Day 1 (SEP 7, 2025): Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Departs at 5:00pm.

A stop in Amsterdam offers the chance to explore the sights of one of Europe’s most colorful, dynamic and historic cities—one with a well-earned reputation as a laid-back and inviting place for people of all stripes. Visitors are naturally drawn to the historic city center where you’ll find some of the world’s top art museums, including the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. And at Dam Square, the Amsterdam’s largest public square, you can tour the Royal Palace before continuing to the tourist attractions on the Canal Belt. The iconic network of waterways that surrounds the downtown area offers a picturesque backdrop for sightseeing by bike or canal boat. Be sure to visit the floating Bloemenmarkt to peruse famed Dutch tulips, and take time to wander and window-shop among the narrow lanes of de Jordaan. And you won’t have to look far in Amsterdam to find delicious Dutch treats along the way. Just duck into a cozy brown café to sample a plate of bitterballen with mustard and a beer, and grab a gooey sweet stroopwafel from a street vendor as you stroll.

Day 2 (SEP 8, 2025): Day at Sea

Day 3 (SEP 9, 2025): Portland (Weymouth), England, United Kingdom

Portland and the nearby town of Weymouth sit on the south coast of England in Dorset County near the area's beautiful beaches. From here, visitors can wander on Chesil Beach or venture further afield to explore some of the most interesting sights of the British countryside. Outdoorsy types will enjoy walking along the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see natural arches, cliffs and fossils spanning 180 million years of geological history. Those fascinated by the life of the English aristocracy may prefer a visit to the fabulous Minterne House and Gardens, home to the Digby and Churchill families for 350 years. Portland is also a good jumping-off point to see Stonehenge, one of the world’s most recognizable ancient structures, shrouded in mystery and likely already on your must-see list. Other sites that will appeal to British history buffs are Sherborne Castle, built by Sir Walter Raleigh and housing his family artifacts, and the unusual Cerne Abbas Giant. At the end of your day exploring, we recommend a stop at the 500-year-old Black Dog Pub back in Weymouth for a pint of local cask ale.

Day 4 (SEP 10, 2025): Day at Sea

Day 5 (SEP 11, 2025): Bilbao, Spain

This Basque city combines a heady mix of ancient roots and ultramodern sensibilities. If you like modern design, Bilbao’s got striking architecture—like Frank Gehry’s shiplike Guggenheim Museum, the soaring Isozaki towers and Calatrava’s glass-bottomed Zubizuri Bridge. If you seek older cultural highlights, there are historic buildings, traditional Basque cuisine and inviting cobblestone streets to explore. Outside Bilbao’s bustling center, there’s lots to discover. Find sweeping views and surprising meals—both traditional and avant-garde—waiting to be savored in hilltop communities. Learn about the Basques’ tragic history and promising future in Guernica, the city bombed by Fascist forces and immortalized by Picasso. Or spend a day in San Sebastián, exploring the historic center, the boardwalk and the curving bay, setting some time aside to sample the city's famous Michelin-star worthy cuisine.

Day 6 (SEP 12, 2025): A Coruna, Spain

You are just one in a long line of visitors to A Coruña, Spain. Celts, Romans, Vikings, Moors, Visigoths, English warships and Napoleon’s troops have all passed through this city and verdant region before you. Before departing, each would leave their marks on the landscape and culture of A Coruña—but what has endured are the crashing waves, the rocky cliffs and the people of Galicia. A Coruña is a wealthy city, the result of industry flourishing around the port. Some visitors may dismiss it as merely a commercial center that shouldn't delay travelers en route to Santiago de Compostela. That's their loss. A Coruña’s subtle allure and attractions can be unlocked with a simple stroll if you know where to go. Walk the waterfront promenade out past the Roman Torre de Hércules and you'll reach the edge of the continent, or you can amble through the narrow cobblestone streets and sights of the Old Town to find cafés and shops, bustling squares and shady gardens. Beyond the city of A Coruña itself, this lush corner of Spain can work its ancient magic on any traveler. You'll likely fall under its spell as you listen for the Celtic lilt in the local music, taste briny just-caught seafood and bright regional wines and linger to watch the ocean. If you have any doubts about the captivating power of Galicia, just ask Julius Caesar, Gunrod the Viking or the legendary Celtic king Breogán.

Day 7 (SEP 13, 2025): Leixoes (Porto), Portugal 

Porto, the second-largest city in Portugal, is sometimes dismissed as Lisbon’s business-minded sibling. But underneath its commercial and industrial surface, there flourishes a lively scene for the arts, food and music amidst Art Deco buildings and a UNESCO World Heritage-designated historic core. Take time to visit the port wine cellars where the city’s famous export is blended and stored. Then explore a turn-of-the-century bookstore, the neoclassical Stock Exchange Palace or the sprawling arts complex. Tumbling from the newer sections of the city down to the banks of the Douro, Porto’s oldest quarter, Ribeira, can feel contemporary one minute with starkly modern galleries and chic bistros and ancient the next with narrow alleyways strung with laundry lines and worn stone stairways connecting the cobblestone streets. Wander the neighborhood, from more commercial strips to residential back streets where old ladies chat and children bobble soccer balls. Down by the Douro at Ribeira Square, the streets open up, the sky is blue and cafés set their tables and chairs out on the plaza, eager to serve you. This is no stern, humorless, all-business city. Porto knows how to relax and enjoy life.

Day 8 (SEP 14, 2025): Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is a wealth of sights, tastes and sounds. An ensemble of neighborhoods both old and new, it’s a city full of history, culture and tradition. After the devastating earthquake that struck in 1755, reconstruction began and the rebuilt Baixa area quickly became one of the city's busiest districts. From there, you can glance up at São Jorge Castle on one hill while in another direction you'll find Chiado, one of the trendiest and most elegant neighborhoods. The spirit of Lisbon can be encapsulated by the soulful musical genre, fado, which can best be enjoyed in the Alfama, the city's oldest neighborhood. Enter one of the area's old-school taverns and listen to passionate renditions of Fado Vadio, sung by amateurs, often after a round ofa guardiente, an anise-flavored liquor. Visiting Lisbon, also known as the City of Seven Hills, requires some huffing and puffing but you can opt for touring around in atuk tuk. Another fun option is to take one of the four elevators to access hilly neighborhoods: The Santa Justa vertical lift, an iron tower, can whisk you from downtown to Carmo for a visit to the historic Convento do Carmo or try the ultrasteep streetcar-type Elevador da Glória to get up to the botanical garden in no time.

Day 9 (SEP 15, 2025): Cruising Strait of Gibraltar

The Mediterranean meets the Atlantic at the Strait of Gibraltar, a lively stretch of water 58 kilometers (36 miles) long and only 14.3 kilometers (nine miles) wide at its narrowest point. As the liquid border between Africa and Europe, the Strait of Gibraltar has always been the site of much political focus as well as maritime activity. Arab culture made its way across to Europe in the early 8th century. Among other achievements during their more than 700 years on the continent, the Moors built palaces and mosques, paved streets, introduced advanced scientific instruments and planted crops like lemons, oranges and olives. The crusaders eventually pushed the Moors out of Europe (but held on to the architectural works, fashioning churches from mosques and bell towers from minarets). Today, the tug-of-war across the international waters has mostly slackened to a peaceful exchange of goods and services. Ferries zip back and forth between Spain and Morocco—a trip taking usually about 35 minutes—and the occasional swimmer makes the crossing without a boat, which takes a bit longer. These are definitely strange waters, though. Cultures collide but mostly coexist—the Brits, far from their own island kingdom, hold Gibraltar closely, drinking tea and ale in the Mediterranean climate. The Spaniards have long protected their own North African toehold Ceuta, a Spanish-controlled port city and beach town on a tongue of Morocco that juts into the Strait. American military planes and ships patrol in search of smugglers and terrorists. The Strait of Gibraltar seems a peaceful stretch of water on its surface but in truth is a potentially volatile mix.

Day 10 (SEP 16, 2025): Malaga, Spain

While Málaga was long considered just a stopover on the way to southern Spain’s Costa del Sol beach resorts, in recent years a buzz has developed around the Andalucian city. There is a brand-new $100 million port promenade filled with restaurants and a bold new branch of Paris’s Centre Pompidou built in the form of a colorful glass cube. A handful of other major new museums include one devoted to one of the city’s most famous sons, Pablo Picasso—it’s also the hometown of another famous Spanish export, actor Antonio Banderas. Where once many buildings were dilapidated, an entire swath of the historic center is now pedestrianized and filled with shoppers, diners and street musicians. Tapas bars with outdoor tables line the old town’s Calle Strachan, while all over Málaga a boom in fine dining is taking place. The city makes a fine base for day trips to many of Andalucía’s most famous sites. Unlike many southern Spanish cities, Málaga doesn’t really shut down over the hot summer months; its waterfront location helps keep temperatures from soaring to uncomfortable heights. The 10-day summer Feria is becoming more popular each year, drawing visitors with its calendar of bullfights as well as dancing and drinking—activities the city’s residents enjoy before and after the Feria too.

Day 11 (SEP 17, 2025): Day at Sea

Day 12 (SEP 18, 2025): Alicante, Spain

Fresh sea breezes, mountain backdrops and vibrant locals have made this magical city a must-see for both international tourists and residents of Spain alike. It's easy to slip into the local rhythm. Spend your day exploring everything from the Old Town and Santa Bárbara Castle to the trendiest of Spanish stores. Promenade down the marble Explanada de España, an iconic and bustling boulevard dotted with palm trees. Enjoy a proper Spanish lunch that spans several courses and hours, prepared by some of the best chefs in the country. Take advantage of the proximity to the sea to dine on the freshest seafood, or try one of Alicante's many traditional rice dishes. And don’t forget to sample the outstanding regional wines, which are also very tasty souvenirs. Even just a day here will open your eyes to the natural beauty and subtle charms that make proud and elegant Alicante a gem of the Costa Blanca.

Day 13 (SEP 19, 2025): Valencia, Spain

In an era when a homogenizing global culture can erase the differences between cities around the world, it's refreshing to find one with such a well-defined personality. Valencia, now the third-largest city in Spain, was once the capital of the Kingdom of Valencia which, during its golden age in the 14th and 15th centuries, eclipsed Catalonia in importance. And it still has a plump and prosperous air, thanks in part to its worldwide trade in citrus fruits and vegetables. There are certain advantages to life in 'The Big Orange.' Few cities in Spain have such gorgeous public buildings, and, even if Valencia isn’t quite a cultural powerhouse on the level of Barcelona or Madrid, it's still a civilized town with a rich artistic past and present. Then there's the perfect Mediterranean climate, the beaches, the fine medieval centro histórico—and the deep-rooted traditions of which Valencia is fiercely proud, most notably the great spring fiesta of Fallas, in which allegorical figures are set afire amid world-class firework displays and the extraordinary mascletá (best described as a symphony in explosions). Among Spaniards, Valencia has a reputation for exuberance and sensuality, as well as an inordinate fondness for staying up late. It’s also emerging as one of the country's most forward-thinking food cities. In short, what’s not to like?

Day 14 (SEP 20, 2025): Barcelona, Spain

On the northeast coast of Spain, overlooking the Mediterranean, Barcelona is a vibrant port city, packed with centuries of iconic art and architecture—Gaudí and Picasso both called it home—and lined with sunny white-sand beaches. Explore the Catalan capital's tourist attractions and historic neighborhoods, Modernisme and world-renowned art museums, galleries and local crafts shops—some of which are centuries old and stock traditional Catalan wares. After you see the sights, there are lively tapas bars around every corner where you can stop for a drink, a café amb llet (Catalan for espresso with steamed milk) or a snack, no matter the hour. Green spaces for picnics, long walks and respite from the hustle and bustle are scattered throughout Barcelona's attractions: There's Gaudí's mosaic-decorated park, a neoclassical maze at the Laberint d'Horta, as well as plenty of high places (mountains, monuments and edifices) where sightseeing visitors can take in the view. A short trip from Barcelona by car or train, luxury outlets, cava wineries, a mountaintop abbey and the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean coast await.