I posted awhile back about Morocco weather in January (thank you everyone for your advice!). Since then, we've gone ahead with the trip (as Minnesotans, I think we'll be fine). We arrive in Marrakech on January 1, and need to be in Madrid for a conference by January 19. We're thinking of spending close to two weeks in Morocco (it's our first visit), then heading someplace in southern Spain for a bit (also our first visit), before making our way to Madrid by train.
Our college-aged daughter will be with us from January 1-9 before flying back home from Marrakech to get back to school. As a result, we're likely going to base in Marrakech for most of that period, with potential day trips to Ait Ben Haddou and/or Ouarzazate, maybe a night or two in Essaouira. We'd love to make it further north with her, but we also don't want her trip to be full of transport, especially since we'd need to circle back to Marrakech. So, we're excited to get to know Marrakech at a slower pace.
Once she leaves, we're thinking of heading north (by train) to Rabat, then possibly Fes. We thought of then going to Tangier for a few days before crossing by ferry to Spain - hit Gibraltar, then to Malaga. I'm wondering if folks think Tangier and the land/sea crossing is worth it, while recognizing it likely comes down to personal preference. We could fly from Rabat or Fes, likely saving us a lot of time and energy (and money).