|
London (Southampton)
|
08/29/2024 |
08/29/2024 |
|
At Sea
|
08/30/2024 |
08/30/2024 |
|
Edinburgh (Newhaven)
|
08/31/2024 |
08/31/2024 |
|
Kirkwall (Orkney Islands)
|
09/01/2024 |
09/01/2024 |
|
Stornoway
|
09/02/2024 |
09/02/2024 |
Belfast
Optional Private Excursions
Avoid the crowds and hustle and bustle associated with a group activity. For a memorable trip ashore, we invite you to consider a private shore excursion. Enjoy the undivided attention of your own driver/guide and the flexibility of experiencing the aspects of the local culture that most interest you. Below are just some samples of the private shore excursions we can arrange for you. Let us personalize your experience!
-
Belfast - Tour of Antrim Coast - Full Day Tour
Depart Port by luxury vehicle accompanied by local professional guide. Leaving Belfast behind, head north on a scenic, northbound journey. Travel to the port of Larne and then join the spectacular Antrim Coast road. Onwards through the villages of Ballygalley and Glenarm to Cushendall, know as the "Capital of the Glens" and Ballycastle, host of the annual 'Oul Lammas Fair'.
Arrive at The Giants Causeway Centre. 
Next, travel to the famouse village of Bushmills, which is home to the legendary Bushmills Whiskey Distillery.
Enjoy a 2 Course lunch with tea/coffee in the wonderful Distillers Arms restaurant.
Following lunch you will travel along the Coast up to the fantastic Dunluce Castle. It is thought by some to be the most picturesque of all Irish castles. Situated in the most north-easterly tip of Ireland and first built by Richard de Burgh, Earl of Ulster in the 13th century, the ruins of the castle are a huge tourist attraction.
The castle is surrounded by terrifyingly steep drops at either side; these would have been essential features to the Vikings and early Christians, who were drawn to this magnificent place where an early Irish ring-fort once stood. It is situated on a 100 foot high basalt stack with a sea cave underneath. The earliest features of the castle, the two large drum towers, about nine metres in diameter, can still be seen on the eastern side.
Return to Belfast Port on the motorway which runs close to some scenic inland countryside.
Inclusions:
- Private Driver Guide
- Giants Causeway visitor Centre
- Entrance to Dunluce Castle
- Lunch Including Tea and Coffee
-
Belfast: Cultural Belfast - 8 hours
Belfast may be a small city, but it has a wealth of culture and excitement on offer for you to discover! Firstly, visit the purpose-built iconic ‘Titanic Belfast’. With over nine galleries, the Titanic story is brought to life for you with exhibitions, rides, full-scale reconstructions and lots
of interactive fun.
After a hearty Irish lunch (payable locally) head into Belfast city where your guide unravels stories related to “the troubles” of Northern Ireland. You cannot miss the murals across Belfast that offer a fascinating history in pictures. Although huge strides have been made in the fight to combat sectarianism in the city, the marks of the past can still be witnessed across the city, adorning the sides of buildings and walls. A tour of Belfast wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a pint of Guinness at the famous Crown Bar in the city centre. This 19th-century bar is an experience that is unique to Northern Ireland. You are privately transferred back to board your cruise after your tour.
Highlights:
- Explore the 'Titanic Belfast' and learn about the ship's fascinating history
- Learn about Belfast's turbulent past and visit the famous Crown Bar in the city centre
Tour Duration: 8 Hours
Tour Can Operate: Morning / Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 8 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
Exclusions:
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
-
Belfast: Highlights of Belfast - 6 hours
Today you are met by your expert local guide for a sightseeing in Belfast and the surrounding area. Spend the morning on a panoramic tour of the city centre, where you see the impressive City Hall in Donegall Square, St. Anne’s Cathedral and the buildings of Queen’s University. During this tour, your guide talks to you about the sectarian divisions that have been so prominent in Belfast in recent years. You also visit the Titanic Quarter, so-called as it was here that the ill-fated liner was being constructed a century ago. Your guide shows you where the ship was constructed and the Thomson Dock where it had its final fit-out.
Highlights:
- Take a panoramic tour of Belfast’s city centre to see the impressive City Hall and the buildings of Queen’s University
- Visit the Titanic Quarter where the ill-fated liner was constructed a century ago
Tour Duration: 6 hours
Tour Can Operate: Morning / Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 6 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
Exclusions:
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
|
09/03/2024 |
09/03/2024 |
|
Greenock
|
09/04/2024 |
09/04/2024 |
Liverpool
Optional Private Excursions
Avoid the crowds and hustle and bustle associated with a group activity. For a memorable trip ashore, we invite you to consider a private shore excursion. Enjoy the undivided attention of your own driver/guide and the flexibility of experiencing the aspects of the local culture that most interest you. Below are just some samples of the private shore excursions we can arrange for you. Let us personalize your experience!
-
Liverpool: Explore Liverpool - 8 hours
This morning, you are met as you disembark your cruise ship by your driver-guide. Begin your full day private sightseeing tour of Liverpool, once the most important centre of maritime trade in the world.
Liverpool was the European capital of Culture in 2008 as is also the birthplace of Beatles. You may like to walk through the Mathew Street to the Cavern Club, following in the footsteps of the Beatles. See the buildings known as the ‘Three Graces’, and the impressive civic buildings that were constructed as a result of the mercantile wealth. The most important of these is St. George’s Hall, that interestingly claims to be the world’s first air-conditioned building. The Walker Art Gallery houses one of the finest collections of paintings in the UK outside of London. However the two most magnificent buildings from the 20th-century in Liverpool are the cathedrals. The Anglican Cathedral built in traditional gothic style is the largest church in the UK; the Roman Catholic cathedral is a fine example of contemporary modernist architecture.
Time permitting you may also pass under the River Mersey to Port Sunlight, one of the first planned industrial villages in the world that was opened by the Lever Brothers to house their workers in better conditions. The focal point of the village is the Lady Lever Art Gallery that houses a large collection of Wedgwood Jasperware. You could also visit Speke Hall (closed Monday and Tuesday), a fine example of a Tudor half-timbered manor house that is richly decorated with wooden furniture inside.
Highlights:
- Follow in the footsteps of the famous band the Beatles who grew up in Liverpool
- See the impressive civic buildings, the Walker Art Gallery and the largest church in the UK
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Tour Can Operate: Morning / Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local driver-guide for 8 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
Exclusions:
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
|
09/05/2024 |
09/05/2024 |
|
Dublin (Dun Laoghaire)
|
09/06/2024 |
09/06/2024 |
|
Holyhead
|
09/07/2024 |
09/07/2024 |
Cobh
Optional Private Excursions
Avoid the crowds and hustle and bustle associated with a group activity. For a memorable trip ashore, we invite you to consider a private shore excursion. Enjoy the undivided attention of your own driver/guide and the flexibility of experiencing the aspects of the local culture that most interest you. Below are just some samples of the private shore excursions we can arrange for you. Let us personalize your experience!
-
Cobh - Cork/Blarney Shore Excursion - Full Day Tour
Arrive at port and meet with your driver/guide who will escort you around Cork today. Drive through the attractive City of Cork which hosts some fine Georgian architecture, the imposing St Finbarr’s Cathedral, great shopping and many pubs. Continue your journey into the Irish countryside to the pretty town of Blarney. Continue on to visit the 15th century Blarney Castle, famous for its stone, which is traditionally believed to have the power to bestow eloquence on all those who kiss it. The stone itself is set in the wall below the battlements and to kiss it, one has to lean backwards (holding on to an iron railing) from the parapet walk. Lunch at a local pub.
Following lunch visit Cork City Gaol. Here you can step back in time to see what 19th Century life was like in Cork – inside and outside prison walls. Amazingly life like figures, furnished cells, sound effects and fascinating exhibitions are to be seen.
Return to your ship this evening.
Inclusions:
- Private Driver Guide
- Entrance to Blarney Castle
- Entrance to Cork City Gaol
- Lunch
-
Cobh's Highlight's Shore Excursion - Cobh/Midleton - Full Day Tour
Meet with your professional driver & local guide who will escort you around East Cork today.
Your first stop of the day is a visit to Cobh Heritage Centre a dramatic exhibition of the origins, history and legacy of Cobh. Known previously as Queenstown this was the main port for Irish emigrants to Canada and the United States. The story of the Titanic and the White Star line is also told at the Cobh Heritage Centre.
Continue on this morning for a visit of the Stephen Pearce Pottery Gallery. Spend the late morning touring the pottery. Browse around the Pottery showroom and Gallery shop, or view their latest exhibition in the Gallery.
Lunch today at the famous Ballymaloe House, the renowned Irish country house hotel and restaurant owned and run by the Allen family over 40 years. Darina Allen is one of Europe's most famous chefs and has a cookery school also on the grounds of Ballymaloe. Nestled in a 400 acre estate in rural East Cork, Ballymaloe House is only 20 miles from the historic city of Cork and minutes from the breathtaking south coast. Ballymaloe prides itself on offering a warm welcome, award-winning cuisine which celebrates the best of local, seasonal produce.
This afternoon, enjoy a visit to The Old Midleton Distillery  which is a wonderful, worthwhile excursion. Tour the distillery and learn how the world famous Irish whiskey is made.
Included:
- Private Driver Guide
- Cobh Heritage Centre
- Stephen Pearce Pottery Gallery
- Lunch at Ballimaloe House
- Entrance to the Old Midleton Distillery
Not Included:
Gratuities
|
09/08/2024 |
09/08/2024 |
|
Torbay
|
09/09/2024 |
09/09/2024 |
|
London (Southampton)
|
09/10/2024 |
09/10/2024 |
|
Bruges (Zeebrugge)
|
09/11/2024 |
09/11/2024 |
|
Paris/Normandy (Le Havre)
|
09/12/2024 |
09/12/2024 |
St. Malo
Optional Private Excursions
Avoid the crowds and hustle and bustle associated with a group activity. For a memorable trip ashore, we invite you to consider a private shore excursion. Enjoy the undivided attention of your own driver/guide and the flexibility of experiencing the aspects of the local culture that most interest you. Below are just some samples of the private shore excursions we can arrange for you. Let us personalize your experience!
-
Saint Malo Shore Excursion - Brittany Coast and Saint Malo - 8 hours
Meet your private English speaking driver guide who will wait for you with a nominative board at the main exit of your ship and depart for a visit of Saint Malo
HIGHLIGHTS
- St Malo: Walled and built with the same grey granite stone as Mont St Michel, ST-MALO was originally in the Middle Ages a fortified island at the mouth of the Rance, controlling not only the estuary but the open sea beyond. In later centuries it became notorious as the home of a fierce breed of pirate-mariners, who were never quite under anybody's control but their own; for four years from 1590, St-Malo even declared itself to be an independent republic. The corsaires of St-Malo not only forced English ships passing up the Channel to pay tribute, but also brought wealth from further afield.
- Britanny Coastal Road
- End of the tour at your ship
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light
Package includes
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
- All entrance fees
- All tax and Vat
Does not include
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Departure dates : all day , all year
May 1st - due to French law, cost double
|
09/13/2024 |
09/13/2024 |
|
Lorient
|
09/14/2024 |
09/14/2024 |
|
La Rochelle
|
09/15/2024 |
09/15/2024 |
Bordeaux
Optional Private Excursions
Avoid the crowds and hustle and bustle associated with a group activity. For a memorable trip ashore, we invite you to consider a private shore excursion. Enjoy the undivided attention of your own driver/guide and the flexibility of experiencing the aspects of the local culture that most interest you. Below are just some samples of the private shore excursions we can arrange for you. Let us personalize your experience!
-
Bordeaux - Gourmet tour - 8 hours
We invite you to enjoy a gourmet guided tour of Bordeaux which has been listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco in June 2007.
“The historic centre of Bordeaux forms an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble, created in the Age of Enlightenment, whose values continued up to the first half of the 20th century, with more protected buildings than any other French city, except Paris. It is also recognized for its historic role as a place of exchange of cultural values over more than 2,000 years, particularly since the 12th century due to commercial links with Britain and the Low Countries.
From its medieval quarters to the Classical splendour of the Golden Age in the 18th Century, you will be able to discover a city emerging from a long face lift of over 5 years of work.
Our visit offers to combine historic discovery with regional and typical "delicacies" punctuated by three stops at specialized producers:
•Tasting of ewe cheese with jam of cherries from Pyrenean mountains
•Tasting of “cannelé” a very local sweet specialty at Baillardran,
•And of course a "wine tasting" in a bistro…
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light
Package includes
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
- All entrance fees & tasting
- All tax and Vat
Does not include
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Departure dates : all day , all year
Not available during French Bank Holiday
-
Bordeaux - Cultural tour - 8 hours
“The historic centre of Bordeaux forms an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble, created in the Age of Enlightenment, whose values continued up to the first half of the 20th century, with more protected buildings than any other French city, except Paris. It is also recognized for its historic role as a place of exchange of cultural values over more than 2,000 years, particularly since the 12th century due to commercial links with Britain and the Low Countries.
From its medieval quarters to the Classical splendour of the Golden Age in the 18th Century, you will be able to discover a city emerging from a long face lift of over 5 years of work.
The futuristic tram network established in 2005 is evidence of the dynamism of today’s Bordeaux and the historic heart which has been given back to pedestrians, allow the visitors to discover the principal monuments illustrating the city’s History: the Palais Gallien amphitheatre (4th century), the Saint Seurin Basilica (11th century foundations), the Saint André Cathedral (13th century), the Porte Cailhau and the "Grosse Cloche" ("big bell", 15th century).
The 18th century gave the city its outstanding "Grand Theatre", a national opera house built in 1781, and the Allées de Tourny, as well as the remarkable waterfront buildings and the Place de la Bourse (formerly the Place Royale), a quarter over 4 kilometres in length which serves as the backdrop for the port’s trading activities.
Tour Duration:8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light
Package includes
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
- All entrance fees
- All tax and Vat
Does not include
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Departure dates : all day , all year
Not available on May 1st, January 01st & December 25
-
Bordeaux -Saint Emilion Wine Tour - 8 hours
In the morning, departure with your English speaking driver guide to Saint Emilion.
Surrounded by its vineyards, the city offers ancient ramparts, monuments and narrow streets. The village and the vineyards have been classed as a World Heritage Site by the Unesco in 1999.
“Grape production was introduced into this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans and was intensified during the Middle Age. The area of Saint-Émilion benefited from its position on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella and several churches, monasteries and hospices were built there from the XIth century onwards. It was granted its own jurisdictional status during the period of English rule in the XIIth century. This is an exceptional landscape entirely given over to grape-production and whose towns and villages are home to outstanding historic monuments.” (Unesco Cit.)
Centuries after the Latin poet Ausonius, the hermit Emilion found here peace and tranquility, which were necessary for his meditation. He discovered a grotto watered by a natural spring in the rocky centre of what is now the town bearing his name, where he lived until his death.
Private guided tour of the principal sights of the medieval town: the Emilion Hermitage, the Tour du Roy built in the 13th century by Richard the Lion heart, the collegiate church and its 14th century cloister and, above all, the exceptional monolithic church and its catacombs dug out of the limestone cliff between the 9th and the 11th centuries. Its 38 metre span makes it the largest such church in Europe.
Lunch will take place at a restaurant located in the city.
In the afternoon, visit with wine tasting at a Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion.
Tour Duration:8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light,
Package Includes
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
- All entrance fees & tasting
- All tax and Vat
Does not include
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Departure dates : all day , all year
May 1st - due to French law, cost double and most of the Wine estate are close
-
Bordeaux - A Wine, a Vintage, a Tasting… - 8 hours
A Wine, a Vintage, a Tasting…
Taste and identify the differences between the great Bordeaux wines, according to the vintage…
Wine experts give a great importance to Vintages. Why is it so important? How to recognize the quality of the vintage? How to guess the vintage? Should we agree or is it a matter of taste? Let us taste 4 vintages from the same wine property and comment. The expert guides you and shares his knowledge while you comment and learn tricks of the trade.
Château Grand Vertical Tasting Workshop
The privilege of tasting 6 great vintages dating back as far as 20 years:
• Château de Ferrand 1988 & 1989
• Château de Ferrand 1998 & 1999
• Château de Ferrand 2008 & 2009
This workshop includes a private tour, an initiation into aromas, a tasting of 6 vintages, and a food/wine pairing with our “Assiette Gourmande”.
Schedule:
09:00am - Departure from the harbor of Bordeaux
10:00am - First winery tour such as Château Faugères
11:30am - Discover the enchanting medieval village of Saint-Emilion, classified by Unesco in 1999. A luminous, ochre-colored jewel built of limestone and Roman roof tiles, it is perched on a plateau and completely surrounded by a sea of vineyards.
The steep and narrow cobblestone streets are lined with remnants of monasteries and convents dating from the 11th to 18th centuries that tell the story of the village. A Unesco World Heritage-inspired scavenger hunt will bring you face to face with the art, wine and stunning landscapes of Saint-Emilion.
12:30pm to 02:00pm - Time to stroll and have lunch
02:30 pm - Wine tasting at Chateau La Dominique
05:00pm - End of the tour
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light,
Package price includes
- Transportation: Pick up/drop off at the Port
- Day Tour: English speaking driver guide with sedan deluxe car
- 2 winery visits and vertical workshop
-
Bordeaux - About Grape Varietals… - 8 hours
Several possibilities based on the theme of grape varietals, be it wine tastings or, practical activities. The great Bordeaux wines will no longer hold any secrets for you.
It's possible to have this activity in any Bordeaux wine appellation!
Wine tasting: Merlot or Cabernet?
There are 2 major top grape varieties in Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon produces Ch. Mouton Rothschild and Merlot Pétrus. Each grape variety taste very different. The terroir and the work carried out by Man can exalt each grape and create amazing Bordeaux wines. During the blind tasting find out which grape has been used in the wine before or after its oak ageing. Merlot or Cabernet?
Theory put in practice:
Blending is an art
Several grape varieties tasting different are available to the wine maker. He/she is an artist making rational or subjective choices in order to elaborate a great wine. Be the wine maker and create your own cuvée but explain your logic first. Does it match? Each group forms a team.
Wine taster & Expert
Learn how to taste wines like a professional with fun. You also learn about the tricks of the trade. Words like single variety, futures, blended wines, bottled wine and ageing wine will have no more secrets for you. While tasting several wines, you may recognize which wine and term match together.
09:00 am - Departure from the harbor of Bordeaux
10:00 am - First winery tour
12:30pm to 02:00 pm - Time to stroll and have lunch
02:30 pm - Wine tasting separate grapes varieties and then have a blending session
05:00pm - End of the tour
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light,
Package price includes
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking driver guide with sedan deluxe car
- 2 winery visits
- Blending sessions
-
Bordeaux - Wine Architecture in Saint-Emilion - 8 hours
Modern Temples of Bacchus
To wine lovers everywhere, the grand vintages of the Bordeaux region of France have long been regarded as the true pinnacle of excellence.
The methods and philosophies used in their production have by and large remained true to the old traditions; modern technology however has undeniably played an ever-more important role in recent years.
To add even more significance to this glorious culture of the grape, if that was possible, the past decade has seen some of Europe’s most highly-acclaimed and imaginative architects taking time off from their ground-breaking and spectacular major urban projects to contribute their innovative designs to the cellars and vat rooms of some of the region’s top châteaux.
Discover Architectures / Understand Classification/Discover techniques of wine making and appreciate wine tastings!
09:00 am - Departure from the harbor of Bordeaux
10:00 am - First winery tour such as Château Faugères
11:30 am - Discover the enchanting medieval village of Saint-Emilion, classified by Unesco in 1999. A luminous, ochre-colored jewel built of limestone and Roman roof tiles, it’s perched on a plateau and completely surrounded by a sea of vineyards.
The steep and narrow cobblestone streets are lined with remnants of monasteries and convents dating from the 11th to 18th centuries that tell the story of the village. A Unesco World Heritage-inspired scavenger hunt will bring you face to face with the art, wine and stunning landscapes of Saint-Emilion.
12:30pm to 02:00 pm - Time to stroll and have lunch
02:30 pm - Wine tasting Chateau La Dominique
05:00pm - End of the tour
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: no
Physical Activity Level: Light,
Package price includes
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking driver guide with sedan deluxe car
- 2 winery visits
- Monument tour in Saint-Emilion
|
09/16/2024 |
09/17/2024 |
|
St. Jean De Luz, France
|
09/18/2024 |
09/18/2024 |
Bilbao
Optional Private Excursions
Avoid the crowds and hustle and bustle associated with a group activity. For a memorable trip ashore, we invite you to consider a private shore excursion. Enjoy the undivided attention of your own driver/guide and the flexibility of experiencing the aspects of the local culture that most interest you. Below are just some samples of the private shore excursions we can arrange for you. Let us personalize your experience!
-
Bilbao: Full Day Excursion to San Sebastian
Visit the old quarter, the Basilica of Santa María, la Concha promenade, City Hall, Church of San Vicente, Plaza de la Constitución, Victoria Eugenia Theatre and the San Telmo museum with works of Goya, Ribera and el Greco.
8 hours tour
Morning tour
No wheelchair
Light physical activity
Pick up and drop off at the Port
Included: Transportation by Deluxe Vehicle; Guided Tour; Entrance Fees
Not Included: Any meals or other services not specified
This city, also known as Donostia, lies along a white sandy bay between the Urgull and Igeldo hills. Fishermen's houses, a smart suburb and modern districts make it one of the most attractive cities on the Cantabrian coast.
In the oldest part of San Sebastián, the churches of San Vicente and Santa María del Coro await you, the former Gothic and the latter Renaissance-Baroque. An old Dominican convent is nowadays the San Telmo Museum, whose archaeological and ethnographic collections, together with its paintings, are worth a leisurely visit. These busy streets lead you to the porticoed Plaza de la Constitución. Among its many balconies - numbered and painted white, betraying its origin as a bullring - stands the old Neoclassical City Hall, converted into the Municipal Library.
La Alameda del Boulevard leads into the Romantic city, which emerged after the old walls were demolished. One the banks of the Urumea you can make out the Victoria Eugenia Theatre and the María Cristina Hotel, built in Neoplateresque style.
La Concha Promenade is unquestionably one of San Sebastián’s most characteristic features. It is a seaside promenade bordering the famous Concha Bay, shell-shaped as indicated by its name in Spanish, with two beaches (Ondarreta and the Concha) and an island (Santa Clara). Added to its unbeatable views of the sea, this lively promenade makes its way past iconic buildings like the Hotel Londres, the Palacio Miramar and the Perla Spa.
What is today San Sebastián's City Hall was home to the city’s Gran Casino from the time it was opened on 1st July 1897 until it was closed in 1924 with the prohibition of gambling. Its roulette tables and Dance Hall, currently the Plenary Hall, provided entertainment for politicians, writers and artists in the Belle Epoque period.
-
Bilbao: Artistic Half Day City Tour
Visit the old city center located on the right bank of the river Nervión, the Cathedral of Santiago with beautiful gothic cloister, the Plaza Nueva, the Yohn Palace, Arriaga Theatre, and the incredible Guggenheim museum, designed by the north American architect Frank O. Gehry and built on a 32.500 m2 site in the city center. The building itself is an extraordinary combination of interconnecting shapes. Orthogonal blocks in limestone contrast with curved and bent forms covered in titanium.
3 hours tour
Morning or afternoon tour
No wheelchair
Light physical activity
Pick up and drop off at the Port
Included: Guided Tour; Entrance Fees
Not Included: Any meals, Taxis or other services not specified
Bilbao's 700 years of history are present in buildings and constructions that will pleasantly surprise visitors. The historic quarter is listed as a Conservation Area and forms the best point of reference for understanding the city's history. It is an example of urban regeneration, with more than 400 shops of all kinds. The city centre is a showcase for the best of 20th century architecture, with buildings that have housed the most important firms and institutions of Bilbao for over a century. This impressive collection of buildings has been created by the best local architects of each period.
But Bilbao has not finished being built: in addition to the genius of the local architects, the most prestigious foreign firms have contributed finished projects to the grandeur of the city, with some still in progress, by architects of the stature of Foster, Gehry, Calatrava, Isozaki, Pelli, and others.
The Cathedral of Santiago, is the oldest building in Bilbao.This Gothic church was built on top of an old hermitage that dates back to the Santiago pilgrimages. The cathedral has three naves, covered with ribbed vaults. Although the building is essentially Gothic, the actual façade and the tower were built in the nineteenth century. The choir stalls and the cloister are exquisite with the latter ornately Gothic in style. The crypt was built in the old hermitage, and still has the hermitage's original walls. There are two doorways, one which is Renaissance in style and the other Neoclassical.
The baroque Yohn Palace, known as ‘The Bourse’, has a beautiful carved lintel around the door, which is extremely rare in urban architecture in Bizkaia, and three interesting exterior walls, the one facing Santa María street being the most impressive.
The Arriaga Theatre is a very beautiful building. Inspired in the Paris Opera, it was the work of the municipal architect Joaquín Rucoba and was opened in 1890. In 1902 it was named in honour of the Bilbao musician Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga, known as the Spanish Mozart because of his talent.
The Bilbao Guggenheim Museum has become the cultural and tourist driving force of the Basque Country. This spectacular building, built by Frank O. Gehry in 1997, is completely covered with titanium sheets. It houses its own private collection, in addition to sharing with New York and Venice the world's largest and most impressive private collection of modern and contemporary art.
|
09/19/2024 |
09/19/2024 |
La Coruna, Spain
Optional Private Excursions
Avoid the crowds and hustle and bustle associated with a group activity. For a memorable trip ashore, we invite you to consider a private shore excursion. Enjoy the undivided attention of your own driver/guide and the flexibility of experiencing the aspects of the local culture that most interest you. Below are just some samples of the private shore excursions we can arrange for you. Let us personalize your experience!
-
La Coruña: Santiago de Compostela Full Day Excursion
Drive to one of Spain's great historical cities declared a World Heritage Site & one of the three holy cities of Christendom. The famous cathedral of Saint James the Apostle, the Patron Saint of Spain, the old quarter, the Royal Hospital, the Rajoy and Gelmirez Palaces, the University, the College of San Jerónimo and strolling through Rúa Nova.
7 hours tour
Morning tour
No wheelchair
Light physical activity
Pick up and drop off at the Port
Included: Transportation by Deluxe Vehicle; Guided Tour; Entrance Fees
Not Included: Any meals or other services not specified
Santiago de Compostela,
World Heritage City and capital of Galicia, is the final landmark on the St.
James pilgrimage route. Centuries of splendour and development have left us
an urban layout in which the medieval Christian heritage is mixed with monumental
Baroque buildings.
The legend tells that the
appearance of the remains of the Apostle Saint James were the origin of this
city (9th C.), which soon became a centre for pilgrimages and a holy city on
a par with Jerusalem and Rome. Medieval Santiago experienced centuries of scientific,
artistic and literary interchange thanks to the large numbers of pilgrims arriving
from all over Europe. The Pilgrim's Road to Santiago, together with the city
of Santiago of Compostela, is today a World Heritage Site because of the historic
and artistic nature of the route. With the Catholic Monarchs and Archbishop
Fonseca, the University arrived in the city and, in the centuries that followed,
several religious orders established monasteries and churches in its streets,
contributing to the rich Renaissance and Baroque appearance of the Galician
capital.
The centre of the city
is the Plaza del Obradoiro, which has important monuments, including the Cathedral.
Its current Baroque façade gives way to a Romanesque doorway from the original
building, the Pórtico de la Gloria, created by Master Mateo in the 12th century.
Inside, Romanesque and Gothic elements alternate with other Baroque style decoration.
In the Cathedral you have to follow the tradition: bump your head on the figure
of its creator to obtain prudence and wisdom. At the main altar, a bust of the
Apostle Saint James awaits your embrace. Another tradition is the waving of
a huge incense holder, "El Botafumeiro", in the main transept, which even reaches
the vaults.
Beautiful examples of the
civil Romanesque, Renaissance and Neoclassical styles also show themselves in
Obradoiro. The Pazo de Gelmírez, the College of San Jerónimo and the Pazo Raxoi
accompany the Cathedral and the Old Royal Hospital, today the five-star luxury
'Hostal de los Reyes Católicos', Parador de Turismo.
After touring the oldest
streets of the city, which date from the 12th century - Rúas Franco, Vilar and
Nova - we can pass the food market, a medieval structure. Near here stands the
University (of Neoclassical plan), the Romanesque church of San Fiz de Slovio
and the Baroque church of San Agustín.
-
La Coruña: Half Day City Tour
The Tower of Hercules national monument, the medieval town with Romanesque architecture, the church of Santiago, San Anton castle, Santa Barbara convent and San Carlos garden.
3 hour tour
Morning or afternoon tour
No wheelchair
Light physical activity
Pick up and drop off at the Port
Included: Transportation by Deluxe Vehicle; Guided Tour; Entrance Fees
Not Included: Any meals or other services not specified
Although the origin of La Coruña could be in an old Celtic settlement, the history of the city began to be important in Roman times, when the port became a key point on sailing routes. A witness to this period is the Tower of Hercules, the only working Roman lighthouse and a real symbol of the city.
Now declared a National Monument, it was built at the beginning of the 2nd century by order of the Emperor Trajan. There have been many refurbishments throughout history, the last of them in 1791, when Carlos III ordered the architect Giannini to restore and reface the tower.
The harbor has always been the scene of some of the most important historical events in the city, like the defeat of the English privateer Francis Drake in 1589 thanks to the resistance of the people of Coruña, led by the heroine María Pita.
The early medieval town is bounded by the Coruña peninsula. In its lively streets, good examples of Romanesque architecture are preserved. One of the most beautiful is the church of Santiago. Built in the 12th century, this church, the oldest in the city, and has later additions from the 14th and 15th centuries. It's broad nave of pointed arches houses a polychrome sculpture of the Apostle Santiago (Saint James) dating from the 13th century. Because of its architectural interest, it has been declared a Historic-Artistic Monument.
In the high part of the early town center stands another equally outstanding church, that of Santa María del Campo. The building of this old collegiate church goes back to the 12th and 13th centuries and was carried out by the Seaman's Guild. One of its greatest attractions is a visit to the Museum of Religious Art housed in this building, which has works from the 12th to the 15th centuries.
|
09/20/2024 |
09/20/2024 |
|
At Sea
|
09/21/2024 |
09/21/2024 |
|
London (Southampton)
|
09/22/2024 |
09/22/2024 |
