Seabourn Ovation - March 15, 2025

Bridgetown is the southernmost port on the island of Barbados and its capital. The beaches are plentiful, as is the seafood. Enjoy swimming, snorkeling, and diving in the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean or try your hand at a local cricket match.

Funchal is a busy port exporting wines, fish, and fruit, it is best known for its beautiful setting and balmy climate, which make it a much-frequented resort. It has a late-15th-century cathedral and a convent church containing the tomb of Jose Goncalves Zarco, who founded the city in 1421.

Lisbon is many cities, from the cobbled alleys of the Alfama district to the broad Parisian style avenues at its heart. View it all from the heights of St. George's Castle. Belem's Monument to the Discoveries recalls the seafaring past, while nearby Sintra's storybook palaces, and the seaside resort of Caiscais, have different tales to tell.

For a scenic view of Oporto, proceed to the 12th-century Cathedral where a long stone balcony overlooks the river and city below. Take a wine-tasting tour in this city renowned for its port wine and sample the region's local specialties. The city of Oporto makes a wonderful backdrop for savoring a glass of its fine liquor.

Situated on Spain's Costa del Sol, Malaga is the region's capital and a popular holiday destination. At the same time, the city is known as the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and for the sweet Malaga dessert wines that come from the hilly vineyards just outside of town. Other points of interest include impressive Gothic architecture, remains of a Moorish castle, and several interesting museums.

Menorca is considered the gem of the Balearic Islands. Mahon, its most important port, is also its capital. Journey to the top of Monte Toro, the highest mountain on the island, and savor a most spectacular view. Occasionally as far as Majorca. Explore Binibeca, a fishing village rich in vacation homes and villas built in the old Catalan style. Or escape to the lighthouse at Favoritz and enjoy a secluded beach.

Situated only fifteen km from the Spanish frontier and the Costa Brava, Port Vendres is in the Roussillon, one of France's most beautiful region along the Mediterranean coast. Port Vendres has always been a merchant port. In ancient times, Roman ships used to call here to shelter against bad weather.

Toulon, a commercial and industrial city in southeastern France, lies on the Mediterranean Sea. Toulon's harbor serves as the primary naval base of the French Mediterranean fleet. In recent years tourism has become increasingly important. A modern resort area with a beautiful beach and hotels has developed at Le Mourillon, just west of Toulon.

Renowned as the birthplace of Napolean Bonaparte, Ajaccio is bursting with history and cultural diversity. The Greeks were the first to discover the unique beauty of the island early in the 6th century BC, calling it "Kalliste", or "the beautiful". Climbing through the foothills and the mountains, you'll be surrounded by the greenery covering the mountainside. The local term for this lush plant life is "maquis."

Portoferraio is the mainport of Elba. After Napoleon abdicated the throne, he was exiled to the island of Elba, located off the west coast of Italy, in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Your stay here will feel less like exile and more like an escape as you sample the local wines and walk among her rich olive groves and relax on the beaches of her numerous resorts. Be sure to visit Napoleon's chief residence, the Mulini Palace, and his summer residence, Villa San Martino, which now houses a museum and his collection of engravings.

Often called the "Pearl of the Riviera," this charming hideaway on the Ligurian Sea is a favorite vacation spot of many wealthy Europeans. Once a quiet fishing village, Portofino is now best known for its chic boutiques, wonderful outdoor restaurants, and beachside cliffs that are speckled with pastel-colored villas. An optional day trip by boat lets you explore the picturesque coastline villages of Paraggi and Santa Margherita.

The world's most famous casino (a must see even if you do not gamble), glittering nightlife, first-class dining and shopping, make it one of the world's most glamorous destinations. The casino is an elaborate Italianate structure capped by four towers and a copper-tin roof.