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Logo Bark Europa diapositive HomeBark EUROPA

Bordeaux to Cascais

10 days voyage

Next voyage: Oct 4 - Oct 13, 2025

Starting from €1.700,- pp

Map Key Bordeaux – Cascais

Ocean voyage

Autumn at sea: sail from Bordeaux to Cascais

Dates & prices

Join Bark EUROPA on a voyage from the historic port of Bordeaux to the coastal town of Cascais. As we sail down the Garonne towards the open ocean, the ship will settle into the rhythm on board. This 10-day voyage is an ideal introduction to life at sea, long enough to immerse yourself in sailing, yet close to the shore, offering a mix of open water and coastal navigation.

On lookout duty
Sailing on EUROPA

As we reach open waters, the sailing really begins! Days will be spent learning the ropes, steering the ship, setting sails and standing on watch. As we sail further to the Iberian Peninsula, your skills will be tested during the crossing of the Bay of Biscay, a true test for sailors, where it can either be calm and golden or stirred up by the first storms of the season.

Sailing the Atlantic

Destination

Embarkation in Bordeaux

Your voyage will start in Bordeaux, a city renowned for its rich wine heritage and historical city centre. Situated on the Garonne river, Bordeaux is a UNESCO world heritage site known for its beautiful architecture and vibrant wine culture. Before embarkation, take time to explore this welcoming city or visit the wine regions surrounding Bordeaux. Once on board, the lines are cast off and the adventure begins as we sail down the Garonne river toward the open ocean.

 

Disembarkation in Cascais

After a beautiful voyage along the Iberian coast, your voyage ends in the coastal town of Cascais, Portugal. Cascais is known for its idyllic beaches, historic centre and maritime heritage. Located just 30 minutes by train from Lisbon, Cascais also serves as the perfect gateway to the Portuguese capital. Whether you choose to explore the city, or relax by the sea in Cascais, it will be a great end to your voyage on board and a perfect beginning of your next chapter of your adventures.

Route

The voyage begins in Bordeaux, sailing down the Garonne river and through the Gironde estuary into the open Atlantic. As we cross the Bay of Biscay, known for its unpredictable weather, we can either experience calm or challenging conditions, perfect of testing seamanship! As we sail south along the Iberian Peninsula, you'll pass the dramatic cliffs and sandy beaches of North West Spain and Portugal, passing Cape Finisterre, once considered as "the end of the world". This 10-day coastal passage is a fantastic introduction to life at sea.

Map Route Bordeaux – Cascais

Itinerary

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome on board

From nearly all corners of the world, our guests will arrive in Bordeaux, France. Your coastal voyage will finally start. Embarking via our gangway, you will be welcomed by our crew members. You will be asked to sign in on board and take the luggage to your assigned cabin, followed by a first meeting to introduce the captain and crew to the voyage crew before enjoying your first meal on board. These will be the first exciting moments of your time on board. A first glance of who you will be sharing your experience with. They will be solo travellers, friends or couples, young and old, from various countries and with different backgrounds, all united in their dream of crossing the Atlantic on a tallship.

Bark EUROPA crew

Itinerary

Life on board

For some people on board it will be their first time on a tall ship, while others will have done similar journeys. This mix of beginners and more experienced tall ship lovers creates a learning atmosphere on board, where each person can contribute in their own way to keep the ship sailing. Soon after we have cast of our mooring lines, the watch schedule will begin. You will be placed in the Red - White or Blue watch. Each watch will take turns in being 4 hours on watch, to stand on lookout, steer the ship and help with sail handling.

ocean sailing

Itinerary

Sail training

This coastal voyage offers you a chance to get a first glance of the theory and practice of tall ship sailing and all that it entails - sail handling, rigging, maintenance, navigation and much more. From day one, our experience permanent crew will start to teach you all there is to know about square rig sailing. Unlike long ocean crossings, this voyage follows the Iberian coast, offering a mix of offshore sailing and breathtaking coastal landscapes.

Janke in Pacific

Itinerary

Starry skies

This voyage will offer spectacular starry skies, especially when sailing away from coastal light pollution, and the sky opens up to an incredible display of stars. On dark nights, the ocean itself may also come alive with glowing bioluminescence, as tiny marine organisms create trails of light in the ship's wake. This magical combination of stars above and glowing water below is definitely a highlight for the night watches. The gentle sound of the waves, the ship moving steadily forward and the vast sky above create an unforgettable experience, making the night watches a memory to remember.

Starry skies

Itinerary

Research

We believe in expanding knowledge of our sailors, and to do so we invite scientists on board. Oceanographers, astronomers, marine biologists have joined us in the past and their presence and expertise have been highly valued by both our crew and trainees. By working together with universities and other institutions we hope to connect the scientific world with our world at sea and bring scientific knowledge to a wide audience. Our hope is to broaden the awareness of oceanic and polar issues and make scientific knowledge accessible to a wide audience. During your voyage, you will have the opportunity to assist the researchers with their work, such as helping to collect data using a manta trawl or plankton net.

Regitze research

Itinerary

Day 9-10: Arrival to Cascais

After a week at sea, the gentle coast of Cascais will come into sight, marking our approach to our destination. The last night of the voyage we will spend in port of Cascais, memorating everything you have learned throughout the trip, having created memories for a lifetime and making new friends along the way. The morning after, it will be time to say goodbye to the ship, her crew and your newfound friends. On to new adventures!

On board in Cascais

Reviews

Mark Walker - OceanOcean voyage

My congratulations to the dedicated highly professional crew for imparting & allowing us to share their knowledge of seamanship & know how in sailing Europa in what for me must be the ultimate ocean experience. Don't hesitate to grab this amazing opportunity and feel what its like to be part of the crew and what an ocean voyage can offer on such a remarkable vessel as Europa & even if you have never sailed before don't worry: go for it! The crew's ability in teaching/demonstrating the many numerous skills needed in handling a 3 masted bark including safety drills were very well presented as were the many lectures given by Europa's crew. The magnificence of Europa is spellbinding. A piece of living maritime history! The food was superb as was the welcoming we received from the galley staff.

Jos van der Weele - OceanScheveningen - Cascais

What a beautiful and exciting sailing experience on my trip with Bark Europa to Cascais! We had all types of weather, including a storm on the Atlantic Ocean. The Europa is a steady and safe ship with a very experienced and dedicated crew. It is so nice to be part of the sailing crew and be able to help with sailing the ship. For me it was the first time to sail non stop to Cascais on the Europa and it was an indescribable experience and worth repeating.

Willow Ryan - OceanOcean Crossing

It was a amazing voyage!!! The crew were wonderful in helping us with everything and dear Rensje was absolutely amazing! I think that for a training ship she is handled very well and the organization was great. Capt. Janke is a wonderful captain and also did a superb job of wrangling the 40 plus landlubbers and keeping a ship shape ship! Thank you to everyone for all the love and effort that goes into these beautiful vessels.

At the helm of Bark EUROPA

Why choose us

  • Introduction to sailing

    This 10-day coastal voyage is an ideal voyage for first-time voyage crew who wants to experience life at sea without committing to a long ocean crossing.

    Sailtraining on board Bark EUROPA

  • Offshore and coastal

    Combine sailing the open Atlantic while also enjoying the breathtaking coastal landscape of France, Spain and Portugal. Expect dramatic cliffs, historic lighthouses and diverse sailing conditions!

    Coastal sailing

  • Authentic experience

    Step back in time and participate in traditional sailing practices, climb the rigging and feel the excitement of navigating the Atlantic on a tall ship.

    Sunset view from the ship

Dates & prices

Sailing South in 2025: Scheveningen - Bordeaux - Cascais - Tenerife - Montevideo

Embark on an unforgettable southbound journey as Bark EUROPA sets sail from Scheveningen in autumn 2025! This voyage will take you along the Atlantic coast, from the historic ports of Bordeaux and Cascais to the volcanic landscapes of Tenerife, before heading deep into the Southern Hemisphere toward Montevideo.

Choose your adventure—join for a single leg or experience the full transformation from the North Sea’s autumn chill to the warmth of the South Atlantic. Whether you’re learning the ropes on a coastal leg or embracing the rhythm of the ocean on a long crossing, this is a voyage of discovery, teamwork, and adventure. Step on board and become part of our sailing tradition!

What's included

 

  • Small and personal sailing experience with a maximum of 42 voyage crew members
  • Sail training and interesting lectures from our permanent crew
  • Participate in research projects on board
  • Delicious meals from our experienced cook, unlimited coffee & tea
  • Spend your “off-watch” time in the ships library, lounge, poker corner, deckhouse or ships bar
From To Days Nautical miles Price pp 4/6p cabin Price pp 2p cabin
From
Bordeaux, France
To
Cascais, Portugal
Days
10
Nautical miles
780
€1.700,-
€2.200,-
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FAQ

To all FAQ
Can I join a sailing voyage as a solo traveler?

Yes! As a solo traveler, you are more than welcome to participate in a sailing trip aboard the EUROPA. Many of our guests are individual adventurers seeking new experiences and the opportunity to form new friendships during the journey. Our crew and fellow passengers create a close-knit community, ensuring that you will quickly feel at home on board. So, when traveling alone, you can definitely enjoy the camaraderie and unique experience of sailing on the EUROPA.

Is sailing experience required?

When you decide to join us one of our voyages, you will be doing so as part of the voyage crew. This means that EUROPA’s permanent crew will train you to be a sailor. No experience is needed, our crew will learn you everything along the way. Everyone is welcome to take the helm, set sails, assist with maneuvers, navigation, weather observations, furling the sails on the yards and much more. The permanent crew will give lectures and instruct you during the voyage in steering, navigation and sail handling. This will be done in a ‘Dutch’ style, so without yelling, blowing whistles or uniforms.

What does a day on board the EUROPA look like?

Every day on board is different and unexpected, due to continuously changing weather conditions and the watch system, but we’ll try to sketch how a day could look like: you get waken up at 4 am by another watch: It's your turn to stand watch with your watch mates. You check out the weather and put on your sailing gear. Then, you head outside and take turns keeping a lookout, steering, and handling the sails with the crew. After 4 hours, you wake up the next watch and its breakfast time. The cook has prepared a delicious buffet: fresh bread, yoghurt, granola, and all sorts of fruits. Then, you can catch up on sleep or hang out outside, chatting with your fellow travelers or helping the crew with ship maintenance. Once lunch is served, it's back to your watch duty. The weather and course may have changed, so you need to hoist or lower the sails accordingly. After dinner, you can either take a nap or grab a drink – the choice is yours. Read here to learn more about the watch system on board!

What is the spoken language on board?

The spoken language on board is English, it is therefore required that you have sufficient knowledge of this language in order to understand all of the given safety instruction and for you to connect with your fellow crewmates, as this contributes to your experience!
Please contact the office if you have any doubts about your level of English. We are happy to see if we can make your dream voyage happen!

How can I make a booking?

You are welcome to send in your booking form via our website as soon as you are ready for the adventure! Choose your voyage in the sailing schedule, scroll down to the date you wish to sail with us and click the 'Book now' button. You adventure is just a view clicks away!

Is WIFI available on board?

On board, there is no internet access. This creates an environment where you can escape the digital world and fully immerse yourself in the experience of sailing at sea and embracing the moment. However, if you still wish to keep your loved ones informed, there is an option to send and receive small text emails. Additionally, a designated person from your home front will have access to the captain's phone number in case of emergencies.