Canary Islands to Spain: The Cross and the Crescent Moon

Welcome to Las Palmas, the sun-drenched heart of Gran Canaria, where colonial charm meets golden shores and Atlantic breezes. On arrival at Gran Canaria Airport, make your way to the arrivals hall to meet our representative, followed by a transfer to our group hotel. At the hotel, visit our hospitality desk in the lobby to meet our team who will provide you with useful information regarding pre-embarkation procedures and about your time in Las Palmas. You will also receive cabin tags for your luggage. Please clearly label the tags with your name and your cabin number on the ship.

Join us this evening for a Welcome Reception* to celebrate the start of your journey.

Meals: Welcome Reception - (including drinks and canapes)

Note: to attend our Welcome Reception, please ensure your flight arrives in Las Palmas no later than 2:00pm

Known as the ‘miniature continent’, Gran Canaria is celebrated for its striking contrasts. The island offers a variety of landscapes, from beaches framed by dunes to peaks covered in Canary Island pine forests, whose greenery stands out against the dark volcanic earth. Las Palmas, the capital, combines historical architecture with modern attractions, featuring bustling markets and urban beaches.

There’s time to explore Las Palmas this morning before we set off on a scenic drive that reveals more of Gran Canaria. As we leave Las Palmas, we’ll see a blend of heritage and everyday island life, while passing its famous banana plantations giving us a glimpse into the island’s most popular crop.

We spend time in Arucas, where volcanic stone buildings and leafy plazas invite you to slow down. You’ll have free time to explore at your own pace. Browse local shops, sip coffee, or simply take in the relaxed atmosphere. One unmissable sight is the Church of San Juan Bautista, its towering spire carved from dark volcanic stone, casting a dramatic silhouette over the town. It’s a striking landmark in a place that blends history, charm, and everyday island life.

Our route blends the character of the modern Canary Islands with the enduring charm of its past, before circling back to Las Palmas, where we board Douglas Mawson.

This evening, you’ll join your fellow travellers for an onboard Welcome Dinner, where your host will introduce you to the voyage ahead and raise a toast to the adventures to come.

While the Canary Islands are famed for their resorts and sun-soaked beaches, they offer much more than typical package holidays. The eight volcanic islands that make up the archipelago, are under Spanish jurisdiction but historically linked to Africa, and have a complex history that includes the early slave trade. Today, the islands stand as a testament to resilience and cultural diversity, blending influences from Spanish settlers and indigenous Guanches.

We explore Lanzarote, the northernmost Canary Island, known as ‘Volcano Island,’ for its dramatic volcanic terrain. Lanzarote’s volcanic landscape includes expansive lava fields and uniquely shaped rocks set against a backdrop of black and red soil that vividly contrasts with traditional whitewashed houses.

Our ‘Your Choice’ morning experiences offer a chance to discover this diverse landscape, from dramatic mountains and golden beaches to unique palm groves and dunes, highlighting the island’s exceptional natural beauty, followed by a chance to explore Arrecife independently. This afternoon, enjoy a complimentary shuttle service between the port and town*, with the Douglas Mawson sailing late afternoon towards Africa. (*dependent on pier allocation)

Our voyage from Arrecife to the Moroccan coast offers a tranquil interlude, during which our host will introduce you to the fascinating cultures and histories of the destinations ahead through engaging presentations.

A day at sea affords you the opportunity to explore the ship’s amenities. Whether you choose to invigorate yourself in the gym, relax in the library, or enjoy panoramic views from the observation lounge, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

This morning marks a change of pace as we bid farewell to the Douglas Mawson and journey inland on a three-hour drive to the vibrant city of Marrakech. Located at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, Marrakech is an eclectic mix of centuries-old architectural styles. The fabled ochre city was founded over 1,000 years ago during the Almoravid dynasty and still beats an age-old rhythm. Famed for its outstanding artisanship, the city has boomed as one of Africa’s key hubs for contemporary art, architecture and design.

We arrive in time to enjoy lunch at a popular local restaurant, before visiting one of its architectural wonders. Built in the late 19th century for Grand Vizier Si Moussa, the Bahia Palace was designed to showcase the finest craftsmanship of the time. Its name, meaning “brilliance,” is reflected in the intricate zellij mosaics, carved cedar ceilings, and graceful arches that line its courtyards. Light filters through stained glass windows, casting patterns across tiled floors, while orange trees and fountains lend a sense of calm to the open spaces, making it an ideal introduction to Marrakech.

Check-in to our hotel and enjoy some free time in the afternoon, before we gather for some Moroccan fare this evening.

Meals: Breakfast (onboard), Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, join your local guides for your chosen ‘Your Choice’ experience exploring the city’s main attractions, followed by a lunch inspired by the vibrant flavours of Marrakech. Afterwards, we transfer by road to Casablanca, where to reboard Douglas Mawson and set sail north to Tangier.

Personalise your exploration with our included ‘Your Choice’ experiences

Option 1 - Morning experience: Introducing Marrakech

This morning, your local guide will lead you on a brief walking tour of Marrakech’s famous medina. Amongst its maze of alleyways, you will find artisan shops brimming with pottery and hand-crafted leather goods, quirky trinkets, and traditional Moroccan souvenirs. The medina is a feast for the senses: fragrant spices fill the air, vibrant stalls spill over with colour, and the rhythm of daily life unfolds in every corner. Even a simple stroll becomes a memorable experience. Designed for those wanting a taste of Marrakech’s medina, this limited walking tour offers an insight into its eclectic character with time to browse its craft and artisan shops.

Option 2 - Morning experience: Meet me in the Medina

This extensive walking tour explores Marrakech’s medina further while we visit its sites. Sounds and senses include an exterior viewing of the Almohad wonders of the Koutoubia Mosque, and a visit to the geometric zellij (mosaics) and intricate cedarwood of the former Koranic school Ben Youssef Medersa. We delve deeper into the medina, walking through its maze of laneways and covered markets bursting with energy with a possible stop by the Spice Square (time permitting) where everything from herbs, spices, snakeskins and chameleons have been sold for centuries.

Option 3 - Morning experience: Yves Saint Laurent and the Majorelle Gardens

At the Berber Museum, the story of North Africa’s oldest civilisation – the Berber, offers an insight into the roots of the Moorish Empire. The private collection of Yves Saint Laurent and his companion, Pierre Berge, this museum is the centrepiece of the Majorelle Gardens. Saint Laurent, on whom Morocco had a profound influence, bought a house nine days after arriving in Marrakech and held residences here until his passing. According to Saint Laurent, it was in Morocco that he discovered the colourful palettes that featured in his creative work. Enjoy a moment to view the memorial in the rose garden, marking the spot where the ashes of Saint Laurent were scattered, before visiting the nearby Yves Saint Laurent Museum dedicated to the work of the master couturier, featuring a rich display of haute couture garments, accessories and sketches.

After a night sailing the Moroccan coast, we arrive at midday at a city located at the crossroads of Africa and Europe — Tangier. Unique among Moroccan cities, Tangier has a chequered past, offering one of Europe’s most tantalising stories. Designated an ‘International Zone’ in the early 20th century, Tangier harboured no taxes, no banking restrictions, no drug, censorship or morality laws. Attracting a mix of expat residents, it played house to everyone from eccentric British nobility to American authors, Franco’s civil army to Nazi spies, while it awaited its inclusion in the post-war nation of Morocco. Stories of illicit affairs, underworld deals, and espionage abound in this city, which remains as colourful as its history suggests.

Our ‘Your Choice’ experiences highlight Morocco’s vibrant artisan revival, with guided visits to the medina in Tangier, or a chance to enjoy the culinary heritage of Tangier.

For a more relaxed alternative, or for those wishing to ‘return to town’ a complimentary shuttle will take you from the ship to the centre of Tangier, where you can discover a gentler side of the city. Enjoy time at your leisure to sip mint tea in a local café, browse traditional craft shops, or take in the atmosphere at your own pace, before we sail north to Spain, in the early evening.

Personalise your exploration with our included ‘Your Choice’ experiences

Option 1 - Afternoon experience: Tangier Kasbah District and American Legation Museum

We begin our journey at Tangier’s fabled Kasbah. Largely unchanged since Roman times, the Kasbah was the traditional residence of the Sultan and his harem and is now one of the most fashionable residential areas of Tangier. During a guided stroll, we discover the Grand Socco. This café-filled plaza serves as the gateway to Tangier´s medina and was once the haunt of Paul Bowles, William Burroughs and their Beatnik friends who gathered here to discuss life and literature while mingling among alleged spies and expats during the notorious time of international rule. Our next stop is at the American Legation. The first American public property outside the United States, the American Legation is now a museum that traces the history of the relationship between the US and Morocco. As one of the first countries to recognise America's independence, Morocco permitted the new United States government to establish a legation in Tangier in 1821. It is the only historical monument to have remained in American possession since the birth of the American nation. Among several displays here is a letter from George Washington to the Sultan Moulay Abdellah.

Option 2 - Afternoon experience: A Taste of Tangier

This ‘foodie’ tour of Tangier allows you to dive into the city’s culinary heritage. Tangier’s cuisine reflects a fascinating blend of Moorish and Spanish influences, with each bite telling a story of its past. From the Moorish tradition of intricate spice blends to Spanish elements like rich, savoury stews, and delicious colonial French deserts, the food here is a testament to the city’s eclectic past. Stroll through the historic M'sallah and the old town district, where narrow alleyways and traditional architecture set the stage. Taste local delights like caliente, stuffed dates, and bissara, each crafted with time-honoured techniques. As you visit bustling markets and interact with market sellers, your guide will reveal how these diverse cultural influences have shaped Tangier’s unique identity, while we snack like a true local.

The proud city of Cádiz sits at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. As the gateway to the Mediterranean, it is touted as the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe, with its dominant families claiming ancestry dating back to Roman times, when the city was called Ceret, and the wine produced was Vinum Ceretensis. From Phoenicians to Iberians, Romans to Moors, Cádiz had its fair share of invaders. It is no wonder its skyline is dotted with 120 watchtowers, including the 150-foot-tall Torre Tavira, used for spotting sails as they appeared on the horizon – often the first sign of the return of long-lost explorers. A Spanish naval base even today, it was off the coast of Cádiz at Cape Trafalgar where the British won the battle of the same name over Napoleon’s fleet, with the loss of Horatio Nelson. It was from Cádiz where Christopher Columbus set sail to discover the ‘new world’. And it was in Cádiz

harbour where Sir Francis Drake sacked and burned so many ships that he delayed Spain’s attempt at invading England’s by at least a year and changed the course of world history.

Personalise your exploration with our included ‘Your Choice’ experiences

Option 1 – Morning experience: The Story of Sherry

It is the fortified wine, known worldwide as sherry, which has dictated the fate of Jerez. Introduced by the Phoenicians in 1100 BCE, this popular wine has brought both wealth and strife, with the greatest haul of sherry wine made in 1587 when Sir Francis Drake attacked the nearby port of Cádiz and carried off 3,000 kegs. The city’s bodegas and local wineries remain the world’s largest producers of sherry which although considered by some as a wine which has seen better days, is as popular in Spain today as it was in centuries past. In fact, in Europe, 'sherry’ has protected designation of origin status, and under Spanish law, all wine labelled as ‘sherry’ must legally come from the Sherry Triangle, an area in the province of Cádiz. A short walk of the historic centre introduces us to Jerez, where we spend time with a wine expert, who introduces us to the region's unique wines during a wine tasting.

Option 2 – Midday experience: Historic Cadiz on the Tapas trail

Join us on a tapas tour through the historic heart of Cádiz, where every bite tells a story shaped by sea, trade, and tradition. We weave through the whitewashed lanes of the Casco Antiguo, past sun-dappled plazas, baroque churches, and grand 18th-century merchant houses—reminders of Cádiz’s Golden Age, when riches from the Americas poured into its bustling port. Today, the city trades in flavours rather than silver, especially those of the sea. As we hop from tavern to tavern with our local guide, we enjoy delicacies that have fed Cádiz for millennia.

Option 3 – Full-day experience: Andalusia’s Heart; Seville

One and a half hours north of Cádiz lies Andalusia’s famed city of Seville. Our local guide tells a tale of Seville supported by a host of history’s famed conquerors, while Moorish influences join forces with tokens of Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque style added by later Christian kings, all with harmonious charm.

Take in the sights that shape Seville’s unique character on an introductory driving tour, before exploring the city further on foot. Drive through the lively neighborhood of Triana, famous for flamenco, colorful houses, historic churches, and traditional pottery workshops, and see parts of the city built for the Universal Expositions of 1929 and 1992, including the striking Alamillo Bridge by Santiago Calatrava and the beautiful Plaza de España, where a short stroll lets you admire its grand pavilions and lush surroundings, before time at your leisure in Seville’s historic heart, where you can view its ‘walkable’ sites at your own pace.

The port of Motril offers us access to the ultimate Moorish city of Granada and the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada; the Alpujarra’s. We immerse ourselves in the past, with a choice to spend time with the descendants of those who have lived here for generations or to walk among the greatest architectural achievements of the Moorish Empire and Christian monarchal periods.

Although very much a modern-day city, the apartment blocks and ‘expat’ clubs of Málaga and the Costa del Sol hide an undercurrent of ancient traditions. Long before beach bars and resorts, this coastline was part of Al-Andalus, ruled by the Moors for nearly eight centuries. Their legacy runs deep, visible in the arches of the Alcazaba, the layout of the old town, and the way the city seemingly harbours something older beneath its surface, steady and enduring.

Our ‘Your Choice’ experiences today range from an introduction to Málaga’s magical sites, to a visit to the Moorish enclave of Ronda. A complimentary shuttle service* will operate between the ship and the city centre throughout

the day allowing you to explore Malaga at leisure or return to the town after lunch on board. (*dependent on pier allocation.)

Personalise your exploration with our included ‘Your Choice’ experiences

Option 1 – Morning experience: Magical Málaga

Discover the layered history and charm of Málaga on this scenic driving tour, complete with photo stops and minimal walking. Founded nearly 3,000 years ago by the Phoenicians, the city reflects a rich tapestry of Roman roads, Moorish fortresses and Christian cathedrals. Drive along elegant, tree-lined boulevards and admire the grand neo-Baroque Town Hall, one of many architectural highlights. Pause to take in views of the Castillo de Gibralfaro, a 10th-century Moorish fortress that played a pivotal role in the 1487 Reconquista and remains a powerful symbol of the city. Continue past the majestic Catedral de Málaga, affectionately nicknamed La Manquita, “the one-armed lady”— for its famously unfinished second bell tower. Choose to hop off the coach in town and explore independently or return to the ship for lunch with a free afternoon to enjoy Málaga.

Option 2 – Half Day experience: The Moorish Enclave of Ronda

Venture an hour inland to Andalusia’s favourite ‘whitewashed town’ – Ronda. This famed city excites visitors with a fascinating story of early guerilla warfare and its part in the eventual demise of the Moorish Empire. Straddling the El Tajo gorge, Ronda was once an Islamic stronghold. Here, we visit La Mina de Agua, the former gateway to the city and located at the bottom of the gorge. As Ronda was an Islamic city, all those who entered were obliged to wash and pray beforehand. In 1485, Ronda was besieged by Christian armies, which cut off the city’s water supply, and within 10 days, Ronda fell. In less than a decade, the Spanish decreed that all Muslims must leave the peninsula or convert to Christianity.

Enjoy sailing the Spanish coast today, with an inspired day at sea. Your host will entertain you with tales of Spain's famous explorers, and coastal conquests, while the Douglas Mawson sails to the gentle rhythm of the Mediterranean, north to Valencia.

Early morning, we reach the sun-drenched city of Valencia. Valencia’s Islamic legacy extends beyond its architectural wonders. It remains entrenched in the soul of the city and its inhabitants. It is reflected in how Valencians live; in the jargon they use and in place names scattered throughout the region. The city’s story is one of conquest upon conquest. The home of the mythical El Cid, Valencia was a Moorish town having capitulated without bloodshed, but with the arrival of the Christian armies, its story changed, and it was heavily involved in La Reconqui

Renowned for its abundant sunshine, delicious oranges, and Spain's iconic dish, paella, Valencia offers a broad range of adventures. Our ‘Your Choice’ morning experiences return us to the Douglas Mawson, where we enjoy lunch on board the ship, while our half-day experience permits us to explore Spain’s scientific wonders.

An autonomous region of Spain, the Balearic Islands have seen in recent years an influx of tourists, and Europeans seeking an ‘expat’ lifestyle on a budget. But there is more to these islands than a suntan and a smile. Their history paints a portrait of brave islanders defending their lands from the threat of sizeable empires. The Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, British and Spanish have all left their mark, gifting this eclectic archipelago a story waiting to be told. Palma’s unique blend of cosmopolitan flair and Spanish island charm creates the perfect backdrop for a relaxed stroll. Sample locally produced wine at a cosy wine bar, browse the bustling port filled with fishing boats and yachts, take a refreshing swim at a nearby beach, or hunt for souvenirs.

Spend the morning on a ‘Your Choice’ experience or explore the city at your own pace with a complimentary town to ship-shuttle available. We sail west to the Spanish coast mid-afternoon.

Socially, culturally and industrially, Barcelona shines as a beacon of difference in Spain. Proudly Catalonian first and Spanish second, its people are free-spirited, liberal thinkers with a passion for their freedom. In the last 30 years, Barcelonans have sculpted their city into one of Europe’s most venerated travel destinations. Its boulevard-style main street, Las Ramblas, is the name on every traveller’s lips, and Barcelona’s vibrant is as sought after as it was during the Spanish Empire’s monarchal peak. A palatial stronghold of the 15th century power couple, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, Barcelona greeted a jubilant Christopher Columbus upon his return to Spain and the rest as they say, is history. The city has never looked back.

Our locally guided panorama tour celebrates the artists and authors who have long revered Barcelona as a living masterpiece. Renowned for its vibrant arts scene, the city wears its creativity proudly, with works scattered across plazas and woven into its very architecture. Miró, Picasso, Vidal, and Montaner all called Barcelona home, but it’s the visionary Antoni Gaudí who continues to draw art lovers from around the world.

Among the highlights is a viewing of La Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s breathtaking fusion of imagination and faith, where we’ll hear tales of the cathedral’s rich history, intricate symbolism, and the story behind its ongoing construction. We'll also take in sweeping views and cultural landmarks at Barcelona’s hilltop lookout of Montjuïc and pass through iconic areas such as Plaza de España and the elegant Gran Via. Before arriving at the hotel, there’s time to stroll Barcelona’s charming streets, whether you choose to browse local boutiques, linger at a café, or simply soak in the atmosphere of this captivating city. Late afternoon, we transfer to the hotel where we enjoy a farewell drink this evening at our Farewell Reception.

Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Reception (drinks and canapes)

After breakfast, check-out and transfer to the airport for your onward flight.