ECTC Cultural Tour: Spain and Morocco

Over the summer, ECTC students, faculty and staff traveled together to two countries on two continents, visiting historic sites in both Spain and Morocco.

In Spain, the group visited the cities of Madrid, Granada and Tarifa, seeing multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Alhambra, one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world. They also attended a flamenco show inside a cave, before traveling from Europe to Africa via a 45-minute ferry crossing on the Strait of Gibraltar. The crossing took the group from Tarifa, Spain, to Tangier, Morocco.

The culture of Morocco was very different from what the travelers were used to. They visited the historic city of Tangier, riding camels on the beach where the Mediterranean Sea empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Other highlights included the Hercules Cave; a 9,000-street medina (old town); Chefchaouen, called the Blue City since most are painted various shades of blue on a hillside; a visit to the Royal Palace in Fez, official residence of the King of Morocco; and the Jewish quarter in Fez.

To learn about upcoming cultural tours, contact ECTC Chair of Global Studies & International Partnerships Kevin Parrett, kevin.parrett@kctcs.edu or 270-706-8640, or visit ectc.us/study-abroad. Parret will lead a tour to Egypt in June 2025. Scholarships are available for students.