FOR INTRIGUE

Silversea’s 11-day itinerary starts in the Atlantic, at Portugal’s charming capital, Lisbon, and some of its most interesting destinations are just outside the Mediterranean at Portimão, on Portugal’s Algarve coast, and up the River Guadalquivir to Seville. This UNESCO-listed city is home to Flamenco, tapas bars and the Mudéjar architecture of Alcázar royal palace, and Christopher Columbus’s possible final resting in the Gothic cathedral. It’s also close to Córdoba and its extraordinary mosque-cathedral.Then there’s an excursion to the unforgettable walled medina of Tangier, whose Moorish architecture is mirrored in parts of Málaga, where the Alcazaba fortress dates back to the 11th century. Cartagena and Valencia have Moorish history but also scars from the Spanish civil war, while Palma has a Moorish royal palace still used by the King of Spain. The cruise ends with a night’s stay in Barcelona, arguably Spain’s most exciting city.

*The Lisbon to Barcelona cruise on Silver Shadow departs 13 September, with prices from £4,590pp, based on two people sharing (0844 251 0837; silversea.com).