Yuletide Sunshine: Canaries & Moroccan Coast Discovery

This sixteen-night voyage aboard Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience charts a course from London Tilbury to the cooler waters of northern Spain and the warmer canaries before dipping down to Casablanca in Morocco. The ship puts in at Leixoes for Oporto, where baroque churches and tile-covered façades line cobbled streets, before crossing to Casablanca, whose art deco buildings and broad boulevards stand a touch apart from the old medina.

The Canary Islands form the heart of the cruise, with stops at Santa Cruz de La Palma, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria and Arrecife on Lanzarote. Tenerife’s colourfully tiled Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África and the volcanic landscape surrounding Lanzarote offer views and experiences that differ sharply from the mainland. The final calls of Vigo and Santiago de Compostela bring a quiet note of pilgrimage and Atlantic coast charm before Ambience returns to London Tilbury.

The ship itself is compact enough for scenic manoeuvres, yet comfortable for longer passages. With Christmas approaching, the timetable is relaxed enough to appreciate both the sea air and each port’s distinct character without the rush of summer crowds.

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