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
Cat 2
Main Deck with window. #317-320, 335-336
Cat 3
Main Deck with Window #313-316, 321-328, 337-340, 342, 344-350
Main Deck L-shaped Suite #341 & 343
Cat 4
Upper and Veranda Decks with Window. # 103-104, 107-108, 201-202, 204-207, 210, 212, 217, 226, 228.
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Really enjoyed Thatch Caye. The staff was great. Really liked our guide Raffi. And snorkeling at night was wonderful.
Cheryl Brenton
4 days ago
The persons I spoke with knew the material. I wont know until I actually take the trip if it was all correct but at this point they were helpful in finding a trip that met my criteria
SS
1 week ago
Creating a checklist was very beneficial and meeting objectives on certain dates helped as well (to keep my trip organized). The Adventure Travel personnel helped keep me on track which is why my trip was so successful. Communication from both travel agencies (AT/MT) was vital.
Iziah Carthens
1 week ago
This is an amazing company to work with. I generally do not use tour companies as I am more of an independent traveller so I was slightly reticent. They were fantastic from the start - 10/10 - from lining up a phone call to discuss requirements, then their ongoing communication in the lead up to the tour and during it (thank you, Franny and Phen). They also explored cost-effective options (eg group transfers). The tour was in Patagonia so Adventure Life organised a pickup from the El Calafate airport to the El Chalten accommodation, two day hikes with a private guide and then to the El Calafate accommodation. A tour coordinator came to the hotel to explain, using the maps, what was involved in each day tour and what should be expected, and patiently answered all questions. The tour guide Marcos was excellent - very professional, knowledgable, communicative and at all times felt very safe with his navigational skills (important in the Patagonian wilderness). On the second day I forgot to take hiking poles so Marcos kindly gave me his. I honestly wouldn't have changed a thing and would happily recommend and book through them again.
Petrina Sta
1 week ago
Adventure Life has been great throughout my planning process for our up and coming Galapagos cruise. Kevin Moore, in particular, was very helpful in assisting me in making choices and providing me with options. He was also very patient, as I worked through figuring out what I really wanted in this vacation.
