Spain and Portugal

Upon arrival, transfer to our hotel and enjoy spectacular views of the Alhambra fortress and the historic center of Granada. Enjoy a festive welcome reception and meet your fellow travelers.

This morning enjoy a walking tour in the historic center of Granada, visiting the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel), a lavish mausoleum built by Ferdinand and Isabella to commemorate their victory over the Moors, and the impressive Granada Cathedral, one of only two Renaissance churches in Spain. After dinner, enjoy a private evening visit to the Alhambra, one of the most remarkable fortresses ever built. This 14th-century Moorish hilltop fortress-palace is a World Heritage site and Spain’s most visited attraction. Explore the elegant Nasrid Palaces, built around the Courtyard of the Lions, and the splendid Generalife Gardens, one of the oldest surviving Moorish gardens. Its Court of the Water Channel, framed by flowerbeds, fountains, colonnades, and pavilions, is considered a superior example of a medieval Persian garden.

Drive to the port city of Málaga, birthplace of Pablo Picasso. Visit the Picasso Museum, where 285 of the artist’s works donated by members of his family are on display. After lunch, embark our luxurious, 384-foot-long, threemasted sailing ship and spend time relaxing and checking out the ship’s amenities before dinner on board.

Enjoy a morning at sea. Weather permitting, marvel at the finely coordinated activities of the crew as they unfurl the sails. Call this afternoon at the iconic Rock of Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, named after Umayyad general Tariq ibn Ziyad (“Gibraltar” is the Spanish derivation of the Arabic name “Jebel Tariq”). In the Gibraltar Nature Reserve atop the rock, enjoy views of the European and African coastlines and the antics of the resident Barbary macaques, the only wild primate species in Europe. Also within the reserve, explore St. Michael’s Cave, a network of limestone caves at a height of more than 980 feet above sea level. Visit the 18th-century Great Siege Tunnels, dug by British soldiers during an attempt by France and Spain to capture Gibraltar during the American Revolution.

Our ship docks this morning in Cádiz for a full-day excursion to Seville, capital of Andalucía and Spain’s fourth largest city. First established as a Roman provincial capital, Seville flourished under the Moors during the Middle Ages and reached new heights of prosperity during the Age of Discovery. Visit the lovely Reales Alcazáres, a Mudejar palace and gardens built on the site of a former Moorish fortress. Walk through the charming Santa Cruz Quarter (the Jewish Quarter in the Middle Ages) and visit Seville Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral and third-largest church in the world and also the site of Christopher Columbus’ tomb. Enjoy a traditional tapas lunch and private flamenco performance at a local tablao.

Dock this morning at Portimão and explore the seafaring town of Lagos, former capital of the beautiful Algarve region and an important port throughout much of its 2,000-year-old history; it was the principal maritime base for Prince Henry the Navigator’s first expeditions down the coast of Africa, and the site of Europe’s first slave market. The city walls and old quarter are preserved from medieval times, and the Church of St. Anthony is one of Portugal’s finest Baroque buildings with an exuberantly painted ceiling and an altar gilt with Brazilian gold. Nearby, take in the dramatic rock formations of Ponta da Piedade, set against the alluring green sea. Return to the ship for lunch and a full afternoon at sea.

After a full morning at sea, arrive in Lisbon and choose between a visit to the superb Gulbenkian Museum, whose collection spans every major epoch of Western art, or a guided walk through the medieval streets of the Alfama district. In the Alfama, stop at the Museum of Decorative Arts for a private demonstration of the application of age-old crafts including gilding, inlay work and woodcarving. Enjoy dinner in Lisbon with a performance of fado, Portugal’s poignant traditional music.

This morning we drive north along the Atlantic coast to Sintra, the summer residence of Portugal’s royalty for four centuries, and now a World Heritage site. This serene town of palaces and parks is nestled among forested hills. At the medieval National Palace of Sintra, see a marvelous collection of azulejos, or traditional painted tiles, and step into the spacious kitchens, whose massive conical chimneys define Sintra’s skyline. Return to Lisbon in the afternoon to visit the Belem Tower and the Jerónimos Monastery, the jewel of Manueline (Portuguese late-Gothic) architecture, where the renowned Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama is buried. Set sail from Lisbon early this evening. 

During a final day at sea, partially under sail (weather permitting), enjoy the conclusion of our lecture program and a festive farewell reception and dinner.

Arrive this morning in Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city and a thriving economic center with considerable charm. Disembark the Sea Cloud Spirit and enjoy a walking tour of Porto’s historic center, including a visit to the Palácio da Bolsa, a 19th-century palace that is now home to Porto’s stock exchange. Then cross the Douro River to Vila Nova de Gaia, where most of the world’s port wines are blended and aged. Toast our journey at a private port wine tasting and farewell lunch.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for return flights home.