Mediterranean Discovery - 12 nights, November 2013

The United Kingdom's premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear. The port serves as your gateway to Southern England’s magnificent historic sites, national landmarks, charming villages as well as the great metropolis of London. Southampton is the ideal starting or ending point for a memorable voyage.

Explore inside the ancient city walls where a beguiling honeycomb of plazas, promenades, enchanting ruins and churches cluster around the gold-domed baroque cathedral. Saunter beneath sweeping palms, soak up astonishing sea views or simply watch the world go by in this busy, buzzing port. Alternatively head to Seville and soak up the atmosphere of the flamenco.

The birthplace of Picasso and known as ‘Málaga the Beautiful’, Málaga’s privileged location has attracted travellers, merchants, artists and explorers for centuries who have left their mark on this cosmopolitan city. It is the gateway to the beaches of Torremolinos, the exclusive clubs and marina of Marbella and Puerto Banus and its striking old quarter by the cathedral offers a relaxed atmosphere with spectacular views.

An ancient city, Valencia is an exhilarating mix of history, art and intellectual activity. Brave the 200 steps to the summit of the amphitheatre and you’ll be rewarded with a scene of orange rooftops and blue-domed churches. Valencia’s rich Hispanic culture is visible everywhere in art and architecture reflecting Roman, Visigoth, Moorish, and Aragonese traditions.

Delve into the Picasso Museum or Miró Foundation. Explore the genius of Gaudí too, as you survey the city from Parc Güell, witness the extraordinary Casa Mila and Casa Batlló, and marvel at his unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia. After all that sight-seeing a shady spot in one of Barcelona’s numerous cafés provides the perfect vantage point for watching the colourful street performers on Las Ramblas.

Grab a cable car to carry you up the ancient Pillar of Hercules for views that will leave you breathless. For the wildlife enthusiast in you there’s a stop to appreciate the diverse birdlife and to meet those famous Barbary Apes, of course! Beneath Gibraltar’s white cliffs grow a profusion of palm, pine, and cypress. No fewer than 600 varieties of flowers grow here, some found nowhere else on Earth.

Christened the ‘Crystal City’ and home to the shrine of St. James the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela, La Coruna is a gem on Spain’s north western coast. Tantalise your taste buds as you sample Galicia’s mouth-watering seafood with octopus, oysters and scallops on the menu. If your taste is for history, feast on the vista from the world’s only working Roman lighthouse.

The United Kingdom's premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear. The port serves as your gateway to Southern England’s magnificent historic sites, national landmarks, charming villages as well as the great metropolis of London. Southampton is the ideal starting or ending point for a memorable voyage.