Itinerary
2008
Day 1: Vigo, Spain
Beginning in Vigo we enjoy a short walk around the old quarter and witness
the importance of Vigo as a fishing port in Europe. The coastline will
take us to Baiona where Europe first got word of America's discovery.
Aft er enjoying a fabulous dinner at a fine Parador castle, we are
graced with traditional Galician music and dance before retiring to
our hotel.
Day 2: Ribadavia
We explore the ancient Celtic hill of Fort San Cibran de Las before visiting
the historic quarter of medieval Ribadavia village. Stopping for lunch
at a winery along the Mino river of Condado de Tea, we enjoy scenic coastal
views as we make our way back to board the Explorer. Our home for the
next couple of weeks, the Explorer sets sail for the Cies Islands, known
for their natural habitats many flora and fauna.
Day 3: O Grove, Barbanza
Before landing at a small fi shing village, we stop at the mussel,
oyster and scallop cultivation farms in O Grove. In the aft ernoon
we make our
way up the coast to the Upper Rias Baixas on the peninsula of Barbanza.
A stop in the charming village of Carrubedo aff ords a spectacular
view of the coastline. We reach the 'end of the Earth' at Cabo Finisterre
before the day is through.
Day 4: Santiago de Compostela, A Coruna
In the morning we journey to the 'end of Pilgrim's way', Santiago
de Compostela, the capital of Galicia. We visit the cathedral and
old quarter
before taking in A Coruna?s Tower of Hercules, the oldest lighthouse
in the world, dating back to Roman times.
Day 5: Bilbao
Our visit to Bilbao includes a visit to the Guggenheim Museum, a
truly unique architectural creation housing over 19 galleries
in 11,000 square
meters of exhibition space. Its architect, Frank O. Gehry, is
Canadian-born and duly possesses a love for the sport of hockey.
Despite the many
diff erences of opinion on his designs, the Bilbao Guggenheim's
titanium curves
and limestone orthogonal blocks are no match for one of his smaller
creative masterpieces: the trophy for the World Cup of Hockey.
In the evening
we set sail for France, saying 'A bientot!' to Spain!
Day 6: La Rochelle,
France
Enroute to Brittany, we stop in the quaint seaport of La Ville Blanche
(the white city), or La Rochelle, named such for its luminous
limestone facades. Early French settlers in Canada set sail from
La Rochelle,
including the founders of Montreal. La Rochelle's seafaring
past is reflected in
its cobblestone streets, partially fabricated from ballast
of ships coming back from across the Atlantic.
Day 7: Carnac
An archaeological stop at Carnac is not to be missed, as it
has the world's greatest concentration of megalithic sites.
Predating Stonehenge
by 100
years, over 3000 upright stones (the heaviest being over 300
tonnes) can be found in this region. Th e exact reason behind
the construction
of these standing stones is not known, though the consensus
is that they served a spiritual or sacred purpose.
Day 8: Douarnarez & Quimper
Douarnarez, at the mouth of the Pouldavid Estuary, is a
fishing port once known for its sardines. Today, its location
with
views of an
emerald sea and warm climate have created an ideal stop
for ocean lovers with
marinas, a maritime museum, regattas and sandy beaches.
Quimper (pronounced kam-pair) sits at the junction of the
rivers Odet
and Steir, and
is a perfect place for a picturesque stroll. Flower-adorned
footbridges crisscross
the rivers, and half-timbered houses line cobblestone streets
in a town that is the centre of Breton culture in Brittany.
Day 9: Tintagel, England
Tintagel, known locally as King Arthur's home base, hosts
a dramatic landscape of rocky cliffs and green meadows
crisscrossed
with stone
walls. On the beach we find Merlin's Cave, fabled to
house the wizard Merlin
himself. Now it yields treasures of shells and rocks
for scuba diversto find, yet still casts a mystical atmosphere.
Just
above Merlin's
rocky cliff is what archaeologists claim was a Roman
settlement and military
outpost. The ruins seen today are from a castle built
in the 1230's by Prince Richard, Earl of Cornwall.
Day 10: Cape Clear, Ireland
Cape Clear is home to Ireland's southernmost seabird
colony. After a garden visit at Garinish Island near
the picturesque
county town
of Glengariff,
we cruise north to the Skellig Islands. An isolated
and now abandoned monastic community once clung to the bare
and dizzy
heights of Skellig
Michil, now populated by thousands of seabirds.
Day 11: Aran Islands
The songs and stories of the Aran Islands and nearby
Inishbofin and Inishark enshrine much of Ireland's
Gaelic folklore
and culture.
The impressive
6,000 year-old stone fortifications of Dun Aengus
sit high on perpendicular cliffs above the sea. Nearby
are the impressive
Cliffs of Moher,
the highest sea cliffs in Ireland. We end the day
with a night of traditional
Irish music.
Day 12: Westport
On to Westport, a quaint County Mayo town, where
we take in such landmarks as Matt Molloy's Pub,
whose owner is
flutist
for the traditional
Irish
band, The Chieft ains. Westport is located on the
shores
of Clew Bay, a body of water said to have 'an island
for every
day of the
year'. A
planned city, Westport's tree-lined boulevard,
the Mall, is a popular stop for visitors coming to any
of the many
festivals
held here annually.
Day
13: Staffa, Iona & Islay, Scotland
Staffa is known for its basalt cliffs and deep
sea caves, notably 'Fingal's Cave', which inspired
Mendelssohn's
serene overture.
No less than 62
kings of Scotland are buried at nearby Iona,
including Duncan, Macbeth's victim. St. Columba came here
from Ireland in 563
AD and early Christianity
spread through northern Britain from this remote
island community.
Islay (pronounced
eye-lah) is known as the 'Queen of the Hebrides' and lies just north
of the Irish
coast.
Home
to no less than
seven scotch
distilleries, including Lagavulin, Laphroaig
and Ardbeg, we will make a stop at one before
turning
our eyes
to the oystercatchers,
turnstones,
cormorants and other wading birds on Islay's
shores.
Day 14: Glasgow
We will disembark this morning at Greenock,
at the mouth of the River Clyde. Dubbed the
Empire's
Second
City,
Glasgow is
a bustling metropolis
and is the economic engine of Scotland. Known
for its architecture, we will make our separate
ways
home or
onto further journeys
from this contemporary
city.
What
To Expect
For
most activities, a relatively low level of exertion is required.
Our program features activities such as walking, wildlife
viewing and Zodiac cruising. You will need to climb into and out of
Zodiacs (assistance is provided) for excursions onshore, and some of
our landings will be ‘wet’, requiring you wear waterproof
boots. A reasonable level of mobility is required to fully enjoy this
travel program, and participants must get a form completed by their
physician confirming so. We have designed shore excursions to accommodate
both those who wish moderate strolls and those who prefer more active
hikes. A few of the excursions may have rough terrain, with rocky beaches.
In
May, temperatures are usually quite comfortable
and will vary depending upon our altitude on land or our ship’s
position at sea. Flexibility is a must, as itineraries are subject
to change, and landings may be tidal or weather dependant. We will
provide you with a complete list of recommended clothing, essentials
to bring, and a suggested reading list upon registration. Meals are
a great opportunity to meet new friends and recount the day’s
adventures, and special diets can be accommodated with advance notice.
Everyone travels for different reasons, however, one
common element is a thirst for knowledge and authentic experience.
This desire drives
us to ensure the highest quality learning experience on our trips,
by taking time to carefully design each trip we offer.
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Journey
with us to the far edges of Western Europe as we delve in to the wildlife,
history, culture, music and landscape of last strongholds of the Celtic
tradition. Most of what we know about the Celts was either written
at the time by Roman observers or later by Christian historians who
preserved the oral tradition. Along the ruggedly beautiful coast we
immerse ourselves in the landscape that so shaped the lives of pre-Christian
through modern day inhabitants, feeling our way through history as
we learn their stories and traditions. Our itinerary is designed for
naturalists and history buffs with a palette for fine scenery, food,
wine, whisky and
company. The Islands dotting the Atlantic, at the Western edge of Europe,
boast a settlement history dating back 8,000 years, from early Stone
Age peoples through the Picts and Celts, and even later Viking occupations.
Today’s inhabitants are passionate guardians of their Celtic
heritage. Many of the places we visit remain wild and secluded, while
other sites are bustling modern communities. We pass colonies of seabirds
numbering in the thousands – puffins, murres, kittiwakes and
gannets. Peregrines nest on high cliffs, and we have a chance at seeing
the Red-billed Chough. Whales and dolphins ply these waters, and seals
haul up on rocks and beaches.