From the November 14 MSC Magnifica offer cruises 8 days to discover 5 of the most evocative cities in Northern Europe, the Pearls of the North. The ship will stop at Hamburgin Germany, in IJmuiden/ Amsterdam in Netherlands, in Zeebrugge from where it will be possible to reach Bruges or Brussels in Belgium, Le Havre in French, with the possibility of visiting the Paris and finally Southampton in Great Britain from where it will be possible to go to visit the cosmopolitan city London. Stops in port will last up to 12 hours, thus giving guests the opportunity to fully enjoy the shore excursions. It will be possible to embark in all these ports thanks to flights international well connected with each of them.
Winter is one of the best times of the year to visit Northern Europe: the cities are not very crowded with tourists, the Christmas holidays bring festive decorations and Christmas markets which create a magical atmosphere and many of the landscapes transform into winter wonders! This is also a unique opportunity to visit some of the capital Europeans in a single trip.
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The pearls of the north
Hamburgin Germany, is renowned for its elegant avenues, stately buildings and emerald green parks. In November and December you can enjoy one of the 30 Christmas markets of the city while sipping a mulled wine or munching on roasted chestnuts! From Hamburg you can visit the magnificent Hanseatic city of Lübeck – a World Heritage SiteUNESCO o Lüneburg – the “City of White Gold” with its many richly decorated historic buildings and small cobbled alleys.
Amsterdam it is the charming city of canals and bridges with splendid XNUMXth century architecture. Famous attractions include the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum. For food lovers it is possible to visit the famous city of Gouda, famous throughout the world for its delicious cream cheese, but also for stroopwafels, waffles with syrup . For those who wish to get out of the city, however, it will be possible to visit the windmill village of Zaanse Schans, where most of the houses are made of wood and show off pretty green painted facades typical of the Zaan area. The village is famous for Dutch handicraft production: here there is also a wooden shoe factory where you can see how typical Dutch clogs are produced.
Zeebruggein Belgium, is close to the picturesque town of Bruges, World Heritage Site ofUNESCO, one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe with picturesque cobbled streets and picturesque canals. Here you can taste traditional Belgian delicacies such as waffles and chocolate, the famous beers and French fries – a true Belgian creation – or purchase the beautiful local lace and tapestries. Guests can also choose to spend an entire day discovering the capital of Belgium, Brussels, where skyscrapers and hotels have modernized the skyline of this French- and Flemish-speaking city. You can pretend to go back in time and walk around the "Grand Place", one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. The extraordinary set of baroque facades was built on the very place where the first inhabitants of Brussels they held their own market in the 12th century, the heart of the community in the Middle Ages.
Da Le Havre, in French, you can visit the historic capital of Normandy or Honfleur, a small town known for its picturesque harbor and beautifully preserved old buildings with slate-covered facades. A favorite motif of many painters, Honfleur is known to have particularly inspired Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, Eugène Boudin and Johan Jongkind. Anyone who wishes can visit Paris and immerse yourself in the charm of the romantic French capital and admire the Champs-Élysées, the Eiffel Tower, Place de la Concorde and many other world-famous monuments.
The British port of Southampton offers convenient access to a number of major tourist attractions in the south ofEngland, including the nearby historic towns of Winchester or Salisbury with their famous cathedrals, the Castle of Windsor dating back to the XNUMXst century or reach the “Hanging Stones” of Stonehenge, one of the most intriguing and ancient sites in the UK. Stonehenge is a Neolithic site located near Amesbury in Wiltshire, in England about 13 kilometers north-west of Salisbury. It is the most famous prehistoric monument in the world, added to the list of World Heritage Sites ofUNESCO in 1986, surrounded by charm and mystery.
For those who wish to visit another capital it will be possible to spend the day in London, where you can visit Oxford Street, explore Hyde Park, take a look at the market Covent Garden, immerse yourself in culture in one of the many museums or art galleries or simply enjoy a pint of beer and relax in a typical English pub.
Requirements for boarding MSC
Le cruises on board of MSC Magnifica they will only be available to vaccinated guests and COVID-19 travel insurance will be mandatory. All guests will be required to take an RT-PCR test within 72 hours of boarding. The ship will follow MSC's health and safety protocol cruises with measures including elevated sanitation on board, use of masks in internal public areas, a fully equipped medical centre, an emergency response plan agreed in collaboration with authorities on shore and other key measures to protect the health and safety of guests, crew and communities the ship will visit.
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