Europe from Barcelona, Spain Carnival Legend departing 7 Jun 2024

Cruises from Barcelona make for some of the most unforgettable vacations you can imagine. Barcelona looks like a city that should be known for its architecture… and, naturally, it is. From monuments in Romanesque and Renaissance styles to Gothic spires and contemporary curves, there’s little surprise Barcelona was the creative playground of acclaimed architect Antoni Gaudí. But that’s just one reason why cruises out of Barcelona are so seductive. Barcelona’s a feast for the eyes and the palate, alike, and be sure not to miss the chance to try tapas as and visit spots like the La Rambla, Port Vell and especially Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia Cathedral. Fun beach bars overlooking the Mediterranean, sleek Spanish designer stores, and Gaudí’s surreal buildings make Barcelona, Spain a whimsical and unique place to visit. For a Mediterranean cruise, Spain is a great place to start — sample the good stuff on one of Carnival’s cruises from Barcelona.

Cruise to Málaga and enjoy one of Spain’s oldest cities. First founded by the Phoenicians, the city of Málaga had hosted a number of civilizations over its 3,000 years. The end result is a city that’s a cornucopia of Roman and Moorish influences, among others. Travel to Málaga and enjoy the city’s many museums, especially Museo Picasso Málaga… after all, this is the city where the artist himself was born. Take a side-trip to nearby Granada, where visitors can explore the Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s at once an imposing fortress, impressive palace and a small town.

Cádiz dates back to 1100 B.C., making it actually one of the oldest cities not just in the region of Andalusia, not just in Spain, but in all of Europe! The city’s strategic location at the mouth of the Mediterranean may explain its architectural landscape — which features over 100 watchtowers — and a clue to why it’s home to Spain’s navy. Further inland in the region is the city of Seville, which boasts a past not quite as long, but definitely rich with history! Highlights in Seville include the 1,100-year-old royal palace of Alcazar replete with gardens and fountains, an opulent 15th-century cathedral — actually, Europe’s third largest — and even the hillside village Arcos de la Frontera, whose city center was officially declared a national artistic-historic monument.

Discover Portugal’s bright, fun-loving capital city on your cruise to Lisbon. Straddling seven hills, hugging the banks of the River Tagus — and crowned by the storybook castle of São Jorge — Lisbon, Portugal is a visually stunning place to visit, and arriving by sea is doing it right! The nation’s hundreds of years of nautical heritage is concentrated in Lisbon, and the riverside Belém district is where Portuguese navigators like Magellan and Vasco da Gama would begin their journeys. Today, cruise ship passengers make landfall not far from that spot. By the way, the city has modern claims to fame, too! With its rumbling yellow trams and stately plazas, irresistible patisseries and bluesy fado music, expect exotic sights and sounds — and more — on your cruise to Lisbon.

Porto is Portugal’s second city, and it’s as colorful as it is memorable. Detail is key here, a place where the front doors are decorated with such a stunning variety of azulejo tiles that only by getting up close can you fully appreciate their intricacy. Explore on foot to unveil all the stunning scenery of Porto… like the Ribeira quarter, whose cobblestone-street scenery definitely falls a bit more on the “deliciously old-school” side. Be sure not to miss the city’s port wine cellars — as you may have guessed, the city’s most famous export took its name from the place itself.

Anything dubbed the Tower of Hercules commands a bit of attention, and so does La Coruña, Spain, the site on which this iconic 180-foot-tall lighthouse stands. Located in Galicia, La Coruña is considered the third holiest site in all Christendom, attracting pilgrims in droves as they make their way to Santiago de Compostela, where St. James the Apostle is believed to have been buried. Rich in tradition and rich in celebration, Galicia is also said to be home to more than 750 beaches and host to 4,000 parties annually. If you are here to set off on a quiet retreat into the mystical, or rejoice until the nines with vino and tapas by the ocean breeze, you’re certainly in for something unforgettable at La Coruña, Spain.

Sail to good‑living, art‑loving Normandy on Carnival cruises to Le Havre, France. Sitting pretty on France’s north coast, overlooking the English Channel, Le Havre has risen from the rubble of World War II to become one of France’s most dynamic port towns. Modernist architecture, Monet artworks, delicious seafood, wild cliff‑backed beaches‑you’ll find the lot on your Le Havre cruise.

Established nearly 2,000 years ago, this capital city of England London is one the most influential business, financial and cultural centers in the world. Its collection of iconic landmarks, world-famous museums and abundance of beautiful countryside make London a can’t-miss port on any European itinerary.