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Explore the historical legacies and dynamic cultures of coastal Portugal, Spain, France and England. Cruise for eight nights aboard an exclusively chartered, five-star small ship. Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime cruise up the storied River Thames to London’s Tower Bridge. Special guest Dwight D. Eisenhower II, historian and grandson of General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, accompanies you to the hallowed beaches of Normandy. Explore Oporto in Portugal’s renowned wine country, walk in the footsteps of ancient pilgrims in Santiago de Compostela, visit Bilbao’s iconic Guggenheim Museum and see Mont-Saint-Michel’s impressive abbey. Lisbon Pre-Program and London Post-Program Options.
Itinerary:
Day 1 Depart the U.S. or Canada
Day 2 Lisbon, Portugal/Embark the ship—Arrive in
Lisbon, Portugal’s enigmatic capital city—replete with
pastel‑flushed buildings and world class architecture.
Embark the ship this afternoon.
Day 3 Leixões for Oporto—Discover Oporto, where you will
fall under the spell of its historical center of Ribeira, a
UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the Gothic Igreja
de São Francisco, noted for its Baroque interior, and
the Neoclassical Palácio da Bolsa, where designs of the
gilded Arabian Hall were inspired by the Alhambra in
Granada. Attend the Captain’s Welcome Reception.
Day 4 A Coruña, Spain, for Santiago de Compostela
Travel to the hills of Galicia, one of Spain’s
17 autonomous communities. Golden‑hued granite
buildings and arcaded squares grace Santiago de
Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one
of Spain’s most beautiful cities. Stroll along medieval
pedestrian streets to the expansive Praza do Obradoiro,
flanked by the glorious Romanesque cathedral.
Day 5 Santander for Bilbao—Visit the dynamic and exuberant
Bilbao, encircled by the verdant Basque Mountains. The
1997 construction of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum
launched the city’s cultural renaissance as modernist
marvels from Santiago Calatrava and Philippe Starck
redefined the post‑industrial skyline. Enjoy a guided tour of
Guggenheim’s renowned art collection, explore
Art Nouveau and Baroque jewels in Bilbao’s Casco Viejo
(Old Quarter) and take a stroll along the Paseo del Arenal.
Day 6 Cruising the Bay of Biscay—Enjoy a day at sea, where
you can choose to attend various educational lectures.
Day 7 Saint-Malo, France, for Mont-Saint-Michel
The UNESCO World Heritage‑designated Mont-Saint-
Michel is a soaring masterpiece isolated beyond a
stretch of saltwater marsh. Admire the serene cloisters,
barrel-roofed réfectoire and Gothic Salle des Hôtes of the
13th‑century La Merveille and the magnificent Église
Abbatiale with a transept that rests on solid rock.
Day 8 Caen for Normandy Beaches—Make the solemn
pilgrimage to the historic Normandy D-Day beaches, the site
of the largest seaborne invasion in history. In the company
of Professor David Eisenhower—historian and grandson of
General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower—walk where
Allied forces landed on D-Day. Following lunch, continue
to Arromanches to see the remnants of Mulberry Harbor.
Day 9 Cruising the English Channel/River Thames to
London’s Tower Bridge, England—Cruise the
English Channel and continue up the River Thames, a
memorable passage possible only by small ships. Cruise
under Tower Bridge and dock alongside HMS Belfast for
an overnight you will never forget. Attend the Captain’s
Farewell Reception this evening.
Day 10 London/Disembark ship/ Return to the U.S. or Canada
Following breakfast, disembark and continue to the airport
for your return flight to the U.S. or Canada.
