Exposed to the notoriously choppy Bay of Biscay, Spain's rugged northern Atlantic coast isn't an obvious choice for a cruise. But this wild-sculpted shore also forms one of Europe's most distinct landscapes. Lush and mountainous, its dense forests and mist-strewn hills form a bucolic green canvas that looks more like Ireland or Scotland, while its coastal cities are home to some of the world's greatest food.
Spain's sun-kissed Mediterranean coast to the southeast might be a constant source of allure, studded by palms and basking in warm weather. But for those looking for another side to one of the world's most visited countries, the northern coast is one very unique way to see it.
Docked at a lonely harbor arm at Bilbao's vast Getxo port when I arrived, Sea Cloud Spirit looked nothing like the other neighboring ships. A white three-masted windjammer sporting a sleek gold-accented bow, the ship is striking and looks as if it may have once carried the cream of 1920s society. Appearances can be deceiving, however. Only constructed in 2021 and the newest of the three-strong Sea Cloud Cruises' fleet, Sea Cloud Spirit is essentially a modern update of the original Sea Cloud, an ornate private yacht launched in 1931 by Marjorie Merriweather Post, once the wealthiest woman in the United States.
Home to the iconic Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao is a fine way to begin a cruise that will hug Spain's northern Cantabrian coast and head west, calling at Gijón, A Coruña, Vigo, and finally Porto in Portugal. A private sunset tour of the Guggenheim was the first (and only complimentary) excursion of my journey, and its shimmering exterior and original works by Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons inside were a fascinating way to start the week-long voyage.
On board, Sea Cloud Spirit's four decks are an elegant melange of brass and mahogany with room for around 120 passengers. Refined double bedrooms are finished in wood with a warm cream palette, and there was a bottle of Champagne in an ice bucket waiting for me when I was shown to my room by my affable host, José. Outside, spacious balconies feature two striped sun loungers for basking beneath the sun. And while this corner of Spain's weather fluctuates greatly throughout the year, summers are generally good, and the balconies are a wonderful way to watch the passing coastline.
Engines are used to power out of each harbor; however, when the wind was with us, Captain Vukota Stojanovic cut the engines, and the cat-like crew shimmied up Sea Cloud Spirit's masts and unfurled its 32 sails. Needless to say, gliding along the coast in glorious silence is a mesmerizing experience, and it felt as if we were traveling in another time.
Gijón is far less well-known than Bilbao and I'd wager few of the other guests have visited before, which makes its glittering harbor and charming old town all the more enchanting. It's also a city famous for cider, and if you find a traditional sidrería then you'll see cider poured in the Asturian way — by hoisting the bottle high above the head with one hand and catching the cider with a glass at waist-height in the other. It's a devilishly impressive sight.
The bar staff don't do that on Sea Cloud Spirit, unfortunately, but the food and drink options, which include locally grown produce, when possible, are sublime. Buffets change daily with chefs carving up aged steak and succulent salmon on personal stations, while others are preparing fresh pasta and salads (amid myriad other offerings). The wine is often local, too, and Sea Cloud Spirit's onboard sommelier hosts lectures and tasting sessions throughout the week, discussing the wines' origins, how they're typically enjoyed, and if they have cultural significance to the local region or country. The lectures often have a fun, convivial atmosphere, and I — to my initial horror — was hauled up in front of the crowd to attempt the Asturian cider pouring technique. My pouring was a little shaky, but it was an eye-opening window into Asturian culture (and their skill).
Relaxing on board is easy too, with a well-stocked library if you want quiet reading time on the Lido Deck's bow, and a plush spa with treatment rooms, a steam bath, and a Finnish sauna. And not only is the top-floor Sun Deck a wonderfully lofty place to catch rays, but it's also the best spot for viewing the crew when they climb the rigging (to sometimes hair-raising heights).
A Coruña in Galicia is another lesser-known coastal city. Though just 37 miles south, you'll find the famous pilgrimage town of Santiago de Compostela, which formed my next excursion. Its ornate cathedral is the final stop for the thousands of pilgrims taking on the Camino de Santiago, and seeing the exuberance, singing, and dancing of those at the finishing line of one of the world's most celebrated walks was heartwarming.
Back aboard, the rocky Galician coast was a spectacular sight from my plush balcony. The sun-drenched Lido deck — with its generously stocked bar — was a lovely place to watch it go by beneath the summer's azure skies.
"When I saw the announcement that they were looking for somebody [to work for] Sea Cloud I thought 'wow, that would be a dream,'" says Sabine Valdes, the ship's Cruise Director. She's been with the company for three years, and though she was an event manager in Austria for 25 years, she always knew about Sea Cloud's allure.
"We set sails by hand, and that is what is unique. Nobody else does that. It's a sailing ship, but also a cruise ship. The other two (ships) are smaller and here you have space, but it's still intimate and you know all your passengers."
Indeed, the relatively small size of Sea Cloud Spirit — at least compared to behemoths like Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas — means it's easy to form bonds and relationships with the smiling and sociable crew.
Passing through Vigo's spectacular Ria de Vigo estuary was my final Spanish highlight before crossing into Portuguese waters. Porto was ghostly and fog-shrouded on my morning arrival, but by the afternoon, the sun was flaring across the Dom Luís I Bridge and the Douro River. A luxurious final excursion to the majestic Niepoort Cellars is an opportunity to try some of the region's finest port, with some dusty bottles dating back to the 1940s (and yes, they were as rich and smooth as you might imagine).
But to me, it seems that Sea Cloud Spirit is as much the star of the show as the destinations themselves.
How to get there
This is a one-way cruise, so you'll need to organize travel to and from the embarkation and disembarkation ports (Bilbao and Porto respectively). Both Bilbao and Porto have international airports with connections to major European cities.
Sea Cloud ships offer lots of different cruise routes and typically spend their summers in Europe before crossing the Atlantic and spending the winter cruising around the Caribbean.
Know before you go
- There are bespoke excursions at each stop, so think about your interests and what you'd like to experience before booking them.
- Northern Spain generally has nice summers, though it's always worth bringing an extra layer of clothing if you want to spend time on the outdoor decks in the evening, in case it's a little chilly.
Best Time To Visit
The Cantabrian Coast's erratic oceanic climate means summer is comfortably the best time to see this corner of Spain.
Other cruises in Northern Spain
Exploring the Landscapes of Northern Spain - Fred Olsen Cruise Lines
Aboard Borealis, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines offers a five-night cruise to Santander and Bilbao that includes expert lectures, specialty dining, and an onboard spa.
7 Night Northern Spain Cruise - Royal Caribbean Cruises
Leaving from Southampton, England, Royal Caribbean's 15-deck Independence of the Seas hosts a seven-night cruise across Northern Spain, which calls at Bilbao, A Coruña, Vigo, and Gijón.