Day 1: Lisbon, Portugal

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-colored 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 neighborhoods — 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. Afterward, 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-colored 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-recognized location close by at Sintra, where a colorful 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 caramelized custard topping is the essential accompaniment to any coffee stop.

Day 2: Day at Sea

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

Day 3: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

Bedecked with dramatic cliffs, fertile mountains, and sun-gorged beaches, Madeira is a lush, colorful island of plants, paradise, and Portuguese-flavored pleasures. Bathing in year-round sunshine, Funchal — the lowkey capital of Madeira — is perfect for slowing the pace, and toasting the thrilling scenery with a bottle of the island’s famous wine. Narrow, cobblestone streets line the old town, where whitewashed buildings, iron-wrought balconies, and tiled patterns carry echoes of Lisbon. Rua de Santa Maria is the city’s oldest street, and the doors have been vividly painted by local artists. Sit for a drink, to sample your choice of Madeira’s renowned wines — Boal is the ideal option for those with a sweeter tooth. You’ll also find Corpo Santo Chapel here, one of the few remaining buildings to have survived from the 15th century. Blossoming parks and gardens splash color around, and the sweet smell of pollen lingers in Parque de Santa Catarina. Look out over Funchal Harbor between the fountains and blooming flower beds, as ducks and swans enjoy leisurely days on the lake. Madeira Botanical Garden waits in the hills over the city, along with Palheiro Garden — a sophisticated and elegantly landscaped English garden, 500 meters above sea level. For an even more dramatic view of this gorgeous setting, head up to Cap Girao — a rusty-red cliff with a cable car strung up to its sheer drop. The cliff falls away vertically to the vivid blue waters below. Or head down to the sea, to enjoy Funchal’s gorgeous pebble beaches rustling, framed by colossal, craggy cliffs.

Day 4: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

Bedecked with dramatic cliffs, fertile mountains, and sun-gorged beaches, Madeira is a lush, colorful island of plants, paradise, and Portuguese-flavored pleasures. Bathing in year-round sunshine, Funchal — the lowkey capital of Madeira — is perfect for slowing the pace, and toasting the thrilling scenery with a bottle of the island’s famous wine. Narrow, cobblestone streets line the old town, where whitewashed buildings, iron-wrought balconies, and tiled patterns carry echoes of Lisbon. Rua de Santa Maria is the city’s oldest street, and the doors have been vividly painted by local artists. Sit for a drink, to sample your choice of Madeira’s renowned wines — Boal is the ideal option for those with a sweeter tooth. You’ll also find Corpo Santo Chapel here, one of the few remaining buildings to have survived from the 15th century. Blossoming parks and gardens splash color around, and the sweet smell of pollen lingers in Parque de Santa Catarina. Look out over Funchal Harbor between the fountains and blooming flower beds, as ducks and swans enjoy leisurely days on the lake. Madeira Botanical Garden waits in the hills over the city, along with Palheiro Garden — a sophisticated and elegantly landscaped English garden, 500 meters above sea level. For an even more dramatic view of this gorgeous setting, head up to Cap Girao — a rusty-red cliff with a cable car strung up to its sheer drop. The cliff falls away vertically to the vivid blue waters below. Or head down to the sea, to enjoy Funchal’s gorgeous pebble beaches rustling, framed by colossal, craggy cliffs.

Day 5: Day at Sea

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do.

Day 6: Day at Sea

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do.

Day 7: Dakar, Senegal

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 colorful 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. Watch on as surfers revel in consistent rollers on this, the most westerly peninsula of continental Africa. 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 Gorée Island, or duck into the Theodore Monod Museum to pour over an incredible collection of masks, artifacts, and treasures. Sandaga Market is a full-on experience of choreographed chaos, sound, and flavors. 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.

Day 8–10: Days at Sea

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do.

Day 11: Takoradi, Ghana

Ghana’s fourth-largest city plays serene beaches against a bustling commercial center. People from around the world visit the shore, both for its beauty and to enjoy the fresh seafood served right on the sands. Frantic city life awaits a short distance inland, where an economy fueled by Ghana’s oil industry is most apparent in the maze of vendors at Market Circle. Takoradi is also the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Elmina and Cape Coast Castle.

Day 12–16: Days at Sea

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do.

Day 17: Walvis Bay, Namibia

Home to a beautiful lagoon, washed pale pink by a colony of resident flamingos, Walvis Bay is a colorful African call, where you can meet some of the continent’s most flamboyant wildlife. A small Namibian city on the Atlantic coast of southern Africa, the city takes its name from Whale Bay — which gives a clue as to the wonderful wildlife-watching opportunities available here. The deep-water blossoms with rich levels of plankton, drawing curious marine mammals in large numbers to feast. As Namibia’s only deep-water harbor, Walvis Bay is an important fishing center for the country, and its sunny shores and natural wonders make it a popular spot for holidaymakers. The deep-water lagoon is a bird lover’s paradise, and hundreds of thousands of birds assemble here to make the most of the tidal lagoon. Boat tours can take you out amongst the preening crowds, or you can admire the flamingos, herons, and wading birds from afar. Meet the pelicans at nearby Pelican Point — a sandy spit that calms the waves heading for the waterfront. With whales and dolphins frolicking offshore too, there’s a wide variety of wildlife to see here. On the cusp of the sun-scorched Namib Desert beyond, Dune 7 rises up to form the highest sand dune in the country, with sands piling up 380 meters. Perfect for a picnic, or a pulse-raising desert sport, like sand skiing or sandboarding. Climb to the top for views from its heights, or take a flight tour to spot extraordinary land animals. See the natural drama of Sandwich Harbor where the golden sand dunes plummet directly into the ocean’s waves.

Day 18: Walvis Bay, Namibia

Home to a beautiful lagoon, washed pale pink by a colony of resident flamingos, Walvis Bay is a colorful African call, where you can meet some of the continent’s most flamboyant wildlife. A small Namibian city on the Atlantic coast of southern Africa, the city takes its name from Whale Bay — which gives a clue as to the wonderful wildlife-watching opportunities available here. The deep-water blossoms with rich levels of plankton, drawing curious marine mammals in large numbers to feast. As Namibia’s only deep-water harbor, Walvis Bay is an important fishing center for the country, and its sunny shores and natural wonders make it a popular spot for holidaymakers. The deep-water lagoon is a bird lover’s paradise, and hundreds of thousands of birds assemble here to make the most of the tidal lagoon. Boat tours can take you out amongst the preening crowds, or you can admire the flamingos, herons, and wading birds from afar. Meet the pelicans at nearby Pelican Point — a sandy spit that calms the waves heading for the waterfront. With whales and dolphins frolicking offshore too, there’s a wide variety of wildlife to see here. On the cusp of the sun-scorched Namib Desert beyond, Dune 7 rises up to form the highest sand dune in the country, with sands piling up 380 meters. Perfect for a picnic, or a pulse-raising desert sport, like sand skiing or sandboarding. Climb to the top for views from its heights, or take a flight tour to spot extraordinary land animals. See the natural drama of Sandwich Harbor where the golden sand dunes plummet directly into the ocean’s waves.

Day 19: Luderitz, Namibia

The scorched desert that surrounds Luderitz means the city’s collection of German art nouveau architecture couldn’t look more unusually placed along the Namibian coastline. This quirkiness is what gives the destination its charm. See gangs of playful penguins skipping across the waves, pink flamingos wading by the coast, and dolphins leaping into the air near Penguin Island and Seal Island. A much more haunting location, with an incredibly dark past, is Shark Island — which witnessed the deaths of between 1,000 and 3,000 people when it was the location of a German concentration camp, between 1905 and 1907. Inland from Luderitz is Kolmanskop, the site of a famous diamond mine and ghost town.

Day 20: Day at Sea

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do.o whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

Day 21: Cape Town, South Africa

Sprawling across endless, staggeringly blue coastline, and watched over by the iconic plane of Table Mountain, Cape Town is without doubt one of the world’s most beautiful cities. A blend of spectacular mountain scenery, multiculturalism, and relaxed ocean charm awaits in the Mother City, where you can venture out to rolling vineyards, dine in laid-back sea suburbs, or spend days exploring cool urban culture. Cape Town’s natural splendor fully reveals itself as the cable car rears sharply to the top of Table Mountain. From the summit, 3,500 feet above sea level, you can let the scale of the panoramic vistas of the city rolling down towards the ocean wash over you. Another heavenly perspective waits at the top of Lion’s Head’s tapering peak. A sharp hike and an early start are required, but the views of the morning sun painting Table Mountain honey-gold are some of Cape Town’s finest. Cape Town’s glorious sunshine and inviting blue rollers can be a little deceiving — these oceans are anything but warm at times, with nothing between the peninsula’s end and Antarctica’s icy chill. This cool water has upsides though, bringing a colony of adorably cute African penguins to Boulders Beach. Boarded walkways offer the perfect vantage point to see the cute creatures dipping into the sea and lounging in the sun. Nearby, journey to the end of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope, where you can stand at the bottom of this mighty continent, watching out over the merging waves of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Cape Town’s beauty is counterpointed by the ominous island form, which sits four miles offshore from the bustling restaurants and lazy seals of the lively V&A Waterfront. A living history lesson, you can sail in the ships that transported prisoners out to Robben Island, before a former prisoner tells of the traumas of life on this offshore prison. Your guide will show you the cramped cells, and render Mandela’s long walk to freedom in heartbreaking, visceral clarity.