London to Marrakech Express — Self-Launched
15 days · London, Paris, Barcelona, Granada, Fez & Marrakech
G Adventures charges £1,900
No-markup version: ~£1,245 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 15-day "London to Marrakech Express" 18-to-thirtysomethings trip. You'll travel the same arc — London → Paris → Barcelona → Granada → (ferry to Morocco) → Fez → Marrakech — using the Eurostar, budget flights, Spanish trains and buses, the Algeciras–Tangier ferry and Moroccan trains, staying in hostels and simple guesthouses and booking the same highlights (Parc Güell, Alhambra, Fez medina, Marrakech souks) yourself via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct booking. Approximate per-person costs in GBP based on current budget traveller rates; prices fluctuate with season and how far ahead you book.
Day-by-day
London → Paris by Eurostar
London → Paris
Start in London, where you'd have met the group. Book your own Eurostar ticket (Paris Nord, ~2h20) as far ahead as possible — fares start around £39 if booked early but can be £90+ last-minute. Walk from Gare du Nord to your hostel in Montmartre or the 10th/11th arrondissement, then do a free self-guided loop: Canal Saint-Martin, Le Marais, Île de la Cité at dusk. Pick up picnic supplies (baguette, cheese, fruit) from a Franprix or a market.
🚌Eurostar London St Pancras → Paris Gare du Nord, ~£55 booked ahead; Métro single ~€2.15
🛏Hostel dorm in Montmartre / 10e (St Christopher's Canal or similar), ~£32/night
- →Eurostar crossing
- →Free self-guided Marais & Île de la Cité walk
Paris — Eiffel Tower picnic & Montmartre
Paris
Morning picnic on the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower (you can climb to the 2nd floor for ~£22 if you book direct on the Eiffel Tower site — much cheaper than a tour; the park itself is free). Afternoon climb the hill to Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur (free entry to the basilica). Evening: cheap crêpes or a €12 plat du jour in the 11th. Louvre entry is ~£19 direct if you want it — book a timed slot online.
🚌Métro/navigo day pass ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm in Montmartre / 10e, ~£32/night
- →Champ de Mars picnic
- →Montmartre & Sacré-Cœur (free)
- →Optional Eiffel Tower summit ~£22 / Louvre ~£19
Paris — free day (Versailles or Latin Quarter)
Paris
Free day, as on the original trip. Budget option: walk the Latin Quarter, Jardin du Luxembourg (free) and the Seine book stalls. Half-day trip out to Versailles by RER C (~£8 return plus ~£18 palace entry booked direct) if you want the big set-piece. Book tomorrow's flight tonight.
🚌RER C to Versailles ~£8 return (optional)
🛏Hostel dorm in Montmartre / 10e, ~£32/night
- →Latin Quarter & Luxembourg Gardens (free)
- →Optional Versailles half-day ~£26
Fly to Barcelona — Gothic Quarter & Parc Güell
Paris → Barcelona
Cheap morning flight Paris Orly/Beauvais → Barcelona with Vueling, easyJet or Ryanair (~£40–60 booked ahead; check Beauvais transfer cost, add ~£16 bus). Land, drop bags, then walk the Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas yourself with a free GPSmyCity or Citymapper route — no paid guide needed. Late afternoon, Parc Güell's monumental zone needs a timed ticket (~£10 direct on the park's website); the free parts of the park give great city views. Evening tapas crawl in Gràcia: 3 pintxos + a drink for ~£18.
🚌Budget flight ~£50; Aerobús/R2 train to city ~£10; Metro ~£2.40/ride
🛏Hostel dorm in Gràcia / El Born (Casa Gracia or Sant Jordi), ~£30/night
- →Gothic Quarter self-guided walk
- →Parc Güell monumental zone ~£10
- →Gràcia tapas crawl
Barcelona — Sagrada Família & Barceloneta
Barcelona
Book your Sagrada Família timed slot directly on sagradafamilia.org (~£26, far cheaper than resellers) — go early to beat crowds. Afternoon: Casa Batlló or Casa Milà from outside (free) or one interior (~£25), then Metro to Barceloneta for the beach and boardwalk. Dinner at a menú del día spot in El Born for ~£14.
🚌Metro day ticket ~£9
🛏Hostel dorm in Gràcia / El Born, ~£30/night
- →Sagrada Família interior ~£26 (book direct)
- →Barceloneta beach & boardwalk
- →El Born evening walk
Barcelona — free day (Montserrat or Tibidabo)
Barcelona
Free day. Cheap adventure: train + cable car to Montserrat (~£22 return with the combined Trans Montserrat ticket; the basilica and mountain trails are free), or stay local with Bunkers del Carmel sunset views (free) and the Picasso Museum (~£11 direct). Do laundry, then get an early night before the long transfer south.
🚌Regional train + cable car to Montserrat ~£22 (optional)
🛏Hostel dorm in Gràcia / El Born, ~£30/night
- →Optional Montserrat day trip
- →Bunkers del Carmel sunset (free)
- →Picasso Museum ~£11
Train to Granada — Alhambra visit
Barcelona → Granada
Train south: Renfe AVE/Intercity Barcelona → Granada is ~6.5h (~£45–70 booked ahead; the bus on Alsa/FlixBus is ~£30 and slower). The group trip flies and buses this leg — a direct train is simpler. Arrive, check into a guesthouse in the Albaicín, and visit the Alhambra in the late afternoon slot — tickets sell out weeks ahead, so book on tickets.alhambra-patronato.es (~£15 general, extra for Nasrid Palaces timing). Sunset from Mirador de San Nicolás (free) is the classic finish.
🚌Renfe train ~£55
🛏Guesthouse double/private in Albaicín (shared twin ~£22pp) or hostel dorm ~£18
- →Alhambra general ticket ~£15 (book direct, weeks ahead)
- →Mirador de San Nicolás at sunset
Granada — free day & flamenco
Granada
Morning coffee and churros, then wander the Albayzín's whitewashed lanes and the Moroccan tea houses on Calle Calderería Nueva. Afternoon free — the Capilla Real or the Science Park if you want an indoor option. Evening: see flamenco in a tablao in Sacromonte (~£18–25 booked direct; cave shows are cheaper than Sevilla's) or catch free impromptu guitar in a bar.
🚌Walking; local bus ~£1.50
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Albaicín, ~£20/night
- →Albayzín wander
- →Sacromonte flamenco show ~£20
Bus to Algeciras → ferry to Tangier
Granada → Tangier
Long transfer day, done independently: Alsa bus Granada → Algeciras (~4h, ~£22), then walk or taxi to the port and take the FRS or Baleària ferry Algeciras → Tangier Ville (~1.5h, ~£30–40 one way; book online, passport control at the port). On arrival, walk into the medina and stay in a riad-style guesthouse — Tangier is cheap and atmospheric. Evening mint tea on a rooftop and a first tagine (~£8).
🚌Alsa bus ~£22 + ferry ~£35
🛏Riad-style guesthouse, private twin ~£18pp or dorm ~£12
- →Ferry crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar
- →Tangier medina evening stroll
Train to Fez — Cap Spartel & Caves of Hercules
Tangier → Fez
Morning on the Atlantic side: grand taxi or local bus to Cap Spartel lighthouse and the Caves of Hercules (~£12 shared taxi round trip; the cave itself ~£2). Then take the afternoon ONCF train Tangier → Fez (~4h, ~£18 second class, book on oncf-voyages.ma). Arrive in Fez, get picked up or walk to your guesthouse in the medina edge. Cheap dinner of harira soup and msemen (~£6).
🚌Shared grand taxi ~£12 + ONCF train ~£18
🛏Medina guesthouse/dar, private twin ~£20pp
- →Cap Spartel & Caves of Hercules
- →ONCF train ride south
Fez medina — self-booked local guide
Fez
The original trip includes a Fez medina guided tour (and the tannery viewpoint). Book the same thing yourself on GetYourGuide or Klook: a 3-hour licensed local guide for the medina runs ~£20–30 per person in a small group, or £40 for a private guide you can split. You'll see the Chouara tannery from a leather shop balcony, the Bou Inania madrasa (~£2), the Nejjarine fountain and the souks. Tip your guide ~£5. Afternoon: Bab Bou Jeloud and a hammam (~£10 for a local bath house).
🚌Walking (the medina is car-free)
🛏Medina guesthouse/dar, private twin ~£20pp
- →Fez medina guided tour via GetYourGuide ~£25
- →Chouara tannery viewpoint
- →Local hammam ~£10
Fez — free day (Volubilis & Moulay Idriss)
Fez
Day trip by grand taxi or CTM bus to the Roman ruins of Volubilis (~£6 entry) and the hill town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun — a shared taxi for the loop is ~£35, or take a bus to Meknès (~£4) and a local taxi onward. Back in Fez by evening for a rooftop dinner (~£8). Book tomorrow's train to Marrakech tonight.
🚌Shared taxi/bus day trip ~£18
🛏Medina guesthouse/dar, private twin ~£20pp
- →Volubilis Roman ruins ~£6
- →Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
Train to Marrakech
Fez → Marrakech
ONCF train Fez → Marrakech is ~7h (~£20 second class; consider the overnight train or an early departure). The group trip does Fez → Marrakech by overnight bus — the train is more comfortable for similar money. Arrive, check into a riad or hostel near Jemaa el-Fnaa, and dive into the square at night: street food stalls, storytellers, juice carts (dinner ~£7).
🚌ONCF train ~£20
🛏Riad/hostel in the medina, private twin ~£20pp or dorm ~£12
- →Jemaa el-Fnaa square at night
- →Street food dinner
Marrakech — souks, palaces & Majorelle
Marrakech
Self-guided medina day: Bahia Palace (~£6), the Saadian Tombs (~£6), the souks around Souk Semmarine for lanterns and leather, and Jardin Majorelle + YSL Museum (~£14 combined, book a timed slot online). Late afternoon: cheap rooftop mint tea, then a cooking class if you fancy it (~£25 on Klook, includes market shopping and dinner).
🚌Walking; petit taxi ~£2/ride
🛏Riad/hostel in the medina, private twin ~£20pp
- →Bahia Palace ~£6
- →Jardin Majorelle timed ticket ~£14
- →Optional cooking class ~£25
Marrakech — Atlas day trip & departure
Marrakech
Finish with the mountains: a shared minibus or GetYourGuide group day trip to Imlil or the Ourika Valley with a short hike and Berber lunch runs ~£25–35 per person (cheaper than a private driver). Alternatively, stay in the city, haggle in the souks and have a final tagine. Depart from Marrakech Menara (RAK) — budget flights to London via easyJet/Ryanair from ~£45 one way, or onward travel from here.
🚌Shared minibus day trip ~£20 + airport transfer ~£6
🛏Departure day — none needed (or add a final night ~£20)
- →Atlas foothills day trip (Imlil/Ourika) ~£30
- →Souk shopping
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,245 | £1,900 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £655 per person (34%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,245
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does London to Marrakech Express — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,245 per person for 15 days in London, Paris, Barcelona, Granada, Fez & Marrakech. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,245 — a saving of roughly £655 (34%) per person.
How long is the London, Paris, Barcelona, Granada, Fez & Marrakech trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 day-by-day stops through London, Paris, Barcelona, Granada, Fez & Marrakech.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, city-breaks trip through London, Paris, Barcelona, Granada, Fez & Marrakech, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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