In the afternoon, a walking tour of the historic medina reveals notable buildings and palaces and traditional industries such as tanneries. In the afternoon we will have a tour of the gardens at our riad, before dinner in the old city.
Sunday 19th April – Roman city of Volubilis and Meknes This morning we explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Volubilis, provincial capital of the Roman Empire for over 400 years. We continue to the imperial city of Meknes, for lunch and visit a local winery for a tasting. The Domaine de Baccari, in the foothills of the Middle Atlas mountains, is the project of neurosurgeon Dr Amine Bahnini and his Lebanese wife, Nahla, who started producing wines in 2013 and have won medals at the International Wine Challenge. Dinner will be taken at a nearby Relais & Châteaux restaurant.
Monday 20th April – Moulay Yacoub and departure Visit Moulay Yacoub, a spa town nestling in green hills filled with wild flowers, just 30 minutes’ drive from Fez, and enjoy a traditional lunch before our flight from Fez to Stansted, departing Fez 19.55. We arrive at London Stansted at 23.15.
Prices and how to book: Call Kirker Holidays on 020 7593 2284 or email oldie@kirkerholidays.com. £3,988 per person, which includes return flights (including one hold bag); accommodation with breakfast – three nights at the El Minzah Hotel, Tangier, and three nights at Le Jardin des Biehn, Fez; lunch and dinner each day, with drinks; all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities; the services of the tour lecturer, Kirsty Fergusson, the Kirker tour manager, and a local guide. Single supplement: £547. Optional supplement to upgrade to a suite at Le Jardin des Biehn, Fez: £396 per room
WALKING & MOBILITY
Our tours have been created to show you as much as possible of your chosen destination, and often the best way to do this is on foot. In order to enjoy these holidays you need to be reasonably fit, able to stroll at a normal pace for at least 40 minutes, to go up and down a staircase without assistance and to stand - perhaps in a queue - for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Should you have any concerns whatsoever, please speak to Katherine on 01225 427311.
TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES
Although we are pleased to welcome clients with disabilities, their participation will depend on the nature of the disability and in some cases it will be necessary to be accompanied by an able-bodied companion. In order to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of all participants on any tour we must ask you to declare full details of your disability, especially if this affects your mobility, so that we can consider your personal circumstances.
