Latest news with #Lisbon
Le Figaro
13 hours ago
- Le Figaro
Set sail from home port: discover the world on MSC Cruises from Southampton
Seasoned travellers know that a journey's first moments set the tone for everything that follows. That is why embarking on one of MSC's cruises feels instantly different. You swap airport queues for a breezy drive or train ride, step aboard within minutes, and ease into Italian-inspired elegance long before the ship clears the Solent. From that smooth departure, an entire atlas unfurls, Norway's mirror-still fjords, Lisbon's sun-soaked hills, Lanzarote's volcanic moonscapes, woven together in one seamless holiday. Why Southampton matters Southampton is Britain's busiest cruise hub, purpose-built for seamless boarding and disembarkation. Terminals stand a short hop from the city's rail station, luggage vanishes at the curb and reappears outside your cabin. Better still, MSC schedules departures all year, so whether you crave winter auroras or midsummer tapas, there is always a voyage poised to leave with cruises from Southampton. Treat that convenience as the first perk of your cruise, not the last, because once you cross the gangway, the scenery only improves. Northern Europe: light, legends and Fjords Few routes showcase ship travel's magic like the Northern Europe itineraries. One morning you might wake to Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie gleaming like a shard of ice; two days later, you dock in Flåm, a hamlet dwarfed by vertical cliffs and ribbon waterfalls. MSC's seven-night programmes link such contrasts with striking ease. Highlights include: Rotterdam-Amsterdam, Netherlands – Cycle canal front paths, linger in the Rijksmuseum, and sip a locally roasted espresso in Jordaan before re-boarding for gourmet dinner at sea. – Cycle canal front paths, linger in the Rijksmuseum, and sip a locally roasted espresso in Jordaan before re-boarding for gourmet dinner at sea. Olden, Norway – Take a tender across glassy Nordfjord, then ride an open-air trolley to the emerald tongue of Briksdal Glacier. – Take a tender across glassy Nordfjord, then ride an open-air trolley to the emerald tongue of Briksdal Glacier. Ålesund, Norway – Art Nouveau façades meet Atlantic viewpoints; kayakers glide past pastel warehouses while eagles wheel overhead. Travellers with less time can sample the flavour on mini-cruises—two, three or five nights that slip into Le Havre for a fast train to Paris or into Zeebrugge for medieval Bruges. Short on days, rich in stories. Canary Islands and Madeira: perpetual spring at sea Sail southwest and the weather softens, colours brighten, voices lighten. Funchal welcomes with jacaranda-lined boulevards; cable cars climb to Monte's gardens perfumed by orchids and jasmine. On Tenerife, lunar trails wind around Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak, while down in Las Palmas, the earthy joy of tapas meets sun-warmed sand along Las Canteras beach. MSC pairs these ports with languid sea days ideal for sun-lounging, poolside cinema or an indulgent afternoon thalassotherapy session. Fourteen nights slip by like a single golden afternoon. Western mediterranean and Iberia : culture in quick succession If variety sparks your wanderlust, the extended Western Med voyages deliver. Picture breakfast with La Coruña's Roman lighthouse on the horizon, a late-morning wander through Lisbon's Alfama alleyways, tapas counters in Bilbao by lunch, and open-air opera under Barcelona's stars after dusk. You see more capitals, taste more regional cuisines, and hear more languages in one fortnight than most travellers manage in a year—without ever packing a suitcase twice. Life aboard : elegance in motion MSC ships marry clean Italian design with clever engineering. Grand atriums feel airy thanks to sweeping staircases inset with sparkling Swarovski crystal; infinity-edge pools blur sea and sky; panoramic lifts reveal the horizon at every deck. Yet comfort is personal, too: Staterooms & Suites – Choose from sea-view balconies for morning coffee with gulls, or Yacht Club suites where a dedicated butler unlocks private lounges and secluded sun decks. – Choose from sea-view balconies for morning coffee with gulls, or Yacht Club suites where a dedicated butler unlocks private lounges and secluded sun decks. Dining – Rotisserie lamb scented with rosemary one evening, handmade gnocchi the next, and pan-Asian tasting menus when you crave something unexpected. Fresh ingredients, open kitchens, never a dress-code dilemma. – Rotisserie lamb scented with rosemary one evening, handmade gnocchi the next, and pan-Asian tasting menus when you crave something unexpected. Fresh ingredients, open kitchens, never a dress-code dilemma. Family Fun – Lego-themed playrooms, VR-equipped arcades, aqua parks and teen hangouts make 'Are we there yet?' a phrase of the past. – Lego-themed playrooms, VR-equipped arcades, aqua parks and teen hangouts make 'Are we there yet?' a phrase of the past. Evenings – Original production shows light up the theatre, while quieter souls sip aged Scotch in an art-lined lounge. I often split the night: first the jazz trio, then a moonlit stroll on the promenade deck. Balance is everything at sea. Shore experiences : local eyes, lasting memories Every destination hides layers unseen by casual visitors. That is why MSC partners with guides who call each port home. Join a marine biologist to spot puffins near Akureyri, cycle Dutch polders outside Amsterdam, or learn the art of Madeira wine blending in a centuries-old lodge. Booking excursions through the cruise line keeps logistics simple and ensures your euros support vetted local experts. Responsible voyaging Travel should enrich both guest and planet. MSC's newest vessels feature LNG propulsion, shore-to-ship power hookups, and advanced water-treatment technology that exceeds international standards. You feel the difference in quieter sail-aways and cleaner wake trails—proof that elegance and environmental care can share the same deck. Exceptional value, never « cheap » From time to time MSC releases limited-time cruise deals, adding onboard credit, drinks packages or reduced deposits. These offers create genuine value without diluting the premium experience, and they disappear as quickly as cabins fill. I recommend subscribing to the line's newsletter to catch them early; the best staterooms, after all, are finite. Your next chapter starts at the dock A cruise should feel like opening a well-written novel: effortless immersion, vibrant settings, characters who surprise you, and pages that practically turn themselves. That is precisely what MSC delivers from Southampton. One voyage might leave you hushed beneath Iceland's summer midnight sun; another, laughing over tapas under Barcelona's gothic spires. Yet the common thread is always the ship—a moving sanctuary of style, warmth and possibility. I have travelled by rail through the Alps, driven coast-to-coast across North America, even trekked on foot in Patagonia. Each mode has its charm, but only a cruise knits together so many destinations with so little friction. Step aboard, settle into that first flute of Prosecco, and feel the shoreline slip astern. Discovery is calling. Let Southampton be your gateway, and let MSC Cruises carry you to the next horizon—with elegance, emotion and a welcome as open as the sea itself.
The Sun
15 hours ago
- The Sun
Mystery as decapitated body found lying in the street in centre of Lisbon – and police can't find the head
A DECAPITATED body has been found lying in the middle of the street in the centre of Lisbon. The headless man was found this morning in the centre of the Portuguese capital. 1 Shockingly, a police source said the man's head is "not at the scene" and they are still trying to find it. The corpse was found on Patio Salema, a narrow, dead-end street in the historic centre of the popular British holiday destination. Officers found the body at around 6.45am and the street remains closed while cops investigate. Bizarrely, just hours earlier the body of a woman was found in the boot of a car nearby. The woman in her 50s was discovered in Costa da Caparica on the outskirts of the capital. The car's owner is not known and police have started a murder inquiry.
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Mystery as headless corpse is found near major tourist attraction in Portugal
A headless body has been found dumped next to a major tourist attraction in Portugal. The corpse of the unidentified man was discovered by police at around 6.45am on Wednesday. The body was found 'without its head' behind the Lisbon Coliseum (Coliseu dos Recreios), in the heart of the capital city. The country's Judiciary Police are on the scene alongside murder detectives, reports national newspaper Publico. Forensic teams have been working throughout the day to gather evidence. The body was reportedly found in Pátio do Salema, a narrow alley behind the performance venue. The Coliseu dos Recreios is a historic concert hall that was built in the city in 1890. The auditorium is known for its architectural innovation, including its iron dome with a 25-metre radius originally ordered from Germany. The body was found 'without its head' behind the Lisbon Coliseum (Coliseu dos Recreios), in the heart of the capital city Over the years, the venue has hosted a variety of performances from opera singers Alfredo Kraus and Antonietta Stella to circus acts and concerts by singer Madonna. On Tuesday, the body of a woman in her 50s was discovered in the boot of a car nearby the auditorium in Costa da Caparica. Rates of violent crime increased in Portugal by almost three per cent between 2023 and 2024, reported Expresso, with more car and home thefts, bank robberies and rapes occurring in the country according to the Annual Internal Security Report (RASI). Reports of rape in particular reached their highest level in a decade, increasing by 49 to 543 recorded rape cases in 2024. But Portugal has a low homicide rate compared to other countries in the EU, of 0.6 per 100,000 people.
CNN
15 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
Meet Arsenal's new striker Viktor Gyökeres
Arsenal's new signing Viktor Gyökeres says that after so much talk - he's ready to hit the ground running. The Swede's move from Sporting Lisbon was confirmed last weekend - becoming Mikel Arteta's fifth new signing of the off season. He spoke to CNN exclusively ahead of what could be his debut against rivals Tottenham on Thursday.
CTV News
17 hours ago
- CTV News
French ministers condemn ‘excessive use of force' after Jewish youths were removed from a flight
A Vueling Airbus A321 approaches for landing in Lisbon at sunrise, while the moon sets in the background, Feb. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File) PARIS — A summer camp counsellor has accused Spanish law enforcement officers of using brute force against her during the removal of a group of French Jewish teenagers from a plane bound for Paris from Spain, French government ministers and her lawyer said Wednesday. Ministers Aurore Bergé and Benjamin Haddad met with the counsellor on Tuesday after French authorities last week contacted the CEO of the Spanish low-cost airline Vueling and the Spanish ambassador to France to determine whether the youngsters had been discriminated against on the basis of their religion. Forty-four minors and eight adult French passengers were kicked off flight V8166 from Valencia to Paris on July 23, for what Spanish police and the airline described as unruly behavior. But the ministers said the counsellor, who asked to remain anonymous and is described as 'shocked,' disputed that account. They say she described the crew as hostile from the outset, saying a child briefly sang but stopped when asked, and claimed no behaviour warranted the group's removal or the Civil Guard's response. 'No action justified the disembarkation or the excessive and brutal use of force by the Civil Guard against the young woman, who has just been notified of 15 days of total incapacity to work,' the ministers said in a statement, adding that her testimony had been corroborated by other passengers on board. The counsellor's lawyer, Muriel Ouaknine Melki, told The Associated Press that she was left with bruises on her legs, arms and body after she was brutally handcuffed and held in an arm lock. Ouaknine Melki said her team is collecting evidence before lodging a complaint. The Club Kineret association, which organized the summer camp, did not immediately answer requests from The Associated Press for direct testimonies from people who were removed from the plane. A Vueling spokesperson said the passengers were removed after the minors repeatedly tampered with the plane's emergency equipment and interrupted the crew's safety demonstration. A Civil Guard spokesperson said the plane captain ordered the group's removal at Valencia's Manises Airport after they repeatedly ignored crew instructions. Bergé and Haddad also lashed out at a statement from the Spanish Minister of Transport 'equating French children of Jewish faith with Israeli citizens, as if that somehow justified the treatment they received.' Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente has deleted a tweet from July 26 in which he called the minors 'Israeli brats.' 'At a time when antisemitic acts have been on the rise across Europe since the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, in Israel, the ministers call on Vueling and the Spanish authorities to fully investigate and clarify the events,' Bergé and Haddad said. 'We will never accept the normalization of antisemitism. We will always stand with our fellow citizens who suffer from antisemitic hatred, and we will never compromise.' Vueling has denied that the incident was related to the passengers' religion. Some Israeli news outlets reported that the students were Jewish and that their removal was religiously motivated, a claim that was repeated by an Israeli minister online. The Civil Guard spokesperson said the agents involved were not aware of the group's religious affiliation. Samuel Petrequin, The Associated Press
