Rotterdam — Saint-Malo
Startharbour: RotterdamBoarding after: 12.10.2013 00:00
Departure: 14.10.2013 09:00
Port of destination: Saint-Malo
Arrival: 18.10.2013 08:00
Debarkation before:
Days on board: 7
Rotterdam
The city itself among very little in Netherlands has suffered very much during the World War II. The historical Rotterdam today consists of just several surviving sections, all the other parts were rebuilt becoming the most architecturally modern city in Netherlands. Skyscrapers with no two alike among them, residence buildings like cubes standing on the corner — Rotterdam might disappoint the "fairy tale" old Netherlands lovers, but it has become a real Mecca for the modern architecture styles fans. Building the new city over the ruins the Dutch weren't scared to experiment implementing the most challenging and innovative ideas.
Rotterdam is probably the most "alive" city in the Netherlands and the most multicultural. The city lives in the rythm given by its port, one can hear almost any language and music style here, taste any cuisine.
Lots of ships come here from all over the world, thousands of sea routes start here. It is hard tyo come up with a more logical, right place to start a big cruise, a real sea adventure.
Saint-Malo

The fortress safely guarded on all sides gave its owners control over both the shore and the sea routes, so for centuries militant St.Malo inhabitants have collected toll from every passing ship and did not despise freebooting.
Both English and French ships have become local inhabitants' victims - the city did not recognize the supreme authority of the huge European monarchies for rather a long time. It even refused to obey the princes of Brittany who used to have bigger influence in the region. The medieval motto of Saint-Malo used to be "Not French, not Breton but Malouins" and the city even stood as an independent republic for some time in XV century.

This is where the famous corsair of the Napoleon era, one of the first Legion of Honour knights, the "Corsair King" Robert Surcouf was born.
However not only pirates and smugglers have written the history of this city - ther was also a place for a very different kind of adventurers. Alongside Honfleur Saint-Malo has played a very important role in the history of the French geographical discoveries. From the very pier our Shtandart will moor to, the Saint-Malo native Jacques Cartier, the Canada discoverer, has set of in 1534. The legendary Samuel de Champlain also started his late expeditions here. The sailors from Saint-Malo were the ones to discover Falkland islands, still called Iles Malouines in France.

Mont Saint-Michel outline is easily recognised owing it to the spires of the monastery situated on the very top of the clif in the middle of the island. The unique creation of both human art and nature, the castle has inspired people for centuries. It was praised in tha medieval bards' songs, painted by the Renaissance artists, Claude Debussy wrote his music here. Mont Saint-Michel is mentioned in many books and it has been the prototype for the fantsy castles in the Hollywood Lord of the Rings. Nowadays the population of Mont Saint-Michel is 40 people. And it is visited by over 30 million people from all over the world. The tourist flow gets lower in the fall so we will have the chance to become familiar with the beauty of this unique place without the tourist crowds.