From Barcelona to Cape Town · Mediterranean · 28 nights
Viking’s hugely successful river cruise operation expanded into ocean cruising with a fleet of ten contemporary 930-guest ocean ships featuring attractive inclusive pricing and interesting itineraries. A slightly larger ship joined the fleet in 2024 with two additional ships scheduled in 2025 and 2026 each carrying 998 guests.
The airy contemporary style of the ships, with fresh Nordic
décor, is most appealing. Add to that the huge choices in dining
and other facilities, and veranda staterooms throughout, not to
mention included shore excursions and an excellent spa, and you
have a winner. In 2024 Viking Vela joined the fleet which is very
slightly larger, carrying 998 guests, yet identical in all other
respects to her predecessors. Two further 998-guest ships, Viking
Vesta and Viking Mira, launch in 2025 and 2026 respectively.
Barcelona, the cosmopolitan capital of Catalonia, is one of our favourite ports of call. From the warren-like medieval streets of the Barri Gòtic to the fantastical modernist architecture of Antoni Gaudí, from the dizzy heights of Mount Tibidabo to the golden sands of Barceloneta, there's never a dull moment in this most beguiling of cities. Take a stroll along the Ramblas, soak up the wonderful art of Picasso and Miró, or experience the electrifying atmosphere of a match at the Camp Nou. Barcelona is truly a city with something for everyone.
Spain’s third city is a dazzling destination that combines historic architecture, cutting edge design and an inviting stretch of beach. Don’t miss the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, designed by local architect Santiago Calatrava, or the old riverbed, now a delightful park.
Málaga boasts plenty of chic restaurants and bars where you can ease into the rhythms of life in southern Spain, before exploring sights including the intriguing, unfinished Gothic cathedral, and a museum devoted to the city's most famous son, Pablo Picasso.
The crumbling, sun-baked seafront city of Cádiz is said to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the western world, founded by the Phoenicians around 1100 BC. Although the city lacks any obvious landmarks, it’s rich in atmosphere, and plays host to one of Spain’s most colourful carnivals.
Bustling and modern, fizzing with industry and commerce, Casablanca is often overlooked in favour of Morocco’s better known tourist draws. But then this is part of its appeal: it’s an authentic and unvarnished city, and it’s also home to the spectacular modernist architecture of the Hassan II Mosque.
Funchal, Madeira’s bustling capital, tumbles down a dramatic hillside towards a beautiful sweeping bay. Highlights include colourful markets, wine lodges and the spectacular cable car ride up to the village of Monte, home of the famous toboggan run.
Remote, rugged and barely touched by tourism, El Hierro is the smallest of the Canary Islands. The island has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and the small population is entirely sustained by renewable energy. Highlights include dramatic volcanic landscapes, sleepy mountain villages and some fantastic dive sites.
The busy, dusty streets of Senegal’s capital Dakar are filled with life and colour, noises, smells and local music. The people here are friendly and helpful, so expect a warm welcome – but watch out for the usual hustles and scams of a busy city.
Once just a little fishing village, Takoradi is now a deep-water sea port growing rapidly on the back of Ghana’s oil industry. Nearby points of interest include Cape Coast Castle, part of a network of colonial-era forts where slaves were held captive before being shipped across the Atlantic.
Luanda is a city of shocking contrasts, where conspicuous consumption fuelled by Angola’s oil boom rubs up against sprawling shanty towns. The most attractive areas of the city date back to the Portuguese colonial period, including the fortress of São Miguel de Luanda and the pleasant seafront promenade known as the Marginal.
Walvis Bay is situated on the edge of a tidal lagoon, sheltered from the Atlantic by a long sand spit. This important wetland area is famous for its birdlife, home to one of southern Africa’s largest flamingo colonies, and it’s a short drive to the city of Swakopmund, known for its quirky German colonial architecture.
Sandwiched between the Namib Desert and the wild Atlantic coast, the geographically isolated town of Lüderitz is notable for its surreal Art Nouveau architecture. Most of these colourful buildings date back to the diamond rush period of the early 20th century, when Namibia was a German colony.
Cape Town is a magical, multicultural city where Africa meets a European-style cosmopolitan atmosphere, creating a vibrant melting pot of cultures and religions. With flat-topped Table Mountain soaring above the city, beautiful natural landscapes, and gardens within the city, you never feel far from nature here.
