Trade Routes of Coastal Iberia on M.S. Le Lyrial
(Portugal & Spain)

October 25-November 2, 2016

Tour Operator: Gohagan Travel
Cost: from $3995 per person double occupancy (plus airfare)

Barcelona/Balearic Islands/Granada/Gibraltar/Andalusia/Lisbon
Aboard the Exclusively Chartered, Five-Star M.S. Le Lyrial

This unique and exclusive nine-day itinerary and small ship voyage showcases the coastal jewels of the Iberian Peninsula between Barcelona, Spain, and Lisbon, Portugal, during the best time of year. Cruise up Spain’s legendary Guadalquivir River, “the great river,” into the heart of beautiful Seville, an exclusive opportunity only available on this itinerary and by small ship. Visit Portugal’s lesser-traveled Algarve region and the regal city of Granada, Spain. Stand on the “Top of the Rock” to see the Pillars of Hercules spanning the scenic Strait of Gibraltar and call on two of the enchanting Balearic Islands—Valencia and Palma de Mallorca. Admire the modernist architecture of the Mediterranean Valencia. Enjoy stunning scenery and visit three UNESCO World Heritage sites while cruising ancient trade routes from the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean aboard the exclusively chartered, five-star M.S. Le Lyrial.

Faculty Host: Montserrat Piera

Montserrat Piera has been a professor of Spanish and Medieval Iberian Studies in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Temple since 1991. A native of Spain, she was born and grew up in a small town by the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Barcelona and the legendary Emporium, one of the most important ancient ports in the trade routes of Phoenician, Greek, and Moorish mariners which we will visit during this trip. Being surrounded by ancient Greek and Roman archaeological sites, medieval castles nestled in the Pyrenees and indelible traces of Muslim and Jewish culture and architecture sparked in her a love for storytelling, an interest in the dynamics of cultural and linguistic exchange, history, and the arts and an appreciation for the pleasures of varied cuisine and after dinner conversation. These interests have informed her academic research and publications, which encompass books and articles about topics as diverse as medieval adventure and chivalry novels; ancient and medieval travel and commerce in the Mediterranean; the coexistence of Muslims, Christians, and Jews in the Iberian Peninsula and on the island of Majorca; and, more recently, the meaning of food in the culture of the early modern period.

Professor Piera has led other educational trips to the cities visited in this tour and has traveled extensively. She has managed to instill her love of traveling to her two children, one of whom is now a Temple student and future alumnus. She has also lived in Italy and she speaks several languages, including the three which will be needed to communicate with the locals during this trip: Catalan, Spanish and Portuguese. Professor Piera received a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Award in 2010 entitled “Remapping the Renaissance: Exchange between Early Modern Islam and Europe”. She looks forward to mapping the trading coastal routes of Iberia and sharing her passion for all things Iberian on this voyage.

Note: Faculty participation is based on ten Temple Travelers.

Itinerary*

Day Destination

Depart the U.S.
Barcelona, Spain/Embark m.s. Le Lyrial
Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands
Valencia
Almeria for Granada
Gibraltar, British Crown Colony
Cruise the Guadalquivir River into Seville, Spain (Andalusia)
Portimão, Portugal (the Algarve)
Lisbon/Disembark ship/Return to the U.S.

*Cruise itinerary subject to change.

Map

Click to view larger map.

Barcelona Pre-Program Option

Explore the heart of Barcelona, the capital city of Catalonia, a former Roman trading port originally named Barcino. Enjoy a city tour featuring the original Old Town, the Gothic Quarter. See the UNESCO-designated Antoni Gaudí sites of Casa Mila and La Pedrera and visit his cathedral, La Sagrada Família—just a few of the architect’s works found in this city. Spend a full day exploring the mountains of Montserrat in Catalonia, a Benedictine monastery and 16th-century basilica. Accommodations are for two nights in the Five-Star Hotel Majestic Barcelona.

Lisbon Post-Cruise Option

Enchanting travelers with its shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon’s dramatic cityscape of white limestone buildings and its well-preserved medieval monuments. Visit Jerónimos Monastery, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, which honors the discoveries of Vasco da Gama, and see Belém Tower and the grandiose Monument to Discoveries. Enjoy a tour of the charming village of Sintra, another UNESCO World Heritage site, to explore the former royal palace of Queluz, known as the Portuguese Versailles. Accommodations for two nights are in the ideally located, deluxe InterContinental Lisbon.

Pre-cruise and post-cruise options are available at additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.

The Ship: M.S. Le Lyrial

The exclusively chartered M.S. Le Lyrial, lauched in 2015, represents the newest generation of state-of-the-art five-star small ships, featuring only 110 suites and staterooms in distinctive French sophistication. Each air-conditioned deluxe stateroom and suite (200 to 592 square feet) features a private bathroom with shower and luxurious five-star hotel amenities. View ship's deck plan.