Discover Five Enchanting Gardens on Your Next Cruise
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
If you’d like to combine your cruise holiday with seeing some of the world’s best gardens, the good news is that many of the world’s most beautiful gardens are easily accessible from ports. From the subtropical delights of Madeira to a French garden that’s instantly recognisable from paintings, be inspired to plan a flower-filled trip with this guide.
Monet’s House & Gardens, Giverny, France
Monet’s Garden in France is one of the world’s most instantly recognisable, as it was immortalised in paint and canvas numerous times by the French Impressionist.
The garden is divided into two parts: the more formal Clos-Normand and the water garden, house to the famous bridge and pond.
The Clos-Normand was planted with thousands of flowers in straight-line patterns, all carefully arranged to maximise their visual impact and create balanced compositions. The water garden is immortalised in Monet’s Nympheas (Water Lillies) series, which features around 250 oil paintings.
To plan a visit to Giverny, choose a cruise that docks at Le Havre or Rouen between April and October.
Madeira Botanical Gardens, Madeira
Madeira’s subtropical climate is perfect for a wide variety of flowers, shrubs and trees, and the Madeira Botanical Gardens in Funchal are where you can explore over 3,000 species of plants. You’ll find an arboretum, a succulent garden, choreographed gardens and topiary, and a section dedicated to endemic plants from the Madeira archipelago.
Located on the slopes overlooking Funchal with panoramic views of the Atlantic, you can also travel there and back by unusual methods. Arrive by cable car to experience a peaceful retreat above the bustling city, then take the cable car back to Monte and pick up the traditional wicker toboggan to return to the ship.
Book a winter sun cruise that stops at Madeira for your chance to enjoy these enchanting gardens.
Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, the Netherlands
Easily accessible from the ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Ijmuiden, the Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse are on many gardeners’ must-visit list. World-famous for their dazzling displays of spring flowers – there are over seven million spring-flowering bulbs – you can see hyacinths, freesias, chrysanthemums and, of course, tulips.
The park is divided into garden areas which in 2024 included: the beach garden, where Ibiza meets the Netherlands; the Mediterranean garden; and the Sound of Spring with its mix of art, music and nature. There are also sculptures and works of art artfully placed throughout the park.
Keukenhof is open between March and May, so start planning your 2025 visit now!
Tresco Abbey Gardens, Isles of Scilly
Described on its website as ‘a perennial Kew without the glass’, Tresco Abbey Gardens is home to 2,000 species from the subtropics and southern hemisphere – all just 28 miles off the Cornish coast! Plants on display include echium, strelitzia and heliconia, and among the plants you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a red squirrel or golden pheasant. Likened to visiting the Caribbean, these stunning gardens are a short boat ride over to Tresco from a cruise stop in St Mary’s.
The Gardens and National Palace at Queluz, Portugal
The residence of the Portuguese royal family until the 1800s, the Gardens and National Palace at Queluz have been carefully restored and include a topiary parterre, a grotto with an artificial waterfall, formal terraces and walkways with sculptures, and a Flemish-inspired grand canal.
And as you’d expect from a Portuguese construction, there are lots of beautiful azulejos – ceramic tiles – depicting historical scenes.
Add these glorious gardens to your itinerary if you’re embarking on an Ambassador sailing that stops in Lisbon, as they’re easily accessible from the capital city.
Get a 10% discount on Ambassador cruises
You can enjoy a 10% bonus discount on top of any of Ambassador Cruise Line’s current deals and offers.
Go to the offer
