Embrace the culture and history of Spain and Portugal on this 10-day small ship cruise. Begin in Sevilla, Spain, then transfer to Granada and sail West around the coast of Portugal and up to Northern Spain. Rich in history and culture, this cruise is sure to delight.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Explore the Old City, including the amazing Gothic cathedral, Giralda Tower, and Alcázar. In the late afternoon, drive through the scenic Andalusian countryside and arrive in Cádiz, where you embark on the National Geographic Explorer.
Arrive in Motril and drive from the port of Motril to the beautiful city of Granada and its breathtaking Alhambra Palace. Built in the 13th century on a hill above the city, the city reflects both the wealth and love of beauty of the Moors. Also visit Generalife, the summer palace of the Moorish rulers, which features a maze of grandly terraced gardens. After a typical Andalusian lunch at the exquisite Alhambra Palace Hotel, visit the Capilla Real, or Royal Chapel, where the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella are entombed.
Spend today in Gibraltar, one of the few places in the world where you can see two continents at once! Explore the rock fortress by minibus and spend some time with the famous Barbary Apes and Gibraltar macaques. Also visit the incredible St.Michael's Cave, where you may see magnificent stalagmites and stalactites formed from limestone. In the evening, pass between the Pillars of Hercules and through the Strait of Gibraltar as you exit the Mediterranean Sea.
Enjoy the day in the pastoral hills of the Algarve, where you find present-day farmlands and remnants of Moorish culture that once dominated the region. From Portimão, head North to Silves, one of the oldest villages on the Algarve. Here, visit the 12th-century sandstone castle and fortress that were by the Moors.
Connect with Portugal’s proud maritime traditions by arriving by sea, along the banks of the Tagus. Enter colorful Lisbon, known for its extraordinary architecture and the history of Portugal’s 15th- and 16th-century Age of Exploration. Columbus, Magellan, Vasco da Gama, Henry the Navigator each play a part in the city tour. Begin at the massive Monument to the Discoverers, the city’s symbol, and see the richness of Manueline architecture evident on visits to the Jeronimos Monastery and the Belém Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Famous for its port wine, old town Oporto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site resounding in stately architecture: the 13th century Church of São Francisco with its dazzling Baroque interior and the 19th-century Neoclassical Stock Exchange. The scenic Douro was the main river for transporting the port wines from the highlands of northern Portugal aboard picturesque flat-bottomed wine boats. And of course, no visit would be complete without a visit to one of the colorful riverside port houses to sample the port wine which has made this region famous.
The most magnificent pilgrimage site of the Middle Ages is the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela, declared a UNESCO site. With its detailed façade and massive size, the cathedral is awe-inspiring. By special arrangement, witness the swinging of the extraordinary 125-pound silver incense burner called the botafumeiro. After exploring this architectural marvel, enjoy lunch in town at the Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos, which was built for pilgrims in the 16th century by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
Day 9: At Sea / Bilbao, Spain
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
A relaxing morning at sea gives you time to attend lectures on all you have seen. In the afternoon, lovers of art and architecture may appreciate Frank Gehry’s futuristic Bilbao Guggenheim Museum with its distinctive titanium wave. The finish of the 33,000 extremely thin titanium sheets gives an organic effect, changing color depending on weather and light conditions. It is possible to walk all the way around the Museum, admiring different configurations from each perspective of the structure Philip Johnson once called “the greatest building of our time.”
Day 10: Bilbao / Disembark
1 Breakfast
Disembark in Bilbao after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your continued independent journeys.
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Cat 1
Main Deck with one or two portholes. #301-308
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Cat 2
Main Deck with window. #317-320, 335-336.
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Cat 3
Main Deck with Window #313-316, 321-328, 337-340,342, 344, 346, 348, 350.
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Cat 4
Upper and Veranda Decks with Window. # 103-104, 107-108, 201-202, 204-207, 210, 212, 217, 226, 228.
Kate was great to work with in the planning stage. She was prompt, helpful, and efficient. Our tour guide, Edwin, was knowledgeable and passionate. We were very happy to have traveled with Adventure Life, it made the trip easy and a true pleasure. We could concentrate on enjoying the experience rather than the details of travel.
Lisa Bridge
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
7 hours ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.