Coastal Cruise
21 day Canary Islands & Italian Canal Cruise
Botanical & Renaissance Landscapes: The Canary Islands, Madeira and Tuscany
Sail MS Hebridean Sky to the Canary Islands, Madeira and Porto Santo, discovering volcanic landscapes, pristine beaches, and exquisite gardens. Enjoy musical performances aboard the ship by soprano Judith Dodsworth and pianist Philip Walsh. Continue your adventure with a six-night canal cruise aboard La Bella Vita, limited to just 20 guests for an intimate experience. Glide along the celebrated Po River, uncovering the history of Venice’s nobles, and settle into a Tuscan villa surrounded by timeless landscapes. Discover Renaissance gardens – many of which were featured on the series Monty Don’s Italian Gardens. This journey offers the rare opportunity of experiencing Europe from the perspective of land, sea and canal.
This journey departs:
13 May 2026
Highlights
The following highlights provide an overview of some of the captivating encounters awaiting you on tour.
Cruise Aboard MS Hebridean Sky
Enjoy an eight night small ship cruise from Tenerife to Porto, with multiple shore excursions across the Canary Islands.
Cruise Italy’s Waterways
Spend six nights aboard the boutique river ship La Bella Vita, exploring Italy’s canals, islands and villages.
Visit Tenerife’s oldest garden
Sitio Litre garden has a fine collection of orchids and hosted Agatha Christie and the botanical artist, Marianne North.
Contrasting Gardens of Italy
Discover many public and private gardens, including the Padua Botanical Garden and the gardens of Villa Gamberaia.
Expert Botanical Guides
Be escorted by three expert Botanical Guides on your Canary Islands cruise who will bring the gardens to life - Simon Rickard, Talei Kenyon and Tracy Foster. In Italy, be escorted by Botanical Guide Anthea Guthrie.
Small Ship Cruising
If you’ve been thinking of embarking on a small ship coastal cruise and would like to learn more, we hope you find the following Frequently Asked Questions helpful.
Inclusions
See below for an overview of your tour’s inclusions and featured sightseeing.
Escorted by three expert Botanical Guides - Simon Rickard, Talei Kenyon and Tracy Foster in the Canary Islands, and Anthea Guthrie in Itlay. Aboard your Canary Islands cruise you will also be joined by cultural historian Kenneth Park and classical soprano Judith Dodsworth.
Eight-night cruise aboard MS Hebridean Sky taking up to 100 guests; a privately chartered six-night cruise aboard La Bella Vita taking a maximum of 20 guests; three nights in a Tuscan Villa Hotel; and three nights’ accommodation in centrally located four- to five-star hotels
Return private transfers from door to door, tipping and porterage, port taxes, plus 52 meals and select beverages
Flight from Lisbon to Venice, all sightseeing, shore excursions and entrance fees as per the itinerary
Cruise to the Canary Islands, Madeira and Porto Santo during spring and discover their diverse landscapes. Follow in the footsteps of plant hunters on La Gomera and El Hierro
Learn why Madeira is often referred to as the garden island during visits to Madeira Botanical Garden, Palheiro Gardens and Monte Palace Garden
Relax aboard your canal boat as you sail along the Po River, visiting sights along the way
Spend three nights in a villa in the Tuscan countryside, visiting gardens from the series Monty Don's Italian Gardens
Itinerary
Trip Notes
Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
Fitness rating: Medium
Guests will travel independently from Lisbon to Venice on the included flight. The two nights in Venice will be spent without a Botanical Guide, but will feature a local English-speaking guide for the half‑day Secret Gardens of Venice tour
Private charter for up to 100 guests aboard the small ship MS Hebridean Sky
Exclusive charter of La Bella Vita for up to 20 guests
The direction of the cruise is subject to change due to conditions outside of our control
Our experience of gardens, their flora, and other aspects of nature, is subject to weather conditions and seasonality, which may vary