Bordeaux & Iberian Charms - Northbound

Tour begins: 5:00 PM. InterContinental Lisbon / Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. A transfer is included from Lisbon Airport to your Tauck hotel, the InterContinental Lisbon or the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, located atop one of the city’s seven hills close to must-see sights. Join us for a welcome reception, followed by dinner at your hotel.

Explore Lisbon as you like today choosing from a sightseeing drive through the city that includes the Parque da Nações, the Baixa, Lisbon’s historic heart, and Avenida da Liberdade reminiscent of Parisian boulevards, to the Parque Eduardo VII stunning with views or a walking tour that takes you through the steep lanes of the Alfama neighborhood up to terraced sights and rooftops at Portas do Sol, the Mosteiro de São Vicente de Fora and the Triumphal Arch of Rua Augusta for rewarding panoramic views, ending with a rooftop cocktail at a charming hotel. Spend the rest of the day exploring on your own.

Wake up in Spain for a drive to the famous pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela, burial place of the apostle St. James, and the third-most-holy city of the Christian world after Rome and Jerusalem. Discover it your way, taking a walking tour back in time along flagstone streets to churches and shrines, listening to entertaining insights from your local guide, or following the “Little Way” on a pilgrimage walk on the Camino of St. James that ends at the Cathedral of Santiago. Everyone meets up for a private lunch at a restored 18th-century Franciscan convent hotel before time at leisure in town.

After a leisurely breakfast this morning, depart for architect Frank Gehry's masterpiece, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, one of modern architecture's most head-turning and iconic buildings. This afternoon, you have a choice of three excursions. Explore the cosmopolitan city of Bilbao including a visit to the Bellas Artes Museum as you learn about the city's transformation from your local guide as they share fascinating details you would not get from a guidebook. Or, you may wish to visit nearby San Sebastián for a stroll through the Old Town with its narrow streets, storied history and Basque cuisine, while exploring the city's most famous pintxo bars for a tasting tour, a truly multi-faceted experience. Your third choice combines an exploration of Bilbao with a search to find the best pintxo in town as your guide ensures your choice is paired perfectly with just the right wine. 

Enjoy an entire day at sea as your ship cruises towards France taking advantage of the ocean views and onboard delights including two dining venues, a spa and fitness center, and an innovative underwater lounge that lets see what's happening in the deep blue sea.

Bask in the beauty of Bordeaux today with a choice of two excursions. You may choose to explore the city on a guided walking tour that includes sites such as the Maison Gobineau, now the current location of the Bordeaux wine council CIVB, Europe's longest pedestrian shopping street, the Rue du Parlement, the fountain of the "Three Graces" and more. Or, you may choose to visit these sites and more on a motorcoach tour as you drive throughout Bordeaux's UNESCO-listed treasure chest of sites. Return to the ship this afternoon to enjoy your final afternoon and evening aboard Le Dumont d'Urville.