Santos,Rio de Janeiro,Ilheus,Salvador,Maceio,Funchal,Vigo,Gijon,Southampton,Le

The municipality of Santos, in the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil, is the largest seaport in Latin America. It is a beehive of activity that offers an intense cultural experience. It is in fact a great city to explore, with its own idiosyncrasies, and the exquisite way of living of its inhabitants. Read more about Santos (Sao Paulo), Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is a large Brazilian city situated on the South Atlantic Coast of South America. It is perhaps best known for its carnivals and the largest art deco statue in existence, the giant Christ the Redeemer Statue that is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. While there absorb the magnificent views and you will feel as though you are taking a walk in the clouds. Read more about Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Ilheus is a major city located in the southern coastal region of Bahia, Brazil, 430 km south of Salvador, the state's capital. The city was originally founded in 1534, and is known as one of the most important tourism centres of NE Brazil. It is home to a rich cultural heritage that includes early Portuguese buildings, as well as culinary distinctions that offer a creative combination of African and Bahian flavours. Read more about Ilheus, Brazil

Salvador, Brazil's former capital and fifth largest city in the country, is situated on a high bluff that circles around the eastern side of the magnificent All Saints Bay. This intriguing city with a population of over two million has a strong African influence that derives from the slaves brought here to work in the sugar cane fields more than 400 years ago. Their rich cultural heritage is evident in their music, dance, cuisine and religion. Read more about Salvador, Brazil

Maceio is the capital city of the northern Brazilian state of Alagoas. Its principal attraction would have to be its 20km of urban beaches, as well as the delightful sandy beaches to the north and south. Of particular interest are the northern beaches of Ponta Verde with the boardwalk lined with beach bars, and Pajucara Beach that hosts a nightly craft market. Read more about Maceio, Brazil

Funchal is the capital of Portugal’s Autonomous Region of Madeira an archipelago 880 SW of Portugal and 600 km NW of Morocco, in the north Atlantic. Funchal’s harbour offers plazas lined with shops, colourful houses spilling down hillsides, due to its almost amphitheatre-like formation, and a profusion of flowers. For a fine view of the magnificent bay, take the unique downhill basket sledge ride. Read more about Funchal, Portugal

Vigo, the ‘Gateway to the Atlantic’, is the largest city in NW Spain. It is located on a 32 km long estuary and boasts beautiful beaches and outstanding water sports facilities. Built over both a hill-fort and a Roman settlement, today it boasts major historic buildings and wide tree-lined streets. Read more about Vigo, Spain

Situated on the Atlantic coast of Spain, Gijon began as a fishing village almost 3,000 years ago, and today is an important port that is an attractive combination of seafaring flavour, heritage buildings, and modern urban development. The city’s major tourist attraction is the historic fishing village of Cimadevilla, located on a peninsula that divides the port in half. Most of its streets are made of cobblestones and are barely two cars wide, reminding visitors of its historic past, as do many of the buildings that have withstood the forces of the Atlantic. Read more about Gijon, Spain

Southampton, UK, is a city and major port situated on the south coast of England, and is widely recognised as the capital of the country’s cruise industry. Each year more and more cruise liners take advantage of its superb cruise terminals. It is, of course, a gateway to Europe’s largest city, the enormous cosmopolitan city of London, with all the cultural and gastronomic attractions you'd expect from a world capital. Read more about Southampton, Great Britain

Le Havre is a city in the NW of France, situated on the right bank of the mouth of the Seine River and 170 km from Paris. Best known for being the ferry terminal for the English Channel crossings, it should not be quickly dismissed. This city was devastated during WWII, but was rebuilt in modernist style and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Read more about Le Havre, France

The port city of Zeebrugge is a harbour town at the western end of the Belgian coast and a subdivision of the city of Bruges - one of the best preserved cities in Europe - for which it is the modern port. The new port has reinvigorated the city as an art and tourist centre for northern Europe. Upon visiting Bruges you will immediately notice that this city has always carefully cherished its architectural and artistic treasures from the past, but what makes Bruges so unique though is the way it deals with this past today. Read more about Zeebrugge, Belgium

Copenhagen, situated on two islands, is the capital and largest city in Denmark. It is perhaps best known for being the final resting place of the famous author Hans Christian Andersen, and also being one of the world’s most environmentally friendly cities. It has a very high quality of life. Read more about Copenhagen, Denmark

Oslo, the capital and most populous city in Norway, lies between the Oslo Fjord and the green hills of Oslomarka. The combination of city life and easy access to outdoor activities makes Oslo a unique destination. Oslo is built in a horseshoe shape on the shores of the Oslofjord and limited in most directions by hills and forests. Read more about Oslo, Norway

Hamburg is a major transport hub in Northern Germany and is one of the most affluent cities in Europe. Located on the river Elbe, some 110 km from its mouth in the North Sea, the port can take the world’s largest cruise ships. The birthplace of Johannes Brahms, who spent his early formative years in the city, it is renowned for its numerous musicals, operas and orchestral presentations. Read more about Hamburg, Germany