28 Night Cruise sailing from Southampton roundtrip aboard Saga Sapphire.

This epic month-long voyage promises to be a holiday to treasure forever, with the unique opportunity to witness next year's total eclipse of the sun in its prime viewing location - off the coast of West Africa. Along the way you can discover fascinating ports in Sierra Leone and Senegal, as well as the islands that surround the continent such as Cape Verde, the Canaries and Madeira.

Highlights of this cruise:

Lisbon
Set on seven hills on the banks of the River Tagus, Lisbon has been the inspiring capital of Portugal since the 13th century when the Moors were finally vanquished.

It is a city strewn with majestic architecture, old wooden trams, historic Moorish features and more than twenty centuries of history.

Following disastrous earthquakes in the 18th century, Lisbon was rebuilt by the Marques de Pombal who created an elegant city with wide boulevards and a great riverfront and square, Praça do Comercio.

Cadiz
Believed to be the oldest town on the Iberian Peninsula and founded by Hercules, the Andalusian port of Cadiz enjoys a stunning location at the edge of a six-mile promontory.

The town itself, with 3,000 years of history, is today characterised by pretty white houses with balconies often adorned with colourful flowers. As you wander around be sure to take a stroll through the sizeable Plaza de Espãna, with its large monument dedicated to the first Spanish constitution signed in Cadiz in 1812.

There are two pleasant seafront promenades which boast fine views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Parque Genoves, located close to the sea with an open-air theatre and attractive palm garden. Also notable is the neo-classical cathedral, capped by a golden dome.

Agadir
Shaped by the Atlas Mountains on one side, Agadir is framed on the other by a magnificent crescent-shaped beach. While little is known of the city's origins, the Portuguese created a fortress here at the end of the 15th century, naming it Santa Cruz de Ghir.

Freed from Portugal's occupation by the Saadians in 1540, Agadir grew into a colourful and prosperous port and became newsworthy in 1911 when a German gunboat, the Panther, sailed into the bay as a protest against the division of North Africa between the English and French. Morocco gained independence from the French in 1956, an event which was closely followed in Agadir by the tragic earthquake of 1960.

The city, which has been rebuilt to represent the 'new nation', is blessed by fine sandy beaches overlooked by luxurious hotels and a great selection of cafes and restaurants.

Gran Canaria
Perhaps the prettiest of the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria is an almost circular island with its highest point, the peak of Pozo de Las Nieves (6,390 feet above sea level) at the centre.

The island offers the best of both worlds, with a wealth of natural beauty and all the exciting attractions of city life in the capital, Las Palmas.

You will no doubt wish to see the sights of the capital's old quarter, which dates back to the 15th century and encompassses the Vegueta and Triana districts, and wherever you go you can enjoy the glorious subtropical climate, perfect for growing exotic palms and fruits.

Freetown
Freetown is Sierra Leone's economic, administrative and financial centre and was founded in 1787 by the British as a settlement for freed slaves. Their descendants are known today as the Creole.

Freetown's economy relies on its harbour, which is the largest natural harbour in Africa, and the third largest in the world. Industries include diamonds, rice milling, petroleum refining and the manufacture of cigarettes.

A treasured landmark is the 'Cotton Tree' which was originally planted by the resettled American slaves with the founding of Freetown.

Santa Cruz
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, appears a modern city, but also contains 16th-century civic buildings and ornate private mansions.

Funchal
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 wildflowers. 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.