11 Days in Portugal & Morocco

It would be hard to find more progressive and liberal people than the Portuguese.  Portugal was the 8th country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ people enjoy essentially the same rights as everyone else.  There are plenty of gay bars and hotels in the main cities and pride festivals in Porto and Lisbon.  Most churches in the main cities are not regularly used for services these days but stand in a beautiful display of architecture and a sign of past religious influence.  Portugal is also known for having one of the most radical drug policies in the world once they decriminalized use and possession of all drugs in a way that moves the focus from criminal punishment to treatment.  

Morocco is a different story when it comes to progressive and liberal attitudes.  As a predominantly Muslim country there is not much public support for LGBTQ rights or progressive policies, which has changed a lot since the times when it was a hub of liberal attitudes, specifically in Tangier and Marrakech.  Despite the overall sentiment, Marrakech is a relatively safe place for LGBTQ travelers who respect the local customs and refrain from PDA, and on every visit in Morocco we've been left with an overwhelming sense of welcoming locals.

In Portugal you won't really need to think twice about being open with people.  However, in Morocco you'll want to ensure you acknowledge the different culture with different expectations and laws by avoiding public displays of affection, not using "meetup" apps, and keeping your excitement and affection for your partner to more private locations. 

Portuguese cuisine is most known for its seafood and Mediterranean influences.  In fact, Portugal has one of the highest fish consumption rates in the world - seafood lovers rejoice! Olives and olive oil, cheeses, and spices such as piri piri are common on most Portuguese menus.  In Porto the most well-known dish is their calorie-packed Francesinha, full of meat and cheese.  And in Lisbon you absolutely need to try at least a few Pastéis de Belém - their famous custard tarts.  Don't worry, we'll do a lot of walking.

Morocco's cuisine has been formed by their interactions and exchanges with many different regions including the Spanish, Arabian, and local Berbers.  Think lamb, goat, or seafood, with couscous and of course tagine and plenty of unique spices.  You'll find that breakfast and lunch tend to start with a series of small hot and cold salads before moving onto a larger main dish.  Oh, and plenty of mint tea of course!

Detours doesn't believe in limiting your choices by including all of your meals at pre-decided restaurants as part of the trip package. Instead, we include all your breakfasts to start your day off, then encourage you to explore all of the different restaurant options available to you for lunch and dinner. This way you can eat when you want, where you want, with whomever you want, and spend what you want! Your trip leader definitely has their favorite spots so if you'd like some advice on the best in each location, just check with them.

Our advice is simple. Pack your bag, then take half of those things out and leave them back home. It’s common to hear people wishing they’d packed less stuff, but we’ve never heard anyone complain that they didn’t bring enough. Even if you realize you forget to pack some crucial item you can always pick up a replacement once you arrive in Porto. Just make sure to review the climate section above and remember that our trips are run in a casual style so you can leave your tuxedos at home. We'll include some trip-specific packing advice based on expected weather as part of our update email to you, sent 10 days prior to your trip.

Portugal uses the Euros as their only currency, while Morocco uses the Dirham.   Before leaving home we encourage you to get the equivalent of at least a couple hundred USD in each currency for things that should be paid in cash along the way.  Credit cards are generally accepted in most places as well, but cash is still good to have on hand.  ATMs are widely available so don't worry if you're running low, your trip leader will help direct you to the closest one. 

It can sometimes be challenging to use large-denomination bills at shops and restaurants, so we encourage you to request small denomination bills when getting cash prior to your trip.

If possible, it's always a good idea to travel internationally with a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.  The savings will add up over the course of your trip and may end up being worth the work of getting a new card prior to your trip.  Once you're overseas, if presented with the option to pay in the local currency or your home currency, we suggest always choosing the local currency to further avoid fees.

While tipping isn't a native custom in this destination, those working in the tourism industry all over the world have come to expect gratuities when providing good service.  This extends to local guides, restaurant wait staff, bus drivers, and your Detours trip leader.  Of course the actual amount is left up to your discretion, if you've been provided excellent service we suggest leaving around 15% for restaurant/wait staff as well as the local equivalent of a few dollars to bus drivers and luggage porters, as well as around $10-15 USD per day for local guides and your Detours trip leader.

We have pretty high standards when it comes to choosing our accommodations, and trust us, we’ve done plenty of room-sniffing, pillow-patting, and bathroom inspections to make sure we stay at quality spots. To be approved as a Detours accommodations provider, a guesthouse must: be locally owned (to support the local community), be in an amazing location (close to the beach or other hot spots), AND be gay-owned or gay-friendly. We won't be staying in 5-star Ritz-Carltons but we also won't subject you to anything we wouldn't want to stay in ourselves. Clean, comfortable, well-located spots that'll put a smile on your face, you can count on that!

All Detours trips are led by one of our own Detours trip leaders.  They're there with you every day and their job is to help ensure that this is your trip of a lifetime by taking the hassle out of your trip and enabling you to experience everything you came to Portugal & Morocco for.  Consider them like a friendly concierge that's traveling along with you.  All of our trip leaders are gay and all are well-traveled and experienced in the destination they're leading in, so they'll be a great part of your experience!  In addition to your Detours trip leader, you'll also be joined by local guides along the way, who will be there to give you an even more in-depth understanding of the place you're visiting.

We do absolutely everything possible to avoid needing such a mundane awakening. A world without alarm clocks is one we want to be part of, and your “rise and shine” while in Portugal and Morocco should come from the smell of fresh breakfast ready or church bells in the distance.  Whenever we can we avoid booking super early or super late trains and flights.

Our Detours groups are run with a maximum of 16 travelers. Ages of group members vary but around 90% of our travelers are in their 30's, 40's, and 50's. Whatever the age of the guys on our trips everyone's already got something in common, an exciting new experience in a new country! Each group is led by a Detours trip leader who is there to ensure everything goes off without a hitch, allowing you to focus on having the time of your life!

No problem! Don’t worry, around 60% of our travelers come solo and our trip will provide plenty of chances to meet great people both inside and outside of our group, including other solos. As far as your accommodations go, you’ve got two choices. We can either pair you up with another solo group member in a two-bed room for no extra charge, or you can have your own room for a reasonable surcharge.

Portugal and Morocco both use a "type C" and "type F" plug, the same as most European countries and several other places in the world. The voltage is 230V with 50 Hz frequency. These days, the majority of items that are plugged into an outlet are built to handle varying voltage and frequency levels, but just to be sure, we suggest checking your item for its accetable range.

To ensure you don't lose connection along the way, your cell phone provider likely has several roaming options available.  We suggest reaching out to them prior to the trip to find out which package is right for you as it will depend on how much you intend to use your phone while traveling.  Keep in mind that all accommodation and most restaurants have free WiFi available as well.