Spain & the River Cities of France

Southampton offers fast and efficient check-in areas, spacious departure lounges with seating areas, café-bars and smart washrooms. If you wish to travel by car and park for the duration of your cruise, you can pay for and reserve parking in advance directly with the relevant company. Alternatively, if being dropped off or collected by taxi or private car, they can drive right up alongside the terminal building.

The underrated Getxo in Northern Spain, is an attractive seaside location, and the access port for Bilbao. Getxo’s wonderful beaches, beautiful architecture and truly impressive monuments include the UNESCO-listed Vizcaya Bridge – the world’s oldest transport bridge. The town’s Old Port area, Algorta, is situated at one end of the Ereaga Beach and is a popular spot to soak up the sun, enjoy the vibrant nightlife and take advantage of the exciting water sports. At Ereaga’s other end, delightful palaces and gardens can be found and explored. Getxo is also perfectly placed for tours to nearby Bilbao, the largest city in the Basque country, and home to the world famous Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Fine Art and its stunning 14th century Gothic-style cathedral.

The underrated Getxo in Northern Spain, is an attractive seaside location, and the access port for Bilbao. Getxo’s wonderful beaches, beautiful architecture and truly impressive monuments include the UNESCO-listed Vizcaya Bridge – the world’s oldest transport bridge. The town’s Old Port area, Algorta, is situated at one end of the Ereaga Beach and is a popular spot to soak up the sun, enjoy the vibrant nightlife and take advantage of the exciting water sports. At Ereaga’s other end, delightful palaces and gardens can be found and explored. Getxo is also perfectly placed for tours to nearby Bilbao, the largest city in the Basque country, and home to the world famous Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Fine Art and its stunning 14th century Gothic-style cathedral.

Located between Gijon and Bilbao on Spain’s north coast, Santander is an elegant city with impressive buildings set against a natural backdrop of sea and mountains. The belle-époque elegance of Estadio El Sardinero underlines the engaging qualities of Cantabria’s capital. The Palacio de la Magdalena, once the royal summer residence, sits on the rocky peninsula, while the city centre is home to the octagonal cupola and Gothic cloisters of the Catedral de Santander. Inside is the tomb of Marcelino Menéndez Pelayo, a work by the sculptor Victorio Macho, and under the main chapel lies the crypt of El Cristo, a vaulted chamber with artefacts from the Roman era.

Originally a fortified island, the walled city of St Malo at the mouth of the River Rance on France’s Brittany coast, is now connected to the mainland by a 'Sillon' causeway. Visiting this atmospheric port, once a stronghold for privateers (pirates approved by the king), is like stepping back in time. The walls of St Malo, largely destroyed in World War II, have been painstakingly reconstructed. A magnificent grey granite citadel protects the old city, the cobbled streets of which are packed with interesting shops, restaurants, bars and cafés. The main gate is Porte St-Vincent, home to the castle and town museum, and an eclectic mix of exhibits including maps and local artefacts. Saint-Malo Cathedral, built in Romanesque and Gothic styles, makes an impressive centrepiece. From the beach outside the citadel it’s possible to walk at low tide to the small island of Grand-Bé, to see the tomb of the 19th century politician and writer, Chateaubriand. To the south is where the original inhab…

The spire of the vast Gothic cathedral soars over a superbly restored medieval and Renaissance old town - Ruskin's 'labyrinth of delight'. The city is rich in monuments and museums, with narrow pedestrianised streets lined by tall, half-timbered houses, and of course, the statue marking the spot where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake.

Southampton offers fast and efficient check-in areas, spacious departure lounges with seating areas, café-bars and smart washrooms. If you wish to travel by car and park for the duration of your cruise, you can pay for and reserve parking in advance directly with the relevant company. Alternatively, if being dropped off or collected by taxi or private car, they can drive right up alongside the terminal building.