Cruise · 20 nights · with Ambassador Cruise Line

Winter Sunshine Escape to the Canary Islands

A 20-night cruise from London Tilbury along France’s coast and northern Spain before circling the Canary Islands and finishing in Portugal aboard Ambassador’s Ambition.

Starting from London Tilbury, Ambition sails south to Brest and El Ferrol, a gateway to Santiago de Compostela, where the old pilgrimage routes meet quiet Galician streets. After Spain it turns to Madeira, with Funchal’s hillside gardens and the scent of eucalyptus drifting inland.

The main part of the cruise is a slow circle around the Canary Islands, including La Palma, Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria, each island distinctly volcanic with their own charms. San Sebastian de la Gomera is known for its pine forests and traditional silbo whistling language, while Las Palmas offers a reminder of its role as a crossroads in Atlantic trade.

After touching the eastern Canary Islands and Lanzarote with its lava fields, the ship heads back northeast to Portugal with stops in Portimão and Lisbon, before a final call in Leixões near Oporto. Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition is a sensible ship for this moderately paced route, with enough time in port to leave the ship and stretch your legs without the rush of some island-hopping cruises.

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