Day 1 - Sunday - Mar 16, 2025
Check into your hotel for the beginning of your Basque Country land package.
Day 2 - Monday - Mar 17, 2025
Travel to the Basque town of Guernica, infamously bombed by German and Italian air forces during the Spanish Civil War - and the subject of one of Picasso's most renowned paintings. Immerse yourself in culture and visit the open-air market where you'll find a variety of local specialties, from cheese to peppers to fish. Later in the day, take an informative walking tour through Bilbao and learn how to order Basque tapas, known locally as pintxos, and revered for their small size and big taste. (B)
Day 3 - Tuesday - Mar 18, 2025
| San Sebastian de la Gomera, Spain |
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Take a deep dive into the contemporary art within the world-famous Guggenheim Museum, a work of art itself. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, the museum features a daring and innovative facade and showcases work by such artists as Andy Warhol, German artist Anselm Kiefer, and Basque masters Eduardo Chillida and Jorge Oteiza. Later in the day, transfer to San Sebastian and check into your hotel. In the evening, take a stroll through Old Town, the second-oldest neighborhood in the city, where distinctive architecture and pintxos bars beckon, made even more romantic by the evening light. (B)
Day 4 - Wednesday - Mar 19, 2025
| San Sebastian de la Gomera, Spain |
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Discover the charms of the "City by the Bay of Biscay". Known in the Basque language as Donostia, San Sebastian was once a prominent fishing village and was burned to the ground in 1813 after being occupied by Napoleonic troops. However, by 1887, after rebuilding, the city flourished as a popular tourist destination and spa resort. Later in the day, enjoy some free time in the city renowned for holding the second-highest number of Michelin stars per square meter. (B)
Day 5 - Thursday - Mar 20, 2025
| San Sebastian de la Gomera, Spain |
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Check out of your hotel and transfer to Bordeaux via the French Basque town of Bayonne. Later, embark the ship in Bordeaux for your Taste of Bordeaux cruise. (B,D)
Embark the ship for your Taste of Bordeaux cruise. (D)
Day 6 - Friday - Mar 21, 2025
Welcome to Libourne, a gateway to one of Bordeaux's most elite wine regions. Join an excursion to Saint-Emilion, known for its celebrated vineyards, and while here, explore the monolithic church carved out of one piece of limestone rock, and then go under the church to discover its catacombs and caves. Afterwards, enjoy a Grand Cru Classe wine tasting at either Chateau de Ferrand or Chateau de Pressac. Alternatively, you can enjoy an excursion to Saint-Emilion solely to discover more of the small historic town. For a closer look at the grandeur of French regal architecture, join a guided tour of the Chateau de Vayres. Dating back to the medieval ages, this storied estate is one of the most prestigious historic buildings of Aquitaine, complete with an elegantly decorated interior and stunning gardens. If you prefer a more active adventure, pedal through the vineyard-rich countryside to Saint-Emilion. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Saturday - Mar 22, 2025
Stroll through the colorful open-air market, tasting some of the region's specialties. You can also choose to enjoy a tasting of local wines from one of the beautiful wine estates in the Fronsac region. Or, you can get your heart pumping by venturing deeper into town by hiking through one of Libourne's renowned vineyards.
Day 8 - Sunday - Mar 23, 2025
Once in Blaye, you can join a tour of its 17th-century citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For a more active excursion, take a bike ride around Blaye along a former railway. Later in the day, you can choose to bike from Blaye through the idyllic French countryside to Bourg. Or, while in the ancient village of Bourg, take a walking tour and visit the Carriage Museum, which houses a wonderful collection of horse-drawn vehicles. Towards the evening, experience the hospitality of this charming medieval village with an exclusive wine festival. Meet the local wine growers and taste the fruits of their labor, and enjoy live French music and dancing. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - Monday - Mar 24, 2025
Cussac-Fort-Medoc is a peaceful commune in southwestern France and your gateway to the famed Medoc region, renowned for producing some of the world's finest Bordeaux wines. You will see some of the most beautiful and famous wine estates, including Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, and Chateau Pichon Longueville. You'll then visit either Chateau Gruaud-Larose or Chateau Leoville Poyferre for a tasting of Grand Cru wines. Later in the day, you may hike through the vineyards of Chateau Margaux and taste local specialties, or enjoy a coast drive to Soulac-sur-Mer where you'll see unique sights, such as the Statue of Liberty and the Cordouan Lighthouse, known to be the oldest in France. (B,L,D)
Day 10 - Tuesday - Mar 25, 2025
| Chateau de Roquetaillade, France |
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Visit the impressive Castle of Roquetaillade, an amazingly preserved masterpiece of medieval military architecture owned by the same noble family for 700 years, and travel to the Sauternes wine region to either Chateau de Rayne Vigneau or Chateau Guiraud to taste the highly prized golden-hued sweet wines produced here. For those wishing to explore more of the history on the decadent castles, you can enjoy a visit to the Roquetaillade and Cadillac castles. Or, pedal through the charming town of Cadillac for a guided bike tour. (B,L,D)
Day 11 - Wednesday - Mar 26, 2025
The breathtaking capital of the wine world, Bordeaux is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and classified as a "City of Art and History". You'll have an opportunity to experience much of the rich culture and architecture on a city tour followed by a visit to the famed indoor Les Halles de Bacalan market for a tasting of local specialties to please the palate. Bike enthusiasts will wish to join a tour along the city's amazing network of bicycle paths. Depending on your interests, you have a choice from three excursions in the afternoon. Enjoy a visit to the immersive and interactive Bordeaux Wine Museum, housed in an awe-inspiring building. Alternatively, be treated to a spectacular sound and light show, Les Bassins de Lumieres. Later in the evening, delight in a special illuminations cruise, gazing at the iconic structures of Bordeaux as they glow against the night sky. (B,L,D)
Day 12 - Thursday - Mar 27, 2025
Disembark the ship and prepare for your flight home. (B)
Disembark the ship and transfer to Tours for free time for lunch before arriving in the Loire Valley, where you will check into your Amboise hotel. (B)
Day 13 - Friday - Mar 28, 2025
| Chateau de Chenonceau, France |
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Visit three of the Loire Valley's regal chateaux starting with the Chateau de Chenonceau, one of the most beautiful castles in France. This chateau has been referred to as the "Women's Castle" since it is the only castle in the region that has been built, inhabited, and saved by women during the Renaissance. Chateau du Clos Luce was Leonardo da Vinci's last home where he completed some of his most famous works under the patronage of the King of France. The Chateau d'Amboise, perched on a promontory overlooking the Loire River, was the first Renaissance chateau built in the Loire Valley and features extravagant residences, gardens, and a Gothic chapel, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried. (B)
Day 14 - Saturday - Mar 29, 2025
| Chateau de Chenonceau, France |
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Check out of your Amboise hotel and, en route to Paris, visit two more majestic chateaux. Revel in a tour of the Chateau de Chenonceaux, a truly spectacular chateau and former watermill that spans the Cher River was turned into a palace by the French King Francis I for his Mistress Diane de Poitiers. Then, you will have free time for lunch on your own before continuing on to the Renaissance-style Chateau d'Amboise. This former medieval castle was remodeled in the Renaissance to a royal residence. The Gothic chapel contains the final resting place of Leonardo da Vinci. You will also discover the Chateau du Clos Luce, Leonardo da Vinci's last home. Here, during the final years of his life, he completed some of his most treasured works, Mona Lisa and The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist. Afterwards, transfer by motorcoach to your hotel at Charles de Gaulle Airport. (B)
Day 15 - Sunday - Mar 30, 2025
Bid farewell to Paris and prepare for your flight home. (B)
