Crossing the Equator: Portugal to Brazil

Formed by a volcanic eruption, Madeira lies in the Gulf Stream, about 500 miles due west of Casablanca. Discovered by Portuguese explorer João Gonçalves Zarco in 1419, this beautiful island became part of Portugal’s vast empire and was named for the dense forest which cloaked it – ‘Madeira’ means ‘wood’ in Portuguese. Sugar plantations first brought wealth here, and when King Charles II of England granted an exclusive franchise to sell wine to England and its colonies, many British emigrants were drawn to the capital, Funchal. Today’s travellers come to Madeira for the varied and luxuriant scenery, from mountain slopes covered with vines to picturesque villages and a profusion of wild flowers. The natural beauty of the island has earned it many pseudonyms such as ‘The Floating Garden of the Atlantic’, ‘The Island of Eternal Springtime’ and ‘God’s Botanical Gardens’ and our selection of excursions aim to show you why.

Day programme:

You’ll arrive in the port of Funchal early this morning.The island of Madeira is a little piece of Portugal in the middle of the Atlantic. The capital, Funchal, became a popular holiday destination for the European aristocracy in the 19th century and the city still retains this air of busy prosperity. On its edge is the vibrant Mercado dos Lavradores market, bursting with local produce. The city is famous for its gardens, so plan a visit to the Madeira Botanical Garden, Monte Tropical Gardens and Santa Catarina Park. Freechoice: 4 x 4 Mountain Tea House: Experience a jeep ride through Funchal showcasing stunning mountain views and protected natural habitats. Enjoy a relaxing visit at a tea house.Madeira Quinta Gardens & Tea: Experience an 18th-century Madeiran Quinta with botanical gardens and 500 plant species at Quinta Jardins do Lago.Madeiran Flavours: Discover the delightful fishing village of Câmara de Lobos, experience Madeira's traditional drink, and delve into the agricultural landscape at a private home.Cooking Class and Visit to the Market: Take a guided tour of the local market and prepare traditional dishes at a local cooking class.

The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is a beautiful and scenic island which enjoys year-round sunshine and is dominated by Mount Teide. The mountain range runs through the centre of the island, with fertile valleys on the northern side. In the central part of the range is the gigantic natural crater of the Cañadas del Teide, about 14 miles in diameter. Santa Cruz, the island’s pretty capital, was originally a small fishing village but has now grown into a modern city, and also contains 16th-century civic buildings and ornate private mansions. Near the pier is the Santa Cruz Palmetum, a Botanical Garden covering an area of 29 acres, specialising in palms.

Day programme:

From your suite's private verandah, watch Tenerife appear as the sun rises. Sophisticated and cosmopolitan, Tenerife is the largest of Spain’s fabled Canary Islands. Tenerife is known for its natural beauty, unspoilt and pristine beaches where sand colours range from gilded gold to blushing pink to ebony black.  Bask in balmy breezes and take in the vibrant way of life that is imbued across culture and cuisine. Today, enjoy unhurried time for a soul-soothing escape alongside the iridescent water and idyllic villages.Freechoice: Canadas del Teide: Venture through the La Esperanza pine forest to ‘Cañadas del Teide’, the national park with the highest peak in Spain.UNESCO World Heritage La Laguna & History: Discover La Laguna, the island’s former capital. Explore the World Heritage-listed old town and visit the Casa del Vino wine museum for a tasting.Bodegas Monge Wine Experience: Head to the wine region of Tacoronte, El Sauzal, and discover the Monje family’s winery.

Your next stop will be Cape Verde’s cultural capital, Mindelo. Get along with the locals listening to the real morna in the bars of the old town and sipping the local drink, a sugarcane spirit. This island is also known by its British and Portuguese colonial architecture and pastel-coloured houses, the municipal market and the facades of the old Governor’s Palace.

Day programme:

Around 500km off the coast of Senegal, Cape Verde is made up of 15 volcanic islands (nine of which are inhabited) spread across 4,000 square kilometres of ocean. Sao Vicente is the second most populous of the Cape Verde islands and Mindelo is its busy capital. Following in the tradition of centuries of sailors, today this will be your last stop before setting out across the empty expanse of the Atlantic.Sao Vicente island is home to some of the country’s greatest musicians, writers and thinkers, making Mindelo a vibrant town where you can immerse yourself in rich cultural traditions.Freechoice: Island tour: Take a tour of the island from the breathtaking vistas of Monte Verde to the charming fishing village of Calhau.Morna tour: With a local guide, visit the former home of ‘Barefoot Diva’ Cesária Évora, check out Mindelo’s cafes and bars and reveal the island’s musical legacy.Turtles Swim: Marine Life Encounters: Join local fishermen on a sailing excursion off the coast of São Vicente Island as you search for turtles in their natural habitat, or swim alongside the turtles at São Pedro Beach in Mindelo.

This vibrant metropolis has a spirit that’s halfway between that of the modern cities of Brazil’s South and of the traditional northeastern centers. It offers both insight on the past and a window to the future.It was in Pernambuco State, formerly a captaincy, that the most violent battles between the Dutch and the Portuguese took place. Under the Portuguese, the capital city was the nearby community of Olinda. But beginning in 1637 and during the Dutch turn at the reins (under the powerful count Maurício de Nassau), both Olinda and Recife were greatly developed.The city has beautiful buildings alongside the rivers that remind many visitors of Europe. Unfortunately, huge swathes of 19th-century buildings were razed to make way for modern structures. As a result, the center of the city has pockets of neocolonial splendor surrounded by gap-toothed modern giants. Today Recife is a leader in health care and has benefited from significant government investment in recent years, resulting in a boom in infrastructure and construction industries. It’s also Brazil’s third-largest gastronomic center—it’s almost impossible to get a bad meal here.Recife is built around three rivers and connected by 49 bridges. Its name comes from the recifes (reefs) that line the coast. Because of this unique location, water and light often lend the city interesting textures. In the morning, when the tide recedes from Boa Viagem Beach, the rocks of the reefs slowly reappear. Pools of water are formed, fish flap around beachgoers, and the rock formations dry into odd colors. And if the light is just right on the Rio Capibaribe, the ancient buildings of Recife Antigo (Old Recife) are reflected off the river’s surface in a watercolor display.

Day programme:

After five days at sea, your Discovery Yacht will dock at Recife, a large city on the northeastern coast of Brazil. It’s a gleaming sprawl where skyscrapers run right to the edge of the ocean and traffic thunders 24 hours a day. Yet at the same time, there are sleepy historic pockets nearby that will transport you to another era.Recife Antigo (Old Recife) sits on its own island near the harbour and is full of beautifully restored Portuguese and Dutch colonial buildings.Scenic Eclipse departs Recife late tonight, giving you a chance to sample some of the city’s legendary nightlife.Freechoice: Recife Walking Tour: Stroll through the pleasant streets of Old Recife to admire beautiful colonial houses, meet the locals, cross rivers and bridges, and get a taste of daily life.Highlights of Recife & Olinda: Explore Recife and the neighbouring World Heritage-listed town of Olinda. Be awed by imposing mansions, Baroque churches and colourful Portuguese tiles.

According to Salvador’s adopted son Jorge Amado, “In Salvador, magic becomes part of the every-day.” From the shimmering golden light of sunset over the Baía do Todos os Santos, to the rhythmic beats that race along the streets, Salvador, while no longer Brazil’s capital, remains one of its most captivating cities. A large dose of its exoticism comes down to its African heritage—at least 70% of its 2,675,000 population is classified as Afro-Brazilian—and how it has blended into Brazil’s different strands, from the native Indians to the Christian colonizers. Salvadorans may tell you that you can visit a different church every day of the year, which is almost true—the city has about 300. Churches whose interiors are covered with gold leaf were financed by the riches of the Portuguese colonial era, when slaves masked their traditional religious beliefs under a thin Catholic veneer. And partly thanks to modern-day acceptance of those beliefs, Salvador has become the fount of Candomblé, a religion based on personal dialogue with the orixás, a family of African deities closely linked to nature and the Catholic saints. The influence of Salvador’s African heritage on Brazilian music has also turned the city into one of the musical capitals of Brazil, resulting in a myriad of venues to enjoy live music across the city, along with international acclaim for exponents like Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Daniela Mercury. Salvador’s economy today is focused on telecommunications and tourism. The still-prevalent African culture draws many tourists—this is the best place in Brazil to hear African music, learn or watch African dance, and see capoeira, a martial art developed by slaves. In the district of Pelourinho, many colorful 18th- and 19th-century houses remain, part of the reason why this is the center of the tourist trade. Salvador sprawls across a peninsula surrounded by the Baía de Todos os Santos on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The city has about 50 km (31 miles) of coastline. The original city, referred to as the Centro Histórica (Historical Center), is divided into the Cidade Alta (Upper City), also called Pelourinho, and Cidade Baixa (Lower City). The Cidade Baixa is a commercial area—known as Comércio—that runs along the port and is the site of Salvador’s indoor market, Mercado Modelo. You can move between the upper and lower cities on foot, via the landmark Elevador Lacerda, behind the market, or on the Plano Inclinado, a funicular lift, which connects Rua Guindaste dos Padres on Comércio with the alley behind Cathedral Basílica. From the Cidade Histórica you can travel north along the bay to the hilltop Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. You can also head south to the point, guarded by the Forte Santo Antônio da Barra, where the bay waters meet those of the Atlantic. This area on Salvador’s southern tip is home to the trendy neighborhoods of Barra, Ondina, and Rio Vermelho, with many museums, theaters, shops, and restaurants. Beaches along the Atlantic coast and north of Forte Santo Antônio da Barra are among the city’s cleanest. Many are illuminated at night and have bars and restaurants that stay open late.

Day programme:

This morning you will arrive in Salvador de Bahia. Founded by the Portuguese in 1549, Salvador is one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas and was the first capital of Brazil. The streets are lined with colourful buildings and music plays at all hours.Walk the narrow winding streets, sip coffee in busy squares, and admire grand churches and colonial architecture. You’ll feel the unique blend of Afro-Brazilian culture all around you. The city is also the home of capoeira, a traditional martial art, and you’ll often see people practicing it in the streets.Freechoice: Pelourinho – Historic Salvador: Delve into Salvador de Bahia’s intriguing cultural mix of African and European heritage on this guided tour of the city.Panoramic Salvador: Enjoy a panoramic tour of Salvador, the first capital of Brazil, including a drive through the 'Low City' and along the best part of the coastline.

Day programme:

Today, take advantage of Scenic Eclipse’s open bridge policy. Sailing into the Abrolhos Archipelago, the Captain will have to navigate through reefs and low-lying islets.This is Brazil’s first marine park and a refuge for humpback whales, and you may see some still swimming past at this time of year. The Abrolhos Archipelago is one of the best diving and snorkelling sites in Brazil, with an incredible variety of coral, fish, sea turtles and at least three shipwrecks. Weather permitting, you may also be able to explore beneath the surface on the Scenic Neptune submersible^.Freechoice: Island Trail – Atoba birds and their nests: Explore the stunning ecosystems of the Abrolhos Archipelago on an engaging guided walk along the Island Trail.Island Catamaran Snorkel: Set sail on a vibrant catamaran adventure to the crystal-clear waters of the Abrolhos Archipelago. The catamaran will anchor at prime snorkeling spots.

Welcome to the Cidade Maravilhosa, or the Marvelous City, as Rio is known in Brazil. Synonymous with the girl from Ipanema, the dramatic views from Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado mountain, and fabulously flamboyant Carnival celebrations, Rio is a city of stunning architecture, abundant museums, and marvelous food. Rio is also home to 23 beaches, an almost continuous 73-km (45-mile) ribbon of sand.As you leave the airport and head to Rio’s beautiful Zona Sul (the touristic South Zone), you’ll drive for about 40 minutes on a highway from where you’ll begin to get a sense of the dramatic contrast between beautiful landscape and devastating poverty. In this teeming metropolis of 12 million people (6.2 million of whom live in Rio proper), the very rich and the very poor live in uneasy proximity. You’ll drive past seemingly endless cinder-block favela, but by the time you reach Copacabana’s breezy, sunny Avenida Atlântica—flanked on one side by white beach and azure sea and on the other by condominiums and hotels—your heart will leap with expectation as you begin to recognize the postcard-famous sights. Now you’re truly in Rio, where cariocas (Rio residents) and tourists live life to its fullest.Enthusiasm is contagious in Rio. Prepare to have your senses engaged and your inhibitions untied. Rio seduces with a host of images: the joyous bustle of vendors at Sunday’s Feira Hippie (Hippie Fair); the tipsy babble at sidewalk cafés as patrons sip their last glass of icy beer under the stars; the blanket of lights beneath the Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain); the bikers, joggers, strollers, and power walkers who parade along the beach each morning. Borrow the carioca spirit for your stay; you may find yourself reluctant to give it back.

Day programme:

Your journey ends in vibrant Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city in Brazil. Wake up early to watch as your Disocvery Yacht sails into the harbour, past the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue and right into the city’s bustling heart. With its golden beaches, lush mountains, samba beats and passion for partying, you’ll soon see why they call Rio the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City).After one final delicious breakfast, it’s time to disembark Scenic Eclipse. You’ll take with you a lifetime of memories of this truly unique Cruise Voyage.Please book your flight to depart out of Rio de Janeiro after 12:00 PM.#Spa treatments at additional cost. +All drinks on board Scenic Eclipse, including those stocked in your mini bar, are included, except for a very small number of rare, fine and vintage wines, Champagnes and spirits. Specialty restaurants require a reservation, enquire on board.  ^Helicopter is not in operation in Brazil.The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the voyage will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.