27-Day British Isles & Iberiann Peninsula: Waterford

Rotterdam - located at the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta on the North Sea - is the largest port in Europe, and a perfect starting point for excursions to the cities of Holland. Few cities rebounded as quickly as Rotterdam following the Nazi invasion, which levelled the medieval heart of town, burning most of it to the ground. Today some of Europe's most bold contemporary architecture, such as the unique Cube Houses, can be found amid classic 18th and 19th C buildings in this, the greatest comeback city in the world. Read more about Rotterdam, Netherlands

Scotland's showcase capital of Edinburgh has a magnificent geographical location, perched on a series of extinct volcanos and rocky crags above the flatlands. The setting is wonderfully striking, as the modern city is often said to be built on seven hills. Both a historic and modern city, this metropolis is home to the largest arts festival in the world. Read more about Edinburgh, Great Britain

Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 160 km off the north coast of mainland Great Britain. Open to shipping in all weathers, it operates around-the-clock. Lerwick has strong ties with Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway, and this is reflected in the street names of the port. Read more about Lerwick, Great Britain

The Orkney Islands, an archipelago of more than 70 islands, graced with temperate weather warmed by the Gulf Stream, feature some of the most dramatic coastal scenery. There are sea cliffs, some over 300m, descending to sooth white-sand beaches. Yet even more fascinating are the more than 1,000 prehistoric sites that have been found here. Read more about Orkney Islands, Great Britain

Stornoway is an attractive town and the administrative centre of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The shape of the town is defined by the harbour, and is home to a beautiful, rugged landscape of rolling grassy hills and crinkly inlets of the sea. Take a leisurely stroll round the harbour and see everything from the ferries to cargo boats and small visiting yachts, as the harbour is definitely an asset to the town. Read more about Stornoway, Great Britain

Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, and is currently experiencing a successful tourist boom. One of the most visited cities in the UK, Belfast has plenty of attractions and is a good base from which to visit virtually anywhere else in the North. In the city centre concentrate on the glories resulting from the Industrial Revolution – grandiose architecture and magnificent Victorian pubs – and the rejuvenated area from Ann Street to Donegall Street now known as the Cathedral quarter. Read more about Belfast, Great Britain

Liverpool lies along the Mersey Estuary in England, UK. Not only is it extremely well known for the Beatles and other groups from the Merseybeat era, it is also home to the oldest Black African and Chinese communities in Europe. In addition, several areas of the city have been granted World Heritage Site status. Read more about Liverpool, Great Britain

Greenock is a town located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland, that forms part of a continuous urban area with Gourock to the west and Port Glasgow to the east. Evidence of the wealth generated in its early days can be seen in the large villas of Greenock's west end, one-time home to ship owners, industrialists, and investors. The area is fronted by the 1.6 km sweep of the Esplanade with its views across the Clyde to Kilcreggan. Read more about Greenock, Great Britain

Douglas, located at the mouth of the River Douglas and a sweeping bay, is the capital and the largest town of the Isle of Man. Douglas has a number of attractions and items of interest, such as the Tower of Refuge, a small castle-like shelter built upon Conister Rock in Douglas Bay that was a sanctuary for shipwrecked sailors. From spring to early autumn, take a trip back in time to when the way of life was much slower. Read more about Douglas, Great Britain

Cork is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork, situated in the SW of Ireland. County Cork has earned the nickname of ‘the Rebel County’, while Corkonians often refer to the city as the ‘real capital of Ireland’ and themselves as the ‘Rebels’. It began on an island in the swampy estuary of the River Lee, and gradually climbed up the steep banks on either side. Read more about Cork, Ireland

Dover, the world’s busiest ferry port, is located in the county of Kent, England, at the extreme SE corner of Britain. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, 35 km away across the Straits of Dover. Possibly best known for its lyrically famous ‘White Cliffs’, archaeological finds have revealed that the area has always been a focus for peoples entering and leaving Britain, and this continues to this day. Read more about Dover, Great Britain

Originally a dam in the river Amstel, Amsterdam today is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, as engineered dams, sea gates, and the 19-mile dyke walling out the Zuider Zee prevent this low-lying country from being reclaimed by the North Sea. Interestingly, the 17th century canals of Amsterdam located in the heart of the city have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The main tourist attractions are undoubtedly the famous Museums such as the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum. Read more about Amsterdam, Netherlands

Portland Harbour, dating back for thousands of years, is located beside the Isle of Portland off Dorset on the south coast of England. It is home to one of the largest man-made harbours in the world. Today the harbour is a popular location for wind surfing, diving and sailing, and it hosted most sailing events in the 2012 Olympic Games. Read more about Portland, Great Britain

Bilbao, situated on the estuary of Bilboa in the north-central part of Spain, is a bustling city that epitomises the merger of the modern and the historical, as modern architects erect new buildings next to 19th-century structures. Thanks to its history and location, Bilbao is a magnificent ‘cocktail’ where architecture, tradition, character, and history, are blended to offer the visitor endless leisure and culture opportunities. With the railway connecting Bilbao and the coastal neighbourhood of Las Arenas, the city became a popular beach destination, but it was the inauguration of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao - a true masterpiece - in 1997 that gave the tourism industry its real impetus. Read more about Bilbao, 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

Malaga is a lively, prosperous city on Spain's fabled Costa del Sol aside the Mediterranean Sea, just 100 km east of the Strait of Gibraltar. The city’s warm winter temperatures (average daytime of 17 C) make it an ideal place to visit any time of year. The archaeological remains and monuments from the Phoenician, Roman, Arabian and Christian eras convert the historic centre into an ‘Open Museum’ displaying its rich history of more than 3,000 years. Read more about Malaga, Spain

Alicante lies on the east coast of Spain and is Valencia region's second-largest city. Famous for its excellent weather and its long stretches of sandy beaches such as San Juan, thousands visit each year. Its most notable feature is undoubtedly the Castle of Santa Barbara situated on Mount Benacantil that dominates the city. Read more about Alicante, Spain

Valencia city, the administrative capital of the Valencian community and the centre of the region of L’Horta, is situated in the centre of the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. The Old City of Valencia, with its monuments, museums, and gardens, is a major tourist attraction. Here one finds the Gothic building of La Lonja that has been declared by UNESCO as a universal heritage monument. Read more about Valencia, Spain

Barcelona, located in Catalonia Spain, is Europe's largest metropolis on the Mediterranean coast, and one of the world’s major global cities. Today, Barcelona balances itself on the cutting edge of architecture, intellectual life, and style. Indeed Barcelona won the 1999 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture, the first time that the winner has been a city, and not an individual architect. Read more about Barcelona, Spain