A Journey Of Atlantic Isles, Volcanic Shores & Iberian Light

Enjoy the rich buzz of Lisbon. Dip into the city's strong architectural, cultural and historical connections. Wander charming-cobbled streets, colourful buildings, the river Sado and endless nature. Pilgrimage to Fatima, tour hilly villages, learn Portuguese cooking techniques and listen to the Lisbon blues. Slip to charming Cascais for quieter energy and golden beaches. And as you bathe in the captivating light, enjoy plates of petiscos which - like fado - you'll soon discover is vibrant, warm and most appealing.

With more time to reflect, rejuvenate, and embrace the Ocean State of Mind, days at sea with Explora Journeys invite moments of unhurried exploration. Against a backdrop of endless blue, indulge in a varied programme of wellness, dining and entertainment, enriching the mind and indulging the senses, designed to satisfy even the most curious of minds. These moments at sea offer a rare chance to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with yourself and your loved ones. With so many onboard experiences, each day at sea is unique and memorable.

Funchal's web of ancient streets spills down from lofty heights. Ride the cable car up to the exotic gardens of Monte Palace at its peak, where peacocks prowl high above the Atlantic. Descend at speed in a wicker sleigh piloted by ‘Carreriros' elegantly dressed in crisp whites and straw boater hats since the mid-1800s. Swirl a glass of amber-coloured Madeira at a café overlooking chequerboard-tiled Praça do Município and prepare to explore lush could forests crisscrossed by hiking trails and black sand beaches below jungle-covered cliffs.

The cobblestone capital of La Isla Bonita – the lesser travelled northwestern outcrop of the Canaries – was once among the most important ports in the Spanish empire. Uncover its history at a handful of museums, including the cloistered Insular Museo of Natural History, feel the Caribbean thread in the sugarcane stacks at the covered market, and stroll narrow streets with hanging wooden balconies, every house painted a different colour, to grand colonial mansions and the Plaza Espana, hustling bustling heart of Santa Cruz.

Framed by the volcanic cone of Mount Teide and the deep blue Atlantic, Los Cristianos is the gateway to Tenerife's otherworldly interior. Explore golden beaches or venture inland to traditional villages folded into the hillsides, where artisanal markets and vineyards offer a taste of island life. Heed the mountain's call and ascend the UNESCO-protected slopes of Mount Teide by cable car, or head out onto the Atlantic to spot bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales and orcas in the rich waters between Tenerife and neighbouring La Gomera.

Ocean meets desert in little Fuerteventura, where volcanic landscapes frame pretty former-capital Betancuria and the stacked stones of photogenic Santa María Church. Wind-sculpted hillsides roll north towards the seething sea of sand dunes around Corralejo Natural Park, where rust-red peaks loom over turquoise shores. Clifftop hiking trails along the Fuerteventura's lesser-travelled west coast reveal black sand beaches juxtaposed with the Med's swirling blues, which are swallowed up by the ocean-carved hollows of Ajuy Caves far below.

Set against volcanic hills and Atlantic light, San Sebastián de La Gomera is a place of quiet significance and natural beauty. From this historic harbour, Christopher Columbus once set sail toward the New World, and echoes of that legacy remain in its churches and whitewashed streets. Beyond the town, the island reveals a wilder soul—lush valleys, dramatic cliffs and the ancient laurel forests of Garajonay National Park. In San Sebastián, history and nature meet in a landscape shaped by time, wind and ocean.

Drop a sun-kissed Spanish city onto an island off the coast of North Africa, add a sprinkle of tropical charm and place an active volcano on the doorstep and you have Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Feast on tantalising tapas before exploring neighbouring San Cristóbal de la Laguna's UNESCO-listed Old Town, whose ancient doorways conceal exquisitely tiled courtyards and hand-carved balconies overlooking resplendent churches. Beyond, Tenerife is dotted with half-moon bays, immaculate golf courses, vineyard-covered hillsides, labyrinthine lava tunnels and sheer basalt cliffs: a primordial landscape sculpted by the fury of mighty Mount Teide.