Cape Verde and Canary Islands
Sailing between Spain, Cape Verde and Portugal, PONANT offers you an itinerary at the crossroads of cultures and traditions. You will set sail aboard Le Lyrial for an 15-day cruise leaving from Dakar, the bustling capital of Senegal.
Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by PONANT. During this cruise, you will wander the virgin expanses of the island of Santo Antão from Mindelo, explore the Garajonay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from La Gomera, or visit the sumptuous botanical gardens of Funchal as you discover the city. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).
Your discovery of Cape Verde will start with a port of call in Santiago, in Praia, the Cape Verde capital, where you will have the opportunity to visit the historic centre of Ribeira Grande, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Further to the north, you will reach São Vicente and visit Mindelo, the cultural capital of Cape Verde, the birthplace of the famous singer of morna, Cesaria Évora.
Le Lyrial will then set sail towards the mythical Canary Islands. Santa Cruz de La Palma will invite you to spend a moment suspended in time. Here, the accent is on authenticity and tranquillity as you succumb to the charms of its unspoilt nature and its unusual architectural heritage featuring traditional Canarian houses with brightly-coloured wooden balconies, sumptuous palaces, and religious buildings.
You will sail eastward to reach the vibrant seaside town of Los Cristianos. Succumb to the charms of its atmosphere unlike any other, its mythical Mount Teide, the highest mountain in Spain, and its long stretches of fine sand lapped by the turquoise waters of the Atlantic.
Your ship will then drop anchor at La Gomera. This tiny island with lush vegetation is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its biosphere reserve. This island is also renowned for its whistling language, Silbo, that the inhabitants use to communicate from one valley to another.
Finally, the legendary island of Madeira will reveal itself to you, with its picture-postcard scenery featuring volcanic lands and lush vegetation. The lively streets of Funchal, its old district, as well as its magnificent botanical garden located on the heights of the town will not fail to delight you.
Your journey around the Atlantic will conclude with a visit to Lisbon. This city with its nostalgic charm has a unique personality, a blend of tramways, museums and listed buildings.
When searching for a luxury yacht expedition cruise, there’s one name above all else that you need to know – Ponant Cruises. Founded in 1988 by former French Merchant Navy officers, Ponant combines succulent luxury with authentic adventures on all seven continents.
From classic Mediterranean itineraries and Caribbean sailings, to bucket-list expeditions around Greenland and Antarctica, Ponant cruises proudly counteract the banality of mainstream voyages with a unique take on the concept of small-ship cruising. It’s the absolute trip of a lifetime.
First introduced in 2015 and the fourth ship in the Sisterships series, Le Lyrial is the very embodiment of this new generation of intimately sized cruise ships. Its exterior and interior lines, all sober understatement and refinement, make it a yacht of a rare and innovative kind.
