Baltic & Northern Europe

IJmuiden, Netherlands, is located at the mouth of the North Sea Canal leading to Amsterdam, lying approximately 17 km north of Haarlem. It is known as North Holland’s gate to the North Sea due to the canal that connects the North Sea with the IJ Bay in Amsterdam. The places to be seen include the Zee-en Haven Museum in the city, the Hoogovens Museum, and the system of sluice gates at the mouth of the canal. Read more about IJmuiden, Netherlands

St Malo (aka Saint-Malo, Sant-Maloù, Saent-Malô) on the English Channel in Brittany in the NW of France, is an amazing, historic, ancient walled city. With its tall granite mansion blocks lining the attractive lanes and squares, its numerous ramparts that offer amazing views, and its cobbled streets brimming with restaurants, bars and shops, it is considered to be the most attractive channel port in France. The Citadel, aka the Old Town, was originally built on a rocky island at the mouth of the Rance estuary, a strategic position for defence, but today the modern harbour connects the citadel to the mainland. Read more about St Malo, France

San Sebastian is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km south of the French border. The first sight of the shimmering scallop-shaped bay, with its crescents of golden sand and turquoise waves, is most impressive. As it is also in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, the local cuisine is unrivalled. Read more about San Sebastian, Spain

Located in the NW corner of Spain, La Coruna is part of the Spanish autonomous community of Galicia. It’s a region of vast green landscapes with a rich Celtic and Roman heritage that keeps, to this day, a mystic and magic allure. Once protected by walls on three sides and by the sea on the other, the lively streets of the early medieval town with good examples of preserved Romanesque architecture, make for a fascinating visit. Read more about La Coruna, Spain

Located in the scenic estuary of the Douro River with swathes of vineyards clinging to the hills, Oporto - aka Porto - is Portugal's second largest metropolis, and one of Europe's most charismatic cities. The city is home to monuments by leading world architects from the past and the present, and some fantastic baroque carvings. Then there’s the world-famous sweet wine, and Ribeira - Its historical centre - that was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO. Read more about Oporto, Portugal

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, lies in the western Iberian Peninsula aside the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River. As one of the oldest cities in the world, it is rich in Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Modern and Post-Modern constructions. The city is also crossed by historical boulevards and monuments along the main thoroughfares. Read more about Lisbon, Portugal