Continental Europe is home to the ports, cities, and wine country that don’t quite fit the Mediterranean, the Nordics, or the British Isles — the canals of Amsterdam and Bruges, a private Médoc wine tour in Bordeaux, a pintxos crawl through Bilbao and San Sebastián, and an unplanned, storm-rerouted stop in Cherbourg that turned out to be one of our more charming days. It also covers our Atlantic-facing Spanish ports like Cádiz, Gibraltar, and Seville, plus Lisbon, the Azores, and the volcanic wine country of the Canary Islands — and it’s the region we expect to keep growing as we head further inland, from Central Europe to the wine country of Provence.
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Ponta Delgada, Azores: Crater Lakes, Green Visions Tours, and Our Last Port Before the Atlantic Crossing
Our Ponta Delgada, Azores port day — a small-group tour with Green Visions Tours to the crater lakes of Sete Cidades before six days at sea to New York.
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Lisbon: Private Touring with We Hate Tourism Through Lisboa, Sintra, and Cascais
Our last port of call in Lisbon — a private tour with We Hate Tourism through Lisboa, Sintra, Cabo da Roca, and a Sunday supper in Cascais.
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Bilbao & San Sebastián: Old Towns, Markets, and a Pintxos Crawl Through the Basque Country
Our Basque Country port day — old quarters in Bilbao and San Sebastián, a market stop, and a pintxos tasting tour through the old town.
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Bordeaux: A Private Wine Tour Through Saint-Estèphe and Haut-Médoc with Rendez-Vous Au Château
Our Bordeaux port day — a private Médoc wine tour with Rendez-Vous Au Château to Château Lafon-Rochet and Château Lamothe-Bergeron, plus lunch at Le Bontemps.
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Bruges: Our First Time in Belgium, Canals, Gothic Spires, and a Waffle Showdown
Our first port of call in Bruges, Belgium — canals, gothic architecture, a walking tour, and a showdown between Brussels and Liège waffles.
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Lanzarote: Timanfaya’s Volcanic Landscape, a Camel Named Margarita, and Our Last Port Before the Atlantic
Our last port of call, Lanzarote — Timanfaya Volcano Park, a camel ride through the desert terrain, Mirador del Río, and Jameos del Agua.