21 Trips found for "valley of the flowers"

CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS

• Exceptional cruise to discover Corsica from north to south
• ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED
• Dinner with Corsican music and songs in a traditional inn
• The island’s major areas: Ajaccio, Calvi, Bonifacio, and Porto-Vecchio
• Cap Corse
• The natural wonders : the Îles Sanguinaires, the Calanques de Piana(1) and the Balagne Region

• Sample Málaga’s tapas during a tour of the city.
• Enjoy a home-hosted meal in Ronda.
• Savor the flavors of a family-owned olive oil producer for lunch.
• View Lisbon in a new way through the windows of your private tram.
• Experience Ronda, one of Spain's loveliest and most historic towns.
• Explore Sintra, the summer residence of Portuguese kings for centuries.
• Step back in time as you take in the sights of the picturesque White Villages of Andalusia.
• In Cordoba, take a walking tour of La Mezquita, a religious marvel.
• Tour the Alhambra palace, a Wonder of the Muslim World in Granada.

• Lisbon: Discover more of Belem Quarter as you delight in a taste of the famous Portuguese delicacy, Pastéis de Belém before visiting Jerónimos Monastery with its beautiful Manueline architecture, reflecting Portugal's trade over the centuries and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Lisbon: Explore with your Local Expert, from the Lower Town, beneath the hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco. Visit the Belém Quarter to see the modern Monument to the Discoveries and the medieval Belém Tower.
• Lisbon: Visit the cloisters of Jerónimos Monastery with its beautiful Manueline architecture, reflecting Portugal's trade over the centuries and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Lagos: Explore this coastal town nestled on Meia Praia, with your Travel Director.
• Évora: Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site guided by your Local Expert and see the famous Roman Temple. While sightseeing, witness the fascinating cathedral and be charmed by its mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
• Évora: With your Travel Director explore the ancient city of Évora and visit the fascinating Capela dos Ossos, meaning the Chapel of Bones, a chapel decorated with human remains.
• Monsaraz: Surrounded by cork oaks and vineyards, wander through the castle ruins to admire the incredible view over the Spanish plains that contrast with the blue of one of Europe's largest artificial lakes.
• Tomar: Dominating the town is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Templar Castle and the Convent of Christ. During your visit with a Local Expert, see the Manueline Window and follow the story of the mysterious Knights Templar.
• Tomar: Learn about the history of the town through its architectural influences as you take a tour guided by a Local Expert.
• Tomar: Guided by your Local Expert, visit the Synagogue of Tomar, one of the best preserved medieval synagogues in Portugal.
• Coimbra: Guided by your Local expert, head through Old Town and pass by the Old Cathedral and the Almedina neighborhood.
• Coimbra: With a Local Expert, visit the University and witness the triumphal arches, painted ceilings, golden flourishes and walls of ancient tomes.
• Porto: Enjoy a panoramic drive through the city streets with a Local Expert.
• Porto: Visit the São Bento Railway Station and walk on the Dom Luis I Bridge, which spans across the River Duoro connecting the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.
• Guimaraes: Enjoy views from the ruined castle and explore the maze of streets in the historic Old Quarter.
• Fátima: Join the faithful at one of the world's holiest sites and pay homage at the Chapel of the Apparitions and see the basilica.
• Obidos: Lead by your Travel Director, walk through the picturesque narrow streets up to the main square of this ancient walled town.
• Monsaraz: Join a local boat captain for a tranquil cruise of Lake Alqueva. Relax and enjoy calming waters, picturesque views and tales of river life.
• Évora: During a wine tasting session, appreciate the delicate yet complex nuances of Alentejo wine, and learn how the Relvas family has been managing to keep low water consumption, reforestation of indigenous trees, and providing scholarships to children of the village. This experience advances United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and production. With a 30% reduction in water use and innovative water management systems in place, they have been integrating science technology to ensure genuine production processes in all their activities.
• Lisbon: Join your Travel Director at 18:00 for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant and the opportunity to mingle with your fellow travelers.
• Monsaraz: Enjoy a memorable Alentejo Highlight Lunch at local restaurant Sem Fim, once an olive mill. Indulge in dish-after-dish of the tastiest tapas in a vibrant setting.
• Pinhao: Enjoy a wonderful farm-to-table dinner, freshly prepared from locally sourced ingredients.
• Porto: Shared experiences and memories are often the foundation for special bonds and friendships. Toast your travels with wine and good cheer during your Celebration Dinner at a restaurant in Porto, devoted to the enjoyment of regional cooking.
• Optional - Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Optional - Porto: Enjoy a panoramic drive through the city streets with a Local Expert.
• Optional - Porto: Visit the São Bento Railway Station and walk on the Dom Luis I Bridge, which spans across the River Duoro connecting the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.

• Lisbon: Discover more of Belem Quarter as you delight in a taste of the famous Portuguese delicacy, Pastéis de Belém before visiting Jerónimos Monastery with its beautiful Manueline architecture, reflecting Portugal's trade over the centuries and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Lisbon: Explore with your Local Expert, from the Lower Town, beneath the hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco. Visit the Belém Quarter to see the modern Monument to the Discoveries and the medieval Belém Tower.
• Lisbon: Visit the cloisters of Jerónimos Monastery with its beautiful Manueline architecture, reflecting Portugal's trade over the centuries and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Lagos: Explore this coastal town nestled on Meia Praia, with your Travel Director.
• Évora: Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site guided by your Local Expert and see the famous Roman Temple. While sightseeing, witness the fascinating cathedral and be charmed by its mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
• Évora: With your Travel Director explore the ancient city of Évora and visit the fascinating Capela dos Ossos, meaning the Chapel of Bones, a chapel decorated with human remains.
• Monsaraz: Surrounded by cork oaks and vineyards, wander through the castle ruins to admire the incredible view over the Spanish plains that contrast with the blue of one of Europe's largest artificial lakes.
• Tomar: Dominating the town is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Templar Castle and the Convent of Christ. During your visit with a Local Expert, see the Manueline Window and follow the story of the mysterious Knights Templar.
• Tomar: Learn about the history of the town through its architectural influences as you take a tour guided by a Local Expert.
• Tomar: Guided by your Local Expert, visit the Synagogue of Tomar, one of the best preserved medieval synagogues in Portugal.
• Coimbra: Guided by your Local expert, head through Old Town and pass by the Old Cathedral and the Almedina neighborhood.
• Coimbra: With a Local Expert, visit the University and witness the triumphal arches, painted ceilings, golden flourishes and walls of ancient tomes.
• Porto: Enjoy a panoramic drive through the city streets with a Local Expert.
• Porto: Visit the São Bento Railway Station and walk on the Dom Luis I Bridge, which spans across the River Duoro connecting the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.
• Guimaraes: Enjoy views from the ruined castle and explore the maze of streets in the historic Old Quarter.
• Fátima: Join the faithful at one of the world's holiest sites and pay homage at the Chapel of the Apparitions and see the basilica.
• Obidos: Lead by your Travel Director, walk through the picturesque narrow streets up to the main square of this ancient walled town.
• Monsaraz: Join a local boat captain for a tranquil cruise of Lake Alqueva. Relax and enjoy calming waters, picturesque views and tales of river life.
• Évora: During a wine tasting session, appreciate the delicate yet complex nuances of Alentejo wine, and learn how the Relvas family has been managing to keep low water consumption, reforestation of indigenous trees, and providing scholarships to children of the village. This experience advances United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and production. With a 30% reduction in water use and innovative water management systems in place, they have been integrating science technology to ensure genuine production processes in all their activities.
• Lisbon: Join your Travel Director at 18:00 for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant and the opportunity to mingle with your fellow travelers.
• Monsaraz: Enjoy a memorable Alentejo Highlight Lunch at local restaurant Sem Fim, once an olive mill. Indulge in dish-after-dish of the tastiest tapas in a vibrant setting.
• Pinhao: Enjoy a wonderful farm-to-table dinner, freshly prepared from locally sourced ingredients.
• Porto: Shared experiences and memories are often the foundation for special bonds and friendships. Toast your travels with wine and good cheer during your Celebration Dinner at a restaurant in Porto, devoted to the enjoyment of regional cooking.
• Optional - Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Optional - Porto: Enjoy a panoramic drive through the city streets with a Local Expert.
• Optional - Porto: Visit the São Bento Railway Station and walk on the Dom Luis I Bridge, which spans across the River Duoro connecting the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.

• Experience a truly unique cozido das Furnas lunch in Furnas Valley.
• Enjoy a traditional dinner in Madeira, known as an espetada, and local folkloric entertainment.
• Taste Madeira wine and learn why this wine had such an important role in the history of the Island.
• Gaze upon the pristine twin lakes of Sete Cidades.
• Visit Funchal’s Lavradores market, a fruit and exotic flower paradise.
• Experience a night of Fado (UNESCO) and learn about this traditional art form.
• Discover stunning St. Michael, the largest of the Azorean islands.
• Explore the island of Madeira, known as the "Pearl of the Atlantic."
• Tour Lisbon and Sintra and uncover their old-world charms.

• Explore the Coa Valley, the centre of a rewilding project, and enjoy a night in a gorgeous historical guesthouse where you’ll join your hosts for a home-cooked meal of fresh, local produce.
• Pick up some local recipes during a cooking class at your farm stay in the rolling hills of the Alentejo region, whipping up regional specialties like pork with clams.
• Meet local producers along the way, including an olive oil producer where you can taste-test everybody’s favourite cooking staple. Sample Douro Valley wines and Porto’s fortified namesake.
• Take in the renowned riverside district in Porto, the colourful coastal hotspot of Lisbon and the rolling hills of the lush Douro Valley on the quintessential tour of Portugal.
• Sample iconic foods of the region – francesinha, cured meats, cheese, pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts) and canned fish – with local producers and a local leader who knows all the best spots.
• By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, REFOOD. Donations help them save good food, from restaurants and supermarkets, that is destined to go to waste and distribute it amongst people in need.

• Onboard welcome reception
• Choice of guided sightseeing in Braga and Guimarães, or Romanesque tour
• Choice of guided sightseeing Peso da Régua and Lamego or farm visit with tasting
• Choice of guided sightseeing in Freixo de Numão or guided sightseeing in Vila Nova de Foz Côa
• Choice of guided sightseeing in Salamanca or guided sightseeing in Freixo de Espada à Cinta
• Guided sightseeing in Amarante
• Choice of guided sightseeing or bike tour
• Like a blue ribbon threading through the green Douro Valley, the River Douro carries you through some of Portugal’s most legendary landscapes
• Meaning “River of Gold,” the Douro River lives up to its name by revealing priceless gems along sloping vineyards and sleepy villages where rugged landscapes have been tamed for centuries to produce a bounty of wines and cuisine

• Journey into the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Douro Valley and indulge in a wine tasting of local wines, served with a delicious lunch of Portuguese specialties.
• Tick Madrid, Salamanca, Porto and Lisbon off your bucket list and spend afternoons wandering around narrow, cobbled streets, colourful architecture with hilltop views and glittering coasts as you wait for nightly sunsets to transform these cities into glittering havens.
• Feast on Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, snacks and local wines with a delicious tapas welcome dinner in Madrid, a port tasting in Porto, a bacalhau dinner in Coimbra and the unmissable pasteis de nata from the best spot in Lisbon – yum!
• Rub shoulders with the locals in the University of Coimbra, famed for its baroque library and historical buildings, during a tour with a local guide who has all the insights.
• Spend a day discovering the history of Tomar – a 12th century town of relaxed streets, verdant gardens and the Castelo de Tomar, a Templar castle just waiting for the curious to explore its ramparts and cloisters.
• By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, REFOOD. Donations help them save good food, from restaurants and supermarkets, that is destined to go to waste and distribute it amongst people in need.

CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS

• UNIQUE ITINERARY : Port of calls in Roses and Palamos, little-known cities on the Costa Brava
• ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED:
  • The best sites in Barcelona
  • The Gaudi masterpieces La Sagrada Familia and Park Güell
  • The Dali Theater-Museum, the world's largest Surrealist work of art
  • The Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes and its Catalan Romanesque architecture
  • The Fishing Museum in Palamos and wine tasting
  • Historical Tarragona
  • Cartagena, an old port city
  • Malaga, the birthplace of Pablo Picasso
  • Granada and its Alhambra
• DELICIOUS SPANISH CUISINE
  • Tasting of Spanish cold cuts at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona
  • Onboard Spanish cocktail party with Sangria and tapas
  • Paella, one of Spain's delicious dishes
  • Tasting of Spanish pastries on board
• Participation of Alain Loisin, lecturer(1)
  • During the years I have spent traveling, I have given presentations on several CroisiEurope cruises, from the banks of the Red Sea to the Canary Islands, the Greek islands to the Bosporus, Russia at the time of the czars to the splendors of the Adriatic.
  • Conference themes:
    Barcelona, Capital of the Distinctive Autonomous Community of Catalonia.
    Gaudi, Dali, and Picasso, Spain's Three Contemporary Geniuses
    The Culture, Contrasts, and History of Andalusia
• Onboard lecture

CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS

• THE CANARY ISLANDS: A BIOSPHERE RESERVE
  • Black sand beaches; lush forests; steep cliffs; dark, ragged crags; waves of dunes; charming, colonial towns; and bustling cities: The Canaries are a study in contrasts.
• VISIT THE HEART OF SIX ISLANDS
  • Three national parks: Teide, Garajonay, and Timanfaya
  • Tours of Gran Canaria, La Gomera, and Fuerteventura
• A DELICIOUS EXPERIENCE
  • Local wine and cheese tastings

CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS

• THE CANARY ISLANDS: A BIOSPHERE RESERVE
  • Black sand beaches; lush forests; steep cliffs; dark, ragged crags; waves of dunes; charming, colonial towns; and bustling cities: The Canaries are a study in contrasts.
• VISIT THE HEART OF SIX ISLANDS
  • Three national parks: Teide, Garajonay, and Timanfaya
  • Tours of Gran Canaria, La Gomera, and Fuerteventura
• A DELICIOUS EXPERIENCE
  • Local wine and cheese tastings

• Premium accommodation throughout the trip
• Discover ancient wine cellars and sample regional wines
• Enjoy walks through terraced vineyards and tranquil countryside
• Explore vibrant Porto with a guided walking tour
• Citizen Science departures available on this trip

• Experience a memorable Fado performance in Coimbra – an emotional form of Portuguese music expressing the hard realities of the daily life and balancing both resignation and hopefulness.
• Soak up the sun on the Portuguese coast's gorgeous beaches along the Algarve, walking across rocky cliff tops, exploring remote coves and taking in a sunset over the Atlantic Ocean with your small group.
• Relive a glorious medieval past in in the labyrinthine streets of Fes city, and discover the cultural capital, Marrakech, through its people – drummers, dancers, fortune tellers, jugglers and medicine men.
• Scale the High Atlas Mountains and trek through scenic Amazigh villages, spending a night in a traditional Amazigh homestay to get a true sense of rural Moroccan life.
• Travel through the Sahara in a camel convoy, sleeping under a blanket the North African stars and enjoy an evening beside the campfire listening to traditional Bedouin tales.

• Get lost in the labyrinthine streets of the Albaicin in Granada before crossing the river to visit the imposing Moorish fortress of the Alhambra.
• Unwind in a laidback fishing town in the Algarve, soaking up the sun on the beach and enjoying an included boat trip around the rocky cliffs of the coast.
• Join pilgrims along the last leg of the famous Camino de Santiago journey as they reach the historic cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
• Sit back, relax and watch the water flow by in one of Porto’s river restaurants while you sample a couple of varieties of the city’s signature wine – port!
• Start and end your adventure in Madrid, home to art galleries, colourful architecture and some of the best restaurants in Spain.
• By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Open Arms. Donations help them safeguard the physical integrity and rights of migrant people in imminent danger who have fled their homes across the Mediterranean Sea.

• Madrid : Welcome and farewell dinners; guided sightseeing, visit the Prado Museum
• Segovia : Take pictures of the Roman aqueduct
• Avila : Visit the walled town
• Salamanca : Orientation walk; wine tasting, dinner, and overnight stay at Hacienda Zorita
• Fatima : Visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
• Lisbon : Guided sightseeing, visit the Alfama quarter and Jeronimos Monastery
• Azaruja : Visit a cork factory
• Seville : Guided sightseeing, visit the Casa de Pilatos, walk through the Santa Cruz quarter
• Algeciras–tangier: By ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar
• Tangier : Panoramic drive to Cap Spartel, enjoy mint tea and biscuits; guided sightseeing, visit Grand Socco squareCOSTA DEL SOL
• Granada : Guided walking tour, visit the Alhambra complex and the Water Gardens of the Generalife; dinner at a local restaurant
• Toledo : Guided walking tour, visit an early synagogue, the gothic cathedral, and Santo Tomé Church with one of El Greco’s masterpieces; visit a Damascene steel workshop
• This fantastic Spain, Portugal, and Morocco tour concentrates on the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula
• On this vacation, there is ample time for in-depth sightseeing, and you’ll visit many of the area’s historic sites, including the Casa de Pilatos in Seville, with its splendid collection of Roman sculptures, and the Alhambra Complex in Granada