Crossroads of Cultures: Canary Islands, Morocco & Iberia

DEPARTURE

Depart for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on an overnight flight.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain / Embark Sea Cloud Spirit

Arrive this morning in Las Palmas and transfer to board Sea Cloud Spirit. Guests arriving early may join an optional guided afternoon tour of Vegueta, the city’s oldest district. Founded in 1478 after the Spanish conquest of Gran Canaria, this district preserves the longest-standing architectural core in the Canary Islands. Walk cobblestone streets lined with wooden balconies, where Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical buildings stand side by side. This evening, join us for dinner aboard Sea Cloud Spirit as we sail to Lanzarote.

Day at Sea / Lanzarote

Aboard Sea Cloud Spirit, enjoy a relaxing day at sea to explore the ship, meet fellow travelers, and rest after a day of travel. Stand on deck as the captain and crew raise over 30,000 square feet of canvas by hand, an intricately choreographed effort. During the day, you may attend two lectures that introduce the cultural and historical themes of the journey, delivered by professors traveling with the group. This evening, as we arrive in Lanzarote, gather for the captain’s welcome reception and dinner aboard the ship.

Arrecife (Lanzarote)

Step ashore in Arrecife, Lanzarote, to explore landscapes forged by volcanoes and reimagined as a living canvas by local artist César Manrique (1919–1992).
Morning
Musical Performance at Los Jameos del Agua. Experience this 550-seat auditorium that Manrique converted from a series of collapsed lava tubes.

Afternoon
Lunch is at El Diablo Restaurant in Timanfaya, UNESCO-recognized volcanic terrain. Watch chefs grill dishes with geothermal heat radiating from the dormant volcano below.
Option 1: Expert-Guided Tour of the César Manrique Foundation, the artist’s former home built atop a lava flow, integrating volcanic caves into its design.
Option 2: Bodega La Geria Private Wine Tour & Tasting. Learn about Lanzarote’s unique winemaking process in these volcanic vineyards.

Day at Sea

Enjoy the thrill of a full day under sail as Sea Cloud Spirit heads toward the African coast. Attend lectures from our accompanying study leaders and continue to take advantage of the ship’s many amenities. This evening, enjoy dinner while Sea Cloud Spirit continues its passage to Morocco.

Agadir, Morocco / Paradise Valley or Oued Massa / Tifnit

Step ashore in Agadir, Morocco, where you may choose between these excursions:

Half-Day City Option: Agadir’s Cultural Highlights. Begin at the Kasbah, the city’s oldest site, offering sweeping views of the bay and the remnants of the original 16th-century fortress. Continue to La Médina d’Agadir, a recreated traditional village designed by artist Coco Polizzi, showcasing Moroccan craftsmanship in wood, metal, and ceramics.
Afterwards, visit the Amazigh Heritage Museum to learn about Berber culture through jewelry, textiles, and traditional tools. End the tour at the Souk El Had, Agadir’s lively market, where locals shop for spices, argan oil, and handicrafts.
Half-Day Desert Option: Paradise Valley. Enjoy an adventure through Paradise Valley, driving from the city to the countryside to see tiny streams and waterfalls flowing through picturesque villages. Enjoy some time to explore the area and take a refreshing break in the natural pools. Return to the ship for lunch.
Full-Day Desert Option: Oued Massa. Visit the heart of this nature reserve, home to numerous species of birds and reptiles. Cross the dunes to arrive at Tifnit, a small fishing village, to learn about its history and fishing culture. Following lunch, visit the Youssef Ben Tachfine dam and a local pottery workshop before returning to the ship. B,L,D

Optional Marrakech Interlude – May 1–3, 2026
Check the hotel page for more information

 

Day at Sea

Explore the various amenities and offerings aboard Sea Cloud Spirit, and join your study leaders for lectures in anticipation of your arrival in Casablanca.

CASABLANCA / RABAT

From Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city and chief port, choose among these options:
Full-Day Option 1: Casablanca. Delight in a guided inside look at the innovatively designed Hassan II Mosque, built partially over the Atlantic. Travel through the Ain Diab coastal resort area to the Anfa district, Casablanca’s ancient core. Enjoy free time in the main square, Place Mohammed V.
Full-Day Option 2: Rabat. After touring the Hassan II Mosque, transfer to Morocco’s capital, Rabat, to visit the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Take an enchanting stroll through the seaside 12th-century Kasbah des Oudaïas, Rabat’s oldest quarter.

Day at Sea

Enjoy a final full day of sailing and gather for lectures a s we prepare to arrive in Tangier and onward to Spain and Gibraltar.

Tangier / Asilah or Tétouan

Step ashore in glamorous Tangier with these options today:
Half-Day Option: Tangier Exploration. Enjoy guided looks at the Tangier American Legation Museum, the only U.S. National Historic Landmark abroad, and the Kasbah Museum, a former sultan’s palace housing antiquities such as Roman mosaics.
Full-Day Option 1: Asilah & Private Garden Visit. Travel to the mythical Caves of Hercules, where the Greek god Heracles slept, according to legend, and look out of the famous Africa-shaped opening onto the Strait of Gibraltar. Stroll through Asilah, an ancient fortified city of whitewashed architecture, 15th-century Portuguese ramparts, and colorful murals. Enjoy an al fresco lunch and private tour at Rohuna Garden, created by Italian horticulturist Umberto Pasti to preserve Moroccan wild plants.
Full-Day Option 2: Explore Tétouan’s UNESCO-listed medina. Enjoy an exclusive visit to a traditional art school to observe students at work, followed by a visit to Morocco’s largest Jewish cemetery.

Return to Sea Cloud Spirit for dinner this evening as the ship sails across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain.

Cádiz, Spain

This afternoon, arrive in Cádiz, Spain, where you may choose from the following options:
Option 1: Guided Old Town Tour. Walk with a local guide through the historic plazas of Cádiz, one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. Along the way, stop at traditional tapas bars, where locals gather for small plates and conversation. As evening falls, see the golden-domed Cádiz Cathedral illuminated against the darkening sky.
Option 2: Jerez Sherry Experience. Go behind the scenes at Bodegas González Byass, the birthplace of Tío Pepe Fino. Learn secrets of sherry production inside 19th-century cellars, followed by a tasting with tapas.

Cádiz, Spain / Jerez de la Frontera or Seville

Andalusian Spain awaits today with these optional excursions:
Morning Option 1: Cádiz Exploration. Visit the 18th-century Catedral de la Santa Cruz and enter the Oratorio de la Santa Cueva to view three canvases by Francisco Goya.
Morning Option 2: Jerez Equestrian Art. At the globally prestigious Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, enjoy a performance of classical dressage and exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the stables and training areas.
Full-Day Option: UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Seville. Visit the world’s largest Gothic cathedral and enjoy expert-led tours of the Alcázar, Europe’s oldest continuously used royal palace, and La Casa de Pilatos, a 15th-century palace known for its extensive azulejo tilework.

Gibraltar, United Kingdom

Stand on deck as Sea Cloud Spirit navigates the Strait of Gibraltar, the ancient Pillars of Hercules, before arriving at the British Overseas Territory defined by its 1,398-foot limestone rock. Ascend into Saint Michael’s Cave, a natural grotto known since Roman times. Then explore a subterranean city created for 16,000 troops inside the World War II Tunnels, a 34-mile network carved by British Royal Engineers.

 

Málaga, Spain / Disembark / Return

Disembark early this morning and transfer to the airport for flights home.

Extend your adventure with an optional Lisbon postlude from May 9–11, 2026.