Málaga – Las Palmas · 26 October – 5 November 2026

Considering that Gibraltar covers an area of only around 2.6 square miles, the British enclave is home to astonishing contrasts. Red telephone booths, double-decker buses and high tea on one side, Spanish architecture and tapas bars on the other. Today, Gibraltar is a city of border crossers: Shopping enthusiasts from all over the world stroll along Main Street, which runs through the old town. An unmistakable landmark is the striking Upper Rock, which is easily reached by a cable car. At the top, not only the stunning views across the strait to Africa are likely to impress you, but also the hordes of cute Macaques.

The old city of Cádiz, around 3,000 years old, has a picturesque location on a narrow headland, right by the Playa de la Caleta with its elegant beachside promenade. Visit the Andalusian capital of Seville and you will be transported back to the heyday of Moorish splendour and rule, but also the age of discovery. This town sits on the Guadalquivir River was a center of Spanish maritime trade with the New World. Many buildings in the old town are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the splendid Moorish Alcazar fortress and the huge Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Sede. Seville is a fun-loving city that is still at the center of Andalusian culture and is considered the proud birthplace of Flamenco.

With a population of around one million, Tangier is constantly on the move: The port city west of the Strait of Gibraltar, whose cosmopolitan charm has attracted many writers, has been experiencing an economic and cultural boom for years. Those who yearn for more traditional oriental magic will find what they are looking for nearby: Tetouan, the „white dove of the Mediterranean“ with its gleaming whitewashed houses, is not far away. The lively, authentic medina is hidden behind its thick city wall. Or would you prefer even more color? Then let’s go to Chefchaouen – the facades of this charming city shine in an extremely photogenic azure blue.

Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.

Around 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Casablanca is Rabat, one of the country's four imperial cities. This modern capital with its historic center was accepted onto the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2012. Hassan Tower, Rabat's landmark, dates back to the time when the city was the Sultanate's capital. Close by, and yet built hundreds of years later, is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. You can find this regal residence in the elegant French-influenced residential quarter, Ville Nouvelle, with its boulevards and splendid Art Deco colonial buildings.

With more than 5 miles of beach, a modern promenade, and countless restaurants and bars, Agadir, the "White City by the Sea," is a mecca for sun lovers – and a starting point for exciting excursions into the back country. Taroudant, about 50 miles to the east, was once the residence of a Berber prince, a rich caravan centre, and an important trading post. Through one of the five massive city gates in the mighty clay walls, you enter the lively medina with its numerous souks, where Berber handicrafts, leather goods, silver jewellery, and the famous argan oil are traded.

The "Island of Fire", a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, has been continually recreated by volcanic eruptions. A third of Lanzarote is a bizarre lunar landscape of barren, beige-grey lines of hills and "fire mountains". In sharp contrast to this are the snow white houses, golden beaches and sparse green vegetation. Its quaint wine-growing areas of La Geria have been declared an all-embracing art form by the Museum of Modern Art. The painter, sculptor and architect César Manrique understood art as the link between man and nature and made a vital contribution to the look of his island home through his artistic creations.

With its black volcano almost 6,561 feet high and endless white beaches along the coastline, the island of Gran Canaria displays a huge variety of landscapes. It's a "continent in miniature" with rugged rock formations, dense pine forests, dry valleys and reservoirs inland, lush vegetation in the north, shimmering dune landscapes in the south and weirdly shaped cliffs in the west. Almost half the island has been registered by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. The capital, Las Palmas, is no less colorful, with its port and history stretching back 500 years. The showpiece of this historic old town is the magnificent Santa Ana Cathedral.