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The Fascination of the Atlantic Coast – Sailing Small Ship Cruise

The Fascination of the Atlantic Coast – Sailing Small Ship Cruise

From EUR €8,245

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Description

A 13-night Atlantic coast voyage from Lisbon to Honfleur traces a culturally rich route through Portugal, Spain, France, and the Channel Islands, combining historic port cities, scenic coastal sailing, and inland cultural highlights. The itinerary includes Lisbon’s Tagus River approach, Porto, Vigo, Gijón, Bilbao with an exclusive Guggenheim Museum event, San Sebastián, La Rochelle, Quiberon, Guernsey, and concludes in Honfleur, with multiple full sailing days offering uninterrupted ocean travel between regions.
The journey highlights the Atlantic seaboard’s contrasting identities, from Portugal’s maritime heritage and Spain’s Basque culinary and architectural culture to Brittany’s rugged coastline and France’s gastronomic ports. It blends UNESCO-listed heritage, pilgrimage routes such as Santiago de Compostela, and contemporary art and design in Bilbao, alongside regional food and wine traditions, culminating in Normandy’s historic port of Honfleur as the final arrival point.

Trip Name
The Fascination of the Atlantic Coast - Sailing Small Ship Cruise
Days
14
Overview
Vessel Type: Three-mast full-rigged ship Length: 138 meters Passenger Capacity: 136 Built: 2021 SEA CLOUD SPIRIT is a modern three-mast, full-rigged windjammer launched in 2021, combining traditional sailing heritage with contemporary shipbuilding and engineering. With an overall length of 138 metres and carrying up to 4,100 m² of sail across 28 sails, she is one of the largest and most advanced sailing cruise ships in the world. Built under the Maltese flag, the vessel accommodates a maximum of 136 passengers supported by a crew of approximately 85, preserving an intimate onboard atmosphere while delivering authentic tall-ship sailing. In addition to her classic rigging, SEA CLOUD SPIRIT is equipped with efficient diesel-electric propulsion, ensuring modern operational reliability alongside genuine sail-powered navigation. Onboard, the ship offers 69 outside cabins and suites, many with private balconies, all fitted with high-end amenities and refined finishes. Public spaces include a panoramic restaurant, lido bar and bistro, elegant lounge with a Steinway grand piano, library, sun deck, and boutique. A full wellness and spa area, fitness centre with ocean views, swim platform, water sports equipment, and Zodiac boats support both relaxation and active exploration. Designed as a true sailing vessel rather than a conventional cruise ship, SEA CLOUD SPIRIT sets a benchmark for combining windjammer tradition, spacious design, and 21st-century comfort at sea.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 Lisbon, Portugal
The most beautiful approach to the Portuguese capital is to travel up the River Tagus. One of the city's most famous landmarks has been greeting visitors right on the estuary since 1521 – the Torre de Belém. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and transports you back to the glory days when Portugal was a naval power. There are many landmarks, such as the facades of the houses decorated with azulejos tilework and the ancient trams that rattle through the city. But Lisbon has many different sides. Joie de vivre comes face to face with the melancholy of Fado music, winding lanes in the old city meet wide boulevards, while magnificent churches and austere monasteries show the two sides of former religious faith.
Day 2 - Day 2 Lisbon, Portugal
Departure 7:00 amThe most beautiful approach to the Portuguese capital is to travel up the River Tagus. One of the city's most famous landmarks has been greeting visitors right on the estuary since 1521 – the Torre de Belém. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and transports you back to the glory days when Portugal was a naval power. There are many landmarks, such as the facades of the houses decorated with azulejos tilework and the ancient trams that rattle through the city. But Lisbon has many different sides. Joie de vivre comes face to face with the melancholy of Fado music, winding lanes in the old city meet wide boulevards, while magnificent churches and austere monasteries show the two sides of former religious faith.
Day 3 - Day 3 Porto (Leixões), Portugal
Arrival 9:00 am, Departure 2:00 pmPorto considers itself the country's secret capital. The narrow lanes of the historic old town "Ribeira", a UNESCO World Heritage Site, extend in terraces up the slope overlooking the Douro. The former working class district has blossomed into a beautifully restored trendy neighbourhood. A student of Gustave Eiffel created the bold design for the bridge, which stretches over the river in a wide arc and links the Ribeira with Vila Nova da Geia and its 50 port wineries that lie on the other side. The best way to reach the incredible Douro Valley and the countryside of the Alto Douro wine region, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is by river.
Day 4 - Day 4 Vigo, Spain
Arrival 8:00 am, Departure 6:00 pmNorman warriors, Turkish pirates and English privateers – for centuries, armies from all over the world attacked Vigo. For its protection, the city on the Atlantic built huge fortresses whose ruins still characterize the cityscape today. From the castle hill, there is a magnificent view over the red roofs of Vigo to the Cíes Islands National Park, large parts of which incorporate the sea and three uninhabited islands. Along beautiful hiking trails along imposing cliffs, dune landscapes and small forests, discover the diverse flora and fauna. Another well-kept secret is its stunning beaches: a British newspaper even called Playa de Rodas the most beautiful beach in the world.
Day 5 - Day 5 Day under full sails
Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.
Day 6 - Day 6 Gijón, Spain
Arrival 8:00 am, Departure 1:30 pmAs an old port metropolis and capital of the Costa Verde or Green Coast, Gijón looks back on a long seafaring tradition. Especially in the quaint fishing quarter of Cimadevilla, colorful, rambling houses exude the charm of times gone by. About 18 miles away, Oviedo was once the residence of the independent kingdom of Asturias. Today, the picturesque old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best starting point for a walk along the well-kept cobblestone streets (for instance, to the famous cider taverns) is Oviedo's cathedral with its Gothic spire of openwork stone.
Day 7 - Day 7 Bilbao, Spain
Arrival 8:00 amBilbao has always been an important port and industrial city. In 1993, Bilbao was a pilgrimage destination for lovers of modern art and avant-garde architecture. The Guggenheim Museum, with its idiosyncratic and unique design by famous architect Frank O Gehry, showcases everything that is important within its 11,000 square meters (118,403 foot). Steel used to be manufactured in Bilbao and it now plays a major role here, since other renowned architects have also been inspired to give Bilbao an attractive, distinctive look. Cross the futuristic Calatrava Bridge to reach the old town, where you can take a delightful stroll round the lanes and enjoy the art of Basque cuisine.
Day 8 - Day 8 San Sebastián (Pasajes), Spain
Arrival 8:00 am, Departure 4:00 pmWith its beautiful beach bay, the surrounding mountains and the extraordinary gastronomic offer, the seaside resort of San Sebastián (in Basque: Donostia) is one of the most popular towns on the Basque coast. Only a few kilometers to the east there is a more peaceful atmosphere – and this is exactly what makes Pasaias (Castilian Pasajes) so charming. In this traditional port city, small fishermen's houses are squeezed between the water and green hills on both sides of the river. The district Donibane is especially pretty: A small road leads past old stone houses with colorful wooden balconies – and to quaint bars and fish restaurants.
Day 9 - Day 9 Day under full sails
Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.
Day 10 - Day 10 La Rochelle (La Pallice), France
Arrival 8:00 am, Departure 2:00 pmThe Vieux Port dock and the beautiful front, which teems with cafés, form the center of the picturesque old town. Two imposing towers once served as lookout posts for the harbor and town, and are now the symbol of La Rochelle. The medieval town walls, town hall, churches and shipowners' offices bear testament to its former glory. Today, the Les Minimes marina is one of the largest examples of its kind in Europe. A bridge spans the 3km gap between the mainland and the Ile-de-Ré. With its enchanting beaches and dunes, little villages, cottages with green shutters and alleyways lined with hollyhocks, the 'White Isle' is a paradise for cyclists.
Day 11 - Day 11 Quiberon (Port-Haliguen), France
Arrival 7:30 am, Departure 1:30 pmPort Haliguen lies on the eastern side of the Quiberon Peninsula and is considered one of the most charming harbors in southern Brittany. Once a small fishing port, it flourished in the 19th century during the rise of the sardine fishing industry. Colorful boats, narrow lanes, and traditional houses still shape its character today. Around the modern marina, cafés and restaurants invite you to linger. Walks along the quays, fresh seafood, and views across the calm Bay of Quiberon give this lively harbor district its special appeal.
Day 12 - Day 12 Day under full sails
Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.
Day 13 - Day 13 Guernsey, Great Britain
Arrival 8:00 am, Departure 1:30 pmA piece of France fallen into the sea and grabbed up by the English' is how Victor Hugo described his place of exile in the Bay of St. Malo, which is closer to the northern coast of France than the south coast of England. Guernsey, the second largest British Channel Island, later inspired Auguste Renoir to produce a whole series of paintings. Narrow, meandering roads bordered by hedges and embankments wind through the interior of the island, which boasts luscious vegetation courtesy of the mild Gulf Stream climate, while in the south, green hills give way to rocky cliffs on the sea's edge. Here, spectacular crags, bays and sandy beaches have been shaped by the vast tidal range pummelling the rock. The pretty island capital of St. Peter Port overlooking the large sheltered harbor and castle boasts a fascinating mixture of styles in a tangle of terraces and stepped gardens.
Day 14 - Day 14 Honfleur (Paris), France
Arrival 9:00 amMany famous impressionists caught the quaint atmosphere of this town at the mouth of the Seine on canvas in the 19th century. This small town in Calvados is still one of the most charming places in Normandy. Tall and narrow slate-clad buildings crowd around the quayside, the exquisite Vieux Bassin and the old 17th century dock. Honfleur honours its famous sons, painter Eugène Boudin and composer Eric Satie, in a museum. East of Honfleur, the breathtaking Pont de Normandie spans the Seine estuary and links Honfleur with Le Havre, an engineering masterpiece and one of the longest bridges in Europe.
Day 15 - Please Note:
Itineraries are subject to change. 

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
22-05-202704-06-2027EUR €0Category E: Superior Cabins, Outside. From
22-05-202704-06-2027EUR €0Category D: De Luxe Cabins, Outside. From
22-05-202704-06-2027EUR €0Category F: Superior Single Cabins, Outside. From
22-05-202704-06-2027EUR €0Category C: De Luxe Lido Cabins, Outside. From
22-05-202704-06-2027EUR €0Category B: Junior Suites With Balcony. From
22-05-202704-06-2027EUR €0Category A: Suites With Balcony. From

Inclusions

    • Porto for Insiders: Learn the hidden highlights of Portugal’s secret capital and the Douro Valley.
    • Santiago de Compostela: Get inspired by the famous pilgrimage site and destination of the Way of St. James.
    • Architecture and Gastronomy in Basque Country: Bilbao’s pintxo culture, Rioja wines, and the trendsetting city of San Sebastián shape the region’s identity.
    • Gourmet City, La Rochelle: Where Cognac, Pineau, and fresh oysters delight.
    • Wild Brittany Up Close: The Quiberon Peninsula charms with dramatic surf, wide sandy beaches, and Breton coastal villages.

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