Summary
Short description
Pair Europe’s city greats with its lesser-known gems aboard one of the world’s most luxurious ships
British Airways Sale
The British Airways Sale is now on, The British Airways Sale is now on, with Club World and Club Europe savings to a wide range of destinations. Book by 19 March 2024.
Highlights
- See Portugal, France and Spain in indulgent luxury
- Enjoy all-inclusive opulence throughout, from cocktails to fine dining
- Pause for both off-the-beaten-track charm and Europe’s city greats
- Sail along the Thames to dock at Tower Bridge
- Begin with business-class flights and a palatial Lisbon stay
In Brief
- 4 Nights Lisbon
- 1 Night Porto
- 1 Night La Coruña
- 1 Night At Sea
- 1 Night Bilbao
- 2 Nights Bordeaux
- 1 Night La Rochelle
- 1 Night Belle Île
- 2 Nights St. Marlo
- 1 Night Honfleur
- 1 Night London
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
Ocean cruise
Enjoying all-inclusive fine dining and open champagne bars throughout, this ultra-luxury cruise showcases the best of southern Europe’s Atlantic coast in style. But, alongside Lisbon’s historic grace, Bilbao’s modernist wonders and world-leading London, there’s plenty in between the headline acts. Indeed, you’ll take in everything from northern Spain’s rural beauty and Porto’s terracotta tumble to France’s island charm and historic coastal cities.
Day by day itinerary
Days
1-3
UK/Lisbon
Begin your trip in style with private-lounge access and business class flights to Lisbon, where you’ll be met by a private driver for the journey to your luxury accommodation. Staying in a neoclassical, 19th-century palace, you’ll have all of the Portuguese capital’s delights on your doorstep. To get your bearings, we’ve included a culinary tour. An expert guide will bring you between fado houses, palaces and local bars to sample everything from codfish cakes and salted sausages to port and green wine. There’s also time to explore on your own, wandering Lisbon’s cobblestone streets to pause at its famous Gothic monastery, 16th-century floating fortress and the majestic Castelo de Sao Jorge.
Stay: Avenida Palace, Lisbon (Deluxe)
Day
4
Lisbon
After breakfast today and some further time in Lisbon, a private driver will see you aboard the Silver Wind. Here, you’ll be hosted by a close-to 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio that serves up a full spread of all-inclusive fineries. The open bars pour out cocktails and champagne, dining venues range from French tasting extravaganzas to lava-rock grills, and you’ll have your complimentary minibar stocked by a personal butler. There’s even everything from a spa, library and fitness centre to a casino, collection of boutiques and card room. At the end of it all, retire to your suite accommodation, complete with marble bathroom and private verandah.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: D
Day
5
Porto
Your first stop is Porto. A city founded on a rich trading past, its mercantile treasures are exhibited across Moorish palaces, Baroque churches and a neoclassical cathedral. However, for many, it’s the port houses that linger longest in the memory. Stroll across the Gustave Eiffel-inspired Dom Luís I Bridge to Gaia, where centuries-old merchant houses still host indulgent tastings to this day. Or, simply hole up in a waterfront café to watch as river life plays out in front of you. You might also want to head out of the city to discover the walled medieval towns crouched among the vineyards of the Douro Valley.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
6
La Coruña
Leaving Portugal behind, you’ll arrive into Spain with La Coruña. Gateway to the Galicia region, one of the country’s lesser-known gems, you’ll be greeted by a land of pretty beaches and green, misted hills. It’s the backdrop to the likes of idyllic coastal walks, a UNESCO-listed Roman lighthouse and a thriving restaurant and market scene that showcases the best of the local seafood. While you might be tempted to simply stroll along the gardens, monuments and squares of La Coruña’s old town, day trips can also bring you to Santiago de Compostela – a thousand-year-old cathedral wonder.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
7
At Sea
With a day at sea, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the Silver Wind's superb selection of facilities. Whether it’s language lessons, dance classes, a premium cigar lounge or mixologist cocktails, there’s something for every taste. You’ll also be treated to performances at the Show Lounge. Host to a broad spectrum of entertainment, there’s everything from full-scale productions and feature films to classical soloists and destination lectures.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
8
Bilbao
Continuing along the coast, you’ll arrive into Bilbao. This Basque beauty impresses with some of the world’s finest contemporary architecture, epitomised by the iconic Guggenheim. Its great gold shimmer houses one of the finest collections of modern art. Among it all, the city’s industrial past is remembered in fading 19th-century architecture. Alternatively, turn out into the Basque Country for hikes, cellar tastings and San Sebastián – an Art Nouveau haven for Michelin stars and beach lovers alike.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Days
9-10
Bordeaux
Hopping over into France, you’ll arrive into Bordeaux for two days of exploration. Of course, the viticulture here is a special highlight, with tasting tours spanning from chateaux and cellar doors to the vineyards that terrace its verdant contours. You can even take it all in from a hot air balloon. However, with half the city UNESCO listed, Bordeaux is also the largest World Heritage site. Wander tree-lined boulevards to take in beautifully neoclassical architecture, pausing at pavement cafés, royal 18th-century squares and monuments to the French Revolution.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
11
La Rochelle
Continuing north along the French coast, you’ll arrive into a La Rochelle. As one of France’s principal seaports between the 14th and 17th centuries, it was a centre for trade and commerce, its historic riches remembered by replicas of hundred-year-old frigates and a fascinating maritime museum. That’s not to mention the half-timbered houses, stern stone defences and iconic lighthouses. You might also want to also explore further afield, with everything from tastings at the Hennessy Distillery to bird-spotting marsh cruises and excursions to the quaint fishing villages of Ré Island.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
12
Belle-Île
As the largest of a handful of islands found just off the coast of Brittany, Belle-Île is a picture of rugged cliffs, pastel towns and idyllic beaches. It really does live up to its name; Belle-Île-en-Mer translates to 'beautiful island in the sea’. Once you’ve taken in the star-shaped Citadelle Vauban – a marvel of 16th-century ingenuity – be sure to turn out to explore the rest of the island, with oyster tastings, twisting rock formations and pretty creeks among the highlights. It all makes for perfect hikes or cycle rides.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Days
13-14
St. Malo
From the seafaring merchants of La Rochelle now to the pirates of St. Malo. Flung out to sea and only bound to the mainland by man-made causeways, this was the strategic launch for many a privateer raid on the British. It’s a warring past that lives on today in fortifications that date back as far as the 12th century. Its old town is equally evocative, with welcoming restaurants spilling out onto the streets. Otherwise, spend an afternoon on the beach or enjoy a stroll through the hills. The route along Cape Fréhel is a special highlight for its clifftop views of the 17th-century lighthouse built by King Louis XIV.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
15
Honfleur
Your last stop is France is Honfleur, the most picturesque of the Côte Fleurie’s seaside towns. Here, a maze of cobbled streets leads between quaint, half-timbered houses and a fantastic collection of Renaissance architecture. Look to the 17th-century Vieux Bassin harbour for the finest examples; it’s ringed by tall, slate-capped residences that are fronted by wooden façades. There’s also a plenty of delightful excursions to book onto, from trips out to the Normandy landing beaches and the Bayeux Cathedral’s famous tapestry to brandy tastings and cooking courses.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
16
London
End in London, sailing along the Thames to dock right at Tower Bridge, its iconic spires welcoming you to the capital. You’ll then have a day to explore from your central position. Perhaps take in the skyscraping views from Greenwich Park, catch a world-class show at the West End or simply wander along the Mall to link Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. It’s all wrapped up in centuries of fascinating heritage, showcased across what is perhaps the world’s finest collection of museums and galleries.Debark on day two after breakfast and make your own way home.
Stay: Silver Wind (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
17
Disembark
After a final breakfast, disembark to make your journey home.
Meals: B
Map
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