Atlantic Europe's Epicurean Journey

Embark the Silver Explorer this afternoon and depart on your exciting 11-day expedition Atlantic Europe's Epicurean Journey. You will be introduced to your Expedition Team. Tonight we invite you to attend a special Welcome Aboard cocktail party.

Oporto is located near the mouth of the Douro River and the second largest city in Portugal. During our visit to the city centre (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), we will see the Castelo Queijo and the impressive 14th century St. Francis Church with its magnificent 18th century gold-encrusted interior. We then proceed to Ribeira, its picturesque riverfront quarter made up of narrow, twisting streets lined with brightly tiled or pastel-painted facades. Our day in Oporto would not be complete without a visit to a well-known wine cellar for a taste of some world-famous port wine. The history of port wine dates from the 17th century when British merchants doctored the wine with brandy to prevent it from turning sour while in transit. It was found that the stronger and sweeter the wine, the better flavour it acquired. We will learn how over the years, methods of maturing and blending were refined and continue today in the port wine lodges.

Bayona is one of the most important coastal towns in Galicia because of its harbour and fishing fleet. Originally it was set in what now is the Monterreal Castle, whose remaining walls still visible from the shore, date back to the 16th century. This village was where the caravel Pinta, led by Pinzon, made its first landfall, having finally arrived back in Europe after Columbus first voyage of discovery into the Caribbean three days before Columbus landed in Lisbon. The centre was declared a Historically and Artistically Interesting Area, with narrow streets and all houses made of stone. You will have a little free time to walk around before going up along the walls of the Castle of Monterreal to reach the Parador de Bayona. There you will taste various different local wines and a variety of seafood tapas and other special tapas from Galicia. In the afternoon, we travel to the nearby Cies Islands a true natural paradise of exceptional ecological interest. Here we will go ashore by Zodiac together with our local guides to explore the cliffs of these three islands. Once well known as a hideout for pirates, the area is now a nature reserve and home to over 15,000 nesting seabirds.

Gather in The Theatre to hear fascinating tales by our expert guest speakers. Enjoy a cooking class by our culinary training Executive Chef David Bilsand, or Rudi Scholdis, Silversea Cruises Culinary Director. Enjoy a special lunch in the Restaurant that will celebrate the local cuisine of the area we are travelling through.

Today we visit the noble city of Bilbao, founded in 1300. From Silver Explorer you will be driven along the estuary down to the Gran Via, which reflects Bilbao's 19th century mining and industrial prosperity, to the heart of the city. The Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art is one of Frank Gehry's masterpieces in flowing titanium and limestone, with sail-like shapes suggesting Bilbao's maritime heritage. The Museum in itself is a piece of art- and we, apart from an outside explanation, have a 90 minutes specially guided visit. Afterwards we will visit the Casco Viejo, or Old Quarters, located on the right bank of the river Nervion. Many of the streets are now pedestrian and you will see the 14th century Gothic cathedral, the Arriaga Theatre, and the Plaza Nueva. During the afternoon we will cross the Bay of Biscay on our way to France and Bordeaux. Let our food and wine specialists pamper you with more information on delicacies from the Basque region, be it at the Theatre or Panorama Lounge.

Silver Explorer will get into Bordeaux during the early morning and after breakfast we will get ready for a walking tour of this historic UNESCO World Heritage city. We will see the Chartrons riverfront where the wine trade had its beginnings, and at the Quinconces Square, view the monument to the Girondins of the French Revolution. Our tour takes us next to the beautiful Grand Theatre, built by Victor Louis in 1773, before we enter the old Bordeaux district with its Parlement and Bourse squares. A transfer drive takes us past the 18th century Place de la Bourse, the 15th century Cailhau Gate and the 14th century Big Bell, towards the 18th century Palais Rohan, now the City Hall. Our final stop is at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs housed in the 1779 Hotel de Lalande. Here, we can admire the decorative art displays of furniture, ceramics, glass, jewellery, everyday objects and luxury articles from the 16th to 19th centuries. Silver Explorer will be docked in Bordeaux overnight, and the evening is yours to spend as you please. Enjoy the comfort of Silver Explorers Restaurant, ending the evening with a liqueur in the Panorama Lounge or a cigar in The Connoisseurs Corner. Or take the opportunity to head out and try one of the many local restaurants for a dinner ashore. Having explored the historical sights of Bordeaux during our first day we then turn to the culinary highlights the following day: a French breakfast how about some fresh local croissants, croque-monsieur, or pain-au-chocolat? and a leisurely morning will permit us to be in the best of conditions for a special lunch at Relais & Chateaux Cordeillan-Bages (2* Michelin). The attractive 17th century chartreuse mansion in its beautiful setting will charm you. Here you will appreciate the art of careful selection of dishes from a constantly growing repertoire of recipes; the purchase of local products whose flavour's go well together; the pairing of food with wine; the setting of a beautiful table; and, obviously, the smelling and tasting of the items at the table. UNESCO has accepted the French gastronomic meal as an intangible cultural world heritage and Silversea, in conjunction with Relais & Chateaux, have the pleasure of drawing circles of family and friends closer together through a memorable meal in a historical setting. During the late afternoon Silver Explorer will leave Bordeaux, cruising down the estuary. Passing Ile de Patiras you might catch a last glimpse of Chateau Cordeillan-Bages, it is the classified wine Chateau Lynch-Bages in the heart of the Medoc. Close to the biggest forest and largest estuary in Europe, its two-hectare vineyard stretches across a gravely hillock producing elegant and powerful Pauillac wines.

After the visit to Bordeaux and the Medoc you might want to relax and prepare yourself for our next port of call, St. Peter Port, and the somewhat different specialities of the Channel Islands. Attend a lecture or one of the culinary events highlighting foods and wines tasted so far or yet to be savoured. Our culinary experts are looking forward to entertain and to enlighten you.

Today, we spend the morning on Guernsey the Island of Flowers. During the years 1940 to 1945, the Channel Islands were under German occupation, and many of the massive concrete towers, gun emplacements and bunkers remain today. We first visit the German Occupation Museum, which includes a life-sized street, bunker rooms, an armoury of weapons and communications equipment, as well as files of local propaganda newspapers. We next drive around the winding coastal road to see one of the many WWII gun casements and visit the charming Little Chapel before returning to St. Peter Port. Alternatively, guests may choose to visit Guernseys lovely Sausmarez Manor for a deliciously quintessential English tea party! Enjoy a guided tour around the house and subtropical gardens, which are the delightfully informal setting for his enviable collection of over 200 sculptures from over 90 international artists and the largest display of sculptures for sale in Britain. Under a marquee on the formal lawn, we will have dainty sandwiches, scones, cream and berries, shortbread and, of course, tea! This traditional tasting would not be quite complete with finishing it off by sipping a glass of Pimms while humming along to some local music. Return to Silver Explorer feeling utterly charmed by Guernseys hospitality. During the afternoon we will head back to France, to visit Saint-Malo, one of the first sites to obtain World Heritage listing. In the meantime you can join our experts for more lectures, classes or special recaps or simply enjoy moments on the sundeck, at the Pool Bar or in the comfort of your suite. We arrive at Saint-Malo in the evening, docking right outside the city gates, allowing some time for independent exploration of the bustling privateers walled city.

Today you have the choice of two different excursions: during the morning we can visit the legendary Mont Saint Michel. After breakfast we will set off for this spectacular granite tidal island, situated on the border between Normandy and Brittany. Upon arrival, we will stroll through the narrow streets of the mediaeval village and up to the Abbey. During our guided visit, we will learn that the abbey was founded in the 8th century as the result of a dream vision. The other option involves less of a drive: A visit to the Bretagne on a culinary expedition would not be complete without tasting oysters or crepes. On this excursion you will have a chance to sample both! To do so we will leave Saint-Malo and drive along the coastal road to the picturesque fishing village of Cancale. There, thousands of oysters are farmed in banc dhuitres (oyster beds) until they are ready to please the gourmets palate. We will first taste three different varieties of oysters accompanied by white wine at La Mere Champlain before heading over to the Creperie du Port. At this certified creperie gourmand you will appreciate the flavour of the traditional galette (Crepe de Sarrasin) served with local farm cider.

Following breakfast, disembark Silver Explorer.

Expedition highlights and wildlife listed here are possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed. Your Expedition Leader and Captain will work together to ensure opportunities for adventure and exploration are the best possible, taking into account the prevailing weather and wildlife activity. Guest speakers are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice. Expedition Team members scheduled for this voyage are subject to change or cancellation.