If you’re like many cruise travelers, a journey across the Atlantic may well be a once in a lifetime trip, and to ensure that at each port of call you have the most memory making experience possible, be sure to schedule transatlantic shore excursions.
When your cruise trip takes you to Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, transatlantic shore excursions can take you on scenic discoveries of the island from cultural and historical perspectives. Visit the Man & Nature Museum in the capital city of a Santa Cruz de Tenerife for a guided tour through the museum’s collections. Travel to the Esperanza Forest and to the ancient Piramides de Guimar, constructed by an ancient civilization to be in alignment with celestial patterns.
Enjoy the natural world on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, on transatlantic cruise excursions that show you the land of dormant and active volcanoes at Timanfaya National Park; hear about the Yaiza priest who survived a volcanic eruption of the Timanfaya Volcano; learn about the Salt Flats and its pivotal role in the area’s economy; ride a camel, and see unique rock formations created when hot lava came into contact with cool ocean water.
As you cruise the Iberian Peninsula, available transatlantic shore excursions range from a journey to the religious site of Fatima not far from Lisbon, to a tour of the ancient coastal Lisbon towns of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Cascais, picturesque fishing village. On the island of Madeira, see charming city and countryside, catch the breathtaking view from the volcanic cliffs of Cabo Girao, the highest seacliff in Europe, and enjoy a sampling of local wines and cheeses.
While at mainland Spain ports of call, discover the architectural wonders of Antonio Gaudi on a city tour of Barcelona; venture outside the city to a Benedictine monastery in Montserrat to view the sacred “La Moreneta” (Black Madonna); see the Old City of Bilbao and visit the art treasures at the Guggenheim Museum; discover the joy and beauty of world-famous Andalusian horses on a daylong countryside jaunt to a horse farm in Cartagena, Spain.
When your port of embarkation or debarkation is Southampton, book a tour to Stonehenge, one of the best known wonders of the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When docked at Le Havre, France, you’ll have opportunities for tours of the beaches of Normandy and the World War II memorial; trips to the magical mountain island of Mont Saint Michel, and to the iconic “City of Light”, Paris.