Silversea’s Immersive Events & Festivals in 2026 Will Create Memories Beyond Your Imagination

Travel is more than a tally of countries visited or miles logged. True luxury lies in the stories we carry home—the singular experiences that awaken wonder and enrich our lives. In 2026, Silversea invites guests to step into a world of “eventures”: curated, event‑driven adventures that transform a voyage into a masterpiece of memory.

From the Mediterranean’s celestial spectacle to the cultural heartbeat of Rio, each event is designed not simply to entertain, but to immerse. As Cloete, tells us, these moments are born from “a sort of madness that creates the magic.”

In the end, “each Silversea ‘eventure’ is a chapter in a grand narrative of discovery that’s crafted with passion and precision,” Cloete tells us. “They are not simply excursions, but invitations to relive the extraordinary moments that linger long after the voyage ends.”

What’s on tap for Silversea’s Immersive Events & Festivals in 2026?

A New Year in Madeira

You may know Madeira from its wines, from sweet to dry, and on your visit you’ll want to raise a glass in Funchal, on the southern coast of Madeira Island. The second reason to do so: You will be there at the start of 2026, when an onboard gala and a fireworks display light the skies so spectacularly that was commemorated in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest display ever. It’s since been surpassed, but the passion is real.

Did you know? If you’re a garden lover, you’ll also find a thrill at the Monte Palace Madeira Tropical Garden, home to 100,000 plants and spectacular views of the bay. And with average January temperatures between 64 – 68 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll be very comfortable outdoors.

Carnival, Rio de Janeiro

During Carnival in Rio, through 2028, guests can watch the spectacle from grandstand seats at the Sambadrome, feel the pulse of samba and the brilliance of costumes in a cultural celebration like no other.

Did you know: Did you know that while Brasília took over as the capital of Brazil in 1960, Rio remains the cultural capital, thanks, in part, to its vibrant Carnival (or Carnaval), where frenzied celebrations peak before Lent begins. It is a party on a grand scale where highlights include competitive samba schools’ (which are more like community associations) performances. You can soak in the swirl of music and admire the exquisite costumes and a cultural event like no other.

Carnival, Venice

Step into centuries of opulence at a private masked ball in a Venetian palace, where history and mystery intertwine. Venice’s Carnival is an opulent event in and around the Piazza de San Marco, or St. Mark’s Square, sometimes called the living room of Venice. It is to the square that revelers flock to become players in the pageantry of elaborate masks and over-the-top costumes that conceal identities in parades and at private balls.

Did you know? On this voyage, Silversea guests will be ferried by water taxi to a private ball at Sculoa Grande Giovanni Evangelista, which dates to 1261. There, you will drink and dine and pay tribute to Casanova, who lived concealing his many identities and today is remembered largely as a Lothario who lived out his last years as a librarian.

And one more carnival: this one in France’s Nice

The Côte d’Azur takes center stage as Nice rolls out its carnival, whose origins date to 1294. The modern carnival is said to have been reborn in 1873 as a themed parade, where the floats are decked out in what are called “giant heads” and decorated with fantastical creatures.  

Did you know? If you have a warm spot in your heart for Nice, fear not these wintertime festivities. UNESCO has designated it a “Winter Resort Town” that makes “the most of its mild climate and its coastal situation, between sea and mountains.”

Holy Week in Spain’s Lorca

Holy Week, or Semana Santa, is celebrated throughout the world, but Lorca, about 135 miles from Granada, has seamlessly created, from ritual drama and sacred folk pageantry, a re-creation of what many consider the greatest story ever told. Silversea guests will enjoy a pre-festivities dinner before being escorted to the grandstands from which they can view a procession that the government of Spain has designated a Fiesta of International Tourist Interest.  

Did you know? There’s more: the experience plays out along La Carrera, the city’s main parade route, where revelers can admire and absorb the beauty of exquisite floats that bring the procession to life and the drama of the reenactment of scenes from the Bible, bound to provide a depth of information along with a large helping of emotion.

Cherry blossom season in Tokyo’s Spring

The magic of spring in Tokyo, an intensely urban city, opens the way to the gentle entry of cloaks of cherry blossoms (sakura) in Inokashira Park. There, the trees and their delicate floral displays ring the pond at the center of the green space. You’ll see them blossom as well at the home of the 17^th century Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that the organization calls the “culmination of Japanese castle architecture in wood.” Ships that visit Tokyo in spring include Silver Moon, Silver Nova and Silver Muse.

Did you know? At Nara Park, also part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Silversea visitors will engage in Hanami, the art of viewing flowers (cherry blossoms in this case) with, perhaps, a picnic lunch.

Formula One Grand Prix de Monaco 2026

One of the greatest events in auto racing is Formula One’s annual race in Monte Carlo As you watch the competition, set along the backdrop of the Riviera, you’ll realize that this F1 contest is far more than the fast cars going round and round.  It is a team sport (11 teams, in 2026, and two drivers) that includes a support crew of mechanics and engineers, among others. As a Silversea guest, you can watch this spectacle from a terrace above the track or in its grandstand seating. Silver Ray offers two chances to experience F1; one’s in 2026, another is 2027.

Did you know? The Monaco Grand Prix is about 30 miles shorter than most Grand Prix races, which are about 190 miles, but then, Monaco measures less than a square mile. (Only Vatican City is a smaller country.)

La Fête de la Musique, Nice and Monaco

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music,” English writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley wrote. Silversea guests will hear the expressions of the inexpressible on June 21, a Sunday, in Monaco and France’s Nice. These two places on the French Riviera are part of La Fête de la Musique, also known as World Music Day, a tradition that dates to 1982 and has spread to cities around the world. Free performances, by professional musicians and amateurs too, against these backdrops will put a song in your heart. Silver Nova hosts this cultural adventure.

Did you know? You don’t have to speak French to enjoy La Fête de la Musique because music is a universal language.

Martnan Food Fair, Norway’s Trondheim

The people of Trondheim, about 300 miles north of Oslo, know how to have a good time and have been doing so since at least 1540. This summer gathering is a food festival that gives visitors a taste of the past and present. During the Martnan Food Fair, visitors also will find an array of events, including dance parties (you might be tempted by tango or lured by the lindy hop), classic car exhibits, bike workshops and, of course, will be offered ample ways to sample and savor what makes this city of about 200,000 one of travel’s more refreshing revelations. Silver Dawn visits Trondheim’s Martnan Food Fair in both 2026 and 2027.

Did you know? Norway’s third largest city, located within the Arctic Circle, is a culinary powerhouse. It’s recognized as a top food destination with Michelin-starred dining and countless local cafes/breweries, not just typical Norwegian fare.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Somehow, when you envision Edinburgh, cobblestones and castles may be part of your mind’s-eye portrait, but a volcano and a museum of magic? Not so much. But Edinburgh is all that and more, especially the pageantry of its Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. From premium grandstand seats, Silversea guests will view this performance of military bands and drum corps from Scotland and around the world, as well as a massive fireworks display and the stirring sounds of a chorus. Silver Spirit incorporates the Military Tattoo into itineraries in 2026 and 2027.

Did you know? The word “tattoo” comes from a Dutch phrase for “turn off the tap,” a signal to barkeepers to begin wrapping up the night and sending soldiers on their way.

Total Solar Eclipse in the Western Mediterranean

A total solar eclipse will occur August 12, 2026, and Silversea guests will be positioned in the Balearic Sea in the Western Mediterranean to take in this phenomenon. The world, for a short time, will go dark in the “band of totality” when the sun appears to be blocked by the moon. The key word is “appears.”  The sun is 400 times larger than the moon so it’s an illusion that occurs when the bodies align. Total solar eclipses happen about 66 times in a century, but you can see them only from certain spots, and Silver Shadow will be in position to allow this once-in-a-lifetime look at the hide-and-seek of heavenly bodies.  Viewers will, of course, have proper eye protection, thanks to specialized viewing glasses.

Did you know? Upcoming total solar eclipses also include August 2, 2027 (North Africa, Spain, and Middle East), July 22, 2028 (Australia and New Zealand), and November 25, 2030 (southern Africa and Australia). 

Ring in 2027’s New Year in Hong Kong

If you want to see the crème de la crème of fireworks displays, go to China’s Hong Kong. You’ll enjoy the palette of colors that will streak across the skies of Victoria Harbour as the calendar turns to 2027. The booms and blasts and streaks of light will accompany an onboard gala on Silver Muse that has a front-and-center view of a spectacle that promises a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of a new year.

Did you know? Fireworks were invented in China 2,000 years ago.