Variety Cruises announces its new Glories of Spain & Portugal cruise, eight days aboard the Panorama II, a 25-cabin sailing ship that will make this itinerary between May 13 and October 21, 2017, with excursions offered in Granada, Ronda, Gibraltar, Seville and Jerez de la Frontera.
Throughout the cruise, passengers will visit UNESCO World Heritage sites and architectural gems such as the Alhambra. They will also discover diverse local flavors like sherry. In Motril, travelers have the option of visiting Granada, one of Europe's most fascinating cities and the last Muslim stronghold to fall to the Christians in 1492. Sailing towards Puerto Banús, the cruise stops in Ronda, a city that still retains its historical charm, especially its old town and the Puente Nuevo (18th century)
Upon arriving in Gibraltar, Variety Cruises offers the option of visiting the Rock. In Seville, the optional excursion includes exploring the Cathedral, the Alcázar Palace and its typical Andalusian gardens, Maria Luisa Park, and the picturesque and elegant Santa Cruz district. In Silves, Portugal, a town partially destroyed by a 17th-century earthquake, travelers can discover its Moorish castles with an underground water reservoir, its Cathedral—built by Alfonso X of Castile in the 13th century on the site of a former Muslim mosque (15th century)—and its famous bridge over the Arade River. The journey continues to the town of Monchique, with its cobbled streets, small doorways, and a wide variety of artisan stalls. As the final stop on this itinerary, the sailing ship arrives in the port of Lisbon.
