Dakar to Lisbon

Dakar, set at the tip of the Cape Vert peninsula, is West Africa’s westernmost point and the capital of French-speaking Senegal. Although it was not founded until 1857, it is West Africa’s oldest European city and one of the most westernised. The opening of the Dakar-St Louis railway in 1885 put the town on the map; it subsequently became a French naval base and in 1904, the capital of Afrique Occidentale Française. It bears the legacy of Africa’s French colonial past, especially so in the downtown Plateau area, where the architecture is redolent of southern France. Every inch a modern city, Dakar is a frenetic buzz of activity, which can be startling. Perhaps sample the popular mint tea and try your hand at bartering in the colourful craft markets for traditional embroidery, woodcarvings, metalwork and costume jewellery.

Capital of Senegal and a major gateway to Western Africa the former colonial trading post of Dakar stamps the Cap-Vert peninsular with glorious surf-fringed beaches. Enjoy the thrum of markets - where colourful textiles are exchanged - and wander streets where jazz sambar and mbalax spill from every ajar door. Offering tropical island-style beaches in an incongruous urban setting Dakar is a wild and urgent experience for the senses. Scuba divers can explore worlds below the surface in Dakar's diving areas or you can head to sandy beaches like Plage des Mamelles' cove which provide endless options for cooling off. Looking for a little more activity loosen up and play on golf courses that unroll along the sun-kissed Senegalese coastline or visit startling natural sites like the vivid pink water of the salty pink Lake Retba. Cultural relevance abounds in Dakar - those wanting to delve a little deeper into the dark history of Senegal should visit the House of Slaves on the UNESCO World Heritage Site listed Goree Island or duck into the Theodore Monod Museum to pour over an incredible collection of masks artefacts and treasures. Sandaga Market is a full-on experience of choreographed chaos sound and flavours. Tear into fish fresh off the boat and don't be afraid to get your hands a little greasy while handling Dibi - the national street food - soft mutton simmered with onions and zesty orange spice.

The volcanic island of Fogo is probably the highest landmark of the archipelago. Ideal for hiking, Pico de Fogo has an immense caldera surrounding the active crater and traces of recent and old lava flows all around. Again, along the coast there’s plenty of options too: from the charming Mosteiros to the stylish colonial houses of the historic town of São Filipe, there’s a choice for everyone.

Fogo and neighboring Ilha Brava are the southernmost islands of Cape Verde and at the western end of the Sotavento group. Unlike some of the other islands in the archipelago which were named after saints, Fogo’s name goes back to the volcanic activity of its dominant feature Pico do Fogo, at 2,829 meters the highest elevation of Cape Verde and also its largest volcano. The third Cape Verde island to be settled by Portuguese –there is no indication of human activity before the Portuguese voyages of exploration - the discovery of Fogo is celebrated with horse races and the “Festas do São Filipe” on May 1. Sao Filipe is Fogo’s largest city with 20,000 inhabitants and the fourth-largest of Cape Verde. Sao Filipe lies on the western flank of a giant volcano which in his 9 kilometer wide caldera has the Pico do Fogo, an active stratovolcano which last erupted in 2014-15 and still today emits sulphur vapor through its fumaroles.

Porto Novo, the second largest city on Santo Antão, is located in the dry southeast of the island. A dusty wind blows constantly here. You can explore the main street with its former mansions, a little church, markets that have local fish, grogue and fresh goat cheese for sale, shops and-of course-the harbour. At the back of the town is the 2,000m-high Topo de Coroa, which is a fairly easy climb and has magnificent 360-degree views. Around the town, family-owned farms grow fruit and vegetables which are sold at regular markets in the town. There are some old churches from the Portuguese era, as well as a couple of elegant squares with pleasant bars and cafés, from which to watch the world go by.

Porto Novo is found on Sao Antonio, the northwesternmost of the Cape Verde Islands, and is the island’s largest town with approximately 17,400 inhabitants. Located on Sao Antonio’s southeastern and arid side, Porto Novo began as a fishing village and only in 2005 it was recognized as a city. Since the island has no airport and Porto Novo faces the town of Mindelo on the island of Sao Vicente, this harbor is the main link to the other islands in Cape Verde and the outside world. A monument above the port shows a woman waving goodbye to those emigrating from the Cape Verde Islands. Roads leading out of Porto Novo have to either go along the impressive northeast coast or cross the island’s mountains through a rugged and even more spectacular landscape. The third highest peak of the Cape Verde islands at 1,979 meters is the Tope de Coroa to the west of Porto Novo.

Safi’s natural harbor lies on the Atlantic in western Morocco and was once used by the Roman and the Phoenicians. By the 11th century gold, slaves and ivory were the hot commodities being traded between Marrakesh and Guinea. Evolving through the ages to cater to the popular trade of the day, the major industry here today is fishing connected to the country's sardine industry, but there is also an economy based on exported phosphates, textiles and ceramics. The city was overseen by the Portuguese Empire in the 1500s, and a fortress built to safeguard the city by these Portuguese influences still stands today. Safi sits near the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains where Bedouins once camped.

Lying in a natural harbour to the west of Morocco, Safi (formerly Asafi) carries the weight of legend. As one of the oldest cities in Morocco, it is thought to have been founded by Hanno the Navigator in the 5th or 6th century BC. The etymology of the city’s name allegedly comes from a sailor who got lost and sighed as he passed Safi’s coastline (Safi meaning “oh my regret”). However, there could be another, more literal translation. In Berber, the word Asafi means to spill or flood, undoubtedly referring to the rich sea that makes Safi one of the biggest and safest seaports in the country. The city has been - and still is - a major player in Morocco’s trading industry. Its port has seen everything from gold in the 11th century to today’s principal export, sardines. Portuguese rule in the 1500s saw the Castelo do Mar be built, an imposing fortress that still presides over the city today. Under Portuguese rule, other Europeans came and by the mid-16th century, Safi was Morocco’s principal trading hub. This would all cease however under Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah in the mid-18th century, who would order that all foreign trade must take place in his newly built city of Mogador (Essaouira). Famous for its pottery of all shapes and sizes, Safi is one destination where you will want to support the local economy. The potter’s quarter, just out of the city walls, boasts the country’s oldest kilns and is a mecca for all those who love both ceramics and tradition.

Whether you pronounce it Seville or Sevilla, this gorgeous Spanish town is most certainly the stuff of dreams. Over 2,200 years old, Seville has a mutli-layered personality; home to Flamenco, high temperatures and three UNESCO-World Heritage Sites, there is a noble ancestry to the southern Spanish town. Not forgetting that it is the birthplace of painter Diego Velazquez, the resting place of Christopher Columbus, the inspiration for Bizet’s Carmen and a location for Game of Thrones filming, Seville is truly more than just a sum of its parts. This city is a full on experience, a beguiling labyrinth of centuries old streets, tiny tapas restaurants serving possibly the best dishes you’ll taste south of Madrid and a paradise of Mudejar architecture and tranquil palm trees and fountain-filled gardens.

Whether you pronounce it Seville or Sevilla this gorgeous Spanish town is most certainly the stuff of dreams. Over 2 200 years old Seville has a mutli-layered personality home to Flamenco high temperatures and three UNESCO-World Heritage Sites there is a noble ancestry to the southern Spanish town. Not forgetting that it is the birthplace of painter Diego Velazquez the resting place of Christopher Columbus the inspiration for Bizet’s Carmen and a location for Game of Thrones filming Seville is truly more than just a sum of its parts. This city is a full on experience a beguiling labyrinth of centuries old streets tiny tapas restaurants serving possibly the best dishes you’ll taste south of Madrid and a paradise of Mudejar architecture and tranquil palm trees and fountain-filled gardens.

Whether you pronounce it Seville or Sevilla, this gorgeous Spanish town is most certainly the stuff of dreams. Over 2,200 years old, Seville has a mutli-layered personality; home to Flamenco, high temperatures and three UNESCO-World Heritage Sites, there is a noble ancestry to the southern Spanish town. Not forgetting that it is the birthplace of painter Diego Velazquez, the resting place of Christopher Columbus, the inspiration for Bizet’s Carmen and a location for Game of Thrones filming, Seville is truly more than just a sum of its parts. This city is a full on experience, a beguiling labyrinth of centuries old streets, tiny tapas restaurants serving possibly the best dishes you’ll taste south of Madrid and a paradise of Mudejar architecture and tranquil palm trees and fountain-filled gardens.

Whether you pronounce it Seville or Sevilla this gorgeous Spanish town is most certainly the stuff of dreams. Over 2 200 years old Seville has a mutli-layered personality home to Flamenco high temperatures and three UNESCO-World Heritage Sites there is a noble ancestry to the southern Spanish town. Not forgetting that it is the birthplace of painter Diego Velazquez the resting place of Christopher Columbus the inspiration for Bizet’s Carmen and a location for Game of Thrones filming Seville is truly more than just a sum of its parts. This city is a full on experience a beguiling labyrinth of centuries old streets tiny tapas restaurants serving possibly the best dishes you’ll taste south of Madrid and a paradise of Mudejar architecture and tranquil palm trees and fountain-filled gardens.

Set on seven hills on the banks of the River Tagus, Lisbon has been the capital of Portugal since the 13th century. It is a city famous for its majestic architecture, old wooden trams, Moorish features and more than twenty centuries of history. Following disastrous earthquakes in the 18th century, Lisbon was rebuilt by the Marques de Pombal who created an elegant city with wide boulevards and a great riverfront and square, Praça do Comércio. Today there are distinct modern and ancient sections, combining great shopping with culture and sightseeing in the Old Town, built on the city's terraced hillsides. The distance between the ship and your tour vehicle may vary. This distance is not included in the excursion grades.

A glorious mosaic of beauty, freedom and authenticity, Portugal’s capital is a stirring artwork of a city. Known for the seven hills it spreads across, and its stirring fado music, Lisbon is a pastel-coloured blend of houses and beautiful tile artworks - and this creative city strikes a perfect harmony between natural and manmade beauty. Stroll along Alfama's steep, cobbled streets as you explore one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods - where each house and door could be its own photograph. Look for the decorative tiles, with the distinctive blues and whites of Azulejo ceramics, and visit the dedicated museum to learn more. Afterwards, wind up to São Jorge Castle, where views out across Lisbon’s red rooftops unravel. Just one of many majestic viewpoints, you can also seek out Miradouro da Graça for perhaps Lisbon's finest panorama, with the copper-coloured suspension bridge stretching over sparkling water beyond the sea of buildings. The elegant Tower of Belém rises in the Tagus estuary and is a historic defender of these shores. The grand, carved cloisters of Jerónimos Monastery spread out close by, and there's another UNESCO recognised location close by at Sintra, where a colourful town is set amid thick gardens and towering mountains - capped by the royal Pena Palace. Later, relax and take a quick break to drink Ginjinha, a cherry liqueur made from chocolate cups instead of coffee. Lisboetas have a sweet tooth, and the famous Pastel de Nata's crumbling pastry and caramelised-custard topping is the essential accompaniment to any coffee stop.