Morocco, Spain, Portugal and Italy in four weeks

Husband and I have two free weeks before and after a tour in Morocco. Travelling from Barcelona to Casablanca via Madrid and Portugal, then Marrakech to Cittavecchia via Cinque Terre. Suggestions on transport and must-sees please? K. horne, Avoca Beach NSW

From Madrid what you could do is take the train to Salamanca, spend a couple of days exploring this statuesque Castilian beauty, also known as the "Oxford of Spain" for its huge student population and its Old University.

Next leg is a bus ride with Iberocoach across the border to the Portuguese town of Celorico Da Beira followed by another bus ride aboard Rodonorte to Pocinho, the highest railway station on the River Douro.

This is the river that puts the "port" into Portugal and the train follows the river on a glorious journey between steep-sided hills terraced with vineyards all the way to the city of Porto.

Next stop is Lisbon from where you can fly to Casablanca.

From Marrakech you can fly to Genoa on a one-stop flight and from there head for the Cinque Terre.

A reasonable itinerary from there would be Lucca, Florence, Assisi, Rome and Civitavecchia.

TIPOLOGIST

Confusion exists between "direct" flights and "non-stop". Direct means your flight includes at least one stop en route but aboard the same aircraft using the same flight number. Non-stop means just that.

SEND US YOUR TRAVEL QUESTIONS

Include your name and your suburb or town and send it to tripologist@fairfaxmedia.com.au All published questions will win a Lonely Planet guidebook.