Like Santiago de Compostela, BORDEAUX is also a place of pilgrimage – but for gourmets and wine enthusiasts. You will reach this wine capital via the Gironde estuary, which is still shaped by the region’s rich maritime history. The famous wine-growing areas of Saint-Emilion* and Medoc* are close by and ideal for wine tasting. But connoisseurs of fine food will also be in their element in this region: go on a boat trip* to the oyster banks in Arcachon Bay and enjoy the “queen of shellfish”, or practise the fine art of creating French cuisine yourself during a cookery class*. The fortified city of LA ROCHELLE was the largest port on the Atlantic until the 15th century and an important trading centre for wine and salt. A walking tour of the medieval old town will take you back to this formative era.

You’ll be able to marvel at an entire fleet of traditional ships along the quays of the port of ROUEN. During the “Rouen Armada”, numerous tall ships and other ships head upriver, before dropping anchor in the harbour city, whose skyline is dominated by church steeples. During the day, culture lovers can visit Norman abbeys* in the valley of the Seine or Claude Monet’s house and garden in Giverny*. The EUROPA will then take you from impressionism to baroque wonders via the River Schelde. For a long time, ANTWERP was home to the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens, but you can also admire the works of other artists in the city’s many museums. The facades of the historical guildhalls – which you can see at the Great Market Square, among other places – provide insights into what the city was like during its heyday. Don’t forget to end your time in Belgium on a sweet note with a few handmade chocolates, before you head for Hamburg along the River Elbe.

* The shore activities are not included in the cruise price and are in the planning stage. Subject to change.